Publishing Perspectives across Borders

Living in Turkey Interview with Bea Vanni

This Saturday, January 20^th, at 12:30 pm Eastern US Time (7:30 pm Istanbul time), I will be interviewed on The Expat Show by Tai Aguirre about living in Istanbul.

To listen to the interview, go to: http://www.theexpatshow.com/ and click on the streaming audio link in the upper left quadrant of the website where it says "Listen Live to The Expat Show." If you click on my picture to the right of it, it will take you to http://www.theexpatshow.com/thisweek.asp?id=30 where you can see a few pictures of Istanbul and more notes about the entire show.

Afterwards, you can post your comments or questions about living and working in Turkey to my blog site, http://remarkablesolutions.typepad.com/foreign or email me. I will follow up with my responses and give you all the answers on my blog.

Tai's show broadcasts every Saturday at 12:30 pm Eastern US Time (that is lunch time) on 1110AM WTBQ radio, an affiliate of the ABC Network, coming to you from New York, USA.

The Tai Aguirre Expat Show is all about expatriate news with personal stories from expats living and working around the world and includes great commentary on music, language, culture, and other information targeted to the expat community. Thanks, Tai, we definitely need your program!

As an added feature during this interview, music will be played by Turkish composer and recording artist Burak Uckun singing The Mornings Smell Like Rain. I first wrote about Burak when I blogged about a Peace Day Event I helped organize in September 2006.

You can read about his special Culture of Peace song and listen to other music by Burak through the links posted in my blog at: http://remarkablesolutions.typepad.com/foreign/2006/10/peace_song_for_.html. You can also hear and download more of his music at http://www.burakuckun.com.

Tune in to The Expat Show by Tai Aguirre this Saturday to listen to my interview and every Saturday for more information about living and working the expat life in countries all over the world.

Event for International Peace Day

Istanbul is the stage for a day of peace-building activities from 17:00 to 22:00 on 21 September 2006, sponsored by Bahcesehir University and the Mediator's Association in Turkey. The event will be held at the Bahcesehir University Besiktas Campus and all are welcome to come.

Peace, cooperation, healing and friendship will emanate from these activities with the hope of building an awareness of peaceful co-existence in Turkey. The culmination of these activities will be a free concert given by internationally-known pianist, Ms. Anjalika Akbar. A moment of silence will be observed with a candle-lighting ceremony to project peace into our world in recognition of the International Day of Peace, first established in 1981 with a United Nations resolution.

A slide presentation and discussion about the peace movement, key leaders and the lesser known peace builders in the world will confirm that a noted peace figure does not have to be a celebrity or wealthy person to impact a nation or even a neighborhood. Every individual counts when it comes to promoting peace in all areas of life. A cocktail will follow this presentation.

It is a well-known fact that individual peace and happiness is not associated with one's rise to wealth or state of poverty. It doesn't matter whether you are a jetsetter in Los Angeles or a commoner in India; a person's inner peace creates the same serenity in those around them. Conversely, those who have no peace or preoccupy themselves with adversity force that same conflict to others near them.

Let's look for a moment at some examples of peace and conflict side-by-side. Just a few weeks ago, we saw where one instance of poor judgment−the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier−resulted in chaos, demise and conflict among Palestine, Lebanon and Israel with hundreds of deaths as a result.

Then, in the evacuation, we saw a Turkish rescue ship fired upon by Israel going from Beirut to Magusa. Yet when the evacuees arrived safely on Turkish soil, a Turkish soldier was found greeting a small boy with a kiss on his cheek. Peace and conflict as neighbors.

During this time I wrote a letter to Ambassador Bolton to express my disbelief that a 'cease-fire was not the right thing at the right time'. Does it not make sense that if we are to end fighting and find lasting solutions for peace, it should begin with an immediate cease-fire and disarming?

Now, this same issue is also spurring debate here in Turkey. We face attitudes in the peace and conflict arena on both an individual and governmental scale. What is it? Gun Use−guns for gifts, guns to celebrate, guns to threaten, guns to kill. Worse yet, gun use promotion exists all the while hundreds of lives are lost each year in Turkey.

How would you like to see a loved one killed on their wedding day because of some senseless act of firing a gun to celebrate something wonderful? Yet at the same time, a Turkish father stands up and says, "We should bring up our children with love and respect." While the annual death and injury toll proves careless firings of weapons leaves families in pieces each year, our national officials accept guns as gifts in the name of Turkish culture and history. How can this be so? Peace and conflict as strange bedfellows.

