The Seven Things I Learned About Writing and Publishing a Book.

By T. R. Shaw Jr.

Author of DEFY THE IMMEDIATE; A Journey of Failure, Perseverance and Success

            My first book, a motivational memoir entitled DEFY THE IMMEDIATE is finally published!

            I am excited as it has been a multi-year endeavor with many setbacks and learning curves, which is sort of what my book is all about, failure, perseverance and success.  I plan to begin a marketing campaign soon hoping to reach, and speak to as many groups and organizations as possible to share what I’ve learned in my nearly five decades of working, learning, serving, struggling and leading.

            My personal journey took me through high school and college, a career in the media, the U.S. Navy both active duty and reserve.   I maintained and built up a fourth generation family funeral business, and dealt with professional and civic leadership issues and challenges in many organizations.

            You might say I’m the ultimate generalist.  I’ve done a lot of things and had many experiences.  My hope is to become a motivational speaker and educator.  I have something worthy to share, and something the world needs to hear. 

In the tradition of my friend, Carlos Fontana’s Seven Daily Nuggets blog, here is what I’ve learned about writing a book.

1.     Believe in your dream and have a vision

With my diverse and complicated background, I felt I had a powerful message to share.  Originally, my goal was to produce a book for junior military officers and share my stories of success and failure from the ship’s bridge, there were many!  I planned to give hope to young military leaders that mistakes and bad situations are not unique, and certainly not always your fault.  It was all about how you did…or didn’t react to dynamic situations.  The old saying hindsight is 20/20 is good, but my goal was to enlighten juniors that your situation is not hopeless.  Things change quickly in the military.  You need to stay positive and seek good advice. 

As the book progressed it grew into a more comprehensive work with broader mass appeal as I discovered a world hungry for motivation and inspiration.

2.    Don’t learn the Tricks of the Trade…learn the Trade!

I first heard that saying in mortuary school at Wayne State University as our professors trained us to properly and professionally embalm a body.  They drove into us the fact that as you progress you will find better, faster, and easier methods to do the procedure, but first you must know how to do it right.  Pragmatism comes later. 

With that in mind I set out to learn as much as I could about book writing and publishing, and how to do it right!  I devoured websites and read many books and articles on the subject.  All offered sage advice to the aspiring writer.  However, many were conflicting.  Everyone had different opinions on how you should do it.  The key was to look for the commonalities and learn to evaluate the advice as it applies to your goals.  I also found there are entirely different approaches to genres.  Gaining the attention of an agent is entirely different for a fiction writer than a non-fiction writer.  Many times attracting an agent is a real shot in the dark and you just have to learn pragmatism and take your chances.  Expect rejection…lots of it!

3.     Seminars give you some perspective; take it as a learning experience

I attended a few professional writers’ seminar where we had the opportunity to “Pitch an Agent.”  I thought this might be my big opportunity to get noticed.  I learned a lot in a one-day event.  I studied carefully the agents attending, what they were looking for, and selected three appropriate agents to pitch.  It was a very humbling experience.  I sat down with professionals who’d seen it all, I was nothing new.  It briefly dampened my enthusiasm, but I kept believing in my goal. 

That seminar I also learned that non-fiction is a hard genre to sell, especially a memoir.  “Who are you, and why should I care?” seemed to be an unspoken attitude.  I wasn’t a celebrity or sports icon.  I hadn’t been fired from the White House, or landed a plane in the Hudson River, but I felt I had many valuable experiences worth sharing.  As I glanced around the room in one of the seminars, I noticed about 90 percent of the attendees were female fiction writers competing to become the next J.K. Rowling or Danielle Steele.  The experience at least gave me the confidence I was doing something unique in the publishing world.  My story must be told, regardless of what agents thought.

4.     Talk to others who’ve done it.

I have a few friends, family and acquaintances who’ve been published in one form or another, they are a great source of information and ideas.  I'm grateful for their shared knowledge and wisdom.  They will continue to be a source of information in the future as I progress.  No one becomes a success on their own.  Likewise, I hope future authors seek me out when they want to pursue their passion.  I will gladly reciprocate.

