May I Have This Dance?
Understanding the Relationship between Performer and Audience
By Kelly Swanson
June 2, 2007
Like most anything in life, timing is everything
It is true in love and business and any career involving you and an audience. No matter what brings you to the stage, timing can make you or break you. Unfortunately, timing can not be learned, as it falls into that mysterious realm beyond your control – either you have it or you don’t. I do believe, however, that timing can be improved – not just through a process or a series of steps, but through a state of mind. Aside from learning some basic tricks (like slowing down, counting, not stepping on your laughs, etc.) you can also learn to see your performance in new ways. Today, we are going to view it as a dance – a dance between you, the performer, and your partner, the audience.
You’re the lead
As a performer, you have spent years crafting your art – learning the steps to your dance. You are the lead. If your performance art is one like dancing or acting, your audience is on the outside looking in and there is no partnership. In this case I am referring to other art forms - like comedy, storytelling, improv, magic, and music, to name a few – where you are cultivating a relationship with your audience. You lead the dance, but you are taking the audience along on the journey. So how does an audience compare to a dancing partner?
No two dance partners are the same
Every audience you have will be different no matter what the variables. Even the same group of people will have a different mood at the end of the show as they did before it started. An audience is a unique being composed of different people with different assumptions and experiences and backgrounds combined with their shared experiences and setting. There is a definite mood to each audience. Quite often performers will warn each other of the temperament of the audience. I’ve heard performers warn me: “They’re in a bad mood today. They’ve been touring all day, the boats were late getting back, some missed dinner, and they want to go to bed.” Other times I will hear: “This is a good crowd. Little tipsy. Ready to laugh.” Or, “The last three performers were horrible they’re irritated and most of them want to leave.” Your dance partners change. Each one has its own rhythm, moods, likes and dislikes. An audience can collectively change moods based on what happens in the performance. Comedy clubs are a good example, especially in how the comedian handles a heckler. The audience will be on the side of the comedian until the comedian delivers a blow they consider unfair in which case the audience as a whole will turn on the comedian. It’s not something planned, it just happens.
You must be tuned in to your partner
If every audience is different, then you must be flexible enough to adapt to your audience. Sometimes you get information about your audience in advance. But most of what you will learn will happen while you are on the stage. As a performer you not only have the responsibility of engaging your audience, you must also read them – their expressions, their laughter, their body language, and even those subtle nuances that you just feel as a seasoned performer. There is no way that you can read your audience if you are too busy worrying about getting your lines right or forcing material on a group that obviously isn’t enjoying the journey. You must stay in the moment. You must be able to pick up on the attitude of the audience. If they are laughing, then your jokes are working. If they are looking at you with expressions of confusion, you aren’t hitting the mark. If they are sleeping or throwing tomatoes, you’d better resort to your backup plan. Be flexible enough to change depending on your partner. Remember that you’re not up there on stage to deliver every word of your show if it kills them. You’re up there to entertain the audience – to give them an enjoyable experience. That is your obligation, not theirs. You’re not dancing for them, you are dancing with them.
Sometimes your partner gets distracted and you have to bring them back in
It happens. A waiter drops a tray. A door slams. A cell phone goes off. You can’t eliminate distractions in your show. Don’t be afraid of them and don’t ignore them. Embrace the distractions. Address them. Let your partner know that you have it under control and everything is going to be okay. And then utilize whatever tricks you have to demand their attention again. For example, if you are coming up on a critical part of your story when a distraction occurs, then delay it until you have control again.
If you don’t learn the steps your partner will know it
You owe it to your audience to perfect your performance. The stage is not the place to work out the kinks. It is not the place to wing it. You owe each audience your best whether they’re paying you the big bucks or giving you chicken and iced tea. The best advice I have for marketing yourself as an artist is to be darned good at what you do. There is no room for mediocrity.
Sometimes it’s just the wrong partner – find another one - you’re not a good fit
You will never find an audience where one hundred percent of the people like what you do. Accept it. Aim for 80 percent. Understand that not every audience is right for you, and it takes time to figure out where you belong. Sometimes the process can be pretty painful. But there is room for everybody. So keep working and keep looking. Don’t force yourself where you don’t belong. And don’t assume that anybody in their right mind should be totally captivated by you.
Enjoy the dance
Remember why you do what you – because you love the dance. Yes, your heart may be racing. You may have just run from the worst performance of your life. Maybe the entire front row was asleep. So you were fighting a cold and a case of athlete’s foot. We all have days like that – when our passion feels more like work than fun. That’s part of it. That’s normal. The important thing is to find the balance. To stay in touch with the reason that you are doing this. To hang on to the part of you that is passionate. Don’t get so swept up in what you think you’re supposed to do that you forget what you want to do, or you’ll find that somewhere along the way you stopped enjoying the dance.
Showing posts with label storytelling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label storytelling. Show all posts
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Happily Ever Laughter
Ah, marriage. So many have done it, written about it, sung about it, longed to have it, made movies about it, bought dresses for it, went broke because of it, and cried in their beers over it. And still when it’s our turn, it’s both magical and mysterious. We’re filled with hope and awe and images of ourselves sitting on a front porch holding hands into the twilight of our lives. And one day, somewhere down the line, the honeymoon ends and real life sets in and you start to get a good idea of what forever is going to feel like. That part of the fairy tale they never show you – when the handsome prince grows a spare tire, the fairy princess develops anger issues, and the once-upon-a-time you dreamed about is littered with dirty laundry, unpaid bills, and images of killing him in his sleep.
Today I speak to you as one who has settled into the real life stage of marriage. As one who can help give you some advice to prepare you for the hills and valleys that lay ahead. You see, I married Mr. Right. I just didn’t realize his first name was Always. My friend found her Mr. Right too, but his first name is Can’t-Do-Anything. Even finding your Mister Right doesn’t guarantee a happy ending. So today I share with you some words of wisdom to help you on the road to a happy marriage. Tips to a happy marriage.
Today I speak to you as one who has settled into the real life stage of marriage. As one who can help give you some advice to prepare you for the hills and valleys that lay ahead. You see, I married Mr. Right. I just didn’t realize his first name was Always. My friend found her Mr. Right too, but his first name is Can’t-Do-Anything. Even finding your Mister Right doesn’t guarantee a happy ending. So today I share with you some words of wisdom to help you on the road to a happy marriage. Tips to a happy marriage.
Don’t do it
Okay, well will just skip over that one why don’t we?
Embrace Your Differences
Understand that you are different people. And it’s okay. My husband is the smart one. He lays awake at night pondering the mysteries of the universe. I lay awake wondering what happens to their tattoos when big people lose weight, or how veterinarians get their dogs to pee in a cup.
Do things to spice up your marriage
The other day my husband suggested we do something new in the bedroom. I suggested he pick up his socks. It’s good to make sure you always have a date night. We do. I have Tuesday, he has Thursday.
Take the good with the bad.
90% of the time you’ll look at him and say I want to spend the rest of my life with you. The other ten percent you’re looking for ways to fake your death. You’ll go from thinking it is the cutest thing how he drools when he sleeps to……Good grief if I hear him suck in his breath when he eats a sandwich one more time I’m going to tear my eyes out!
Find new levels of intimacy
One day you’ll go from standing in the doorway wearing that smoking hot little black dress to…….Hey honey! Come here!! You have got to see what is growing in between my toes! Fooling around may start as an all night affair. Now, it’s “Hurry up! We’ve got five minutes before Law and Order starts! You go from, “Honey, could you rub lotion on my shoulders” to “Hey babe! Can you come pluck this hair for me? I think it’s infected!”And by the way, don’t take sex advice from old people. To them, safe sex is not breaking a hip.
Don’t compare yourself to others
Don’t be intimidated by those sappy couples who are all gushy and sweet, like my friend who got her husband’s handprints put in cement and hung up on her wall so she could “always know what it feels like to have his hand in mine.” (Gagging motion) Shoot. I’ve got that without paying anything. Come over to my house and you can check out his butt print on the recliner.
Don’t be intimidated by those sappy couples who are all gushy and sweet, like my friend who got her husband’s handprints put in cement and hung up on her wall so she could “always know what it feels like to have his hand in mine.” (Gagging motion) Shoot. I’ve got that without paying anything. Come over to my house and you can check out his butt print on the recliner.
Keep the lines of communication open
For the record husbands, when she asks what’s on TV, don’t ever say dust. Appreciate the fact that now she’ll hang on every word you say. Ten years from now the only time she’ll listen to every word you say is when you’re talking in your sleep. I asked my husband why we haven’t spoken all day. He said he didn’t want to interrupt me. I told my husband he needs to get in touch with his feminine side. So he started listening, communicating, and asking if his butt looks big in these pants.
And there you have it. My tips to a happy marriage. Nurture them. Use them wisely. Refer to them often. And if I’m still married ten years from now. I’ll write another one.
Best wishes!
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Frazzled Mom Hiding Out in Bathroom
by Kelly Swanson
I have to talk quietly so he won’t hear me. If he hears me, he will find me, and I haven’t had a moment to myself all day. That’s why I’m sitting here in the bathroom sucking on a lollipop wishing it were a Marlboro, and clutching a bottle of cooking sherry. I just need a moment to vent. And I don’t have anybody. So you’re it.
No, it’s not about the gas bill again. I’m over that. Yes, I’m still counting points. Why do you think I’m in such a bad mood all the time? And, thank you, I’m no longer worried that my left elbow is bigger than my right. I’m just deformed. I’ll live with it. No, today I’m just tired.
That’s all there is to it. Tired. I don’t care anymore about winning the lottery, I don’t care about getting a new minivan. I don’t care about being swept away to a tropical paradise where I instantly turn into a size 0 and my breasts get perky again. I don’t care about anything but sleep.
You’re probably not going to feel sorry for me because my situation is not unique. I’m a mom. And to just one kid – a two-year-old boy– but just one kid all the same. “Oh shut up,” my Aunt Edna always says, “I had four kids in two years. You don’t even know tired.”
Please….just this one time…don’t tell me you have it worse…..don’t be like my cousin Shirley who constantly whines about how bad she’s got it. Waa, waa, waa. I’ve got three kids. We live in a trailer with my great Aunt Nadine who keeps losing her teeth while my no-good husband is in Nashville trying to make it as a country/western singer in between shifts at the nude car wash.
Maybe she does have it worse, but just for today. Take one minute out of your day to listen to a stranger. I won’t tell you the story of my life. I won’t even tell you the story of my week. Just let me tell you about my day. That’s all I ask.
He gets up at 5am. Which means I get up at five am and throw him another day-old cereal bar so he can watch cartoons while I get ready. Oh I know I know about that whole cartoon will rot his brain stuff. I was worried about it for about two weeks and then I got over that. I’ll trade rotted brain for some moments of quiet.
So I get one eyebrow done and I hear something that I know means trouble - silence. If you’re a mom and you hear silence, run.
In our house, junior’s silence usually means he’s either got the cat caught up in another death grip that he innocently refers to as playing – or he’s naked. In this case it’s the latter.
