Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Please Welcome the Spunky L. Diane Wolfe

Acme Authors Link is Proud to Welcome Professional Speaker & Author, L. Diane Wolfe - www.spunkonastick.net/
www.thecircleoffriends.net/

Known as “Spunk On A Stick”, L. Diane Wolfe conducts seminars on promoting, leadership and goal setting.




Wolfe’s title, “Overcoming Obstacles With SPUNK! The Keys to Leadership & Goal-Setting”, ties all of her goal-setting and leadership seminar’s information together into one complete, enthusiastic package!
Available: March 17, 2009
Publisher Direct
Amazon
Barnes & Noble




The author’s young adult series, The Circle of Friends, features morally grounded, positive stories that appeal to both teens and concerned parents. Ten years associating with a motivation training system and her experience as a foster parent gave her the in-depth knowledge of relationships, personality traits and success principals.


The author offers her seminars through community colleges, organizations and clubs. Wolfe travels the East Coast extensively for media interviews and speaking engagements. She averages over one hundred appearances each year, maintains a dozen websites & blogs, manages an online writer’s group, and contribute articles for several other sites. She also does characterization sessions for schools and speaks to writer’s groups.

Get ready to write after this sample of L. Diane Wolfe's inspirational abilities:

Is it Worth the Price We Pay? by L. Diane Wolfe

A four-state book signing tour. A month-long virtual tour. Deadlines looming on the horizon. And a checklist that sprouts two new items for every one we eliminate. Between all the headaches, hassles and constant running, we often wonder if it’s worth the price we pay as authors.

The general public rarely glimpses the unglamorous side of writing. Most people are unaware of the long hours spent creating our storylines, staring at the computer screen until dawn. They can’t conceive of the marketing efforts required of all but the best-selling authors. Our fans don’t realize that we often spend the entire day establishing contacts and composing letter and emails to websites, bookstores, and the media.

The repetitive and occasionally boring tasks required of us really wears on our enthusiasm as well. What began as a passion for writing now feels like work. Our personal lives take a backseat as we attempt to stay ahead of the game. In our profession, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the many details and daily grind.

Besides the time-consuming duties, there are negative aspects as well. The book signing without books when the store forgets to place an order. The speaking engagements cancelled due to lack of funds. The reviewer experiencing a bad life who takes it out on our novel. The pre-taped interview that is cut due to time constraints. These situations can really place a damper on our spirits, causing us to feel even more discouraged.

Is it honestly worth the trouble? This really struck me one day while returning from a book signing. As I crossed a long and lonely stretch of road, Twisted Sister’s “The Price” began to play on my satellite radio. The lyrics echoed my thoughts at the time, and I began to ponder my current path of choice.

Why do we pay such a high price, making so many thankless sacrifices? Certainly not simply for financial gain. I can think of less complicated ways to make money! We don’t do it solely for personal satisfaction. Perhaps that’s the thought initially, but the glow eventually fades. Recognition is pleasant, but we must continue producing if we expect more. None of these factors will motivate us forever.

So why do we pay the price required of an author? The reason is simple – for our readers and those we touch with our words.

How many young writers do we inspire? How many individuals are entertained, their imaginations envisioning the worlds and characters we’ve created? What of those who were without hope until they read our book or heard us speak? We cannot begin to fathom the lives transformed by our mere words. Consider the websites and communities who follow our work, the emails and letters from excited readers, and the fans who drive hours out of their way to meet us in person. These people feel passion and an emotional attachment to our creations. What if our visions had remained locked away in our minds forever because we felt it wasn’t worth the price?

True success is achieved when we affect others in a positive manner, leaving the world a little better than when we found it. There will always be disappointments and stress, but if we can focus on the pleasure and satisfaction our work brings to others, we will persevere. Their joy will fuel our enthusiasm, providing us with a sense of genuine self-worth and happiness. If we lose sight of this purpose, our author experience will be a shallow victory at best.

So, is it worth the price we pay? For the many new friends we make during our journey, our eager fans, and those lives we touch, you betcha!

- Author & Professional Speaker, L. Diane Wolfe
http://www.spunkonastick.net/
http://www.thecircleoffriends.net/

Please leave your comments for our guest. Do you sometimes get discouraged? Is it worth it to you? Please share.

12 comments:

Morgan Mandel said...

Acme welcomes our guest, L. Diane Wolfe. Have a great time here today.

Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com

June said...

Welcome!

Thank you so much for sharing such wonderful insight. You are so correct. One of the reasons I wanted to become an author was because of the great feeling I got when I read books. I wanted to make other people feel the same way. If my books can make one person feel good, then I've accomplished my goal. Any yes, it is so worth it.

Thanks-
June

www.junesproat.com

Anonymous said...

Hey Diane!

Thanks for such a wonderfully inspirational post! Writing is not the easiest "career" choice, but if you've got the bug, you simply cannot kick it.

I truly appreciated this part of your post:

"How many young writers do we inspire? How many individuals are entertained, their imaginations envisioning the worlds and characters we’ve created? What of those who were without hope until they read our book or heard us speak? We cannot begin to fathom the lives transformed by our mere words."

Writing is just like getting up each and every morning and determining that we WILL say something nice to someone, lift someone up, and be a blessing to them. Amazingly enough, you can even do that in fiction - just by writing.

Thanks so much!

Deb Larson said...

Welcome Diane!
So glad you could be with us today. And your inspirational pick me up was right on target! We all need to be reminded of what is important!
Thanks for sharing.
DL Larson

Debra St. John said...

I was very overwhelned when I moved from writer to published author. There were so many things I needed to do that I never even thought of or imagined. But having friends who have done it all before and a very supportive writers' group, has made the transition much easier. And, holding that very precious copy of my very first published work in my hand, makes it all worth it.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Angela, I am so glad that spoke to you. I mean, isn't that the bottom line for most people? They just want to make a difference in the lives of others...

Thank you for hosting me today, Morgan!

L. Diane Wolfe
www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com
www.spunkonastick.net
www.thecircleoffriends.net

Carolyn Howard-Johnson said...

I know Diane! And don't need convincing of her spunk! But I'm really glad to know more about her!

Best,
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Also blogging at Writer's Digest 101 Best Website pick, www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com

Helen Ginger said...

Your words were inspirational, Diane. Thanks. I also liked hearing what you go through to promote your books. I doubt non-writers realize what happens "behind the scenes."

Mary Cunningham said...

You hit on every aspect! Being published is a joy and a lot of work. I sometimes get so frustrated with the marketing aspect, but then I remember the excitement in the faces of young readers!

Thanks for such an interesting, thoughtful post!

http;//www.cynthiasattic.blogspot.com

Charlotte Phillips said...

At a bookstore over the weekend, I watched two young boys engaging the cashier. They were trying to figure out what combination of the books in their stacks would provide them with the most books to read for the funds on hand. They were excited about all their choices and took a long time to agree on which books to leave behind. At one point, they discovered they could add one more for just a few cents. One of the youngsters dashed out to the parking lot and searched the car. He came back in with a handful of change. They left looking like they'd won the lottery.

Why do we write? That's an easy question!

Charlotte Phillips
Hacksaw
http://charsbookreviews.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Great insight and advice! "Leave the world a little better..." I like that and strive to do that as well. And if people feel uplifted,happy or entertained when they read our books, then we've accomplished some of that!
Heidi

Margot Justes said...

Welcome to Acme and thank you for posting such an insightful blog...
Margot Justes
mjustes@earthlink.net
www.mjustes.net