Reviews of #STNT

How could I NOT use this image for the reviews?

If you followed the journey of Say This, NOT That, you know it was an intermittent 10-year twisty trail to publication. When you’re an author, so concerned about getting an agent, a publisher, and then editing, editing, editing to get the book to market, I realized that the last thing you think about is life on the other side of the book! As in, that people would actually read what you wrote and have things to say about it! Fortunately, as of this writing (about two months into the books’ release–June, 2012), the reviews have been amazing. I’ll keep updating this space. Here is a sampling thus far and you can find more reviews on Amazon:

The reviews just keep coming! Here’s what’s happening as of 9/17/12:

College Bloggers/Higher Ed/College Students:

ULoop (@ULoop): “I know that people my age don’t like to spend a lot of time reading any one thing. If it’s not easy and quick, people quit. The structure of each chapter makes for an easy read and a simple way to get the meat of the story quickly and easily. … All in all I think the book makes some good suggestions on how to build a relationship with your Professor rather than holding a grudge against one another due to poor communication. … If college students are willing to take Bremen’s advice I think there would in fact be more success to students’ college careers.”

University of Texas – Arlington (feature story: “Communication With Your Professors is Key to a Successful College Career”): “Advising director Audra Sneed said via email that she agreed with what Bremen’s book discusses and that a professor plays a vital role in making sure the student understands the course material.”

San Jose City College (feature story: “Talk To Have Better Grades”): “You think reading all the required books and doing homework all night are the only ways to get good grades? Ellen Bremen’s book, “Say This, NOT That to Your Professor,” shows readers how to communicate effectively with their professors and make a huge improvement in their grades …  is a bible for students who want to do well in college.”

Kelly Leslie, University Chic (@UniversityChic) interview, Getting Inside a Professor’s Head:  “It’s the perfect handbook for any college student, whether you are just starting or nearing the end of your education. Professor Bremen writes in a language that any student can relate to, and the short chapters and detailed table of contents makes it easy to flip straight to the situation you are experiencing.”

Professor Kenna Griffin (@profkrg): “Here’s one thing I know for sure: Your professors do not have all of the answers (to big or little questions), but we do legitimately want to help you. . . .  This book should be required reading in all freshman orientation courses and for all first-time faculty members. It truly will help students and faculty navigate some of their most stressful professional communications.”

Sia Knight (@siaknight), college planner: “As I devoured the pages, I couldn’t help but think about the high school students that I work with. Upon completion of the book, my major takeaway was this: the most important skill that we can teach our children is the ability to navigate in an academic and/or professional environment.”

Melissa Venable, Ph.D. at OnlineCollege.org (@Melissa_Venable, @OC_org) reviews for students and faculty from an online perspective: “Think of Say This, NOT That to Your Professor as a resource manual. Access when you need it to inform your approach to addressing a specific concern in your course with your instructor. When used effectively, this guide could help you build the skills and confidence required for successful communication, even at a distance.”

Dr. Chris Lewis (@dadofdivas), a veteran higher ed administrator and author of The Ultimate College Preparation Blueprint, blogs as Dad of Divas: “As someone that has worked in higher education for some time, I can honestly say that this book does offer some great insights into what you should and should not do when it comes to interacting with your professors. Some of the points are common sense (if you have attended college in the past), but there are also some real hidden gems in the book as well which made me say, yes, this author really knows what she is talking about.”

Dr. Delaney Kirk (@delaneykirk), professor at Drake University and author of Taking Back the Classroom: Tips for the College Professor on How to be a More Effective Teacher, blogs as Ask Dr. Kirk: “Ellen Bremen has written the book we college professors wish every student would read. Say This, Not That to Your Professor addresses all those issues we gripe about in the hallway.”

Isa Adney, winner of the $110,000 Jack Kent Cooke scholarship and author of Community College Success (@isaadney) Say This, NOT That to Your Professor: A Review of a Book Every College Student Should Read, “Ellen’s book will give you the words to say, and help you build the kind of professorial relationships that top students enjoy. It’s not about sucking up. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about knowing what to say so that your true self can shine through and you can make the most of the relationships with the incredible people standing up to teach you every day.”

Christian Hollingsworth, Student/Entrepreneur, Smart Boy Designs/Top 50 Bloggers-Kred/Voted 2012 Small Business Influencer (@smartboydesigns): “She understands what it’s like to be on both sides of the fence, and makes a great pass at helping both parties meet in the middle to communicate effectively. I for one have been able to use a lot of what is taught within the book to revolutionize the way I not only communicate with professors, but others on a daily basis. My career, business ventures, and personal communications are flourishing substantially.”

College Prep Ready (@prepforcollege):  “I know that readers will enjoy the fact that they can use all of Bremen’s advice and tips right away.”