I follow the trail of pajamas and socks and diaper pieces (he can’t just take the thing off, he’s got to shred it in the process) and I get to where my beloved son is standing on top of his train play table playing my pee pee’s a water gun and firing on a helpless line of stuffed animals as well as anything else he deems worthy of death by pee pee – which now includes my bathrobe which is the price you pay when you startle an unsuspecting pee shooter. They’ll turn on you. That was just the beginning.
He refuses to get in his car seat because he thinks the dead leaf on the window is a bug, and he’s suddenly developed a terrifying phobia for anything smaller than a fly and lets out a terrifying shriek that can be heard all over the world – a shriek which he now finds to be quite fun and so continues shrieking without ceasing for a good twenty minutes – seeing how high up he can get in octave without breaking glass.
He sings Jesus Loves Me This I Know to the sweet foreign gentleman working at the gas station who apparently was not in a singing mood which did nothing to deter junior from singing it louder and louder with more urgency as if threatening to pull out his weapon and pee the poor man to death. I got a dirty look from this old lady beside me and I said, “What? We’re witnessing. Would you be interested in a pamphlet?” That shut her up.
I spend forever in the gym parking lot trying to find the ten-cent red rubber nose he found earlier in the week on the floor of the auto shop that had now rolled under the car. And he’s crying in jags stopping only to hold his breath and I’m under the car screaming, “I’ll give you something to cry about young man” and secretly hoping he doesn’t start holding his breath again – cause the gym nursery won’t take ‘em if they’re blue.
Oh, and get this. He chokes on a piece of gum at the grocery store – right in front of the feminine products, which is just Murphy’s Law. And I pounded him on the back a couple of times like we do to Uncle Willy when he eats steak without his teeth, and the gum finally shoots out. And it was really a crisis, ‘cause that was like my last piece.
And this little old lady gives me this sour look like it was my fault that Junior threw his sandal into her grocery cart and pulled over a display of oranges before I could catch him. And she’s all sour-faced and looking at me like I was something she scraped off the bottom of her shoe, and I’m like, “Look old woman, cut me some slack, he’s not even my kid. Check the milk carton in the back.”
He’s figured out how to roll down the window (used recycled Pintos don’t come with child window locks) and in the course of a four-minute conversation I had on my cell phone (telling my sister why I will never shop at the Wally Mart again) he manages to get his window down, work his way out of his clothes and throw them out, along with his diapers and his socks and his shoes, at intervals along highway 68. All of this in four minutes, while still strapped in and without making a peep. This from a kid who can’t keep the food on his fork from the plate to his mouth.
I could go on, but I’m not. Because I just don’t have the energy is why. And that’s why I’m here. Hiding in the bathroom. While he’s out there. Somewhere. Plotting. Scheming. Lurking. Help me! It’s only 10am. I’m tired.
I have to talk quietly so he won’t hear me. If he hears me, he will find me, and I haven’t had a moment to myself all day. That’s why I’m sitting here in the bathroom sucking on a lollipop wishing it were a Marlboro, and clutching a bottle of cooking sherry. I just need a moment to vent. And I don’t have anybody. So you’re it.
No, it’s not about the gas bill again. I’m over that. Yes, I’m still counting points. Why do you think I’m in such a bad mood all the time? And, thank you, I’m no longer worried that my left elbow is bigger than my right. I’m just deformed. I’ll live with it. No, today I’m just tired.
That’s all there is to it. Tired. I don’t care anymore about winning the lottery, I don’t care about getting a new minivan. I don’t care about being swept away to a tropical paradise where I instantly turn into a size 0 and my breasts get perky again. I don’t care about anything but sleep.
You’re probably not going to feel sorry for me because my situation is not unique. I’m a mom. And to just one kid – a two-year-old boy– but just one kid all the same. “Oh shut up,” my Aunt Edna always says, “I had four kids in two years. You don’t even know tired.”
Please….just this one time…don’t tell me you have it worse…..don’t be like my cousin Shirley who constantly whines about how bad she’s got it. Waa, waa, waa. I’ve got three kids. We live in a trailer with my great Aunt Nadine who keeps losing her teeth while my no-good husband is in Nashville trying to make it as a country/western singer in between shifts at the nude car wash.
Maybe she does have it worse, but just for today. Take one minute out of your day to listen to a stranger. I won’t tell you the story of my life. I won’t even tell you the story of my week. Just let me tell you about my day. That’s all I ask.
He gets up at 5am. Which means I get up at five am and throw him another day-old cereal bar so he can watch cartoons while I get ready. Oh I know I know about that whole cartoon will rot his brain stuff. I was worried about it for about two weeks and then I got over that. I’ll trade rotted brain for some moments of quiet.
So I get one eyebrow done and I hear something that I know means trouble - silence. If you’re a mom and you hear silence, run.
In our house, junior’s silence usually means he’s either got the cat caught up in another death grip that he innocently refers to as playing – or he’s naked. In this case it’s the latter.
I follow the trail of pajamas and socks and diaper pieces (he can’t just take the thing off, he’s got to shred it in the process) and I get to where my beloved son is standing on top of his train play table playing my pee pee’s a water gun and firing on a helpless line of stuffed animals as well as anything else he deems worthy of death by pee pee – which now includes my bathrobe which is the price you pay when you startle an unsuspecting pee shooter. They’ll turn on you. That was just the beginning.
He refuses to get in his car seat because he thinks the dead leaf on the window is a bug, and he’s suddenly developed a terrifying phobia for anything smaller than a fly and lets out a terrifying shriek that can be heard all over the world – a shriek which he now finds to be quite fun and so continues shrieking without ceasing for a good twenty minutes – seeing how high up he can get in octave without breaking glass.
He sings Jesus Loves Me This I Know to the sweet foreign gentleman working at the gas station who apparently was not in a singing mood which did nothing to deter junior from singing it louder and louder with more urgency as if threatening to pull out his weapon and pee the poor man to death. I got a dirty look from this old lady beside me and I said, “What? We’re witnessing. Would you be interested in a pamphlet?” That shut her up.
I spend forever in the gym parking lot trying to find the ten-cent red rubber nose he found earlier in the week on the floor of the auto shop that had now rolled under the car. And he’s crying in jags stopping only to hold his breath and I’m under the car screaming, “I’ll give you something to cry about young man” and secretly hoping he doesn’t start holding his breath again – cause the gym nursery won’t take ‘em if they’re blue.
Oh, and get this. He chokes on a piece of gum at the grocery store – right in front of the feminine products, which is just Murphy’s Law. And I pounded him on the back a couple of times like we do to Uncle Willy when he eats steak without his teeth, and the gum finally shoots out. And it was really a crisis, ‘cause that was like my last piece.
And this little old lady gives me this sour look like it was my fault that Junior threw his sandal into her grocery cart and pulled over a display of oranges before I could catch him. And she’s all sour-faced and looking at me like I was something she scraped off the bottom of her shoe, and I’m like, “Look old woman, cut me some slack, he’s not even my kid. Check the milk carton in the back.”
He’s figured out how to roll down the window (used recycled Pintos don’t come with child window locks) and in the course of a four-minute conversation I had on my cell phone (telling my sister why I will never shop at the Wally Mart again) he manages to get his window down, work his way out of his clothes and throw them out, along with his diapers and his socks and his shoes, at intervals along highway 68. All of this in four minutes, while still strapped in and without making a peep. This from a kid who can’t keep the food on his fork from the plate to his mouth.
I could go on, but I’m not. Because I just don’t have the energy is why. And that’s why I’m here. Hiding in the bathroom. While he’s out there. Somewhere. Plotting. Scheming. Lurking. Help me! It’s only 10am. I’m tired.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Seventy-Three Things I've Learned on Stage
73 Things
I’ve Learned on Stage
1. Find out about your audience in advance if you can.
2. There is no room for mediocre.
3. Your clients don’t care how talented you are, that’s already an assumption. What they care about is whether their audience will like you.
4. The show must go on.
5. Likeability is everything.
6. Your opening sets the tone. Make it good. It’s hard to bounce back from a weak opening. You can lose them in the first couple of minutes.
7. You can not prepare for every distraction to your show. Just stay calm and react.
8. A bad demo is worse than no demo.
9. Excitement is contagious.
10. It pays to add worth to your estimate, but never underestimate your worth. (It sounded better at home.)
11. Never eat chili before a show.
12. Success is not what the world tells you it. You decide what success looks like to you.
13. Being comfortable on stage is everything.
14. You are performing from the minute you answer your phone and engage in a conversation right up until …well, it never stops…..you are always “on.”
15. Speak like you speak – talk to them, not at them.
16. When disruptions happen, acknowledge them. Don’t pretend that you aren’t aware the lights just went out. If you can make a joke about it, your audience will think you’re a genius.
17. Live and learn and always treat yourself as a work in progress.
18. Success is not a method, it’s an attitude.
19. Find a way to be the only one who does what you do.
20. Timing is everything – on stage and off.
21. If they see your passion for what you do, they will feel it too.
22. You are not a star to be admired. You are a vessel so that your gift may flow through you – remember that and serve others.
23. Praying helps.
24. If it doesn’t get a laugh, pretend like it wasn’t supposed to.
25. Remember that your audience wants you to do well. They aren’t waiting for you mess up. They are cheering you on.
26. You never know who is sitting in your audience.
27. Marketing is simply telling them you are here. Any way you know how.
28. Watch game film.
29. Never underestimate the value of a thank-you note.
30. Get a website.
31. 10% of your audience will hate you because they hate everybody. 10% will love you because they love everybody. 80% will reserve judgment. That’s the group you want to impress. Forget about the unhappy 10%. You’ll never change them.
32. Nothing will help your appearance more than spandex and a good pair of suck-me-in panties.
33. Nobody notices normal.
34. It’s okay if somebody doesn’t “get” what you do.
35. Be true to who you are and at the end of the day you’ll know that you did your best.
36. Mingle with your audience first if you can.
37. Dress like you. If you’re a southern redneck, don’t come out in a ball gown.
38. When something really cool and unexpected happens on stage, write it down. Work it into your act.
39. Think of how radically different the world would be if our every decision was made thinking of someone else first.
40. Dream big. Think outside the box. Look at what everybody else is doing and do something radically different.
41. Smile. Smile when you’re talking to them on the phone. Smile when you walk on their property. Smile when you’re on stage and when you’re getting into your car to go home.
42. Every now and then take the job at the senior citizen for a chicken breast and a glass of sweet tea.
43. Don’t break the rules until you’ve learned them.
44. Learn it like a script, then practice telling it like you didn’t memorize it.
45. They may not remember what you made them think. But they will always remember how you made them feel.
46. Funny sells.
47. If they hire you for thirty minutes, talk for 29. Never ever ever think you have the right to go over your allotted time.
48. Your stories are never as interesting to somebody else as they are to you – get a second opinion.
49. Remember that not everyone can do what you do. That makes you valuable.
50. Don’t steal material. It’s just not nice.
51. The days are over of waiting for your big break. Make it happen.
52. Sometimes you get in front of the wrong crowd. Quit early.
53. Find ways that your material can relate to your audience – a universal theme – a common thread. You may not all share the same culture or background, but there are certain experiences that you do share - first love, getting spanked, relationships, etc.
