Interview With Wanda
Hope Carter
Interview by Jenna Glatzer
Wanda
Hope Carter is an inspirational and motivational writer and speaker in Hawaii
whose works have appeared as best-selling posters, including "To Achieve
Your Dreams Remember Your ABCs," "Peace, Love & Happiness,"
"Secrets of Success," and "Everyday Magic." She is
also a personal coach and Eco-Tour guide, helping people "have fun in
nature" while visiting sacred and healing sites.
What made you decide to write posters?
I wrote something that changed my life and inspired those I shared it with. My mother suggested I send it to Dear
Abby. I did and she published it a few months later. I had the idea of turning it into a poster after receiving
many positive responses from readers. Two weeks after it was printed and before I could finish my investigations of how
to do so, I was contacted by what was at that time the largest poster company in the United States.
Its success inspired me to try another and so on.
How did you find your publishers and sell the posters?
As stated in the previous question, they found me, but I already knew
about their company after doing research at the library about poster publishers.
I took their proposed contract to an attorney who specialized in writers' issues. I
knew the fair going rates of payment from my research. The attorney made a few suggestions and I was so thrilled
by the opportunity and impressed by the company that I signed right away. I was lucky by some turns of future
events that the contract became renegotiable. In fact, the attorney had not advised me
very wisely and if different circumstances had prevailed, I could have been in a
bad situation.
What I learned led me to research writing contract terms and negotiations. There are several books on the subject
and I recommend that all writers make themselves aware of their options. I already had a good base of
understanding legal terminology and procedures from past business experience and
personally negotiated all of the following contracts I received. Although I believe signing with an agent is in my very near future and I will again be
using an attorney to scrutinize terms, I plan to still keep up with what are technically the prevailing rates, terms and
laws for my own knowledge and protection.
How do you charge for poster copy-- flat fees or royalties?
Royalties with a guaranteed minimum.
Your poster, "To Achieve Your Dreams Remember Your
ABCs," has sold almost a million copies. Why do you think it sells so well?
Mainly because when people apply the principles to their lives, they
see great changes. In other words, IT WORKS! Really, it doesn’t say anything we
probably have not already heard, but as the title suggests, success comes from remembering these positive directives in order
to apply them as needed. The alphabetical order was a practical choice to help me remember them when they
were just for me. On the business side, no matter how great a piece may be, it doesn’t have a chance to do well
if the publisher and distributors aren’t supportive in their promotions and making it available. Beginning with such a
great publisher who used wonderful distributors had a lot to do with its initial
popularity. Dear Abby also reran it a couple of years after the original appearance. I think that,
along with the use of faxes, copy machines and the Internet by others, gave it a life of
its own and this, too, has been a part of its success. Technically, copying and sharing
by those other than Dear Abby were infringements of my copyrights and I cannot condone their actions, but
the fact is its popularity grew rapidly because it was widely appreciated enough that
people wanted to share it.
Do you have any say over the artwork used with your writing?
Generally, I have some initial input and the publisher usually comes
up with two or three designs. I get to pick one of their choices. No matter what
the contract may say about prevailing rights, believe me, there is really no negotiating with a publisher who is intent on having it their
way. What happens is, it is not published unless and until you come around to their terms. There
was an occasion that a publisher came up with only one design and I absolutely detested it. Rather than matching the message
with positive graphics, they choose dark moody tones and a collage of unappealing artwork. I argued my points
with them but they stood firm on their decision.
This came at a time when I really needed the advance money due to a serious prolonged illness. They were
the only ones interested in publishing it at the time, and after several months, I
relented. The poster was one that had previously done quite well with a different design, but this
time, it did not sell nearly as many copies in the same period. Another case in point for understanding that it is
not all about what something says but how it is presented and promoted. In the future, I hope to
wield more control over artwork. I am working on a definitive look for the ABCs as I plan to offer them in a variety of manners other
than posters and I think product recognition is important.
One of your posters has been published by two different
companies. How did this happen? Did you retain the rights to the piece and re-sell it?
Contracts exclude the discussion of terms but I can say that they include a time
limitation for assignment of rights with an automatic renewal or opt-out clause.
In this case, the company that originally published it was sold to another publisher and the original contract was expired.
The new company found it in the archives and made me an offer.
You are now working on books related to your posters.
What will the books include?
I have six books in the works. One is a collection of stories about my life. I have many past traumas, including
homelessness, kidnapping, substance abuse, serious depression and domestic violence. I hope to be of some
help to others by sharing the things I have pretty much fought to hide form the world previously.
Two books are based on the ABCs, one is interactive and one is a practical guide
about how to use the principles in a variety of areas of one’s life. A book based on Secrets
Of Success is more or less a practical guide but presented in a more intellectual manner than with the ABCs
approach. The project based on Everyday Magic is a lighthearted presentation that uses a fictitious character’s
experiences to illustrate the message. A book about Peace, Love and Happiness reaches into my experiences
as a “flower child” of the sixties. The content is not open for discussion at this time but it is a call for positive social
rebellion.
What inspires you to write?
As it has been said many times, a writer is someone who writes. I have always written poems and songs and kept
diaries when I needed an outlet to express myself. It helped me to resolve problems and deal with difficulties.