So, as we see with these few examples, we are challenged in this day and age to create peaceful solutions to daily situations which can only change for the better if we first change our own attitudes and actions from inside ourselves which, in turn, will project outwards to those around us.

We hope this Day of Peaceful activities will trigger a peace movement in Turkey of its own kind and begin dialogue in every corner of the country to talk about peace, create peaceful solutions to conflict, and ultimately, build a more peaceful Turkey for ages to come.

"Peace at Home; Peace in the World" – Mustafa Kemal Ataturk

Does Your Speaking Inspire or Are You a Reader?

What makes a good speaker? Even better, what is the difference between an inspiring speaker and merely a reader? Most of us know the difference if we have been to any conference, training or company sales rally. I wonder, though, if we know how we convey our own messages to others.

Professionals attain a level of expertise through time, but whether they are able to convey their expert knowledge to an audience is another matter.

Recently, I attended a three-day conference, and it took a full day and a half before I was captured by someone who did not merely READ their slides to the audience. I figure if I wanted someone to read to me, I could take the slides and read them myself and probably understand more.

It would be better for the audience if the Reader-Speakers either get help with their presentation skills or stick with writing what they know. When they read their slides and have nothing more to offer but what is written on the slides, it makes one wonder if they really are an expert about their topic.

So if you have occasion to speak in public forums, ask yourself these questions about your skills and then you may be closer to giving a better presentation which will gain the attention and admiration of your audience versus boring them to death.

1. Who is your audience?

Each time you give a presentation, your material should be targeted to a specific audience. Like a résumé, you may change only a few items each time you send it, but that can make a big difference. When I work with a new client, my first question is always who is the audience or reader.

Craft your message to that audience and your delivery will be greatly improved.

2. Are you passionate about your subject or just passing time?

A powerful delivery helps convey, not only your expertise, but your attitude toward the subject. An audience knows if you are truly interested and knowledgeable in your subject and want to share what you know. If you're speaking only to gain recognition, either get a new topic or pass on the speaking engagement. Save your audience from knowing you lack the passion or knowledge about your topic.

3. Are you comfortable talking to a group about what you know?

If not, how will you ever establish rapport with them? If you can connect to your audience, they will forgive all else. If your comfort zone is limited, then get help to step out of your comfort zone and impress your audience. Try joining a local speakers group like Toastmasters, where the environment will help you overcome speaking challenges.

4. How do you know if your material is aligned with your allotted time if you have not practiced your talk?

There is nothing worse than to listen to a poorly prepared talk where the speaker hurries through the information and cannot fully discuss the essentials and then abruptly ends because time is up.

Practice makes perfect, so know how much time you have and adjust your material accordingly. Don't leave the audience in want.

5. Do you have something to say other than what's on your slides?

If not, you will disappoint your listeners. Don't forget to sprinkle in a little humor or personal stories to illustrate a point and to connect with your audience. Relate them to your subject to add interest and thought to a particular item.

6. Are you fully competent in the delivery language?

My last question refers to speakers who use a language other than their native tongue to give a presentation. This skill is a difficult one at best, but begs attention.

Sometimes if you speak in a second language, you may not be as confident in your delivery, and it may be more acceptable for you to read a prepared format. Even then however, you must develop a way to read without the audience knowing it. You should have a native speaker edit your material, and then practice and practice beforehand to ensure you can speak intelligently and meet the time allotment. In this way, you ensure that your audience recognizes your expertise and appreciates your message.

The next time you are preparing for a public talk or presentation, think about these questions first and see if you won't find a way to improve your speaking ability and dazzle your audience.

Check out other informative topics on my publishing blog at http://remarkablesolutions.typepad.com/publishing or go to my website at http://www.remarkablesolutions.com.

Solo-preneur Challenges & Solutions

What challenges you most as a solo-preneur? People ask me a lot about what challenges I face working in Turkey; so, I thought I would share a few of my frustrations and how I overcome disappointments. I know you face them as well.

A quick glimpse of my background also reveals headaches as a solo-preneur and how I motivate myself. I bet you can relate to them.

In 2003, I made the jump to solo-preneurship because I wanted to directly reap the rewards of my 30 years of expertise. I spent the five previous years doing online business research to learn who produces the best content, how they do it, and how I can best provide my services to small enterprises. I wanted to work online and use my website to market my services.

Challenge 1: How to market my broad background; what to call myself, and how to explain what I do best.

I have many years of writing and editing for business and academia, as well as small to large scale program and project development. I love it all and want to do it all too!