54. Don’t get out of the race because you don’t think you can be the fastest. The world is big enough for all of us.
55. Remember the big picture.
56. Never try to copy somebody well known. If they want him, they’ll hire him.
57. You’ll get into trouble pretending like you know what stage right is.
58. You are here for a reason. Treat that honor with care.
59. Seek wisdom from those who are willing to give it. Surround yourself with people who know.
60. Other performers are not your enemy. They are your PR people, your support group, your advisors, and your cheerleaders.
61. It’s not talent that makes you rise to the top. There are plenty of talented performers waiting tables. The most successful aren’t the most talented – but the most persistent. The ones who keep getting back up.
62. Don’t leave your values at home.
63. You don’t have to figure everything out today.
64. There will always be someone telling you that you can’t do it.
65. Your client isn’t there to make you feel good about what you do. That’s your job.
66. Every audience is worthy of your best show.
67. Different is good. But accept the challenges that come with wearing a different label.
68. Leave the stage while you’re ahead. Never overstay your welcome.
69. Big hair will make your thighs look smaller.
70. Give back. Not because someone once gave to you, but because you can.
71. Often we are the very thing blocking our path to success.
72. Turn your head away from the microphone if you need to burp.
73. Don’t be too hard on yourself. At least you’re better now than you were ten years ago. Aren’t you?
Kelly Swanson
www.kellyswanson.net
I’ve Learned on Stage
1. Find out about your audience in advance if you can.
2. There is no room for mediocre.
3. Your clients don’t care how talented you are, that’s already an assumption. What they care about is whether their audience will like you.
4. The show must go on.
5. Likeability is everything.
6. Your opening sets the tone. Make it good. It’s hard to bounce back from a weak opening. You can lose them in the first couple of minutes.
7. You can not prepare for every distraction to your show. Just stay calm and react.
8. A bad demo is worse than no demo.
9. Excitement is contagious.
10. It pays to add worth to your estimate, but never underestimate your worth. (It sounded better at home.)
11. Never eat chili before a show.
12. Success is not what the world tells you it. You decide what success looks like to you.
13. Being comfortable on stage is everything.
14. You are performing from the minute you answer your phone and engage in a conversation right up until …well, it never stops…..you are always “on.”
15. Speak like you speak – talk to them, not at them.
16. When disruptions happen, acknowledge them. Don’t pretend that you aren’t aware the lights just went out. If you can make a joke about it, your audience will think you’re a genius.
17. Live and learn and always treat yourself as a work in progress.
18. Success is not a method, it’s an attitude.
19. Find a way to be the only one who does what you do.
20. Timing is everything – on stage and off.
21. If they see your passion for what you do, they will feel it too.
22. You are not a star to be admired. You are a vessel so that your gift may flow through you – remember that and serve others.
23. Praying helps.
24. If it doesn’t get a laugh, pretend like it wasn’t supposed to.
25. Remember that your audience wants you to do well. They aren’t waiting for you mess up. They are cheering you on.
26. You never know who is sitting in your audience.
27. Marketing is simply telling them you are here. Any way you know how.
28. Watch game film.
29. Never underestimate the value of a thank-you note.
30. Get a website.
31. 10% of your audience will hate you because they hate everybody. 10% will love you because they love everybody. 80% will reserve judgment. That’s the group you want to impress. Forget about the unhappy 10%. You’ll never change them.
32. Nothing will help your appearance more than spandex and a good pair of suck-me-in panties.
33. Nobody notices normal.
34. It’s okay if somebody doesn’t “get” what you do.
35. Be true to who you are and at the end of the day you’ll know that you did your best.
36. Mingle with your audience first if you can.
37. Dress like you. If you’re a southern redneck, don’t come out in a ball gown.
38. When something really cool and unexpected happens on stage, write it down. Work it into your act.
39. Think of how radically different the world would be if our every decision was made thinking of someone else first.
40. Dream big. Think outside the box. Look at what everybody else is doing and do something radically different.
41. Smile. Smile when you’re talking to them on the phone. Smile when you walk on their property. Smile when you’re on stage and when you’re getting into your car to go home.
42. Every now and then take the job at the senior citizen for a chicken breast and a glass of sweet tea.
43. Don’t break the rules until you’ve learned them.
44. Learn it like a script, then practice telling it like you didn’t memorize it.
45. They may not remember what you made them think. But they will always remember how you made them feel.
46. Funny sells.
47. If they hire you for thirty minutes, talk for 29. Never ever ever think you have the right to go over your allotted time.
48. Your stories are never as interesting to somebody else as they are to you – get a second opinion.
49. Remember that not everyone can do what you do. That makes you valuable.
50. Don’t steal material. It’s just not nice.
51. The days are over of waiting for your big break. Make it happen.
52. Sometimes you get in front of the wrong crowd. Quit early.
53. Find ways that your material can relate to your audience – a universal theme – a common thread. You may not all share the same culture or background, but there are certain experiences that you do share - first love, getting spanked, relationships, etc.
54. Don’t get out of the race because you don’t think you can be the fastest. The world is big enough for all of us.
55. Remember the big picture.
56. Never try to copy somebody well known. If they want him, they’ll hire him.
57. You’ll get into trouble pretending like you know what stage right is.
58. You are here for a reason. Treat that honor with care.
59. Seek wisdom from those who are willing to give it. Surround yourself with people who know.
60. Other performers are not your enemy. They are your PR people, your support group, your advisors, and your cheerleaders.
61. It’s not talent that makes you rise to the top. There are plenty of talented performers waiting tables. The most successful aren’t the most talented – but the most persistent. The ones who keep getting back up.
62. Don’t leave your values at home.
63. You don’t have to figure everything out today.
64. There will always be someone telling you that you can’t do it.
65. Your client isn’t there to make you feel good about what you do. That’s your job.
66. Every audience is worthy of your best show.
67. Different is good. But accept the challenges that come with wearing a different label.
68. Leave the stage while you’re ahead. Never overstay your welcome.
69. Big hair will make your thighs look smaller.
70. Give back. Not because someone once gave to you, but because you can.
71. Often we are the very thing blocking our path to success.
72. Turn your head away from the microphone if you need to burp.
73. Don’t be too hard on yourself. At least you’re better now than you were ten years ago. Aren’t you?
Kelly Swanson
www.kellyswanson.net
Monday, April 16, 2007
Planning a Tour
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PLANNING A TOUR
Making one job turn into three
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild
April, 2007
Have you ever taken a job out of town for less than your normal rate? Have you ever wished that you could find a way to make more money out of each job? Have you ever wanted an excuse to visit your favorite vacation spot? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this is the article for you.
As artists, many of us struggle to make a living doing what we love to do. We are so filled with passion that we are willing to work for next to nothing if that’s what it takes. And often we get discouraged when the phone doesn’t ring. Or we look at the upcoming month of bookings and know that we face another month of eating boxed noodles. This is the life of a starving artist, hence the term. And it will always be our struggle to bring in more business. But take comfort in the fact that there are ways to make more money with the jobs you’ve got. And, like everything else in the world of marketing, it doesn’t just naturally happen. You have to make it happen. Quite often in our business the answer isn’t in working harder, but working smarter. And today I’m going to share four areas where you can start working smarter.
Product
If you are a speaker or performer, at some point you will want to look into creating books, CD’s, and DVD’s. People like to take a piece of you home after the show. It’s a great way to double your money on a job. But it’s also easier said than done, and you don’t want to create something that doesn’t represent you in a professional way. So don’t be in so much of a hurry that you spend all your money to create something that a year later you wish you could take back. But also understand that there are other ways to sell product.
Make a manual, put a cute cover on it, bind it, and sell it in the back of the room for more than it cost you to make it. You’re probably wondering what the manual should be about. If you are teaching a workshop, then make your manual be a how-to book. If you are a humorist, do a manual on how to add humor to your life. If you are a storyteller, do a manual on how to use stories in your classroom or in your home. I have seen speakers bring little gadgets to sell in the back. If you are an artist, bring some stuff you have made to sell. Wouldn’t it be cool if you are a storyteller that uses gourds to tell stories and sold story gourds in the back of the room? Or maybe gourds with a manual on how to do your own story gourd. I once saw a storyteller who used a little wooden dancing puppet in his show. Turns out he sold them in the back after the show. I loved them so much I bought six to use when I do kid shows. My mother has an embroidery machine. I’m going to get her to sew one of my cartoons on a t-shirt or a bag and sell it in the back of the room. I know that some of you have skills as an artist. Make a fun story pin, have a story behind it, and sell it in the back of the room. Have fun and use your imagination. Just don’t lose sight of your purpose which is to create something you can sell to make a profit.
You may not be ready for a professional CD yet, but there are ways to sell recordings of your show. Invest in a digital recorder that will record a show that can then be transferred to your computer. At this point you can save it as a file and email it or save it to a CD. Voila! You have a recording of the show to sell. You can sell the CD’s the day of the show and promise to mail them within the week. Make sure you know what you’re doing. You’d hate to sell a recording and find out you forgot to turn the thing on. I’ve heard of speakers selling thirty-minute CD’s for ten dollars. But the digital recorder is expensive, so let me give you another option.
I want you to know about Audacity Recording software. If you do a Google search for “Audacity Free Recording Software” you will find a site that allows you to download the free recording software. Here is one site where I found it: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/. Don’t go to Audacity.com because that is an actual recording studio’s website. Audacity Software can be downloaded onto your computer. It allows you to tape directly into your computer and edit it. I needed a microphone to plug into my computer. My husband had one lying around, so it didn’t have to be specific to my computer. You can save the recording as an MP3 and copy it to disc or email the recording or post it on your website. That’s how I did the demo clips on my Promotion page if you want to listen (http://www.kellyswanson.net/). Though it isn’t as good or effective as a live show, the quality is good and it doesn’t cost anything. I love it.
I have a professional CD, but I plan on doing some more CD’s by taping stories directly into my Audacity software and then saving them to CD. One time a client didn’t choose me because she wasn’t sure how I could do motivational speaking. So I jumped on my computer, taped it, and emailed it to her. She loved it. When Mother’s Day comes around I will tape some stories that have to do with mothers and sell it wherever I have a show on Mother’s Day. Same thing for the holidays – a collection of Christmas stories. What great Christmas gifts. Audacity is also good for those times when you need an audition demo that has very specific time and content requirements. Now you can create one on demand. Too cool. Make sure you have access to someone with some computer knowledge in case you run into some questions while downloading.
Extra Services on Location
Be aware of what other talents you possess – what other values you can offer your audience. If you are a storyteller, then chances are good that you can teach a Storytelling 101 class. If you make a living as a storyteller, then you know how to start your own business as an artist. You may have some great ideas about how to use storytelling in your church, or how to craft a presentation. If you are funny, then you probably have tips on humor. If you are a natural in front of an audience, then you can show CEO’s how to be natural when giving speeches. You might be a good coach or have skills at designing websites. Take inventory of your assets and next time you get a call, make sure that they know the other things you can do. This may be an incentive to bring you back again, or to put you in a more lucrative spot. You really need to think about who is calling and what they would find of value. For example, if I’m going to entertain a group of teachers with my comedy, I would make sure that they know I can teach workshops on how to incorporate storytelling in the classroom as a teaching tool. If I’m hired as the entertainment at a Professional Women’s Conference, I would want them to know that I can also teach a breakout session on Website Positioning in the Marketplace. I just made that one up, but sure sounds good doesn’t it! I am surprised at how many people out there want to learn how to do what I do. You might find yourself in the same position.
