Dear Jane, Are you hiding? I know it’s not easy to go back to that draft for, what is it the fourth time? Cursing me, or that voice in your head, (or maybe we are now one voice), telling you to re-work it again. “I just want to finish this book and go on to ...…
When writing non-fiction, don’t skip or delay these 4 important steps to help you position your book for greater success. Do these before you write, or at least early in the process. Share the content—The notion that withholding information until the ‘big day’ when you publish will help make a bigger splash is dead wrong. ...…
When people come to me frustrated and confused, it’s often because in their quest to write a book, they did things out of order. Put the ol’ chariot before the dragon as we say in Fairyland. Here are 3 common errors of order for you to consider. If you are fretting over any of these ...…
Welcome to a new feature on my blog called Dear Jane…letters to an aspiring writer. The concept came to me in a moment of inspiration while making toast. I hope you will find it insightful and encouraging as you develop your writing gifts. Dear Jane, As you sit and type the first tentative lines of ...…
Can you turn a blog into a book? How does it work? Today’s #1 power tool for smart, market-savvy authors, your blog can help you develop content for your book and also creates a venue to test ideas and generate a buzz. A blog enables you to establish and deepen a relationship with your audience ...…
Have you ever read a book that changed your life? I want to hear from you. What book made a difference for you and how did it make a difference? Tell me about it in a video and post it here. It may make you famous. I got inspired today thinking about how powerful ...…
People who want to write a book often ask me about book length. How long, or how short should it be? The current trend is toward shorter books to match the shrinking attention span of an audience overwhelmed by information. A publisher is not inclined to publish a 600 page “how-to” opus from a first-time, ...…
One of my favorite writers, Nora Ephron is dead at age 71. Best known for her screenplays, (Silkwood, Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally, etc.) I loved her for her essays–her funny, vulnerable, honest, intimate essays. Ephron had the ability to share with us her insecurities and struggles while maintaining just enough objectivity to ...…
I get asked all the time, “How do I sell more books?” when the real question ought to be, “How do I write a book that sells?” Authors are frustrated, of course. With over four million new titles published in 2010 alone, competition for readers is beyond staggering, it’s epic. Many authors complain that despite their ...…
Last week, I did my first stand up comedy performance at the D-Note in Arvada, CO. Both nervous and excited, I stepped up to the mic and entered a world previously unknown where I got to be exposed, vulnerable, confident, uncertain, and most of all, present. What I love about comedy is its healing aspect. ...…
For a book to help your career, and be bestseller-worthy, it needs to solve a problem, answer a need, or provide a clear and present benefit to your target audience. Where your Book Concept meets the Market The first five questions your inquiry into Book Concept were inside yourself. (See previous blog post). These five ...…
Most first-time authors make the mistake of leaping from book idea to writing and self-publishing it without even considering the concept until after the fact―when book sales are lousy and they can’t even get their mother to read it. In my opinion, this is the number one reason why 80% of all books published sell ...…
I like things spicy–spicy foods, spicy people, and especially spicy writing! Bland is boring. Novelists, limited only by their imaginations, can add as much spice and color as they like, but what about the non-fiction writer? Can you tell a story with some kick to it, even though you’re bound by the facts? I say, ...…
If you’re ready for it, a good writer’s conference can send you into warp speed toward your publishing goals. Faster than the query letter, you can pitch several agents at once, get valuable feedback, and even get an agent. Rather than sending out a query letter and hoping the agent is taking on new writers, ...…
Last night, I was exhausted in that way that only single working mothers can understand. Thursday night, the tail end of a week of getting my teen-aged kids off to school, after-school activities and attending my own business meetings and events, cooking (most nights), cleaning (just enough that if I did get a visit from ...…
Make the decision of whether to go for a deal with a major publishing house or to self-publish based upon your goals, your end-game, and your material, not on what you perceive to be outer obstacles. It’s true the publishing industry is going through some big changes, but I wouldn’t let that discourage you from ...…
Top 10 List of Books to Help You Write a Book that Sells You have TWO good reasons to look at the list of books on this blog post: They’ll show you how to write a great book, get it finished AND get it published. I’m going to tell you how to get them for ...…
Ask Your Question Below You have FREE UNLIMITED ACCESS to me for answers to ALL your questions about how to write a book and get it published. When you are BOTH an expert AND a published author, you gain advantages that “regular” experts don’t have. Here are a few of the many benefits… Respect: Gain ...…
Stop Guessing! Did you know that you can get help to write your book and get published so you can reach more people and raise your status and clout in your industry? In other words… stand out from the crowd; get more exposure; increase your credibility; have more customers, clients, and/or raving fans; increase your ...…
Can you build a successful business before you have a book? Of course you can. Lots of people have and do, including myself. But to go to that next level, to take it up a notch, to move from being just another coach, consultant and especially speaker, at some point in your career development, writing ...…