For many years, I even recorded my heartfelt prayers. This provided a great deal of focus
and a record that I could look back on to see how they had been answered.
As a leader in a religious setting for a few years, I was required to compose many
types of inspirational messages on a regular basis. From this, I learned how to look for
and find inspiration from almost everything. It is still true that when I write a piece, it is in search of what I need
most in my own life. My latest title “Peace, Love and Happiness,” was inspired by a desire to understand in the
English language, just what those words really mean in a variety of situations.
I think the popularity and success of my works is partly because I am not just
trying to be an inspirational writer as the accomplishment of that specific goal,
but I am, by my writing, genuinely trying to find things that really work to make
life better. As usual, a writer should stick to things they know and I believe when someone has been through
many hardships in life, seeking inspiration and self-help is a natural course of action.
How did you turn a rough past into such a positive life?
Great question! I want to say I don’t really know because sometimes I honestly
think it was a miracle and the destiny that awaited me for successfully passing a number of tests.
I often joke that when my father chose the middle name of Hope for me it was because he somehow knew just how
much I was going to need it. I guess if I had to boil it down to one definitive thing it is because I was
lucky enough to have a beginning that included belief in God.
I have a very inquisitive mind and have always studied extensively to understand the meaning
of life and the interaction between God and Humanity. These studies have provided me faith and belief in myself in spite of
everything. Another real motivator to turn tragedy into triumph was family. A failed marriage left me a
single mother of two as a young teenager and love for my children kept me going and inspired me to do better and
somehow make it even when I wanted to give up completely. This gave me a very strong will and
determination to survive and succeed.
These are huge forces and they provide ways to overcome obstacles. The key to my piece “Everyday
Magic” are the words “I WILL,” for without that directive in our lives, nothing
would happen. Understanding this and using the will consciously is a very important part of mastering one’s
destiny.
What are your goals, professionally and personally?
To me, professionally and personally are hand in hand affairs. I was given a great deal of encouragement and
proved a degree of success while attending the National Speaker’s seminar for new speakers and the Writer’s
Conference in Hawaii last year (2000). Making a promotional video became an important part of
my success plan. That accomplished, I am completing my proposals and looking forward to sending them to several
agents who expressed an interest in representing me.
My biggest desire in life is to help others. I know that I absolutely would not be in the position I am in today if it
were not for the help I was given from so many. Although much of the help was offered directly
and personally, just as important to me overall was the help I found from writers and speakers
whose messages touched my heart and helped me to change my life. To give help back to
humanity any way I can is what my life is all about. For now, this includes writing, speaking and taking people out
into nature on eco-adventure tours designed to inspire “Self-discovery, Healing and
Transformation of the Mind, Body and Spirit.” Building centers around these types of offerings are also a future goal.
Anything else you would like to add?
Some words of advice for those who think writing posters sounds like a great easy way to share their works and
make money: I was lucky! The poster business is not the same as when I was first published in 1991. The leading
poster companies that existed are gone and were bought out by a large conglomerate.
Besides pieces that are already well known or authors who are established, most
pieces are done in house. I think it is more difficult to break into this field now. As far
as I could tell when I last checked the catalog of the publisher I am with, I was the only outside author of
inspiring pieces in publication other than those items that are already open to public domain. Don’t be discouraged
though; just realize you will have to work harder and smarter to find the opportunities. There are still a few
smaller and less aggressive companies specializing in posters, book publishers that who produce posters as a
sideline and other specialty type publishers out there.
Other good resources are companies who publish photos, as they often accompany written works. I am looking
into self-publishing and find the promotion and distribution are critical and difficult aspects, although the financial rewards
can be much greater. Mainly, I highly advise others to research extensively at the library or purchase books
describing potential publishers. These books also tell how to query and one should follow the guidelines given without deviation.
Finally, of course, the best advice I can give freely is:
To Achieve Your Dreams Remember Your ABCs
Copyright 1991 By Wanda Hope Carter, all rights reserved.
Avoid negative sources, people, places, things and habits
Believe in yourself
Consider things from every angle
Don't give up and don't give in
Enjoy life today, yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come
Family and friends are hidden treasures, seek them and enjoy their riches
Give more than you planned to
Hang on to your dreams
Ignore those who try to discourage you
Just do it
Keep trying no matter how hard it seems, it will get easier
Love yourself first and most
Make it happen
Never lie, cheat or steal, always strike a fair deal
Open your eyes and see things as they really are
Practice makes perfect
Quitters never win and winners never quit
Read study and learn about everything important in your life
Stop procrastinating
Take control of your own destiny
Understand yourself in order to better understand others
Visualize it
Want it more than anything
Xcellerate your efforts
You are unique of all God's creations nothing can replace you
Zero in on your target and go for it !
© Copyright 1991 By Wanda Hope Carter, http://inspirationmotivation.com/,
all rights reserved by the author, her heirs and assigns. No duplication, copying or
reprint in any form or manner including downloading, e-mailing, or site posting permitted without express
written permission! It appears here with permission. This piece is published and
available as a poster.
For more information about Wanda Hope Carter, her Posters, Video, Speaking availability and Eco-tours visit
http://InspirationMotivation.com.