I heard a new idea recently of offering coaching sessions while on location. Basically, you tell them that you are available for personal coaching sessions for $x an hour. I think this is a neat idea and plan on trying it the next time I have a job in a venue which would allow for such an activity.
Creating Other Jobs in the Area
This is sometimes harder than you might think but definitely worth the effort for many reasons. When you have a job far from home, try to get other jobs in the area while you are there. It helps to offer a discount as an incentive for them to book you that particular week. Here is how I have worded emails in the past:
Award-winning storyteller and comedian, Kelly Swanson, will be teaching a comedy workshop in your area on June 2, 2007. She is offering a discount to anyone who books a show or workshop in the area the week of June 1st. She offers programs for children and adults, as well as a workshop for artists on how to start their own business. For more information, see http://www.kellyswanson.net/
Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn’t. But even if you don’t get business, you are getting your name out there and planting the seed. You never know what may come of it. I have had people say, “No, we don’t need anybody that week. However, we do have a conference in September, would you be interested in coming back?”
The internet will be your starting and ending point. No need to use anything else. Plan on spending hours in front of it. I recommend that you create a system for booking your own tour - a list of who you call in every case. That’s what I did. And I based my list on the typical places where I have been known to get work. Sometimes I call and sometimes I email. I will look up any old business I had in that area and give them a call to ask if they can recommend someone who might be interested in having me come while I’m in town. Here is my list. Copy it if you’d like, but make sure that it’s a list that works for you.
Visitor’s Centers
Chambers of Commerce
Businesses in the area – usually listed on the Chamber’s site
Arts Councils
Children’s Museums
Birthday Party Hosting Sites (if you do kids’ shows)
Schools
Libraries
Churches
Book Stores
Rotaries - you may not get paid, but you can sell product and/or get your name out
Junior Leagues
Kiwanis
Ladies Groups
Civic Groups
Event Planners / Meeting Planners
Friends and Relatives who live in the area and can provide referrals
Press Releases
Press releases are a good idea for many reasons. When you know you are performing in an area, send a press release to the local media contacts. Again, use the internet to find them. You will often get some media exposure, maybe even an article on the front page of the local paper. You may not see the benefit right away, but sometimes you do. I have gotten many bookings from people who have just read about me in an article, and many bookings from those who remembered reading about me in that article a year ago. Press Releases are easy (Google a sample press release to learn how to do one) and you get much more out of them than you put into them.
And there you have it, four areas where you can start working smarter. If you are already doing this, congratulations. Maybe you’ve gotten slack and needed a reminder. Or maybe this is all new to you. Doesn’t matter. It works for everybody. And it doesn’t require upper level thinking to do it.
Even if these things don’t result in business right away, quite often they will result in business later down the line. Sometimes my declined request turned into something even better later.
The more I work at my business, the more I realize that it’s not really a matter of knowing what to do, but actually doing it. If you want the joy of turning your art into a profession and making money for what you do, you must treat it like a profession. It’s up to you. It will not happen if you just wait for it to happen.
There are those who may not agree. Those who think that marketing has no place in the sacred world of storytelling. That art is not a business. If you get paid for it, it’s a business. And you’re not selling out. You’re choosing to be brave enough to go for your dreams. Just like the musicians who sell their albums – to the dancers who perform on Broadway – to the writers who sell books – to the guitar player on the corner who puts out the faded hat for tips.
I will not say it is easy. I will not say there are shortcuts to success. It takes work. It takes courage to pick up that phone, to put yourself out there and risk rejection. Believe in yourself. I believe in you. You have a gift – a talent that a majority of people do not possess. Now go out and sell it.
Kelly Swanson
It's all fun and games 'til the hair gets messed up
www.kellyswanson.net
Making one job turn into three
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild
April, 2007
Have you ever taken a job out of town for less than your normal rate? Have you ever wished that you could find a way to make more money out of each job? Have you ever wanted an excuse to visit your favorite vacation spot? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this is the article for you.
As artists, many of us struggle to make a living doing what we love to do. We are so filled with passion that we are willing to work for next to nothing if that’s what it takes. And often we get discouraged when the phone doesn’t ring. Or we look at the upcoming month of bookings and know that we face another month of eating boxed noodles. This is the life of a starving artist, hence the term. And it will always be our struggle to bring in more business. But take comfort in the fact that there are ways to make more money with the jobs you’ve got. And, like everything else in the world of marketing, it doesn’t just naturally happen. You have to make it happen. Quite often in our business the answer isn’t in working harder, but working smarter. And today I’m going to share four areas where you can start working smarter.
Product
If you are a speaker or performer, at some point you will want to look into creating books, CD’s, and DVD’s. People like to take a piece of you home after the show. It’s a great way to double your money on a job. But it’s also easier said than done, and you don’t want to create something that doesn’t represent you in a professional way. So don’t be in so much of a hurry that you spend all your money to create something that a year later you wish you could take back. But also understand that there are other ways to sell product.
Make a manual, put a cute cover on it, bind it, and sell it in the back of the room for more than it cost you to make it. You’re probably wondering what the manual should be about. If you are teaching a workshop, then make your manual be a how-to book. If you are a humorist, do a manual on how to add humor to your life. If you are a storyteller, do a manual on how to use stories in your classroom or in your home. I have seen speakers bring little gadgets to sell in the back. If you are an artist, bring some stuff you have made to sell. Wouldn’t it be cool if you are a storyteller that uses gourds to tell stories and sold story gourds in the back of the room? Or maybe gourds with a manual on how to do your own story gourd. I once saw a storyteller who used a little wooden dancing puppet in his show. Turns out he sold them in the back after the show. I loved them so much I bought six to use when I do kid shows. My mother has an embroidery machine. I’m going to get her to sew one of my cartoons on a t-shirt or a bag and sell it in the back of the room. I know that some of you have skills as an artist. Make a fun story pin, have a story behind it, and sell it in the back of the room. Have fun and use your imagination. Just don’t lose sight of your purpose which is to create something you can sell to make a profit.
You may not be ready for a professional CD yet, but there are ways to sell recordings of your show. Invest in a digital recorder that will record a show that can then be transferred to your computer. At this point you can save it as a file and email it or save it to a CD. Voila! You have a recording of the show to sell. You can sell the CD’s the day of the show and promise to mail them within the week. Make sure you know what you’re doing. You’d hate to sell a recording and find out you forgot to turn the thing on. I’ve heard of speakers selling thirty-minute CD’s for ten dollars. But the digital recorder is expensive, so let me give you another option.
I want you to know about Audacity Recording software. If you do a Google search for “Audacity Free Recording Software” you will find a site that allows you to download the free recording software. Here is one site where I found it: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/. Don’t go to Audacity.com because that is an actual recording studio’s website. Audacity Software can be downloaded onto your computer. It allows you to tape directly into your computer and edit it. I needed a microphone to plug into my computer. My husband had one lying around, so it didn’t have to be specific to my computer. You can save the recording as an MP3 and copy it to disc or email the recording or post it on your website. That’s how I did the demo clips on my Promotion page if you want to listen (http://www.kellyswanson.net/). Though it isn’t as good or effective as a live show, the quality is good and it doesn’t cost anything. I love it.
I have a professional CD, but I plan on doing some more CD’s by taping stories directly into my Audacity software and then saving them to CD. One time a client didn’t choose me because she wasn’t sure how I could do motivational speaking. So I jumped on my computer, taped it, and emailed it to her. She loved it. When Mother’s Day comes around I will tape some stories that have to do with mothers and sell it wherever I have a show on Mother’s Day. Same thing for the holidays – a collection of Christmas stories. What great Christmas gifts. Audacity is also good for those times when you need an audition demo that has very specific time and content requirements. Now you can create one on demand. Too cool. Make sure you have access to someone with some computer knowledge in case you run into some questions while downloading.
Extra Services on Location
Be aware of what other talents you possess – what other values you can offer your audience. If you are a storyteller, then chances are good that you can teach a Storytelling 101 class. If you make a living as a storyteller, then you know how to start your own business as an artist. You may have some great ideas about how to use storytelling in your church, or how to craft a presentation. If you are funny, then you probably have tips on humor. If you are a natural in front of an audience, then you can show CEO’s how to be natural when giving speeches. You might be a good coach or have skills at designing websites. Take inventory of your assets and next time you get a call, make sure that they know the other things you can do. This may be an incentive to bring you back again, or to put you in a more lucrative spot. You really need to think about who is calling and what they would find of value. For example, if I’m going to entertain a group of teachers with my comedy, I would make sure that they know I can teach workshops on how to incorporate storytelling in the classroom as a teaching tool. If I’m hired as the entertainment at a Professional Women’s Conference, I would want them to know that I can also teach a breakout session on Website Positioning in the Marketplace. I just made that one up, but sure sounds good doesn’t it! I am surprised at how many people out there want to learn how to do what I do. You might find yourself in the same position.
I heard a new idea recently of offering coaching sessions while on location. Basically, you tell them that you are available for personal coaching sessions for $x an hour. I think this is a neat idea and plan on trying it the next time I have a job in a venue which would allow for such an activity.
Creating Other Jobs in the Area
This is sometimes harder than you might think but definitely worth the effort for many reasons. When you have a job far from home, try to get other jobs in the area while you are there. It helps to offer a discount as an incentive for them to book you that particular week. Here is how I have worded emails in the past:
Award-winning storyteller and comedian, Kelly Swanson, will be teaching a comedy workshop in your area on June 2, 2007. She is offering a discount to anyone who books a show or workshop in the area the week of June 1st. She offers programs for children and adults, as well as a workshop for artists on how to start their own business. For more information, see http://www.kellyswanson.net/
Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn’t. But even if you don’t get business, you are getting your name out there and planting the seed. You never know what may come of it. I have had people say, “No, we don’t need anybody that week. However, we do have a conference in September, would you be interested in coming back?”
The internet will be your starting and ending point. No need to use anything else. Plan on spending hours in front of it. I recommend that you create a system for booking your own tour - a list of who you call in every case. That’s what I did. And I based my list on the typical places where I have been known to get work. Sometimes I call and sometimes I email. I will look up any old business I had in that area and give them a call to ask if they can recommend someone who might be interested in having me come while I’m in town. Here is my list. Copy it if you’d like, but make sure that it’s a list that works for you.
