The publisher knew I was an amateur the second she opened my pitch. Why? Because I printed it on pink paper and sprayed it with perfume. Yes, I really did that. In this episode, you'll hear the tells to avoid so you don't look like an amateur to the people who can open doors to bigger stages and opportunities.
What instantly signals "amateur" to a conference designer, literary agent, editor, or speaker bureau?
More importantly…
How do you avoid it?
In this Pep Talk episode of Ideas Love Community, Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson shares a few confessions from her own journey as a writer, speaker, conference designer, and former editor-in-chief.
Including the time she printed a query letter on pink paper, sprayed it with perfume, and mailed it to a major publisher.
From cringe-worthy early mistakes to lessons learned from reviewing thousands of pitches, speaker reels, articles, books, and keynote proposals, Jacquelyn shares what professionals notice immediately—and what actually helps ideas break through.
In this episode:
"Authentic storytelling that comes from the center of you shines brighter than any amateur mistake."
This episode is for:
Every professional started as an amateur. This episode will help you leap-frog over some common mistakes and help you share your voice more powerfully.