Solution: Never think of yourself as a single talent. When you meet with a client, let them know that you are well-experienced in several complementary fields and thus, you can give them value added to any service you provide. 

Challenge 2: Website upkeep and attracting traffic.

I obsess about good web presence and lots of traffic to realize more interesting and lucrative work. Unfortunately, getting traffic and what to do next doesn't come easy. Don't kid yourself; a website is like a needy child and its demands never end.

Solution: Make interim web plans and schedule 30 minutes each week to think about and prepare what to add or delete. Sure, that's not much time but focusing on one thing at a time, decreases overwhelm. If most of your business comes by referral and you're not selling online products other than your services, then most of your content may be static and only needs regular tweeking. You may not need a lot of traffic to do what you're doing.

Challenge 3: No Referrals.

While international clients refer me to others, I find that if businesses in Turkey like your versatility and commitment, they don't want others to know about you or your services, lest your prices increase or you go elsewhere.

Solution: Market. Talk. Share. Save time to market yourself using the web, email, brochures, business cards, etc. Take your 60-second me everywhere you go. Share what you know through public speaking, seminars or offering direction to someone in need.

Challenge 4: No email responses.

We are all busy with our lives and whether I email someone about their services or availability or email about my work with them, people are slow to respond; then, they don't always actually respond to the content of the email.

Solution: Be confident; if time goes by and you're still waiting, email again until you get the job done. Working with creative people has an inherent downside. Many of the creatives have no time consciousness and do not even notice their email, let alone timely responses. It's not YOU! It's not personal.

While these four challenges are just the tip of the iceberg and keep me on my toes, let me offer several last tips to keep you moving forward even during the lean times.

1.     Find new markets and interests by reading local and national papers, magazines, newsletters and other media. I read lots of business newsletters filled with usable information and ideas to boost my business and engage in productive work. Find most online (&Turkish) newspapers at http://www.gazeteler.com.

2.     Attend teleseminars on the phone packed with loads of ideas and how to do things. My two favorites are Joan and Ali. For Joan, http://www.publicityhound.com and for Ali, http://www.ezinequeen.com.

3.     Get Adam Urbanski's Marketing Plan! It is really the first I have seen that is so easy to follow and understand without being overwhelmed with non-essential information. He gives just the meat to create your own easy Marketing Plan. Visit him at http://www.themarketingmentors.com.

Fortunately, there are many people out there who freely share what they know and can help you visualize and focus to get your business really going.

Please write your comments about generosity in sharing or visit me at http://www.remarkablesolutions.com.

Event Planning for the Less Experienced

Planning and organizing are some of the inclusive services offered to my clients both for writing work and project development. What I have noticed much of the time, though, when I am called in to assist, they are already in crisis mode. I have many opportunities to bail out organizations because they lacked something in their planning and execution skills.

While intervening in a recent crisis, I confirmed that planning and organization is not the norm in some cultures and anyone trying to do so is at a distinct disadvantage. When planning any event, take time to prepare and avoid the pitfalls of always working in emergency mode. With a little organization, you can work in sanity mode instead.

So here are some basic planning tips for the less experienced after you have set your objectives or goals for your event:

1. Find your team early by seeking people who have particular skills you need for the job and assign responsibilities to those strengths.
   1. Your first meeting should have a written agenda for discussion and to prepare for preliminary preparations.
   2. Know the essential details of the event, such as what it is; who will attend; where will it be; how many days; what activities; how will information be disseminated and other critical information.
   3. Set contracts early for accommodation, meals, coffee breaks, tours and other services which are performed outside of your organization.
2. By your second meeting, inform everyone about their assignments and what their tasks consist of and who will be their approval authority.
   1. Delegate tasks but maintain oversight to assure timelines are met.
   2. Be clear about what authority each team member has been given.
3. Create a budget for the event early and make hotel arrangements at least 6-12 months in advance. This step can save you thousands later.
   1. Late changes can damage the outcome of the event, reduce its image and hurt the reputation of the people involved.
   2. Cost overruns may also be incurred if hotel, dinners, lunches, tours and other essentials are changed later. Read your contracts carefully.
4. Send out announcements and invitations at least six months in advance and then give routine reminders leading up to the event.
   1. Early notice will give you an advance count of possible attendees and speakers on which to do subsequent planning.
   2. Where participants are asked to present or submit papers, they require lots of lead time to prepare.
5. Set up a professional-looking website as soon as you know the general details of the event.
   1. Ensure a professional web techie is involved in this effort.
   2. If working with student help, assign a professional as their oversight to give direction and approve the work.

