Friday, July 29, 2011

Interview with Human Behavior Consultant, Angel Tucker

Angel Tucker is a Certified Human Behavior Consultant, Expert Personality Profiler and the author of "Stop Squatting With Your Spurs On!". She has helped tens of thousands of people understand the benefits of personality profiling and is a highly sought after media resource and key note speaker. When she's not busy spending time with her family, or working her consulting/speaking business, she's writing children's books.

How did you get started writing professionally?
For the children's books, I wanted to give them resources to understand our different personality types. Kids really "get it" quicker than adults, but unfortunately there is so little available to teach them how we are all different and to explain to them that it is okay to be different.

The non-fiction book has always been in the back of my mind to do one day, but the real motivator for getting it done took place when I attended a Publicity Summit in the spring of 2010. I was meeting with about 100 different tv/radio/magazine contacts to get more exposure as an Expert Personality Profiler and what I found was that the "big names" don't consider you an expert in your field unless you have a non-fiction book published. I started on the book before I ever returned home from the Summit and it was completely written in less than 30 days.


What was your path towards publication like?
Better than most other people I imagine. I was blessed to meet my publisher at a Publicity Summit and after speaking over lunch, he agreed to publish my book. Since I had a well known publisher, they were very familiar with marketing strategies, cover design, and everything else involved. I just had to get the book edited and turn it over to them and they did the rest!

What was the first market you queried and why did you choose that market?
Primarily - the corporate world, simply because that is the world I am exposed to every day anyway through my speaking engagements across North America. It made the most sense to offer them for sale in my seminars as well as online.




What is your biggest obstacle when it comes to pitching yourself as a writer and what steps have you taken to overcome that obstacle?
The biggest challenge is counting on someone on the other end to actually look at what you send them.

Once you mail a book, it is out of your control whether it is actually read on the other end! I've learned that follow up is key. People are busy and you need to create "top of mind awareness". They need to be the one you are thinking of when they are looking for someone to interview. You can't count on them to follow up with you. It is necessary to follow up with them, sometimes multiple times. All too often, people just give up instead of follow up!


How do you balance your life as a writer with your duties as a parent or spouse?
I stay so busy as an International Speaker, author, mom of 4, and military spouse that I find life is all about doing the "next right thing".

We can't get overwhelmed with others expectations of us. What is the "next right thing" for me to do? That is what I should be doing! If you always do the "next right thing", then you will have a right day, and a right week, and a right life!


What is your best advice for getting past writer's block?
Just write! Whatever you are thinking, write it down. It doesn't matter if it makes sense at the time. Always have paper handy and whenever you get an idea or thought, write it down. You'll be surprised how coming back to these seemingly random thoughts and words later can actually spark some great information! If you are writing a non-fiction book, focus on what information you can provide that is going to help someone else. If you were having a conversation with someone about your topic, what would you tell them? Now, go write it down!


What was the best writing-related advice you ever received?
Schedule writing as an appointment to yourself. You can't cancel the appointment! Don't give the time to anyone or anything else. Set little writing goals as you go along and reward yourself if you meet them. For example: Today I am going to write for 30 minutes. or I am going to complete chapter 2.... etc.


What do you feel is the single most detrimental thing a writer could do to destroy his/her career as a writer?
Steal the work of others. Your writing should be yours!


Can you tell us a little bit about your latest book?
My non-fiction book is titled: "Stop Squatting With Your Spurs On! The power to read people, get what you want, and communicate without pain."


It teaches the reader how to identify the personality types of others within 60 seconds and then take that information to become multi-lingual in personality types. This in turn creates win/win situations in every relationship in their lives. There is so much pain in the world today because of ineffective communication. We think we are sending one message, and the message received by the person on the other end turns out to be different. Much of this can be resolved by knowing HOW to say things to different personality types. We also tend to assume people are doing things against us when we don't understand why they act the way they do. The reality is that is probably has nothing to do with us. It is just the way they are wired! This book explains in an easy, entertaining, and effective way how to communicate effectively and start appreciating people that are different from us!


If you could choose just one thing for your book to accomplish, what would it be?
To save relationships! The divorce rate is astounding and other relationships in our lives aren't much better. We argue with those around us instead of understand those around us. I want to save relationships of all kinds and make it a better place for our kids.

What’s ahead for your writing?
My next step is to do another series of my children's books. My goal was to create at least 3 sets in the series. I need to get busy on set 2!

You can learn more about Angel Tucker at http://personalityprofiles.org

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This post was sponsored by The Dabbling Mum.

For more articles geared towards authors and writers, check out DM's Writing Center.

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