5.    Build a platform

One of the things I learned is that to sell a book, or an idea, you need a platform.  You need several large circles of people to relate to.  I realized I had several circles of influence I could reach out to with my varied and diverse background.  I found this fascinating and dove into social media techniques.  I read many books on how to do it and became self-educated.  Although I’m not a social media expert, I learned as much as I could.  I’d highly recommend Michael Hyatt’s book PLATFORM; Get Noticed in a Noisy World, as a blueprint for building your platform.  

We live in a very connected world and your virtual presence is extremely important if you want to have influence and reach.  When I looked at the big picture, I’ve had many experiences that touched many circles of people.  I needed to connect with them and learn to properly self-promote, it’s a practical, not egotistical act.  I’ve found platform building to be a fascinating social experiment and endeavor.  I also have learned that nobody is a complete expert in social media, it is a constantly evolving medium.

6.     Self-Publishing isn’t bad.

I was referred to a young regional agency by a friend who has had three books published by Mission Point Press in Traverse City, Michigan.  At first I had them do my editing and give me some advice on how to proceed.  They helped improve my query letter and would have helped me with a formal proposal, if I reached that point.  After dragging my feet to do the really hard and time consuming task of going the “traditional” route, they proposed to publish it regionally.  They understood how difficult getting the attention of a national agent is.  I heeded their advice.  They have an impressive collection of many genres, including memoirs like mine.  It may have been another year of beating the bushes with no resolution or interest from prospective agents.   While it may cost me a little, at least I’d have book.  With a book comes credibility.  I believe I have a message that’s worth the cost. 

A published author is an experience I’m just beginning, it’s exciting.  Nobody really cares how it’s published.  It’s more important to have a book to promote and sell.  Self-publishing gives one control in what you are doing.  That’s a great thing!

7.    Don’t quit

Like many aspiring authors I often put things on the back-burner when they became difficult.  Life got in the way of what I should have been doing.  Some call it writers block.  There is also an element of fear, and self-doubt which you have to overcome.  I’m a skilled procrastinator and this effort was no exception.  Don’t overthink it.  Resist the urge to back off.  It was more than a few years in the making.  Take a break if you have to, but don’t give up on your dream.  The motivation will return, sometimes it might take a while, but you need to keep your eyes on the prize, it will be worth it.  Good things take time and effort.  If it’s worth having, it’s worth working for.  Keep moving forward and Defy the Immediate!

A little about the book:

DEFY THE IMMEDIATE is an energizing and inspiring look at real life failure, success and perseverance filled with personal stories of coming up short, winning and humility with generous portions of humor along the way.  I was blessed to have legendary broadcaster and fellow Central Michigan University alumni Dick Enberg write my foreward.  The title comes from a speech he delivered at CMU.

Growing up in the space age of the 1960s, much has been expected of my generation.  Throughout my life, I’ve demanded much of myself.  I document my journey of idealism through the traumas of high school, college, working in the media, military, the funeral profession and community service.  Failure was a frequent accomplice and I document the stories of working hard, often with the wrong knowledge, coming up short, sometimes quitting and ultimately succeeding. 

Following a great career as a college journalist, the job market was flat and I was a starry-eyed visionary looking to accomplish the next big thing.  I entered the U. S. Navy to become a public affairs officer as President Ronald Reagan was building a 600 ship Navy.  I had to begin as a regular line officer and pursue a warfare specialty, surface warfare in my case, before I could transfer into public affairs, the smallest community in the Navy, and perhaps the least understood.  I struggled, and was challenged to “stay afloat” among peers with more talent, mechanical and mathematical aptitude, education and background than I had.  It was brutally competitive and required a different mind-set.  I struggled valiantly with help from good people and graduated second to last in my Officer Candidate School class, but I made it! 

On active and reserve duty, I was dealt many “bad hands” to play and was in circumstances I couldn’t control. I dealt with both good and bad superiors and subordinates.   It took almost everything I had to deal with things in a very tough and unforgiving environment.  While many would consider my active duty performance a professional failure, I redeemed myself in the Navy Reserve where I ultimately found my passion and calling in public affairs where I excelled and thrived.   My journey to that point was filled with many setbacks and disappointments which I overcame. 

