Blog
Peppering in Stories can Save your Book from being Boring
I recently read a book that was completely cut-and-dry, to-the-point. Though I have a great appreciation for brevity, I also need something to keep my attention. The book was so straightforward, though, that it bordered on pedagogical and left me feeling like I was in one of my college chemistry classes . . . which is usually the opposite of the environment you want to curate with your book. So how do you get around
When are you ready for an editor?
Some people take years to write their books. How awful, right? Why is this happening? Some people claim it’s time, but for the most part, it’s either lack of clarity in their message or how to publish, or it’s a lack of belief that the book is ready (which is actually a lack of confidence in their own words). I had to go there. We blame a lot of things for our lack of reaching
Why Your Book isn’t Helping your Business
Every once in a while, I run into someone who scoffs when I talk about how books build businesses. Usually, it’s someone who published and hasn’t seen results themselves. And this can absolutely happen! So if this is a current problem for you, there are several questions you need to look at to shift that and get your business into high gear. Your book is a vehicle, after all, and you should be able to
3 Things to Remember when Designing your Book Cover
Your book cover is the first chance for you to hook readers. It’s like when you walk in a room: you only get one shot at a first impression. So how do you know what to do? There are a few key rules to look at when working with a designer (or doing it yourself, if you have the skill). It has to match your genre. Do your research before you get super excited about
The Top 3 Reasons to Write a Book for your Business
We’ve all heard people refer to books as the new business card, but I believe that they are so much more than that. First of all, if you hand someone a book, they aren’t going to add you on LinkedIn and then toss it in the trash. A tangible item is way more likely to either lay on their desk (reminding them of you every day), be given to a friend who may need it
Key Visibility Components BEFORE you Launch your Book
I had a major epiphany earlier this year. I was at a networking event, and I introduced myself and what I do during the 30-second commercial period. It was pretty standard. I mentioned who I helped and what that’s so important. Dropped the info about being an author of 8 books and the executive editor of Inspiring Lives Magazine. Easy peasy. Later, a woman came up to me and said, “I didn’t realize you had
3 Reasons a Book is a Must for Speakers
Do you ever wonder why all the speakers at every big event that you attend have at least one book in their arsenal? They are sitting at the back of the room with a line of people excited to meet with them and chat about their impactful talk, and many of them are walking away with the book in their hands, eagerly announcing that they can’t wait to read it. But that book is more
The Most Important Elements for Your Book Cover
Humans have been judging a book by its cover since the dawn of publishing. Books have always had a certain look that, of course, has changed over time. Things trend. Styles end. And if we want to be a part of this industry, we have to keep up. When you self-publish, there is a high chance that you will do some of the book yourself, not just the writing part. And if you’re in charge
Why Do I Need a Book for My Business?
Everybody’s got a book for their business. But why? Not only are they great for when you think your bag isn’t already heavy enough, or when you need to fill empty space on an event table. Not only are books great for stacking up to reach the cookie jar . . . Books are great for getting people acclimated to the program they just enrolled in, or are about to enroll in. They are great
Tips and Tricks for Titling Your Book
Are you one of those people who stares at a blank page forever because you can’t come up with the title? Let me start by telling you that this is no way to finish writing a book. The title is NOT the first thing you have to write. In fact, sometimes, it should be the last. When you want something to encompass the depth and significance of your entire work, you need to have at
How to Turn Your Podcast into a Book
All that content out there can be used for more, right? Have you thought about turning your podcast into a book that goes with your brand? It can be pretty simple, but there are some definite rules to follow for ethics and to make sure that everyone is on board, if you have guests. Want to know more? Check out this month’s blog!
How to Work Effectively with Your Editor
So. many. red. marks. Are you afraid of red pens? Do you feel like you’re wrong when you see those lines? Guess what. You’re NOT wrong. Your editor is working with you toward a common goal: making sure that your book is easy for your reader to understand. There really is a mindset shift needed when you start working with an editor, so check out my tips in this video!
How to Reframe Your Tough Story so You Can Write
Writing a book is hard enough without all the stuff going on in your head while you’re trying to do it! I have a trick, though, that can help you pull back from all the negative thoughts and get you to flow through the writing process. Check out the video to learn more!
How to Effectively Write a Chapter for a Group Book
Right now, it’s popular for a group of authors to band together and put out a book with each chapter featuring a story from a different author. I love that this makes book writing really accessible for everyone, especially because the costs can be split among all the authors and because there isn’t as much pressure on one person to do it all. However, I find that a lot of these projects lack direction or
How Long Should My Book Be
New authors often wonder about parameters for their book that are easy to spot. I’m constantly asked how long a book should be or if there are rules for the length of a chapter (nope!). There are absolutely typical lengths based on the genre, but in general, especially for nonfiction, we need to look at guidelines that come from our stories themselves. Watch the video to learn more!
How to Keep Your Book Relevant
Have you had a book in your head for a long time? Feel like you should write it exactly like it was when you first got the idea? You don’t have to commit to that oldest version of your book. Really. Here’s why …
Your Intuition and Your Book
Nothing is more challenging than trying to work on a heart-centered project and feeling pulled back to a structure that you “have to” follow. Remember that the rules of book writing are way more flexible than most people will have you believe. Writing something that is aligned with your heart and your brand is the most important part of sharing your story! Watch the video to find out more.
Impact with Story
You don’t have to be a speaker or coach already to really make an impact with your story. Plenty of people are sharing how they overcame a challenge in their personal or professional lives and are helping others. You might initially think that you have to be a business owner to write a book and impact a lot of people, but the truth is that all it takes is a big dream and small goals
Copyright Questions
As a publisher, I get a lot of questions about how written work is protected from theft. We copyright our books–the proper way–to make sure that our authors’ retain rights to their work. You might have seen the little C in a circle beside titles on various documents or on the copyright page of a book. That’s a good thing! But it’s definitely not the whole story. Check out this video to get some of
How to Expertly Utilize Vulnerability in Your Writing
I absolutely love that we talk about “vulnerability” so much today, but we need to address how it’s used in our writing. It’s not airing your dirty laundry or a full-on gripe fest about what happened. It’s not about complaining, shaming, or blaming, but rather about owning our truth. It’s about opening up, being raw and real, and connecting on a deeper level. In this month’s blog, I share some of my favorite tips for