Blog
How to Build a Sustainable Writing Workflow
Most writers don’t struggle with ideas. They struggle with consistency—finding a rhythm that supports creativity instead of draining it. A sustainable writing workflow isn’t about writing every day or hitting a magical word count. It’s about building a system that fits your life, your energy, and your creative process. Start by identifying your creative patterns. When do you think most clearly? When do you feel most imaginative? When are you mentally fried? A workflow that
What Authors Need to Know About AEO
If you’ve been anywhere near publishing or marketing conversations lately, you’ve probably heard the term AEO—AI Engine Optimization. And if your first reaction was “Great, another acronym,” you’re not alone. But AEO isn’t about playing a game or writing like a robot. It’s about making your work discoverable in a world where readers increasingly find books through AI‑driven tools. Here’s the simplest way to think about AEO: It helps AI understand who you are, what
How to Structure Your Novel’s Emotional Arc
When writers talk about story structure, they usually mean plot: the beats, turning points, and external events that keep pages turning. But the truth is, readers don’t fall in love with plot. They fall in love with emotional movement—the internal journey your protagonist takes as the story unfolds. That’s the emotional arc, and it’s the heartbeat of a novel. An emotional arc isn’t about making your character feel more feelings. It’s about guiding them through
Typeform Training
Working on a group book and navigating the collection of materials? You’ll want to check out Typeform! My client and colleague Christina Fontana shows you how to use this fantastic tool in this short training. If you found value in this training and want to try Typeform, please use Christina’s affiliate link!
How to Be a Successful Nonfiction Author
So you want to sell books … It’s more than just putting the book online and going about your business. There are certain things that a nonfiction author (or really any author) needs to do to make sure that people are finding their books. A book is intended to be a piece of the puzzle for your business, not some side thing that you do to check a box and never use again. Think of
3 Tips for Book Covers for Your Soul Book
Your book cover is the first thing people see when they are considering your book. If you want your legacy book to stand out while fitting in, looking professional and calling to your ideal reader, then make sure you check out the tips in this video so it packs the powerful punch that it should!
3 Tips to Help with Writer’s Block
People tend to not be fans of writer’s block. I wonder why … Just when you think you’ve got it all together, that you’re going to get that book out into the world, you can’t figure out what to say next. And it can come from a variety of places, which can make it even harder to cure. But if you want to keep on writing and stop being stalled, these are some of my
The Process I Use to Write Books
Writing a book is way easier if you have a plan ahead of time! Sure, we all want that magic moment when the words pour from our fingertips, gracing the page with our brilliance, but you have to wait for that. Plan first, party later. This is the method that I use to write my own books. Yes, they are fiction, but the principles apply to nonfiction, so I teach them to my authors as
How a Book Works for a Coach or Speaker Biz
You can’t just make a book, publish it on Amazon, and cross your fingers. It isn’t going to sell itself! One of the biggest mistakes I see authors of nonfiction make is to do just that. They have no plan at all for getting it out to the world, connecting with others, or using it to leverage a business they already have. Check out the video below for my tips on how to use your
What to Ask Yourself Before Writing a Book for Your Biz
You may have heard people suggest to “start from the beginning” when you want to tell a story, but it’s a little more complicated when you need to write a book, especially nonfiction, especially for your business. The beginning can be hard to pinpoint. And the real point of the book is to take people on a transformational journey. So how do you start? Let’s back up. Before you start writing the actual book, there
How to Decide if a Group Book is Right for You
Anthologies–group books–have become really popular over the past couple years. You might be looking for one to join or have been invited to one already! Of course, you have to decide if you want to do it, but that decision shouldn’t just be based on the dollar amount to participate (and no, it’s not unreasonable for an anthology leader to ask you to pay to join). There are several things to consider before signing the
When Should You Launch Your Book
If you’re dreaming of the day you have your book in your hands, then you may have an entire image in your head . . . the season, what you’re wearing, who is there. But before you dig too deep into this daydream, there are some things you have to consider about when the right time is to launch YOUR specific book! It’s different for everyone.
Telling a Story You Can’t Tell
It isn’t a problem when you are talking about someone who knows, understands, and approves of you telling your story. But sometimes, you need to share about something that involves people outside your immediate, supportive circle. Maybe it’s someone from an old job. A family member. Or a stranger. But here you are, wanting to share a story that may involve that person, wondering how you’re supposed to share it. Should you leave them out?
What’s the Best Way to Publish?
Writing a book is only the first part of a long journey. Once the book is done, you need to publish it to let people all over the world benefit from your brilliance. Fortunately, there are several different options for you to publish your book. The hard part? Choosing one. Watch this video to learn a little about the different types and how to choose what’s right for you and your audience.
The Return on Your Book Investment
No one wants to just flush money down the drain. Especially when you have a business, you need to know that what you’re working on and pouring your heart (and cash) into is going to have returns. A lot of people complain that you “can’t make any money from selling books,” but that’s simply not true. You might not sell enough books to quit your day job, but you can absolutely make money from your
Investing in Your Book is Investing in Your Business
Investing in your book is investing in your business, pure and simple. Like investing in doing a podcast. Like investing in a website. It’s a piece of the business that dovetails with what you already do. There is more to it than just deciding that you want a book and hoping that it pans out. Watch the video to learn more about how investing in your book works.
When is Your Book Ready for the Editor?
One of the most popular questions that new authors ask is, “How do I know when my book is ready for editing?” It’s not a simple question of how much space your story takes up. And it’s not as easy as doing a checklist. It takes a feeling within to know when it’s ready. And it’s not something that anyone else can really tell you. Watch the video to learn more about how you can
Is Your Book Aligned with Your Business?
One morning, I awoke with a sense of urgency. It was almost like being awakened by an alarm. I felt like I should rush to my desk and write. I had a really strange dream that was like a movie. And not like the normal dream that’s like a movie. I saw the title come up on the screen. I saw the camera angles change. I met the characters. I followed them. I was even
Use Your Business Book as an Evergreen Marketing Tool with these 4 Tips
Employ these methods now to avoid ups and downs due to sickness or crisis If you have a business, then you’ve likely seen challenges. Lack of clients, loss of staff, illness and more changed the landscape of many businesses quarantine during the spring of 2020 quarantine, and it’s left many looking for outside the box ways to bring stability and work in new ways. The beautiful thing about having a book for your business is
Why Leaders Need to be Honest About their Story
The first book I wrote is in the fantasy genre, and the most fun thing about it was that I could make up everything! I created a world, characters, rules about magic, etc., and if I couldn’t figure out how something happened, magic was an all too convenient culprit. Obviously, the same isn’t true with fiction. Though it may look like other people rose to the top like magic, we know that it didn’t happen