| The Inspiration Gap | | | | learning how to leverage your writing. |
| | | | |
| As you will see in the coming articles, your | | | | I suggest that you write something once, then |
| vision, with its purpose and mission, have to | | | | use it in various mediums. Let me give you an |
| drive an enormous amount of energy from where | | | | example. I was asked to present a teleclass |
| you are to where you want to be. I call this | | | | for a Special Interest Group through CoachU |
| the Inspiration Gap. The inspirational gap | | | | called the e-publication SIG. I spent several |
| powers the energy to create your vision and | | | | days developing the content for that free |
| propels you into action toward what you | | | | offering. Around the same time, I was |
| desire. This gap is the bridge that spans the | | | | approached to participate in a book promotion |
| distance between where you are, who you are, | | | | for an author in my series who was launching |
| and who you see yourself becoming. Like any | | | | her own book. Since I was already writing a |
| bridge, if it is not engineered properly, it | | | | course, I decided to offer that as a bonus |
| will never serve the purpose it was designed | | | | gift for the promotion. |
| to serve. | | | | |
| | | | As I was developing the marketing content and |
| The Inspiration Gap must be big enough to | | | | web pages for the promotion, I saw that if I |
| stretch you out of your comfort zone, but not | | | | expanded the content, I could create an |
| so far outside your zone that it deflates and | | | | e-book to sell as a companion piece. I will |
| paralyzes you. Make it edgy, but not | | | | eventually use the initial writing and |
| overwhelming. And remember as we move through | | | | combine it with other marketing material to |
| the strategies and tasks coming up, that it's | | | | use in a printed book, and will record that |
| always a matter of placing your attention on | | | | book for sale as a book on CD and mp3 files. |
| a few important tasks at a time, instead of | | | | I also use the writing as a tool with my |
| trying to take on everything at once. More on | | | | writing clients. At this point, I have used |
| this a little later. | | | | one piece of writing five times, some for |
| | | | direct income, others for marketing purposes, |
| Your Vision Description | | | | and always for learning by my readers and |
| | | | clients. |
| Now, you are ready to combine all of your | | | | |
| previous thoughts and writing and create your | | | | The next step is to submit portions of the |
| Vision Statement. This is a description of | | | | content to magazines and online sites that |
| your dream, your purpose, your mission, all | | | | are seeking guest columnists. And finally, I |
| based on your values. | | | | will be expanding the content to begin |
| | | | offering live workshops and retreats for |
| The description will answer many questions, | | | | potential writers. |
| some of which are listed below: | | | | |
| | | | My goal is to use any writing I create a |
| How do my values impact what I am writing? | | | | minimum of five different ways, more if |
| Why does my writing exist? What does my | | | | possible. From my example, here are the |
| writing represent? Why I do the writing I do? | | | | methods I am using (I'll discuss these in |
| What do I aspire to? What is the experience | | | | more detail in my e-book): |
| of my readers? Who is my intended audience? | | | | |
| What is my purpose for writing? What are my | | | | * eMessages |
| objectives and when will I accomplish them? | | | | |
| | | | * Teleclass/Teleseminar Content |
| Vision Recap | | | | |
| | | | * Web logs (Blogs) |
| Let's recap what you've learned with respect | | | | |
| to writing a vision statement: | | | | * Podcasts |
| | | | |
| * Your vision needs a purpose. | | | | * Recordings of Teleclasses |
| | | | |
| * Your vision needs a mission that is | | | | * MP3s downloads |
| achievable and concise. | | | | |
| | | | * Workbook |
| * Your vision needs a description that | | | | |
| includes words that elicit emotion and paints | | | | * e-courses |
| a picture in your mind. | | | | |
| | | | * e-books |
| * Your vision needs to include and align with | | | | |
| your values. | | | | * Articles for magazines |
| | | | |
| * Your vision needs to have an inspiration | | | | * Articles for online sites |
| gap. | | | | |
| | | | * Physical Book |
| * Your vision needs to motivate and inspire. | | | | |
| | | | * Book on CD |
| * Your vision needs to provoke you to action. | | | | |
| | | | * Book on Tape |
| Leveraging Your Writing | | | | |
| | | | * Workshops/Speeches |
| Now that you have a clear vision with a | | | | |
| purpose and mission aligned with your values, | | | | * Retreats |
| you can determine what strategy will best | | | | |
| help you attain your vision. To do that, the | | | | * Webinars |
| first step is to look at how you might | | | | |
| leverage your writing in different mediums | | | | * Live Conferences |
| and formats. | | | | |
| | | | * Video/DVDs |
| A frequent conversation I have with my | | | | |
| writing clients is how to best utilize their | | | | * Continuity Programs |
| writing to gain more exposure and to create | | | | |
| more income. If there is one thing that will | | | | In my next article, I will discuss how to |
| accomplish both of these objectives, it's | | | | create your strategies from these mediums. |