Outnumbered 3 to 1 blog (@outnumberedmama):  “It was so ‘spot on!’ I teach at the State University of New York as an adjunct professor and I am going to recommend that my students pick up the book.  Hmmm, do you think I can make it a required textbook?  Most of the material in the book I have dealt with myself and agree 100% with the author’s advice.”

Media/Book Reviewers:

The Austin-American Statesman (feature story): “The book uses real examples of what students have said and done in the classroom, in emails and during office hours. With each example, Bremen gives suggestions on more effective ways to communicate.”

Midwest Book Review: “Crossing wits with your superiors is never a good way to get ahead. “Say This, Not That to Your Professor: 36 Talking Tips for College Success” is an advisory guide for college students to form a better relationship with their professors, when to be friendly and when to own up to one’s mistakes. Ellen Bremen comes with advice for better academic success and a more fulfilling college experience. “Say This, Not That to Your Professor” is a must and a strong pick for those who may be saying the wrong things to their professors and facing the results.”

Parents of High School/College Students:

Brian Vickery (@dbvickery): (Watch the VLog, too!!!): “Ellen’s communication style is very conversational and informal, so the book is easy to read and understand. The suggestions in this book should be easy to adapt for most students’ common issues in college. I highly recommend this book for both the first year college student and students taking AP courses in high school that can place a higher demand on accountability.”

College Parent Central (@collparcentral): “The book is as close as students can come to a heart-to-heart chat with someone who knows students and knows college professors.  The advice is real, concrete, and immediately useful.”

Mary Biever, educator, blogger at One Writing Mother (@marybiever): Say This, NOT That to Your Professor: A Guide for College Success, “One of the features I liked best about this book is that Ellen is real and shares mistakes she has made and how to do things better. She tackled tough subjects – flunking tests, missing classes, and missing deadlines – and discusses what can be done and said to learn lessons from a tough situation and try to make it better.”

Just Joanna/Joanna Liberty (Mom blogger): “Right now, with Generation Tech, I think that one of the most important sections may be dealing with social media, technology, and putting down your cell phone. I really think that this will be an excellent resource for your college-bound student. While it would’ve made a great high school graduation gift, I think it is better as a part of the perfect care package for your new college student.”

Elephant Ears Learning : “The book is amazing and a must-have for every college student. Actually, it’s a must-have for anyone who ever deals with any other human being ever in their lives.”

Parenting blogger Dominique Goh (@dominiquegoh): “I wasn’t a Grade A student while I was in college. Even though I didn’t get into trouble with professors or fellow students, it would be great to know how I could maximize my relationships with my professors so that I could perform better and get a better report card.”

Professional/Business/Social Media Bloggers:

YouTern (@YouTern): “This is a confidence-building manifesto; a collection of real-world scenarios witnessed by a professor at the top of her game. This book helps students find the right words to excel in college – and well after graduation as they join the workforce with a clear understanding of how best to communicate with team members, managers and mentors.”

Liz Kislik/Workplace Wisdom (@lizkislik): “You’ll appreciate Say This, NOT That to Your Professor, by Ellen Bremen, if you’ve ever been afraid to deal with an authority figure. The book is targeted to college students, but any high school student, any middle schooler (with parental help), and any working person can use it. It’s loaded with communication techniques for interacting more effectively with teachers and bosses (and parents, too): How to understand and get clarity about requirements, how to ask for help, how to disagree respectfully, and how to apologize are just a few of this book’s gems.”

Jim Dougherty (@leaderswest), social media blogger, Leaders West, took a parent’s perspective in his review: “The book is a collection of vignettes developed from Professor Bremen’s academic career intended to instruct college students on how to communicate better with their college instructors.  Truth told though, the lessons that Bremen imparts are universal lessons on how to empathize and collaborate with other people effectively. … My worst fear as a parent is that I won’t do everything I can to help my kids succeed in life.  So while I probably won’t be sending my three year old to sleep with cautions not to use her laptop in class, my kids will understand Professor Bremen’s advice of what to say and do to be successful with people.”

Doug Rice (@douglaserice), graduate student and founder of the Small Business Storyteller, LLC, takes a business interpretation of my chapter on comparing grades: “There’s a section in the book that reveals a common practice among college students. All too often, a student will receive a grade and immediately start comparing it to the grades of others in the class. Inevitably, they’ll begin asking why other students got better grades than them. They get competitive. . . .  We might look at Ellen’s students and think their actions are petty when they compare grades with one another. But that’s exactly what we do in business. All too often, we look at how others are doing in our industry and rate ourselves based on that. Guess what? It doesn’t matter what your competitors are doing. Stop trying looking at others’ grades!”