For nearly 20 years, I carried on a dual career as a Navy reservist and funeral director trying hard to excel in two career paths, facing both systematic and professional challenges in each career.  I ended up being forced to retire from the Navy during the very best time of my career, I loved what I was doing and I didn’t want to leave.  In the funeral business, I lost my father, and business partner, to a quick and unrelenting disease and struggled to keep the family business strong and thriving.  We did well for many years, but I eventually had to come to the reality my heart was no longer in funeral service.  Life is too short not to pursue your true ambitions and talents.  We sold our successful century-old family business. I faced new challenges and opportunities.  I gave up a thriving business and large degree of financial security.  I believe others can draw inspiration from my experiences and challenges.

DEFY THE IMMEDIATE is available in local bookstores and online at Amazon.com. W

T. R. Shaw, Jr. holds a degree in journalism from Central Michigan University and a certificate in mortuary science from Wayne State University.  He has worked as a journalist, a U.S. Navy line officer and public affairs officer. He is CEO and co-founder of Shaw Communication in Battle Creek, Michigan.  He was formerly President of the Shaw Funeral Homes, a fourth-generation family business.  He has held leadership in several non-profit organizations, foundations, service clubs, and military and professional associations.  He is a dynamic public speaker, publishes organizational newsletters, and is a columnist in regional publications.  He believes literacy and reading are fundamental to leadership development and personal success and hopes to encourage people to read more often and regularly.  Readers Are Leaders!  Defy The Immediate is his first book.

His personal website is www.trshawjr.com.

           

           

Diabetes; The World's Next Pandemic

By T. R. Shaw Jr.

            November is World Diabetes Month.  Specifically, November 14 is World Diabetes Day.  But, much like diabetes, few are aware.  

Diabetes is the next world pandemic and crisis.  It’s quietly sneaking up on all of us, yet funding for research and education is not yet a national priority.

It has been said that diabetes is a disease of affluence.  The statistics show the chronic disease is growing exponentially at an alarming rate, especially among Americans.  One in three young adults in the U.S. today will become diabetic by middle age, according to the American Diabetes Association.

            I say that it’s a disease of affluence because it’s undeniable that it is not just genetic, but greatly influenced by our first-world diet and lifestyle.  Diabetes is a physiological, genetic, and cultural phenomena reaching epidemic levels.

            I’ve been a Type-II diabetic for more than 20 years, but I don’t struggle as much as I used to.  Times are a-changing as they say.

            I recently authored a book entitled DEFY THE IMMEDIATE, a memoir on the many challenges in my life and how I dealt with them.  My challenges with diabetes is one of the chapters.

            When I was growing up in the 1960’s, diabetes just wasn’t discussed, and not well understood.  It was a lot like cancer, you know the “C-Word.”  The euphemism I remember from my grandparent’s generation was someone had “Sugar.”  It wasn’t quite understood and diabetes research was in its infancy with limited medications and treatments.  Some people were even institutionalized as it was sometimes mistaken for a mental disorder.  As a child I viewed it as an “old person’s disease,” something I really didn’t have to worry about.

           Following World War II, Americans experienced many fundamental changes in both the landscape and the culture.  As the post-war baby-boom era unfolded, Americans fled the city and moved to the suburbs.  The car created suburbia and everything that went with it.  We saw the rise of fast food franchises, products of convenience like soda pop, TV dinners, and Betty Crocker mixes that replaced hours of baking from scratch.  Home baked goodies like cookies, cakes and other treats were easy and convenient and always present.  We no longer ate out of the Victory Garden, everything was at the neighborhood supermarket.  Grocery shopping, and the marketing that came with it, became a new suburban ritual.

            Advertisers and marketing gurus realized we had a love-affair with carbohydrates.  Sweet stuff was everywhere, in vending and pop machines which were never out of sight.  Sugar sold; and it was in everything!

            My diagnosis of diabetes came after I completed college and served in the Navy where food is a morale issue.  In my 30’s I worked hard in my family funeral business, served in the Navy Reserve and was busy with community leadership.  I found little time to work out the way I should.  My eating habits grew terribly bad and I gained weight.  A few times I lost weight, but yo-yo dieting was never effective.  I always gained back any weight I lost, plus more, as I grew weary of dieting and restricted eating.  I just gave up and ate what I wanted to, most of the time without really thinking about it.  Intellectually, I knew how and what I should be eating, but eating out of convenience was so much easier when you didn’t think about it.

