Exam results and optimism!

Well, it's been another busy couple of weeks!

The GCSE exam results came in yesterday, and 100% of my evening class achieved  A* to C grades, with 44% getting an A! Well done one and all!! There were also two A-graders among my other group, one of whom really deserved it, but personal circumstances around exam time meant that her grade was in doubt, as her mind was (quite understandably) elsewhere. I am so, so proud of her, and wish her every success for the future! I gather that she wants to become a teacher... Good luck to her!!

The local library have finally got back to me, and it wasn't the outcome I'd hoped for, but it has opened a few doors, and provided a good deal of food for thought. Quick fixes are fine in the short-term, but the opportunities on offer are of a longer term nature, so should prove to be more sustainable. In short... It's all good!

I have also been in contact with my 'dream' publisher this week. After a long-winded wild-goose-chase between departments, I finally got in touch with someone who could actually assist me with my query. My query being "Why have I heard absolutely nothing, after almost a year of waiting, about the manuscript I sent you??". Once Lorna (the lady who eventually ended up dealing with my query) was on the case, things moved along quite quickly - what a total super star!

Sadly, the speedy response was a speedy 'Thanks, but no thanks'.
That's fine! This is not the dead end that it appears to be (I think I have mentioned before that I always view the glass as half full rather than half empty).

My proposal had been passed from pillar to post among different people in different departments before it was dutifully tracked down by the lovely Lorna. Her correspondence was friendly and efficient, despite a small bit of 'Americanisation' ("the editor hasn't gotten around to it yet", as opposed to "the editor has not yet had an opportunity to review your proposal"), and after a few light hearted e-mails about the effects of watching too many American movies (films, for the Brits among us), Lorna was very supportive in providing me with the contact details for someone in an alternative division of the same publishing house.

My priority for next week will be to re-address the covering letter which accompanies my manuscript, to make its product placement within the vast expanse of written material which can be found in book stores absolutely clear. My Rhyming Science proposal could be a massive money spinner for both myself, and the publisher who has the Huzpah to take it on!

Optimism is the way forward!

Hutzpah, That's What You Need!

Well, it's been a busy week!
My advert has finally been printed in the local magazine, and is currently circulating throughout the County, and hopefully raising some interest among the local parents. No calls yet, but it's only been 3 days since it went into circulation... There's still a HUGE amount of hope that orders will begin to trickle in and, as we all know, a trickle can lead to a flood!

Hutzpah is my word of the day! Confidence, Conviction, Presence, Personality and a 'Go-for-it' attitude will work wonders I'm sure.

Today I have 'cold-called' a couple of libraries to see whether they may want to have me come and do a workshop (or several) with the local youngsters over the school holidays (on science communication and writing, poetry relating to science, or science-based craft activities). I'm waiting for calls back and am convinced that when I get them, I will be able to make some valuable connections, which will certainly be beneficial in the longer-term, if not immediately.

When you operate a small business, or are a sole trader (as in my case), your personnel are your goldmine or your downfall. Attitude is everything, and having a positive can-do attitude, and a pleasant demeanour when dealing with people is an absolute must! Understanding the needs of the customer is absolutely paramount.

One of the main reasons for having branched out on my own was to avoid the cynical, corporate, money-grabbing desperation which was endemic in my previous place of employment. You cannot take pleasure in your work, and rejoice in what you do, if you are driven by management who are purely driven by profit without regard for their staff or their customers.

I hope that every budding entrepreneur out there finds their Hutzpah / Mojo or whatever you want to call it, and goes for their dream!

Shalom! and Happy Science-ing / Writing / Business-ing!

The Waiting Game

Well, the wheels are in motion, and all I can do now is wait...

Actually, hold on, no it isn't!
I can get back to focussing on my writing.

I'm not one to sit on my back-side (Arse or Ass, depending on which side of the Atlantic you hail from) and do nothing. Time is money but, at present, I still have more time that actual cash, so I will be investing my time productively by returning to some of the other areas which I began looking into many months ago, and have neglected due to my pre-occupation with advertising Dr D's.

Over the next few weeks, I will be chasing up some leads, and attempting to promote myself as a science writer. Effective communication is the crux of education, and if that happens to be at a distance, at least I will still be reaching out to people who want to learn, or who want to enhance their ability to teach others.

