Meet Beth Ann Erickson

Yup. That's me. Yapping on the phone.

So, if I'm the Queen Bee of Filbert Publishing, where's the tiara?

Dunno. Guess Lucy got ahold of it. Probably in shreds now.

But that's me at my desk. Please note the piles of papers. And this pic got snapped on a good day.

So, allow me to introduce myself.

My story's probably pretty typical as far as writers go. Big imagination. Got in trouble at school because of it. If I were a kid today, I'd probably be in Ritalin. "Non-hyperactive ADD" they'd call it.

I was a late bloomer. Mostly because I tried pretty much every profession I could think of before I finally realized I was running from freelance writing. Didn't think I could make a living tapping the keyboard, I guess.

I was pretty much right until I discovered copywriting. And who would have thought I'd wind up with quite a flair for selling some pretty awesome products by combining mucho-effective communications skills with a dab of good old fashioned psychology.

Just for your information, I began writing professionally around 1995. Coincidently, I graduated from St. Cloud State University that same year. Degree in Communications, Sociology, and Psychology. Summa Cum Laude, thank-you-very-much.

I sold my first novel to a publisher two months after my dear writing partner died. His name was Bentley. Beautiful black schnauzer.

Two weeks later, Lucy, the Rat Terrier Wonder Dog, joined me. What a trip she was. Healthy and strong, the girl kept me on my toes. I figure the Good Lord gave her to me to teach me how important it is to (according to the famous words of Ms Frizzle of Magic School Bus fame) "Take chances. Make mistakes. Get messy."

Lu lived by that mantra without even trying.

But I digress. As usual.

All in all, I've written (literally) hundreds of articles, three nonfiction titles, and two novels. I also write ad copy for businesses nation wide.

And all of us at Filbert Publishing pump out issues of Writing Etc. twice a month. Now, that's a great time.

I love the writing life. Wouldn't trade this past decade for anything. I've learned more than I ever thought possible.

Many of my original gurus have stumbled. Some have stood the test of time.

I've enjoyed a few professional friendships... some that will endure, others that have already crumbled.

Like most writers, I've lost sight of my writing goals more than once, but always seem to manage to pull myself together and get back on track. In the process, I've learned there's nothing more painful than living someone else's dream. j

I guess that's why I enjoy copywriting so much. There's nothing more satisfying than helping another person live their dream... after all one of my true joys is watching someone's livelihood take off like gangbusters.

But most importantly, I've managed to surround myself with people who love the persuasion process as much as I do.

So, if you join me in the wacky world of business promotion, if just for a while, I know we'll have a blast. If you choose to forge forward on your own, I wish you the best always.

But most importantly, here's a quick message to all of us who belong to the brave new world of entrepreneurship: May our voices always remain true to our dreams and may we leave this world a better place because we had the courage to believe in our convictions.

Talk later,

Beth

P.S. If you've got an information product you'd like to sell like gangbusters, give me a call. I'd love to discuss how to jumpstart your sales. Here's my number: 320-212-4457