With some initial planning and organizing on your part for an event, cost overruns are reduced; headaches eliminated; crises circumvented, and reputations remain intact.

For more detailed information on planning your event and a nice guide to help you, go to http://www.webex.com/pdf/EC_best_practices.pdf. It's Free and you don't even have to sign up!

Istanbul's GREENHOUSE Seminars

While I have been behind the power curve lately due to (happily) so much work, I wanted to post this class schedule for anyone who is interested in expanding your mind, learning more about a topic, or just good company. Don't forget that now the Greenhouse serves up some great food along with a super read. Everyone Welcome!

Highlights for April and May at the GREENHOUSE!

Moda Cad. Borucu Han, #28, Kadikoy

Telephone: 0216 550 49 61-62

Email: serakitapevi@superonline.com

April 29 Kate Clow: Trekker who founded the St Paul's Trail and Lycian Way. She will also be available to sign her books. She will give a PowerPoint presentation.

April 29 Debbie Crompton: Atelier. A display of ceramic pieces can be viewed during the week of 24th April. Debbie will discuss the important features and details involving ceramic work, particularly jewelry.

May 6 John Royce: Library Director at Robert College. Internet: Becoming better searchers, becoming better finders. Dealing with the issues: Can we believe everything we find on the Internet? If not, what can we believe, how can we know that what we are reading is true? How do we find stuff in the first place?

May 27 Peter Pikkert: Author of Basic Course in Modern Turkish. Topic: Get the Most from your Language Helper (Attendance only by reservation).

Time: 10.30 to 17.30.

Bea's Note: This is a truly a great book for understanding the language from the beginning! I recommend it for every Turkish learner.

May 27 Beatrice Vanni: Editor, Writer, Researcher, Consultant. Bea works with non-fiction authors, educators, and consultants who want to gain more visibility for their work and create remarkable solutions for their business challenges. Topic: Creating a CV that creates an impression.

June 3 Judy Ayyildiz: Author. For children (age 8-14). Fun with an author and learning about writing your own story.

Bea's Note: Judy is both entertaining and knowledgeable about what works in the classroom and out for encouraging reading and writing.

All these events are FREE but call or email NOW, or at least 10 days before the event, to reserve a place. Unless otherwise indicated seminars begin at 13.30 and lasts about 75 minutes.

By the way, if you are interested in Turkish classes during the summer contact Charlotte for more details. We can organize a class around your needs.

Bargain Fees: Quality or Quantity

No one usually gets a second chance to make a good impression. Do you agree that leaving your editing or writing needs in the hands of a professional is smarter in the long run than getting a closeout deal which may risk your image and reputation? 

Professional editors and writers, or freelancers, are in the quality and value business. They usually give excellent service with added value, and will do what they say and not leave a client wondering who wrote or edited their copy.   

They come with years of experience which may also include a specialty, such as working with second-language writers, particular industries, a genre or even a certain profession.

Typically, these specialists do not underbid jobs; neither is it common practice to bargain away their services. They have a right, even an obligation, to charge expert fees. 

Freelancers are no different than any other authority. High-end clients are desired and especially those who value their work, talent and profession. 

Reasonable Fees  

Most editors and writers have years of both education and experience to acquire first-rate skills and deserve due compensation. They strive to protect a client's image and reputation which is a huge responsibility. 

Fees can run the gamut based on aspects of the job and personal experience. For instance, they may charge by the page for smaller jobs but give quotes for an entire project. Editing copy may take a few minutes or more per page based on its difficulty, while rewriting within the editing process may take much more time.

Higher fees for fewer pages can be expected, but larger projects may demand a lower per page fee for both editing and writing. A client's profit line can be protected in this way.

While editors and writers are not hourly workers, they may charge a flat hourly rate for some jobs. For other requests, per page or per word fees are not uncommon. If a client wants to know how much they are paying someone per hour for a project, they can easily calculate it. Most editors and writers do not make a killing on any piece of work.

Some projects, of any size, demand more time and thought if the work was originally written by a non-native speaker. Language to language translations can be difficult to decipher at times depending on the competency of that writer.

In the long run, clients may receive better value with per page fees and simplify their lives by working with a professional. 

Cheaper Fees 

Any time clients go bargain hunting, they can surely find many. The question is not whether the client will go elsewhere if the freelancer doesn't bargain. Rather, is the editor secure that they provide quality and value for reasonable rates, and does the client understand their own risks to getting bargain basement deals? What is a client willing to give up for lower fees? What does the writer gain by accepting them?

