I haven't written in a few weeks because I signed with a publisher for my book and the manuscript is due November1st.  Yikes!

I went from proposal to publisher in five months which I've learned is quite a feat.  People are asking how I did it.  My answer:  I used the same four steps from my book to guide me through the publishing process:  Dream, Plan, Act and Excel.

Convincing a literary agent and a publisher to read a proposal and "buy" into the idea is similar to applying for scholarships.  I was selling a book, you are selling you.

In any proposal-writing or scholarship-applying situation it is essential that you articulate your dream.  Be clear and be sincere.  Remember your audience.  They are scholarship judges who are reading dozens, hundreds or even thousands of applicants.  Is your message getting across to them?  How is it different  - and better - than your competition?

Do you have a plan?  It was my goal to find an agent by June 30th.  I started on February 16th and signed with my agent on April 24th - ahead of schedule.  My publisher made me an offer on July 9th (this feels like winning a scholarship!!!).  This did not happen by chance.  I had personal goals and a polished proposal.

During my planning stage I looked at the calendar and made goals for myself.  I had to scour print and web resources to identify agents that matched my interests and my goal was to send out 10 queries (an inquiry email or letter used by writers) in the first month.  I promised myself that I would only send my materials to people who were a really good match for my book.  You should do the same for scholarships.  Don't fall into the trap of applying for every scholarship that sounds good or looks easy.  Only apply for the ones that truly match your profile.

For students, most scholarships are due February - April for the fall semester.  That's six months before you leave for college!  What is your plan?  When will you make time to research scholarships?  Practice your essay writing?  Gather letters of recommendation?  You need a plan.

Action sounds easy.  "Just do it," we're told.  When it's a beautiful day and you want to play football or go for a ride, it is not fun to sit at a computer.  But that is what will set you apart from other scholarship seekers.  People who win scholarships act on their goals.  They actually take the plan, make the time and do what they say they will do.  I have heard many adults say they want to write a book just like I hear many students say they want money for college.  They dreamed, they planned, but then, they didn't do a dang thing to move forward.  Apparently, this is common. 

For example, a few years ago a sponsor for a major program that I once led approached me at a party to say he just "had to meet me."  I was very nervous and I could feel my face heating up.  "Had I done something wrong?" was the first thought in my mind.  Here's what he said, "You are the only person that we gave money to who did what you said you would do."  I was flattered for myself but embarassed for the other people who had not met their own plan of action that this sponsor had invested in.  

Excel.  You can dream, plan and act all the way through your quest for scholarships but if you don't go beyond the expectations, you are average.  Average doesn't win scholarships.  I'm not talking purely academics because some scholarships have moderate requirements such as a 2.5 g.p.a., but I'm suggesting that you look at every aspect of your efforts.  

Are you willing to spend one more hour to find the buried treasure of scholarships that aren't listed on Google or a major website?  Are you willing to proofread your essay one more time?  Will you write thank you notes to everyone who helped you?  These are just a few of the things that will set you apart from the other candidates. 

When I was doing research on how to get a book published I gobbled up advice at writer's forums and took note of little, extra things I could do that would make me stand out from the competition.  Sure, I made mistakes with a typo here and there - and I learned never to send out queries in the middle of the night.  Why?  I was too exhausted.  I treated the whole “search and apply” experience like a business  - not a hobby. 

In your quest for cash, will you treat it like a burden or a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to convince other people to give you money for college? 

Gotta go…book to write.  Good Luck!