Visitor’s Centers
Chambers of Commerce
Businesses in the area – usually listed on the Chamber’s site
Arts Councils
Children’s Museums
Birthday Party Hosting Sites (if you do kids’ shows)
Schools
Libraries
Churches
Book Stores
Rotaries - you may not get paid, but you can sell product and/or get your name out
Junior Leagues
Kiwanis
Ladies Groups
Civic Groups
Event Planners / Meeting Planners
Friends and Relatives who live in the area and can provide referrals
Press Releases
Press releases are a good idea for many reasons. When you know you are performing in an area, send a press release to the local media contacts. Again, use the internet to find them. You will often get some media exposure, maybe even an article on the front page of the local paper. You may not see the benefit right away, but sometimes you do. I have gotten many bookings from people who have just read about me in an article, and many bookings from those who remembered reading about me in that article a year ago. Press Releases are easy (Google a sample press release to learn how to do one) and you get much more out of them than you put into them.
And there you have it, four areas where you can start working smarter. If you are already doing this, congratulations. Maybe you’ve gotten slack and needed a reminder. Or maybe this is all new to you. Doesn’t matter. It works for everybody. And it doesn’t require upper level thinking to do it.
Even if these things don’t result in business right away, quite often they will result in business later down the line. Sometimes my declined request turned into something even better later.
The more I work at my business, the more I realize that it’s not really a matter of knowing what to do, but actually doing it. If you want the joy of turning your art into a profession and making money for what you do, you must treat it like a profession. It’s up to you. It will not happen if you just wait for it to happen.
There are those who may not agree. Those who think that marketing has no place in the sacred world of storytelling. That art is not a business. If you get paid for it, it’s a business. And you’re not selling out. You’re choosing to be brave enough to go for your dreams. Just like the musicians who sell their albums – to the dancers who perform on Broadway – to the writers who sell books – to the guitar player on the corner who puts out the faded hat for tips.
I will not say it is easy. I will not say there are shortcuts to success. It takes work. It takes courage to pick up that phone, to put yourself out there and risk rejection. Believe in yourself. I believe in you. You have a gift – a talent that a majority of people do not possess. Now go out and sell it.
Kelly Swanson
It's all fun and games 'til the hair gets messed up
www.kellyswanson.net
Understanding your value to your customer
UNDERSTANDING YOUR VALUE TO YOUR CUSTOMER
It’s not about providing a service that is valuable.
It’s about providing a service that your client finds valuable.
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild
March, 2007
I don’t know about you, but marketing is not my favorite part of my job. I’m an artist. I want to create. I want to perform. I want to sweat under a spotlight and have adoring fans faint at my feet. I want the glamour. I want the paparazzi to try to catch pictures of me sun bathing nude on a remote island. And nowhere in this dream do I envision myself licking stamps, entering addresses on a database, fighting with technology, and facing rejection on a regular basis. And for a long time, I waited for success to happen to me. I was an artist, and like most artists, I just waited for my big break. Well, guess what. Big breaks don’t just happen. You’ve got to go out there and make it happen. I don’t care what people say. Look at any artist who has benefited from a big break, and tell me that they didn’t consciously make a decision (or several decisions) that put them along the path that led to their supposed good fortune. The winner of American Idol at some point made a decision to go stand in line.
I say this, not to discourage you, but to inspire you. The waiting is over. It’s a new day. You have a valuable gift. You want to share it with the world. It’s time to let them know you are here. Any way you know how. It is that simple. As much as you may not like the way I put it, you have a product to sell. Unless you have decided that your art is for your own pleasure only and you do not intend to do anything more than enjoy it within the confines of your own home. And this is fine too. You probably won’t benefit from this article. But for the rest of us who want to share our gift with the world, read on.
I am a storyteller and a writer and a comedian. I know the value in what I do. I know the value in making people laugh. I know the power and beauty in words and how they are put together. I know that what I do has merit and brings people joy. I know I matter. If you aren’t at this point mentally, stop reading and find someone who can help you restore your soul. I’m here if you need me to remind you of your worth. But knowing you are valuable is not the key to good marketing. It’s knowing what your client finds valuable. And can you provide the value they are looking for?
Whenever I get a job that isn’t typical for those in the storytelling profession, people are surprised and undoubtedly ask me how I got the audience to “accept” what I do. How was I able to “educate” my audience on what a storyteller needs? How was I able to make them “get” what I do? The whole point of this article is that it’s not about getting your audience or your client to accept what you do. It is not about them meeting your needs. It’s about you meeting their needs. This is a business and most clients will not spend time trying to figure out how to best use your gift. Let me give you an example.
When I got booked on the cruise ships as an evening entertainer and I saw the scheduled lineup of artists, I was surprised that they chose storytelling to include in their repertoire. I knew that my show was radically different than what the cruise audiences were accustomed to watching. In my eyes, it didn’t fit. Don’t get me wrong. I knew my show was good. I knew it had value. I just wasn’t sure that it was the value my client was looking for. I was right.
My first show went off without a hitch. I didn’t miss a beat. I knew based on years of experience that I had hit the mark on all that I had set out to do. It was the best that I knew how to do. And it was received about as enthusiastically as a cold sore on school picture day. That’s right. It bombed. And do you know why? Because it wasn’t what they were expecting. It didn’t fit what the audience wanted. One man summed it up perfectly when he said, “Fantastic show. Wrong crowd.”
It was awful. On cruise ships you can’t just run away and lick your wounds. You have to face your audience everywhere! And I wasn’t finished. I had another show in forty-five minutes. And two more shows the following week before I could go home. And when you’re in show business, you don’t get to just quit. The show must go on. So in forty-five minutes I met with the cruise director who told me what went wrong. They wanted funny. They didn’t want serious or poignant. They wanted comedy. Stick with that and they’ll be fine. So in forty-five minutes I rewrote my show pulling every piece of comedy I had. And on the second show….I was a hit. The difference was astounding. They couldn’t stop talking about it. They loved it. I don’t tell you this to brag. They also liked the one-armed man who juggled poodles and sang Moon Over Miami. I tell you this because it is a great example of how important it is to find out what is valuable to your customer first, and then decide if you can provide the value. If not, no big deal. Move on to another customer.
When you know what your customer finds valuable, and you feel that your service meets that value, then there is one more step. You need to know how to sell your value to them in a language that they can understand. You need to know their lingo. Find the words that they can relate to. Schools will want to use words like curriculum and grants and test scores. Comedy clubs will be interested in laughs per minute. Churches will want to know your statement of faith. Publishers will want to know your market value. The corporate world will want points and how your service will benefit their bottom line. I know, it sounds like a lot of work. But you need to do it if you want to increase your business. And this is why it is so important to know who you want to sell your product to, before you ever figure out how to sell it to them.
And let me end this rambling session with a word of advice. Please don’t change your art to match your audience. You can tweak it here and there to fit your message to your group. I have sold my service to just about every type of venue you can think of, and have written stories to fit just about every audience and theme you can imagine. I have come up with hundreds of different ways to package my show, yet never once have I changed my material. Never once have I strayed from what I love to do – which is to write and tell stories. So do not read this article and find any reason to change yourself to fit a market. If you don’t fit your audience, find a different one. You have a gift to share with the world. You just need to find the right place to share it. And if I can be of any help along the way, don’t hesitate to ask.
I wish you all my best. See you in April.
It’s not about providing a service that is valuable.
It’s about providing a service that your client finds valuable.
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild
March, 2007
I don’t know about you, but marketing is not my favorite part of my job. I’m an artist. I want to create. I want to perform. I want to sweat under a spotlight and have adoring fans faint at my feet. I want the glamour. I want the paparazzi to try to catch pictures of me sun bathing nude on a remote island. And nowhere in this dream do I envision myself licking stamps, entering addresses on a database, fighting with technology, and facing rejection on a regular basis. And for a long time, I waited for success to happen to me. I was an artist, and like most artists, I just waited for my big break. Well, guess what. Big breaks don’t just happen. You’ve got to go out there and make it happen. I don’t care what people say. Look at any artist who has benefited from a big break, and tell me that they didn’t consciously make a decision (or several decisions) that put them along the path that led to their supposed good fortune. The winner of American Idol at some point made a decision to go stand in line.
I say this, not to discourage you, but to inspire you. The waiting is over. It’s a new day. You have a valuable gift. You want to share it with the world. It’s time to let them know you are here. Any way you know how. It is that simple. As much as you may not like the way I put it, you have a product to sell. Unless you have decided that your art is for your own pleasure only and you do not intend to do anything more than enjoy it within the confines of your own home. And this is fine too. You probably won’t benefit from this article. But for the rest of us who want to share our gift with the world, read on.
I am a storyteller and a writer and a comedian. I know the value in what I do. I know the value in making people laugh. I know the power and beauty in words and how they are put together. I know that what I do has merit and brings people joy. I know I matter. If you aren’t at this point mentally, stop reading and find someone who can help you restore your soul. I’m here if you need me to remind you of your worth. But knowing you are valuable is not the key to good marketing. It’s knowing what your client finds valuable. And can you provide the value they are looking for?
Whenever I get a job that isn’t typical for those in the storytelling profession, people are surprised and undoubtedly ask me how I got the audience to “accept” what I do. How was I able to “educate” my audience on what a storyteller needs? How was I able to make them “get” what I do? The whole point of this article is that it’s not about getting your audience or your client to accept what you do. It is not about them meeting your needs. It’s about you meeting their needs. This is a business and most clients will not spend time trying to figure out how to best use your gift. Let me give you an example.
When I got booked on the cruise ships as an evening entertainer and I saw the scheduled lineup of artists, I was surprised that they chose storytelling to include in their repertoire. I knew that my show was radically different than what the cruise audiences were accustomed to watching. In my eyes, it didn’t fit. Don’t get me wrong. I knew my show was good. I knew it had value. I just wasn’t sure that it was the value my client was looking for. I was right.
My first show went off without a hitch. I didn’t miss a beat. I knew based on years of experience that I had hit the mark on all that I had set out to do. It was the best that I knew how to do. And it was received about as enthusiastically as a cold sore on school picture day. That’s right. It bombed. And do you know why? Because it wasn’t what they were expecting. It didn’t fit what the audience wanted. One man summed it up perfectly when he said, “Fantastic show. Wrong crowd.”
It was awful. On cruise ships you can’t just run away and lick your wounds. You have to face your audience everywhere! And I wasn’t finished. I had another show in forty-five minutes. And two more shows the following week before I could go home. And when you’re in show business, you don’t get to just quit. The show must go on. So in forty-five minutes I met with the cruise director who told me what went wrong. They wanted funny. They didn’t want serious or poignant. They wanted comedy. Stick with that and they’ll be fine. So in forty-five minutes I rewrote my show pulling every piece of comedy I had. And on the second show….I was a hit. The difference was astounding. They couldn’t stop talking about it. They loved it. I don’t tell you this to brag. They also liked the one-armed man who juggled poodles and sang Moon Over Miami. I tell you this because it is a great example of how important it is to find out what is valuable to your customer first, and then decide if you can provide the value. If not, no big deal. Move on to another customer.