Anyone seeking professional services should ask themselves if those deals come with another price, like unprofessional work, untimely delivery or, even worse, less of a commitment. Are you confident you won't end up embarrassed? Who exactly gets undercut on prices and why? Clients must ask about the expertise of the writer or editor, and that expert must question the client's commitment to quality. 

So, before either of you go bargain hunting, ask yourself these questions, and also ask who wins here. 

Non-Native English Editing: Decipher the Words

My dear friends call on me much of the time to decipher their sentences or to explain what they want to say but may not be able to state it eloquently or accurately. I am seen as an expert in second language decipherment and since my friends mostly work with academia and large businesses, as I have in the past, they ask me to help with their writings, particularly when they are stuck on word choice. They request editing when their work will go to native English speakers or other English language readers.

The other day when a friend called in crisis, I was once again entertained by the nuances of our languages: how, if something said in one language, makes no sense in another. While her own deliberate dialogue and sentence structure made perfect sense to me, albeit a Turkish-English translation, it would leave a native English speaker rolling on the floor in laughter.

Why do I mention this delicacy? Because when editing a work written in someone's second or third language, I can spend an hour trying to spin one sentence. First, I must figure out what I think is the message. Then, I have to run the if clauses. The if clauses will give me all the options about what is written but not clear; if she means such and such, then we must say so and so. But, if she means this, then we may have to completely reconstruct, not only the sentence, but the entire paragraph.

Trying to abide by my own rule of not to bog down the writer with all my what ifs, I try to run all the possibilities; when I am sure of the message, I request validation from the writer. When editing a translated version of a work, it may help you to know something about the writer's native language and culture because it may give you an understanding of what the writer wishes to convey.

So, if you get stumped on what a non-native English writer's message says, here are a few tips I use when editing:

1. Look at what is written and come up with the same concept or structure in their native language.

2. Dissect the particular chosen words and look for similar but different iterations to give you a clue of what is actually being said.

3. Reform the sentence or word choice to see if you can find a similar idea matching the content above it.

4. Read the new sentence along with the preceding information and see if it meets the test of reason.

5. Only then, should you validate your edited version with the writer.

Of course, I suggest you give your client/writer all of your questions and comments after you have edited the piece at least once, thus saving your client from annoyances and repeated conversations or emails. Give them the paragraph and line number of concern to allow them to easily find where the problem occurs. If you use the track changes tool in your text program, however, your life will be a lot easier and so will the client's if they know how to use the tool.

Copyright Infringement: My Work Stolen or Borrowed?

I returned to my favorite tea shop Saturday where I immediately found myself writing up a storm. I don't know what it is about this place, My Camdibi, in Goztepe, but I walk in and my mind is flooded with what to write.

I have been thinking about copyright and respect for a person's work lately. Why? Because recently I fell victim to someone who liked my work so much that they decided to send it out to the world without giving me credit by name or with my permission. Let me tell you what happened.

About three weeks ago, a friend sent me an email which had been forwarded to her. She asked me if I knew this person who had created this email because she had immediately recognized it as my work. Sure enough, it was.

Some years ago, I wrote a substantial document for senior military and civilian officers to protect themselves and their families from terrorist threats and similar actions. After 9/11, I cleaned it up for a general population, had it translated into Turkish and Farsi and posted it on my website. It sat on my website for a very long time for everyone to have access to it with the hope people would find it useful.

Not only that but two colleagues of mine at the time generously translated the document free of charge. The Turkish translator, Guler Siper, is a noted translator here in Turkey and known for some of the finest translations of books. Subsequently, my document was partially published in a local magazine in Turkish.

I was quite surprised that this person, who was sending my work across the net, not only took my piece of work but translated it into Turkish when it had already been translated by a most noted Turkish translator. I found this odd as well because my work, when found on the net, was in several languages and did not need translation. This was disturbing to me because I am quite careful about how my work is translated and by whom due to its content.

So, what did I do? I quickly sent him a polite email telling him that my friend had forwarded the email he was sending out and I was happy that someone had found it so valuable to send to many others. I also informed him that it had already been published in Turkish on my website and another version in a local magazine. Since he found the need to translate it, I asked where he found my material and why he had translated it again. I waited, but I received no response. I sent two more emails. No response.

Now, I want to know: Has your work ever been stolen? How did you handle it? How did you feel? Please let me know by clicking on comments below this posting. In the meantime, if anyone who reads this blog knows Oguz Kagan Aslan, oguzkaganaslan@gmail.com, let him know I am still waiting for a response.