            During a Navy Reserve trip to Norfolk, Virginia, I took part in a four-day NATO virtual exercise during a cold February.  I was glad to escape a brutal Michigan winter for a few days and get to a “warmer” climate.  Tidewater winters are nasty.  It was warmer, but only 45-50 degrees and rainy. 

During this exercise, where we sat in a war room and monitored many screens, I grew uncomfortable.  The exercise we monitored took place in the far eastern Atlantic near Portugal.

I started getting really thirsty and was making constant trips to the drinking fountain to fill my coffee mug, and subsequently, many trips to the restroom.  I blamed my sudden thirst on the change in climate and latitude.  On Saturday night of the exercise, I went to dinner and on the way to my room, stopped by a convenience store and picked up two large bottles of Gatorade.  I drank one before I went to bed and the second one during the night.  I couldn’t sleep.  I was constantly waking up and running to the bathroom where I filled the bottle with water and drank that.  Unbeknownst to me, my blood sugar was in a hyper-glycemic state.  I was still blaming my thirst on the weather.

On Sunday afternoon the exercise ended.  We headed home that evening and I guzzled pure Coca-Cola at the airport to quench my thirst.

When I returned home, the thirst subsided.  I made an appointment with my eye doctor a few days later because my vision had greatly changed.  After examining my eyes, she demanded I see my physician immediately and even scheduled an appointment for me.  She suspected diabetes, I didn’t.

My doctor called me and told me to get to the hospital now.  I was reluctant, I had a busy few days ahead and didn’t have a lot of time.  He told me we needed to do tests.  I shook my head and thought, “Can’t that be done at the lab?”  I relented and checked in.  Everyone there, except me, had a sense of urgency.  I didn’t really understand why I needed to be there. 

Throughout the night, I was continually poked and tapped every few hours for blood draws.  It got a little annoying, but I watched late night TV and dozed off to sleep, still a little angry about why I was there.

The next morning, my internist came in and flat out told me I had diabetes.  Privately, I was saying “no I don’t.”  He showed me some numbers that were off the chart, but had little meaning or relevance to me.  I assumed, the spike was from my recent trip, change in climate, and drinking all that Gatorade and Coke.  I felt they were overreacting.  I was in complete denial that there is something seriously wrong with me.

I was counseled by a dietitian, which pretty much went in one ear and out the other.  I was given several prescriptions and glucometer and taught how to use it.  I took the pills as I should, but didn’t think much more about it.  I infrequently used the meter, besides the test strips were very expensive.  For the next several months my numbers improved, but not as much as they should have.  I was getting lectures from my doctor at every visit and it was getting old, I was still in denial.

After a few years of bad control, I was referred to a diabetes specialist who was adept at getting people on the right track. He was on top of everything the diabetes world.

I’m one of the lucky ones.  I took care of it in time. 

Today, advanced diabetic medicines are now plentiful and convenient and becoming more cost effective.  Science and pharmacology are catching up, along with fabulous new diagnostic devices.

However, many without good insurance still struggle with affordable insulin and life-saving prescriptions.  The American Diabetes Association is working hard to lobby for more affordable medicine and health care plans.  For many the struggle is real and critical. 

The good thing is diabetes is one of the most controllable chronic diseases we face.  The bad news is more and more of us will be facing it in the years to come.  Denial routinely comes before acceptance.  If you are facing it, deal with it decisively and proactively, don’t let it linger into a more complicated condition.

Learn the risk factors and consider lifestyle changes to minimize this menace.  There are many resources available today, take advantage of them.  The American Diabetes Association website is a great place to start.  You can visit it at www.diabetes.org. 

Life is too short to not take the best care of yourself while you can.

T. R. Shaw Jr. of Battle Creek, Michigan, is CEO of Shaw Communication, an author and speaker.  He is a retired Navy officer and funeral director.  His most recent book, DEFY THE IMMEDIATE, A Journey of Failure, Perseverance and Success is available at Amazon.com and local bookstores.  Visit his website at www.trshawjr.com