When you know what your customer finds valuable, and you feel that your service meets that value, then there is one more step. You need to know how to sell your value to them in a language that they can understand. You need to know their lingo. Find the words that they can relate to. Schools will want to use words like curriculum and grants and test scores. Comedy clubs will be interested in laughs per minute. Churches will want to know your statement of faith. Publishers will want to know your market value. The corporate world will want points and how your service will benefit their bottom line. I know, it sounds like a lot of work. But you need to do it if you want to increase your business. And this is why it is so important to know who you want to sell your product to, before you ever figure out how to sell it to them.
And let me end this rambling session with a word of advice. Please don’t change your art to match your audience. You can tweak it here and there to fit your message to your group. I have sold my service to just about every type of venue you can think of, and have written stories to fit just about every audience and theme you can imagine. I have come up with hundreds of different ways to package my show, yet never once have I changed my material. Never once have I strayed from what I love to do – which is to write and tell stories. So do not read this article and find any reason to change yourself to fit a market. If you don’t fit your audience, find a different one. You have a gift to share with the world. You just need to find the right place to share it. And if I can be of any help along the way, don’t hesitate to ask.
I wish you all my best. See you in April.
Kelly Swanson
It's all fun and games 'til the hair gets messed up
Developing Characters
DEVELOPING CHARACTERS
Stories aren’t about plots, they’re about the people
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild
February, 2007
Cedar Grove is a tiny town about a mile and a hair past nowhere. They’ve got two stoplights total and an old brick schoolhouse that also serves as the town hall and bingo headquarters on Thursdays. They’re very proud of their one-half of a fast-food restaurant. The other half is technically in Butner – not the same Butner to which you may be familiar with. Time rolls at a slow pace in Cedar Grove where the most exciting thing that ever happened was the time Cleetus Harley’s pig made front page of the paper for having borned her a piglet with three tails. These stories, they aren’t fancy. They’re just about the people. Kelly Swanson
This is how I open many of my storytelling performances and I have spent years “apologizing” for the fact that my stories don’t have strong plots, just strong characters. I always hoped that my audiences would form a connection with my characters – a connection that would somehow make their lives better having known the characters in my small southern town.
So imagine my surprise when over the course of my studies (I am always studying comedy, writing, storytelling, speaking, etc.) I ran across a book written by one of my favorite comedy writers (Janet Evanovich) where she states that stories aren’t about plots, they’re about the characters. This is not to say that a story doesn’t need a plot, or that plots aren’t important. It is to say that with weak characters, your plot is useless. So if you remember anything today, remember that the story is in the people. Let me say it louder: THE STORY IS IN THE PEOPLE.
She’s not the first one to say it, and most certainly not the last, but for the first time I stopped and listened and let it soak into my brain as another writing truth ingrained in my heart. (Here’s where my husband would tell me to quit being so dramatic.) And so the topic I have chosen to ramble on about for this month is developing characters. I have seen time and time again that when you take the time to fully develop a character, the story will write itself. Did you hear that? Spend time on the character and the story will write itself. I’ve seen it happen over and over. So trust me on this.
I’m a big believer in showing rather than telling, so instead of giving you a list of ways to develop a character, I’m going to show you how I developed a character just last week, and how opening up your mind to these characters will unlock story trails beyond imagination. Okay, so maybe I’m being dramatic again. Let’s just get to work and see if I can show you what I mean.
I’m huffing and puffing away on my treadmill (where I get my best creative work done) and I’m reading what Janet Evanovich (in her book “How I Write”) has to say about the characters in her books. And I was so intrigued and inspired by her insights that I immediately got out my life journal (yes, I actually meant it when I said I had a life journal) and decided to create a character right there on the spot. No story, no plot, no deep hidden meanings – just a character. And as every good writer knows, perfect characters are boring. We want characters who have flaws, who make mistakes – characters who are real.
So I trusted the first person to pop into my head and decided on a girl (because I am one, and know nothing about being a boy and don’t want to do the research to figure it out.) How about a girl who teaches dance in small town. Is it the best character in the world? Who knows, this is just practice so I’ll go with it. Okay, now what?
Writers should write what they know. So if you haven’t been in the military, you probably shouldn’t have your main character be a soldier unless you are willing to do the necessary homework to understand it from a soldier’s perspective. I’m too lazy. So I know my character will be somebody I can relate to on some level. Except that I know nothing about dancing? So why did I choose a dance teacher? Beats me. Problem is, I never danced or had family who danced so I don’t know anything about that. That’s not good.
How about this: She’s never had a dance lesson in her life. She has no idea what she’s doing. Now that I can relate to. And other people can relate as well to the concept of being somewhere where we’re in a little bit over our head. She and I are sounding more alike already. And what a great situation to place a character, for nothing opens the door for comedy better than placing a characters in situations where they don’t naturally belong. I’m not sure that made sense. Remember the show Bosom Buddies from years ago? The one about the two men who had to dress as women to live in their building? That’s what I mean.
Wow, now that opens the door for humor and conflict. But how can she be a dance teacher having never taught dance? It’s got to make sense. Easy….she filled in one day for the regular dance teacher who never came back. It’s a small town. Nobody else wanted the job, the kids kept showing up, and one thing led to another…and here she is. Stuck. She doesn’t want to quit and let the kids down. She’s staying out of obligation. But secretly liking it.
Already I can see the potential for stories here – the experiences with the kids. But I’m jumping ahead. See? The story is already wanting to write itself. But back to the character.
Every character wants something – sometimes more than one thing. They may want physical things or emotional things or both. So I need to make this character want something. How about this: She wants to be bigger than the small town where she lives. She’s got something missing in her life. Problem is, she doesn’t have any idea what, and she keeps chasing after different things each week (each story.) She’s indecisive. At this point my main character has some qualities like me, and some not. That’s okay.
Not only does every story’s main character want something, there has to be something standing in their way of getting it. This is often referred to as the conflict. Notice that we aren’t really worried about what our story is going to be about. We aren’t getting into the story’s plot where you travel down the road of conflict and resolution. We are talking about the main character’s conflict. What makes her tick. The parts about her that may never show up on paper – but that we need to know before we ever begin our story. Does that make sense? It’s almost as if you are doing a report on your character before you even think about writing your story. When you get to writing a story about her, you will find ways to SHOW us what she is like through her actions, rather than a paragraph that opens up and tells us all about her. That’s boring. Yuck. Anyway, back to the main character.
What are some other things about her? At this point I’m just going to list some stuff as it pops into my head. I may not use all of it. I don’t want to give all my quirks (the things that make that character interesting) to the same character. I may want to give her a friend with some of those quirks. But we’ll get to secondary characters in a minute.
Let me take a minute to explain to you something about characters. You want them to be realistic and make a connection to your audience. You want your audience to have a stake in your character – to be rooting for them. You also want your audience to have a stake in your other characters. You want your characters to grow, but also stay true to who they are. This may sound like a lot of work, and sometimes it is. But it’s worth it if you want to have a good story. And sometimes just coming up with a brief description of your character is better than nothing.
These are some possible traits for this main character, including things I need to think about in more depth:
She tries new fashions and never quite pulls them off
Everything relates to food
She’s very uncoordinated
Low self-esteem
Bleeding heart
Wants to save the world
Thinks something is missing in her life
Drives a van with Miss Pinky Lee’s School of Dance on the side
Curses when she’s mad
Eats when she’s upset
Is a magnet for guys she shouldn’t be with
Wants something more than this town has to offer
What was her childhood like? Overweight, funny, failed at most things she did which she happily acknowledged and kept going anyway
What has made her wish so desperately for something out there?
She grew up in a conservative church and is conflicted now
Okay, that’s just a start. Who knows how big the list will grow or what will change and remain the same. Think how much can happen to this character when you start unlocking her personality. I already have so many ideas for stories about her dating life, her relationship with these kids, her uncoordinated attempts to teach, the recitals she has not knowing anything about dance. I even made of list of the messages that could be taught through the stories, like beauty is on the inside, etc. But that’s jumping ahead. We’re only talking about characters today.
What other characters will flavor these stories?
And that brings us to the antagonists or secondary characters as I like to call them. Remember that knowing these characters is as important as knowing your main character.
So I started thinking about what other characters would show up in these stories in addition to the main character? (Notice that I’m already seeing this as a group of stories – all from the creation of one character!)
I’m figuring this to be somewhat of a small town – and southern. Because that’s what I know. This could be anywhere though and still be a good trail for stories. I decided to have my dance studio be an old fast-food chicken place with a faint outline of a chicken still on the wall, and on rainy days you can still smell grease.
The first characters that come to mind are the kids who come to the class (lots of ways to go with that) and the mothers who bring them. Oh my, can you imagine all the types of mothers you can have? And don’t forget all the conflicts that each kid/mother brings with them. When I write these stories I will not work super hard to come up with descriptions on every character – at least not as much as I developed the main character unless it’s a story where the secondary character has a big role.
Then I started thinking about other characters who could come in contact with the dance class. Wouldn’t old people be fun? What flavor they would add. But how would they end up in the stories? How about if the dance studio is next door to the old folks home. Perfect. You’d get a lot of old people shuffling by wanting to see what’s going on. And I think old people make wonderful characters. Think of the many traits you could give your character. If you’re familiar with the current sitcom, King of Queens, think of the father played by Jerry Stiller. Is he not perfect? I think he is one of the greatest characters ever invented on TV. But that’s just my opinion.
And what about my character, Booker Diggs, who in an earlier story of mine was a beer drinking fishing junkie who lost a bet and had to take dance lessons. Turns out he loves it. What a great character to have in the dance studio on a regular basis! I just got chills.
I could go on and on, but enough already. You get the point. You probably don’t find this as exciting as I do, but isn’t it neat to see what has blossomed after just creating an imaginary character? You can do this too! Just please don’t take mine.
Even if you are a storyteller who doesn’t write his own stories, you can still take the time to develop the character in the story you are retelling. Even the good old Jack tale could benefit from a little character development. Just take some time to sit down and think about that character. This is what will make your story relevant to your audience. Then let those qualities shine through in what he says and does. I promise your story will be better for it and your audience will appreciate that you have a character that they can believe in.
I wish you all the best and hope that something in this rambling of mine made sense. Remember that stories aren’t about the plot, they’re about the people. And if you’re having trouble making up some people, good grief, go sit in the airport for an hour and take your journal.
Happy creating!
Stories aren’t about plots, they’re about the people
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild
February, 2007
Cedar Grove is a tiny town about a mile and a hair past nowhere. They’ve got two stoplights total and an old brick schoolhouse that also serves as the town hall and bingo headquarters on Thursdays. They’re very proud of their one-half of a fast-food restaurant. The other half is technically in Butner – not the same Butner to which you may be familiar with. Time rolls at a slow pace in Cedar Grove where the most exciting thing that ever happened was the time Cleetus Harley’s pig made front page of the paper for having borned her a piglet with three tails. These stories, they aren’t fancy. They’re just about the people. Kelly Swanson
This is how I open many of my storytelling performances and I have spent years “apologizing” for the fact that my stories don’t have strong plots, just strong characters. I always hoped that my audiences would form a connection with my characters – a connection that would somehow make their lives better having known the characters in my small southern town.
