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 favorite tips for helping my authors get past writer’s block.

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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 well.

The post The Process I Use to Write Books appeared first on Aurora Corialis Publishing.

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!

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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.

The post Your Intuition and Your Book appeared first on Aurora Corialis Publishing.

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 using vulnerability in our writing in 3 simple steps.

Watch below!

The post How to Expertly Utilize Vulnerability in Your Writing appeared first on Aurora Corialis Publishing.

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 that way. This is why writing a book is so important: to get the details out there about your success, reveal your secrets (just the ones you want to share), and convey to others that it can be duplicated.

The problem is that a lot of people like to embellish when they are telling their stories, cover up the dirty parts, and overall not be completely honest in their recounting. Yes, we’ve all told little white lies, the kind that are essentially harmless, but if you flat out keep the truth hidden, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Here’s why:

1. Know-like-trust—One of the reasons we need to open up in our books is to build credibility, create a bond, and show our readers that we’ve been there too. When we do that right, we are building know-like-trust with our readers by showing them our journey, the good and the bad. It paints us as real people instead of some polished persona pulled together by a makeup artist and a team of PR experts. When we are real people, others want to open up to us and work with us. They trust us. If we aren’t being honest about our stories, whether we are hiding the not-so-savory bits or we are making up part of the journey, we aren’t creating an honest text. We aren’t building that bridge with our readers, and the book can’t ever become the evergreen marketing piece that you most want it to be.
2. The energy of writing—This is the trickier part. You have to master your emotions when you’re writing and be open and honest so that shines through in your writing. Your reader can pick up on what you’re hiding. If you feel dishonest when you’re writing, then that section might not sound the same as the rest of the book. It might sound strange or forced. It may be overly flowery or descriptive. Just like every poker player has a tell, your writing will reveal that something is afoot.
3. Story is easy. Really. Telling stories is natural for humans. We’ve been doing it forever. It takes way longer to do research, to interview people, to track things down and make discoveries. Why wouldn’t you use your own, honest story to connect with your audience when it’s all there in your head anyway?

A good honest story gets people involved. It lights up their minds. It alerts them to possibilities. The next time you are listening to someone give you information, pay attention to how you feel. Then, compare that to how you feel when someone is telling you a story. I bet it’s different. I bet story is better. And sharing your story honestly will help you build a much more attentive, trusting audience that will become raving fans.

Always speak your truth.

Want to write a book? Message me to schedule a time to chat about it and see if we’re a good fit to get you writing, published, and using your book for your business now.

The post Why Leaders Need to be Honest About their Story appeared first on Aurora Corialis Publishing.

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 this challenge? Pepper in some stories. Please. Make it interesting. Your readers will thank you by not chucking your book into the recycling bin and possibly even giving you good reviews on Amazon.

What makes for a good story to include in the book? Here are a few key markers to look for when you’re digging around in your mind palace for an entertaining tale.

1. Make it relevant. We all have some crazy stories or funny stories or sweet stories that we love to share, but if it has nothing to do with the topic you are covering, you might as well just leave the story for cocktails with your friends. Think about the lesson learned from the story, even if it’s one that you wouldn’t necessarily spot right away.
2. Make it on-brand. Yeah. I said that. I have some crazy stories about drinking with the college marching band and the shenanigans that we all got into, but yet again, I’m going to save those for grabbing a drink with the girls . . . if ever. To be honest, some of those stories should NEVER surface again. My brand isn’t for college kids. It’s not purely for entertainment. And I try to keep it classy with the drinking references. Those stories are so not on brand. Make sure that yours always are.
3. Make it relatable. We’ve all talked to someone who told stories that were purely for bragging rights. I met someone a few years ago who was trying to impress my bestie by talking about his business and how he had sadly missed his goal of retiring by the age of 30. We weren’t business owners. We simply didn’t get it. It sounded like bragging. And he didn’t land a date with her either. Think about the audience you’re addressing in your book, and make sure the stories resonate.
4. Make it illustrative. For bonus points, share a story that actually illustrates the point that you are trying to make. I’ve read some books where the writer just shares stories as they pop into their heads. Though it may be amusing, if you’re writing a book for your business, it really needs to help explain what you’re talking about. And you have to explain why that story explains your point. That ensures that it sticks.

When you use story in your book, you open up the reader to a lot of things besides just illustrating your point. You are showing the reader that you are good at keeping their attention, you are interesting, and you are making an effort to connect with them. You are giving them an example of what you would be like to work with, what your energy is like, and how you would potentially be on stage or leading a workshop. They may not realize all these things, but they will realize that they like what they are reading and want to follow you or attend your events. Building that deeper connection through story is imperative!

The post Peppering in Stories can Save your Book from being Boring appeared first on Aurora Corialis Publishing.

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 least part of the work written to begin with. It helps you know the feel of the book, the direction, and the language that you are using.

So this is my no-nonsense naming method for your book.

1. Don’t write your title first. Start with something else: the hook. What is the book actually about? If you’re writing about how the Law of Attraction can be used to get your kids to cooperate and do chores, then that’s what you write: “How the Law of Attraction can get Your Kids to do their Chores.” It doesn’t matter that it’s really long. What matters is that every time you see that, you’ll know what you’re writing about.
2. Work on your book. As you’re writing, you will inevitably write some phrases that perfectly capture what you want to say, especially when you are explaining the overall process. In our example, maybe you comment that using the Law of Attraction in this way feels like you’re turning dust bunnies into dust busters. There’s your title. Or maybe you say that the method you’ve developed starts with frazzle and ends with flow. That’s your title. Go through sections of your text where you are describing the book as a whole and look for phrasing like this. You may not catch it as you’re writing it, but when you are actively searching for this language, you’ll spot it.
3. If you DON’T spot such lucky language, write down a few phrases that you see that sum up the book but may not sound as attractive. Then start looking at ways to shorten the phrase or change it slightly to sound appealing.
4. Make a list of these phrases and poll your audience. See what they like. Remember that you are essentially selling this book to them, so they are the best people to critique what you’ve got. BONUS: Ask them what they like about the title. They may give you some important insight and actually make you NOT want to use the title they select. For example, they may tell you that they think the book will be about something that it absolutely is not. That’s when you can go back to your titles and tweak them so they are more tuned to what the book actually IS about.
5. Don’t forget the base title that you started with. You can actually use that as the subtitle of the book. It’s great for providing the clarity you need. Plus, it allows you to give a punchy, exciting, sexy title as the main title and leave the dryer, more straight-forward topic in there as well.

Here’s the main thing, though: don’t let the title stress you out. Your audience can give you guidance, and a professional writer or editor is always a good source for critique. Most importantly, you want that title to be attractive to the audience while being true to the contents of the book.

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