How does one become a productive writer? With our busy lives, how do we find time to write? To answer that question, what are you willing to give up? How much do you want to write your book? If your dream is to become a full-time author—how badly do you want that life? #1 - Define [...]
You did it! You wrote your first draft. It’s finally done. Time to kick back with your feet up? Not quite. Editing your book can be one of the more challenging parts of the publishing process. It’s important to always hire an editor, but before you send off your manuscript, do you self-edit first? What is [...]
"If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it." - Lucille Ball You are careful about time management. You’ve cut 90% of distractions. You don’t check your email until later in the day after you’ve spent time getting important work done. You batch tasks and avoid multitasking. You’re following all the time management rules, [...]
Let’s face it, launching a book is expensive. Marketing costs for NYT bestselling launch campaigns can run upwards of tens of thousands of dollars. When you’re an indie author who is self-publishing, marketing your book is perpetual. You can't afford to overspend on one book when you have more coming. Consider using these low-cost ninja book [...]
Have you considered working with an independent bookstore to market your books? Many indie authors rely solely on online distribution channels such as Amazon and Kobo. But for those of us who dream of seeing our books on store shelves, indie bookstores are an excellent avenue. I attended Book Expo 2017 and heard from a panel of [...]
Book Expo (formerly Book Expo America or BEA) is an annual publishing industry trade show that’s been going on for 70 years. The expo is primarily geared toward traditional publishing although in recent years, they've opened up a smaller exhibition area for indie authors. 2017 marked the first year that the show was run by ReedPop—the company [...]
We all have days when we struggle to write. We feel blocked or the words don’t flow. Those days are tough, and it’s important to power through and try to write anyway. Here’s how to rescue a bad day. Other days it may feel like we’ve run out of ideas. You know you could write, but [...]
Do you have a hard time saying “No” when new opportunities come up? I’m not talking about a birthday party invitation, I mean those big, hairy job decisions that sometimes rear their heads when you least expect. Example: I was wrapping up a big book launch for a client when, out of the blue, a former [...]
Have you ever wondered what an ordinary day is like for an entrepreneur? Are you considering quitting your 9-to-5 job and striking out on your own to live the entrepreneur life? Do you have the discipline to stay focused and on track? I made the leap to a full-time entrepreneur in 2016, and now I work [...]
Have you launched a book and found it difficult to sell copies? Maybe you tried paid advertising and lost money, or posted about your new book on social media, but heard crickets? If so, it could be time to rethink your launch strategy. Many traditionally published authors include a 2-3 month pre-order phase. Selling copies to [...]