So imagine my surprise when over the course of my studies (I am always studying comedy, writing, storytelling, speaking, etc.) I ran across a book written by one of my favorite comedy writers (Janet Evanovich) where she states that stories aren’t about plots, they’re about the characters. This is not to say that a story doesn’t need a plot, or that plots aren’t important. It is to say that with weak characters, your plot is useless. So if you remember anything today, remember that the story is in the people. Let me say it louder: THE STORY IS IN THE PEOPLE.
She’s not the first one to say it, and most certainly not the last, but for the first time I stopped and listened and let it soak into my brain as another writing truth ingrained in my heart. (Here’s where my husband would tell me to quit being so dramatic.) And so the topic I have chosen to ramble on about for this month is developing characters. I have seen time and time again that when you take the time to fully develop a character, the story will write itself. Did you hear that? Spend time on the character and the story will write itself. I’ve seen it happen over and over. So trust me on this.
I’m a big believer in showing rather than telling, so instead of giving you a list of ways to develop a character, I’m going to show you how I developed a character just last week, and how opening up your mind to these characters will unlock story trails beyond imagination. Okay, so maybe I’m being dramatic again. Let’s just get to work and see if I can show you what I mean.
I’m huffing and puffing away on my treadmill (where I get my best creative work done) and I’m reading what Janet Evanovich (in her book “How I Write”) has to say about the characters in her books. And I was so intrigued and inspired by her insights that I immediately got out my life journal (yes, I actually meant it when I said I had a life journal) and decided to create a character right there on the spot. No story, no plot, no deep hidden meanings – just a character. And as every good writer knows, perfect characters are boring. We want characters who have flaws, who make mistakes – characters who are real.
So I trusted the first person to pop into my head and decided on a girl (because I am one, and know nothing about being a boy and don’t want to do the research to figure it out.) How about a girl who teaches dance in small town. Is it the best character in the world? Who knows, this is just practice so I’ll go with it. Okay, now what?
Writers should write what they know. So if you haven’t been in the military, you probably shouldn’t have your main character be a soldier unless you are willing to do the necessary homework to understand it from a soldier’s perspective. I’m too lazy. So I know my character will be somebody I can relate to on some level. Except that I know nothing about dancing? So why did I choose a dance teacher? Beats me. Problem is, I never danced or had family who danced so I don’t know anything about that. That’s not good.
How about this: She’s never had a dance lesson in her life. She has no idea what she’s doing. Now that I can relate to. And other people can relate as well to the concept of being somewhere where we’re in a little bit over our head. She and I are sounding more alike already. And what a great situation to place a character, for nothing opens the door for comedy better than placing a characters in situations where they don’t naturally belong. I’m not sure that made sense. Remember the show Bosom Buddies from years ago? The one about the two men who had to dress as women to live in their building? That’s what I mean.
Wow, now that opens the door for humor and conflict. But how can she be a dance teacher having never taught dance? It’s got to make sense. Easy….she filled in one day for the regular dance teacher who never came back. It’s a small town. Nobody else wanted the job, the kids kept showing up, and one thing led to another…and here she is. Stuck. She doesn’t want to quit and let the kids down. She’s staying out of obligation. But secretly liking it.
Already I can see the potential for stories here – the experiences with the kids. But I’m jumping ahead. See? The story is already wanting to write itself. But back to the character.
Every character wants something – sometimes more than one thing. They may want physical things or emotional things or both. So I need to make this character want something. How about this: She wants to be bigger than the small town where she lives. She’s got something missing in her life. Problem is, she doesn’t have any idea what, and she keeps chasing after different things each week (each story.) She’s indecisive. At this point my main character has some qualities like me, and some not. That’s okay.
Not only does every story’s main character want something, there has to be something standing in their way of getting it. This is often referred to as the conflict. Notice that we aren’t really worried about what our story is going to be about. We aren’t getting into the story’s plot where you travel down the road of conflict and resolution. We are talking about the main character’s conflict. What makes her tick. The parts about her that may never show up on paper – but that we need to know before we ever begin our story. Does that make sense? It’s almost as if you are doing a report on your character before you even think about writing your story. When you get to writing a story about her, you will find ways to SHOW us what she is like through her actions, rather than a paragraph that opens up and tells us all about her. That’s boring. Yuck. Anyway, back to the main character.
What are some other things about her? At this point I’m just going to list some stuff as it pops into my head. I may not use all of it. I don’t want to give all my quirks (the things that make that character interesting) to the same character. I may want to give her a friend with some of those quirks. But we’ll get to secondary characters in a minute.
Let me take a minute to explain to you something about characters. You want them to be realistic and make a connection to your audience. You want your audience to have a stake in your character – to be rooting for them. You also want your audience to have a stake in your other characters. You want your characters to grow, but also stay true to who they are. This may sound like a lot of work, and sometimes it is. But it’s worth it if you want to have a good story. And sometimes just coming up with a brief description of your character is better than nothing.
These are some possible traits for this main character, including things I need to think about in more depth:
She tries new fashions and never quite pulls them off
Everything relates to food
She’s very uncoordinated
Low self-esteem
Bleeding heart
Wants to save the world
Thinks something is missing in her life
Drives a van with Miss Pinky Lee’s School of Dance on the side
Curses when she’s mad
Eats when she’s upset
Is a magnet for guys she shouldn’t be with
Wants something more than this town has to offer
What was her childhood like? Overweight, funny, failed at most things she did which she happily acknowledged and kept going anyway
What has made her wish so desperately for something out there?
She grew up in a conservative church and is conflicted now
Okay, that’s just a start. Who knows how big the list will grow or what will change and remain the same. Think how much can happen to this character when you start unlocking her personality. I already have so many ideas for stories about her dating life, her relationship with these kids, her uncoordinated attempts to teach, the recitals she has not knowing anything about dance. I even made of list of the messages that could be taught through the stories, like beauty is on the inside, etc. But that’s jumping ahead. We’re only talking about characters today.
What other characters will flavor these stories?
And that brings us to the antagonists or secondary characters as I like to call them. Remember that knowing these characters is as important as knowing your main character.
So I started thinking about what other characters would show up in these stories in addition to the main character? (Notice that I’m already seeing this as a group of stories – all from the creation of one character!)
I’m figuring this to be somewhat of a small town – and southern. Because that’s what I know. This could be anywhere though and still be a good trail for stories. I decided to have my dance studio be an old fast-food chicken place with a faint outline of a chicken still on the wall, and on rainy days you can still smell grease.
The first characters that come to mind are the kids who come to the class (lots of ways to go with that) and the mothers who bring them. Oh my, can you imagine all the types of mothers you can have? And don’t forget all the conflicts that each kid/mother brings with them. When I write these stories I will not work super hard to come up with descriptions on every character – at least not as much as I developed the main character unless it’s a story where the secondary character has a big role.
Then I started thinking about other characters who could come in contact with the dance class. Wouldn’t old people be fun? What flavor they would add. But how would they end up in the stories? How about if the dance studio is next door to the old folks home. Perfect. You’d get a lot of old people shuffling by wanting to see what’s going on. And I think old people make wonderful characters. Think of the many traits you could give your character. If you’re familiar with the current sitcom, King of Queens, think of the father played by Jerry Stiller. Is he not perfect? I think he is one of the greatest characters ever invented on TV. But that’s just my opinion.
And what about my character, Booker Diggs, who in an earlier story of mine was a beer drinking fishing junkie who lost a bet and had to take dance lessons. Turns out he loves it. What a great character to have in the dance studio on a regular basis! I just got chills.
I could go on and on, but enough already. You get the point. You probably don’t find this as exciting as I do, but isn’t it neat to see what has blossomed after just creating an imaginary character? You can do this too! Just please don’t take mine.
Even if you are a storyteller who doesn’t write his own stories, you can still take the time to develop the character in the story you are retelling. Even the good old Jack tale could benefit from a little character development. Just take some time to sit down and think about that character. This is what will make your story relevant to your audience. Then let those qualities shine through in what he says and does. I promise your story will be better for it and your audience will appreciate that you have a character that they can believe in.
I wish you all the best and hope that something in this rambling of mine made sense. Remember that stories aren’t about the plot, they’re about the people. And if you’re having trouble making up some people, good grief, go sit in the airport for an hour and take your journal.
Happy creating!
Kelly Swanson
It's all fun and games 'til the hair gets messed up
Creating a Business Plan
A NEW YEAR…a new plan
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild
January, 2007
Here I sit at this familiar place in my life where the nostalgia of another year gone by crosses paths with the excitement of a new year ahead. I look back on the wonderful blessings that the past year brought and at the same time I reflect on the disappointments along the way that serve as a constant reminder that dreams are never easy. I hear so many artists lamenting over dreams that always seem to dangle just out of reach. And I remind them that for every wonderful opportunity, there are always many others that don’t work out – whether you’re a beginning artist or a seasoned one. I like to think that we’re given a gift without clear instructions on how to use it. And the instructions are given to us over time through opportunities big and small. And we need to focus on the journey, not the destination. For tomorrow is a new day. A new year. Okay, I’m rambling. Perhaps I should put the egg nog down and get to the reason for this month’s article – planning your year.
I’m not one for making resolutions at the beginning of a year. Mainly because I’m not one for keeping them and I already spent the last year creating lists of ways to improve myself and we see how that turned out. So even though I’m not a fan of resolutions, I am a fan of making a business plan. And the beginning of the year is the best time to make a business plan. As artists we often don’t see ourselves as business people, but if you want to sell your art successfully it helps if you come up with a plan. There has been much research on how the mere act of putting your plan on paper helps you achieve your goals.
Your business plan does not have to be complicated. It’s simply a plan for how you want to run your business in 2007. What are your goals? How will you try to reach those goals? What is your focus for the upcoming year? How will you plan out your expenses? These are the kinds of questions you want to ask.
The main reason that I like making a business plan is that it keeps me on track. It shows me where I want to focus my energies and my finances. When I think about how much money I need to bring in, it helps me have confidence when quoting fees. Having a plan helps me decide which jobs to take and which jobs to turn down because they don’t fit into the plan. And there’s always room in your plan for change because you wrote it. It’s your plan.
I can’t tell you how to write your business plan. That depends on you and your own personal dreams for the future. I can’t tell you where to get business or how much you need to spend to grow your business. There are certainly far more qualified people to speak on that subject. I would like to help you get the process going so I’m going to show you the bullet points that will be in my business plan for 2007. Use it as you wish, or come up with something of your own. These are just ideas to get you thinking about the year ahead.
Kelly’s Business Plan for 2007
Getting New Business…I’m going to ask myself who my customers will be for this year. Where will I go for new business? How will I approach them? What types of customers are best for what I do? I will probably make a list of three or four target audiences. For example: libraries, women’s conferences, storytelling festivals, corporate banquets. Throughout the year whenever I am faced with incoming business or outgoing expenses, I will ask myself how it fits into my plan. This really helps me from spending money in areas that don’t fit my focus.
Getting More Business from Old and Current Business…Do I stay in touch with my clients from the past? Do I send them reminders and updates to keep me fresh in their minds? Do I make the best use of my current clients? Do I ask them for referrals? One of the best ways to get repeat business is on the heels of current business. Ask them for names of other people who might like what you do.
