Post #4 – Women’s Memoirs, Rosie the Riveter – Matilda Butler and Kendra Bonnett
Today I have a story to tell about the intersection of a red-and-white polka dot bandana and a memoir writer.
Rosie the Riveter’s Bandana
As you may have noticed in the right column, Kendra and I have a video showing some great women (and one man) “Doing the Rosie.” These folks shared their photos to show how much they like their Rosie the Riveter Legacy Bandana that they bought from us.
You see, Kendra and I market our collective memoir, Rosie’s Daughters: The “First Woman To” Generation through many channels and in numerous ways.
When we first started giving presentations, we wanted to wear a Rosie the Riveter bandana. We looked and looked and couldn’t find one that was authentic. Oh sure, there were a few bandanas around. But the polka dots were small or lined up in rows. Because two big Rosie the Riveter posters and one even bigger book cover poster (given to me at a presentation) hang on my wall, I knew the look of the authentic Rosie the Riveter bandana. It had large, randomly placed, polka dots. There wasn’t one on the market so Kendra and I designed a bandana and included an important message. To the original “We Can Do It” we add: “… Pass It On.”
We had a few bandanas made up because at each presentation people would ask where they could get a Rosie bandana just like ours. Then a Halloween rolled around and we found ourselves selling lots of Rosie the Riveter bandanas. We now sell our bandanas all year long. The red-and-white polka dot bandana is definitely a symbol of the strength, courage, and empowerment of Rosie the Riveter. By wearing it, we acknowledge that empowerment in our own lives.
What does this mean to you as someone writing a memoir?
There’s a piece of advice for you here. What started out as a marketing tool for our memoir has become a popular product in its own right. As you write your memoir, as you develop your platform (10 Tips for Building Your Writing Platform), be sure to consider possible add-on products.
Rosie Bandana Meets Memoir Writer
A few weeks ago, Dallas Malloy ordered one of our Rosie the Riveter Legacy Bandanas. She sent an email asking when it would be shipped. We try to ship within 24 hours of receiving the order (unless it is the weekend) and had actually already shipped her bandana by the time we got her email. An order that comes in early in the day often goes out the same day.
What Every Memoir Writer Should Be Doing…
Dallas’s email included her signature — her website and websites with information about her. Since Kendra and I help authors with their publicity and marketing, I’m always looking to see what people are doing to promote themselves. Therefore, I went to Dallas’s website and saw that she is an actor, bodybuilder, classical pianist and… wait. The next two parts are the punchline for this blog.
[ Website: www.dallasmalloy.com
IMDB: http://www.imdb.me/dallasmalloy
Demo Reel: http://dallasmalloy.wordpress.com/reels/ and Full Resume: http://dallasmalloy.wordpress.com/filmography/ ]
…and What it Lead to for Dallas Malloy
While at Dallas’s website, I noticed that she included the words writer and boxer. Well, I was intrigued so I sent her an email to find out more. Here’s what she told me about the memoir she is currently writing:
Memoir:
My life as a pioneer in women’s boxing–I made history at 16 years old after filing a discrimination lawsuit for the right to box and forcing the U.S. Amateur Boxing Federation to set up a women’s division, as a classical pianist from 6 years old, composer, violinist, violist, writer, later becoming a champion bodybuilder and actor. I am relentless, and master whatever I set my mind to.
And here’s an excerpt from that memoir:
“I remember that dank basement boxing gym, cement floor, makeshift ring, quotes written on the walls like: “what does not kill me makes me stronger”. All men, all toughness. Running home in the cold, thrashed after 4 hours of training, but so alive, exhilarated, knowing I’d pushed beyond the so-called limits once again. All leading up to the moment…I heard the words: “And winning by unanimous decision, the relentless, Dallas Malloy”. Even then I knew there was so much more to come.”
Memoir Writing Takeaway
This has been a fun blog post to write. But I don’t want you to miss the takeaway. The world is full of opportunities but you need to be prepared. Kendra and I could have just been pleased when other women liked our Rosie the Riveter bandana or we could have been willing to take a chance on selling them. We’ve now sold more than 1,000 of these great bandanas.
Dallas Malloy could just send out emails or she could always include a signature that names the websites where people can learn more about her. On her own, she sent us the photos you see here. We’d didn’t request them. Then when we offered Dallas the opportunity to give us more information about her memoir, she quickly responded. In other words, she made the opportunity come to fruition.
We hope you’ll maintain a “prepared mind” attitude that both seeks opportunities and that responds actively when they arise. This is an attitude that will help you build your platform of readers.
Here’s to Dallas Malloy’s — and your — success in memoir writing and marketing.
P.S. Just because we’re softies for pets
We couldn’t resist including this additional photo of Dallas with her friend’s dog Tacoma. Dallas calls her “my little pal.” As you know from some of our other blogs, we’re the publisher of Dr. Greg’s Dog Dish Diet and have an affection for pets. Dallas tells us she is currently fostering three cats.
memoir writing
writing
memoir marketing tips
Rosie the Riveter Bandana
