Sunday afternoon. Cloudy skies, a chill in the April air. A day made for reading by the fire. And then the doorbell rings.
A salesman? A survey-taker? A subscription to Cheese-of-the-Month Club?
Ugh.
Or maybe not.
The fellow on my doorstep is well-spoken, polite. Adorable.
And I’m an old married grandma in baggy sweatpants. Dang!
The fellow in question is Scotty James, selling his CD door-to-door on a fund-raising mission to get to Nashville to meet with Taylor Swift’s label.
Or something like that. It’s been a long time since twenty-something eye candy has rung my door bell. I may not be listening as carefully as I should…
As a writer, I know how hard it is to garner the attentions of the powers that be. Scotty’s journey is not so unlike my own. I have no cash, am contemplating a run to the ATM on this frigid day, but hark! Scotty takes checks.
What can I do but run upstairs for DH’s check book?
I unwrap the cellophane, slip the CD into the player. The music is good, the voice smooth.
I like.
Networking is an awesome, powerful, adrenaline-pumping machine. Word of mouth is fuelled by social media. No matter what you do, don’t ever underestimate the value of the next contact you make. The old grandma in baggy sweatpants just might have a blog!
Scotty James’ appearance on my door step serves as a seismic slap to the head. When you finish this post, don’t just watch the video for Scotty’s single, Wanna Be Loved, below, but check out Scotty’s website and read his story. This young man went house to house, knocked on doors, and sang his heart out on strangers’ front lawns!
Not that writers are passive by any means. We court criticism with every contest we enter, we tempt rejection with every query we send.
Scotty James didn’t stop at auditions and demos. He didn’t put up a website and wait for Facebook likes and Twitter followers. He certainly didn’t sit by the Internet waiting for recording contract to land in his lap. This young artist took ownership of his career.
Holy Carpe Diem, Batman. Now that’s what I call Sizzle!
I don’t know that I’ll cart my books door-to-door, but there is one heck of a lesson I can learn from young Scotty’s approach.
And now, without further adieu, here is Scotty James. Follow. Listen. Like.
What a cutie and that smooooth voice. I’m very impressed. Going to his website now.
Morning, Brinda!
I can’t believe anyone wouldn’t want to wish Scotty James success in all he does. He has moxie, charisma, determination, and talent. I am inspired.
And here I am, just about to make the same point, in a different way.
So true about making friends, never knowing where they’ll lead. To follow the point, you get back from them whatever you put in. It might be in the form of Karma, or it might be virtual hugs, but whichever one, politeness, consideration, and positivity never hurt the relationship.
I am so happy to have finally met you online! Now, off to take ownership of my career!
Woot, Pamela!
I don’t have anywhere near the numbers Scotty has in terms of followers, but I could not help but put my support behind him, and my followers in his path.
Wow, what a marketer! He’s got a great voice, so cute! Way to go, promotion gramma! (you are so not gramma like)
I was shy at our booth at Word on the Street, Sharon. And I had you, and the membership of TRW, behind me!
Talk about putting yourself out there.
Yay, Scottie! I wish him much success. His story is a challenge and a guide for indie authors and ALL authors today. Can’t be passive and just write. We have to be agressive with our writing careers. Carpe Diem, Indeed.
I agree, Judythe. We can’t wait on a publisher to put their publicity department behind us, we can’t wait for store owners to display our books in their front window, we can’t hope our audience will find us.
We must find them, and let them know we are here!
Once again, I can find no fault with your awesome Saturday Sizzle, Sherry.
Okay. One teeny-tiny correction. Didn’t you mean jelly-of-the-month club?
When you told me his story, I was gobsmacked.
During my career in Corporate America, many jobs required cold calls; reaching strangers by telephone knowing the odds were high that the response would be no,
hell, no, or the ever-popular click, bzzzzzz. I choked on my coffee when someone finally said yes. I think my response went something like this: “Well, thank you for your time and…whaaaaa?? Did you just say ‘yes?’”So, his tenacity and belief in his talent blew me away. Yes, I now LIKE him on FB and follow him on TWITTER. What’s not to love about a guy that puts himself out there to promote his talent and his dream?
Here, here, Gloria!
It’s one thing to have someone on the other end of a phone line cut you off in the middle of your presentation. They can’t see you, you’re not a real person. Same as a query to an agent, you are just a name to fill in on the top of a form rejection slip–if they take the time to send one.
I admire this young man’s spark. I did not have the courage to follow my dream when I was his age. And while I will put on my writer’s hat and introduce myself as a writer at conferences, I still lack the courage to go door-to-door as he has done.
