Key Business Partners, LLC

From time to time on this blog, I bring up a discussion that includes something I have learned from my daughter. She has brought up things to me that I don’t necessarily see at the time, in the way that she would see it. And many times, she teaches me something.

I bring up my daughter in this blog because she has liked the cartoon, Scooby Doo, for years. For her 4th birthday party (quite a few years ago), she had a Scooby-Doo themed birthday. She has almost every Scooby-Doo DVD made and she can sit and watch them over and over again.

Here is a little background on Scooby-Doo in case you aren’t familiar:
There is a group of young adults, Daphne, Velma, Fred and Shaggy and Scooby-Doo (the talking dog who talks by beginning almost every word for R). This group solves mysteries where ever they go and each member of the group contributes to helping solve the case. At the end of each episode, the case is solved and the gang has once again has done it together.

Over the summer, she had been watching Scooby-Doo most of a day and I had thought to ask her, “What is it for you about Scooby Doo that you like so much?” And in true form she answered she first answered with a quick not thought out response and then followed up with the statement that lead me to start this blog post.

Me: So, what is it about Scooby Doo you like so much?

My daughter: “I just like it. He’s funny.”

Then after about 20 seconds, she continued “I actually learn stuff from Scooby Doo. I learn about being there for your friends and not giving up to solve a problem and tons of other stuff too.

With her statement, I started thinking about how Scooby Doo can teach and show authors and writers to help promote their work and their books.

You may be asking what does Scooby Doo have to do with online book or author promotion? Well, here are 10 way authors and writers can promote like Scooby-Doo:

Making New Friends – In almost every episode of Scooby-Doo, the gang meets new people that are involved in some way with the mystery they are trying to solve. They aren’t shy and scared to meet the new people because they realize the possible benefit of meeting new people. Perhaps a new person they meet can lead them to find another clue which gets them closer to solving the case. Or perhaps meeting someone new will refer them to their next case.
—>Don’t be afraid to meet new people—you never know where it could lead (either a great resource, referral or potential reader for your book.

Live Your Passion – Scooby-Doo and the gang love, love, love solving mysteries. Well, if you watch, you will know that Shaggy and Scooby don’t necessarily love to find the ghosts, but they love when they have accomplished solving the mystery.
—>As a writer and/or author, you are doing something you love to do. Even though there may be a few items during the process you aren’t thrilled about however, by having the end result in mind, it still fills you will joy to spread the message of your book because you wrote about something you are passionate about to share with others.

Find Your Support – Daphne, Fred, Shaggy, Velma and Scooby-Doo are always there for each other. They can always count of each other for support, inspiration, and ideas to be there no matter what.
—>With the online social media networks like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, you, as an author, have wonderful avenues to use in order to spread the message of your book with your potential readers. You can also find tremendous support, resources and ideas from being a part of social media.

Move past your Fear – With many (if not all) of the Scooby-Doo episodes, the gang is met with some scary ghosts or unknown villains that they have to face in order to find out and solve the mystery. However, even though they are faced with fearful obstacles, they don’t let that stop them from getting in there and solving the mystery. And most of the time, the thing they feared wasn’t so bad after all.
—>In the writing process and promoting/marketing process, there can be places where you may be fearful of the unknown. But don’t allow fear to stop you from writing or promoting your book. Move forward through your fear by talking with others, asking questions, and you will find out at the end, the thing you feared was not much of anything anyway.

Reward yourself – In Scooby-Doo, the two best pals, Shaggy and Scooby-Doo, are ALWAYS hungry. No matter if they have just eaten (items like salami topped ice cream and jalapeno/peanut butter and jelly pizza), they will want more food. And when the gang wants Scooby to help them hunt the ghosts, they will give him “Scooby Snacks”.
—>Whatever your “Scooby Snack” is (whether is your favorite tea or coffee or perhaps a new writing pen), don’t forget to reward yourself along your journey so you feed the accomplishments you have made.

Help others – On every episode of Scooby, the gang are always there for other people and each other. They don’t go and promote themselves first. They are first and foremost there to help answer questions, give support, offer ideas and (of course) get rid of the ghost.
—>When you begin with a new networking group, online or off line, go into it first by being a resource and support to others rather than just promoting your work or your book. Allow people to know you are there to help them.

While Scooby Doo is funny and silly, there are lessons within this cute cartoon of a talking dog and his group of friends. Scooby-Doo and gang can teach authors and writers about rewards, helping others, live your passion and working past your fear to get to accomplish your goals to completion.

I am not sure as I write this which commercial or TV show I was watching last week. (It could have been Next Food Network Star or Chopped), however, the power of the message remains.

Don’t Give Up – Keep Going!

If everyone gave up every time she or he got knocked down, no one would ever accomplish anything. So true!

I know as a writer, business owner, parent, daughter, there are times things don’t go as you may have planned. There is no reason to just give up and throw in the towel.

Use the time to refocus, regroup and align yourself with what you main purpose is for what you are doing and where you wish to go in your endeavor. But don’t give up!

Create inspiration and motivation for others and you will find joy.

I recently had one of my clients say, “I just have so much to do, I feel overwhelmed. Maybe I shouldn’t do my book”.

Now, she and I both know that was not the answer. She just needed to step back for a second and organize what she needed to accomplish. Take things one step at a time.

I told her, “You know, you don’t have to eat the whole elephant at one time. You are thinking about ALL that you have going on instead of taking it task at a time. And you aren’t realizing you have help too!.”

“Oh, yes, that is right. I have my virtual assistant who can do x, y and z. I have my website designer who can help with a and b. Wow, I don’t feel so overwhelmed anymore.”

After a couple of deep breathes, she came back with excitement in her voice again, “I feel so much better. I never wanted to give up writing my book. It is what I love to do. I just felt like I couldn’t get it all done”.

I replied, “I know. That is why you have have people who can help relieve the pressure of all these things, so you can do what you love—writing.”

Most of the time, it is not that you want to give up on something that you love to do, you just need to figure out how to move other things around (and ask for help) to achieve those goals you set for yourself.

Keep moving and don’t give up!

P.S. Do you have something that you do when you feel stressed or overwhelmed so you don’t give up? Please share with me.

It was a high counsel that I once heard given to a young person, “Always do what you are afraid to do.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

As a writer, writing itself can evoke a level of fear in you. And then the thought of sending your writing out into the world, well, that can be a fearful thought…however, like the quote above states, do it anyway.

Once you have written your manuscript, edited the manuscript, proofread your manuscript, be good to yourself as a writer and send it off.

Because remember your book is about the message. I am not suggesting that you shouldn’t care about the layout, grammar or spelling in your work.

You may just hear the words, “But, what if no one likes it” or “I think it is best if I don’t publish it because then I won’t have to be disappointed”.

However, perhaps you should be thinking about, the advice, support, inspiration and healing you will be sharing and giving to your readers when they have read your book.

Don’t allow fear of failure or success keep you from living your dream of being an author.

Now, go and write.