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild
January, 2007
Here I sit at this familiar place in my life where the nostalgia of another year gone by crosses paths with the excitement of a new year ahead. I look back on the wonderful blessings that the past year brought and at the same time I reflect on the disappointments along the way that serve as a constant reminder that dreams are never easy. I hear so many artists lamenting over dreams that always seem to dangle just out of reach. And I remind them that for every wonderful opportunity, there are always many others that don’t work out – whether you’re a beginning artist or a seasoned one. I like to think that we’re given a gift without clear instructions on how to use it. And the instructions are given to us over time through opportunities big and small. And we need to focus on the journey, not the destination. For tomorrow is a new day. A new year. Okay, I’m rambling. Perhaps I should put the egg nog down and get to the reason for this month’s article – planning your year.
I’m not one for making resolutions at the beginning of a year. Mainly because I’m not one for keeping them and I already spent the last year creating lists of ways to improve myself and we see how that turned out. So even though I’m not a fan of resolutions, I am a fan of making a business plan. And the beginning of the year is the best time to make a business plan. As artists we often don’t see ourselves as business people, but if you want to sell your art successfully it helps if you come up with a plan. There has been much research on how the mere act of putting your plan on paper helps you achieve your goals.
Your business plan does not have to be complicated. It’s simply a plan for how you want to run your business in 2007. What are your goals? How will you try to reach those goals? What is your focus for the upcoming year? How will you plan out your expenses? These are the kinds of questions you want to ask.
The main reason that I like making a business plan is that it keeps me on track. It shows me where I want to focus my energies and my finances. When I think about how much money I need to bring in, it helps me have confidence when quoting fees. Having a plan helps me decide which jobs to take and which jobs to turn down because they don’t fit into the plan. And there’s always room in your plan for change because you wrote it. It’s your plan.
I can’t tell you how to write your business plan. That depends on you and your own personal dreams for the future. I can’t tell you where to get business or how much you need to spend to grow your business. There are certainly far more qualified people to speak on that subject. I would like to help you get the process going so I’m going to show you the bullet points that will be in my business plan for 2007. Use it as you wish, or come up with something of your own. These are just ideas to get you thinking about the year ahead.
Kelly’s Business Plan for 2007
Getting New Business…I’m going to ask myself who my customers will be for this year. Where will I go for new business? How will I approach them? What types of customers are best for what I do? I will probably make a list of three or four target audiences. For example: libraries, women’s conferences, storytelling festivals, corporate banquets. Throughout the year whenever I am faced with incoming business or outgoing expenses, I will ask myself how it fits into my plan. This really helps me from spending money in areas that don’t fit my focus.
Getting More Business from Old and Current Business…Do I stay in touch with my clients from the past? Do I send them reminders and updates to keep me fresh in their minds? Do I make the best use of my current clients? Do I ask them for referrals? One of the best ways to get repeat business is on the heels of current business. Ask them for names of other people who might like what you do.
Fee Structure and Discount Policy…What will I charge this year? How much do I need to bring in to meet my expenses and make a profit? Under what circumstances will I lower my rate? Will I do any pro bono work, and how will I determine what pro bono work to take? How will I quote my fees? What will be included? How will I phrase it when I quote them my fee? Think these things through in your mind and it will be much easier when you’re asked for a quote.
Product Sales and Product Creation…Will I create any product this year? How will I aim to sell more product this year? Do my products fit the audiences I have chosen to target this year? Am I making the most of my back-of-the-room sales?
Customer Service…Is there anything I want to do differently this year with my clients? Any new policies I want to incorporate? How are my customer service skills? Do I reply in a timely manner? Am I easy to work with?
Services that I offer…Do I want to offer a workshop this year or coaching? Is there a new program and/or a new audience that I want to target? Does my promotional material (web, brochure, etc.) reflect these new changes?
Networking…How will I get my name out in the community this year? What organizations will I join? What groups will I become active in?
Budget…How much do I need to live? What are my future monetary goals? What do I need to make this year to meet these goals and needs? How much can I spend to grow my business? Do I need to raise my rates to meet those needs?
Inventory…Will I track inventory? Will this be a manual process or an electronic process? Will I run it through my accounting package?
Continuing Education…What sort of education do I need this year? How much money can I afford to spend on workshops and conferences? Which workshops and conferences fit into my target market and business plan?
Material…How is my portfolio of creative material? Are there some things that are lacking? Does my material fit the audience I’ve chosen to target this year? Does my promotional material reflect my current portfolio? Is there a way to change my material so that it adds value in the marketplace?
And there you have a list of topics I have chosen for my business plan of 2007. You may have more topics on your list. Or you may just have one or two. Or you may choose not to do it at all. That’s okay. It’s YOUR plan. Make it simple and make it realistic.
I wish you all the best as we head into this new year. I hope you find peace and joy at every turn and that your disappointments pale in comparison to your blessings. We’ll talk more next month.
And there you have a list of topics I have chosen for my business plan of 2007. You may have more topics on your list. Or you may just have one or two. Or you may choose not to do it at all. That’s okay. It’s YOUR plan. Make it simple and make it realistic.
I wish you all the best as we head into this new year. I hope you find peace and joy at every turn and that your disappointments pale in comparison to your blessings. We’ll talk more next month.
Kelly Swanson
It's all fun and games 'til the hair gets messed up
Sunday, April 15, 2007
From the Page to the Stage
CREATION
A journey from the page to the stage
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild www.ncstoryguild.org
August, 2006
I promised as President of the North Carolina Storytelling Guild, that I would do a monthly article on a topic of interest to storytellers. You can read the whole thing by going to my site. Otherwise, here are the bits and pieces.
A journey from the page to the stage
by Kelly Swanson
President, North Carolina Storytelling Guild www.ncstoryguild.org
August, 2006
I promised as President of the North Carolina Storytelling Guild, that I would do a monthly article on a topic of interest to storytellers. You can read the whole thing by going to my site. Otherwise, here are the bits and pieces.
YOUR STORY
Stop fanning yourself. This is not a religious discussion on creation. I mean creation in the artistic sense. We are artists. We create. We tell a story. Whether we dance, paint, sing, or play Beethoven’s Fifth on the jaw harp, we tell a story. A story about life. And when we tell this story we evoke an emotion from our audience. We take them to places in their own life or to distant lands where cultures are different but the emotions are the same. We are given our gifts for a reason. Our voices were meant to tell a story. And as artists, we spend our lives finding out what stories are in us to tell. It is important that you find YOUR story, YOUR message to the world, YOUR voice.
Note: A great book you should read on the kinds of stories you should tell: The Story Factor by Annette Simmons. Here's a link to her site: www.groupprocessconsulting.com
THE PROCESS STARTS INSIDE OF YOU
It starts with searching inside yourself (an ongoing process by the way) to find out what messages you have to share with the world. What stories your heart speaks.
WRITING WHAT YOU KNOW
WRITING WHAT YOU KNOW
Professional speakers are taught to speak about what they know, what life has taught them. I encourage you as artists to do the same. And to do so, we must at least wonder what our lives have taught us. What lessons have we learned? What sage wisdom have we stored up? What do we have to share with the world?
Note: Pamela King Cable is a southern writer who has really tapped into the heart of writing what you know. Here's her site: http://www.pamelacable.com/
THINGS I HAVE LEARNED IN MY LIFE
THINGS I HAVE LEARNED IN MY LIFE
If you’re like me, upon hearing this, you went “huh?” and wondered if maybe you should have filled out that Wal-Mart application after all. I went so far as to get out a piece of paper and write across the top, “Things I have learned in my life….” And I stared at it for like fifteen minutes and then went to get some chocolate and an aspirin for my brain cramp. But I came back to it and decided, oh what the heck, just start writing. And my list was started. I gave myself no rules, no limits, no boundaries. I told myself it could be serious, funny, religious, earth shattering or silly. The point was just to write and keep writing without thinking. To write about what my life has taught me. And I knew (I was right of course) that in this process some things would start to take birth. And I was right.
MAKE SURE THE LISTENER KNOWS YOUR MESSAGE
MAKE SURE THE LISTENER KNOWS YOUR MESSAGE
Make sure your listener knows the message. I am surprised at how often the teller isn’t even clear on the message, much less the audience. I know it sounds weird and maybe hard to understand. But nobody said creation was going to be easy. But you will be glad you went to the trouble because this is how you begin to find your voice, your attitude, the kinds of stories you want to tell. Shoot, you may even have the courage to start writing your own stories.
STARTING A LIFE JOURNAL
STARTING A LIFE JOURNAL
I want you to get a journal. Today. By journal, I mean a notebook with paper in it that can not be used for grocery lists or notes to yourself. Call it your life journal. This is not a diary. I repeat, this is not a diary. This is a place to start recording stuff. By stuff, I mean anything that gets your attention. I mean scenes that touch your heart, descriptions of people on the subway, funny ways to describe a drooling dog with three legs, what it feels like to get older, rants about voice mail and customer service, whatever you want to write. You don’t even have to write in complete sentences.
Keep the journal with you at all times. If you’re like me, you’ll have several in different places - your car, by your bed, in your purse. And I’m warning you to write this stuff down as soon as you think of it. You will not remember it tomorrow. What we’re doing here is recording the details in life so that when we sit down to write a story, we’re not trying to think of things off the top of our head. We can refer to our notebooks which over time will grow to be grand collections of material to use in our art.
Keep the journal with you at all times. If you’re like me, you’ll have several in different places - your car, by your bed, in your purse. And I’m warning you to write this stuff down as soon as you think of it. You will not remember it tomorrow. What we’re doing here is recording the details in life so that when we sit down to write a story, we’re not trying to think of things off the top of our head. We can refer to our notebooks which over time will grow to be grand collections of material to use in our art.
Here's a thought: why not create a blog and let your daily entries be your journal? I know. I'm a genius.
JOURNAL TOPICS
On some of the pages of the journal, give yourself a topic and write about it. Here are some of the topics I have used in mine:
· Funny names of people and towns (internet and phone book is a great place to look)
· Funny names of businesses
· Places I remember growing up
· My first love
· What it felt like to be a teenager
· If I had a week left to live
· Ways to describe a man with a long neck
· Things you don’t see in church
· The dinner table at a our family reunions
FINDING YOUR OWN VOICE
· Funny names of people and towns (internet and phone book is a great place to look)
· Funny names of businesses
· Places I remember growing up
· My first love
· What it felt like to be a teenager
· If I had a week left to live
· Ways to describe a man with a long neck
· Things you don’t see in church
· The dinner table at a our family reunions
FINDING YOUR OWN VOICE
IF YOU STILL DON'T GET IT
Email me (Kelly@kellyswanson.net) and I will be happy to respond. I suggest that you start your journal first, get used to it for a little while, and then if you still have questions let me know.
SHARING THE JOURNEY
I’m excited to walk along this journey with you - the journey to discover your unique voice. Trust me, you have a gift. You were given this gift for a reason. We need your voice. Until we meet again, happy creating!
Kelly Swanson
It's all fun and games 'til the hair gets messed up
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