Busy times ahead!

Promotion and Advertising - Reaching Out to Potential Customers

The Dr D's Science Days web site is finally up and running, and can be found here!
After some assistance from a 'techie' friend of mine, and at no extra cost (other than a couple of beers, which thinking about it I should have got a receipt for, as they could be classed as a tax deductible business expense!) the basic outline of the site was reorganised, and I have now filled it with content detailing how wonderful my business is, and the great activities and services which I can offer to eager young minds!

I have also taken the plunge, and designed a simple advert for Bailgate Independent magazine, which looks like this:

The magazine distributes 10,000 copies each month, so I am hoping that I will get at least a couple of enquiries from parents about parties for their children as a result. There is also the possibility that it may be spotted by local teachers, who will check out the web-site and learn about the in-school activities that I'm offering as well.

Also, my Dr D's Facebook page has already attracted 21 'likes' from friends, who I hope will be kind enough to point any of their friends with children in my direction!

Things are definitely looking up! All I need to do now is sit back and wait for the bookings to come rolling in!

Positive movements!

The long awaited (by me at least) website should be up and running in the next day or so!
A link will be posted ASAP.
Also, in recent good news, two of my articles have been featured, and I'm now a leading contributor to the Homeschool Science section of Suite 101.
They say good things come in threes, I wonder what will be next!?

Business Expansion - Capturing New Markets.

Well, the summer holidays are upon us, all the schools are shut, and as a result my entire customer base has vanished for the next six weeks.
Many would see this as a problem, but a Wandering Scientist is not so easily dissuaded!
I have looked at the looming cloud from every angle, and have identified its silver lining.
The activities offered through Dr D's Science Days are all aimed at primary school children (aged 5 to 11), and are intended to be fun, engaging, sometimes messy, and sneakily educational (children learn best when they think they're just having a great time!).
The children may not be in school over the summer, but that does not mean that they have vanished. They are at home with their parents... Parents who may well be looking for exciting activities to keep their little ones occupied over the long weeks ahead, and what better way to do that than a visit from Dr D, the Wandering Scientist?
My marketing campaign should, admittedly, have started a little earlier in order to build some momentum and capture a wider audience through word of mouth, but with a little lateral thinking, and some well placed advertising, I'm optimistic that I can get a few bookings for my services over the summer break and beyond.
So far, I have started a marketing campaign by setting up a business facebook page, and have placed flyers in local shops, pubs, and doctors' surgeries (people will pick up and read pretty much anything while sitting in a waiting room!). The next step will be to go door to door, posting flyers to houses within the more affluent areas, and targeting large family homes with lots of children's toys in the gardens. I am also going to 'speculate to accumulate' by placing an advert in a local glossy magazine with a wide distribution covering many villages which are popular with families.
Who knows, by branching out into children's parties, I may even gain a positive reputation with parents and teachers who have influence within the local schools... That could be a golden lining to my cloud!

Publishing, Publishers and Percentages.

My first publisher, ZigZag Education, has recently sent me an email, requesting that I post links to their website from my own personal website or blog in order to increase their sales. ARE THEY JOKING??
I have suspected for a couple of years (well, since I signed up with them really) that the meagre percentage that they pay me in royalties was a joke, and their latest communications have really confirmed that.
They claim that they take the majority of the income from my resource to cover their advertising costs, and yet it is only now that they have realised that social networking and SEO are important, and they have the gall to ask their writers to publicise their site for them!
I THINK NOT!
I spoke to an editor about a year ago, and have had written confirmation that I can publish my original content through other avenues. I have approached another publisher, but am currently of a mind to self-publish, and sell through my activity days in schools, or through my own web site (once it's up to scratch!).
My resource: Poems and Puzzles for Key Stage 3 Science, received great reviews from teachers, and has been well received by the majority of my own students with whom I trialled the poems and associated worksheets. Despite this, ZigZag have managed to get me a total of 9 (Yes, Nine) sales in two years.
NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!
Maybe I should just publish the poems as an e-book, and be done with it. I certainly couldn't earn a lot less money in royalties that at present!