He really has an AWESOME voice, not to mention a lot of courage to put himself out there like that! No way I could go door-to-door selling ANYthing!
Following him on Facebook & Twitter and hope to hear more of him here in the US. Go Scotty!
I hear ya, Elaine. The hardest thing to sell is yourself. Self is the product we know best, but it’s hard to be objective, let alone enthusiastic.
Sherry, every day someone says … it’s all be said and done … Idol or other moments like it … Beiber and his mom on youtube … there’s no way to come up with something unique. But what’s wonderful about the world is that someone is always proving them wrong … it hasn’t been all said and done and Scotty James is proving it.
Lots of heart and moxie and a great voice. I need to see more of this … what did you call him … “eye candy?” Yeah, this old granny can appreciate a great voice attached to a cute face. Thanks for the intro!!
Hey Florence,
I agree. If it has all been said and done, we wouldn’t have to replace our phones every six months, and my DVD player would not rest on the precipice of obsolete.
What a coincidence! I just heard his name mentioned for the first time a month or so ago and now here he is, knocking on your door. He picked a good one! Thanks for sharing his story and links. I’m going to go and “like” everything right now. He obviously has talent and as writers we can all relate to his marketing skills. Kudos to you for helping support his dream
Maybe that’s why, in these days of social media, we all flock to writing conferences to meet our FB friends live and in person. Or meet them for latte!
Very inspiring! I love that he has the courage and tenacity to go after his dream. And how sizzlingly awesome of you to get the word out even further. Thanks for sharing him with us!
And if he ever makes it to the NW, you could tell him that I am always up for a serenade on my front lawn.
Hi Tami,
How fresh, to sing for people. A new twist on free sample. Alas, Scotty did not sing for me. Had I seen his video before he knocked on my door, I’d have asked for a verse.
That young man is talented! Thanks for sharing his story.
Carole, I know your weather is warmer now that you’ve moved south, but look at what you’re missing!
He can sing on my front lawn ANY day. You are so lucky, what a great voice too!
Lucky. Hmm. My university-attending daughter was very disappointed she went back to residence early that weekend!
Inspirational story. He’s cute and definitely loved his song!! Thank you for a reminder that success comes only after dedication and hard work.
Dedication? Hard work? Hildie, does that mean no more shuffling to the computer in my jammies?
Yummy! And of course you know that as an almost grandma myself, tapping my keyboard in a robe and not so cute slippers, I’m referring to this young fellows endearing charm. (I mean really, I can’t even begin to imagine putting myself on a strangers doorstep with my books in hand–but then, I’m not nearly as cute as Scotty either.) Delicious! And you know of course I’m referring to the oh so smooth tones of Scotty James voice.
Writing [well] isn’t easy–and we all know that. Selling, becoming known, getting books comfortably settled into readers hands, at times feels impossible. All of which makes the door-to-door ballad of Scotty James nothing less than awesome, and definitely exciting.
Thanks for sharing your surprise visitor, Sherry. Really, this dudes a keeper
Barbara, we will have to book a Hot Grandma Book Tour. Leave the baggy sweatpants at home!
That was adorable! (your post and Scotty’s video). I don’t get sold easily, but I’m sharing his song to many friends. And you related Scotty’s story with ours (those of us who write but are afraid to push ourselves to the next level of GETTING IT OUT THERE) beautifully. Thanks!
Wlcome, Pam. Look everybody, a new visitor to Wildflower!
I’m already ‘out there’, so I might as well bring a few friends, and maybe sell a few books while I’m at it.
Lovely site, and I’ll be taking a deeper look on my afternoon break.
Hi Sherry.
Sounds good. It’s got to be tough, but he’s not in bad company selling door to door.
When an author couldn’t get any attention for his books from the academic elite he took to selling them door-to-door. It took a lot of effort, but he succeeded, and more than a hundred years later Mark Twain’s books are still in every library in the land.
By the way, it was chilly in TX last night, too. I think it dropped to 76, but it’s picking up again now.
Cheers!
Hey, Nigel.
With all the big chains, cozy cafe readings are hard to find, but they’re out there. That’s where I’ve had my biggest success, when interacting with an audience.
What an incredible story and ambitious young man. We can all take a lesson from him on going after our dreams with that kind of dedication and perseverance! And wow…that voice!! Luv it!! I’m off to read up on him…
Yes, Natalie, but would we go door-to-door in the ‘shoooze’? I’m voting not.
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