What’s the #1 issue aspiring authors hit as they reach for their book goals? They’re just not writing! Regardless of their good intentions, the words are not flying on the page the way they’d like. Sound like you? If so, you may need to ask yourself the world’s simplest question: What’s really going on? Yeah, … Read more
I recently finished reading Tara Westover’s extraordinary memoir, Educated, about her fundamentalist, abusive upbringing in rural Idaho—and how getting an education saved her. What a gripping story, written beautifully. Just the kind of unflinching memoir I love. For all of you aspiring memoirists out there who wonder whether anyone would want to read about the … Read more
A couple months after my book published, I learned Hay House was putting the eBook on sale for the “low, low price” of $1.99. I was psyched. Why? Because as someone in the book biz, I know that making an eBook super cheap also makes it super easy for readers to say YES. Marking down … Read more
“Am I a good enough writer to become a published author?” This is a query we get from aspiring authors every single day. I’ll admit it: For years I’ve shied away from the straightforward yes/no response clients are looking for when they ask a question like this. I simply haven’t seen it as my job … Read more
Recently I was chatting with my friend and fellow author Bridget Fonger. We were recording an episode of her podcast, Superhero of Love, when she told me something awful. Not just a little awful—unthinkably awful. Like, don’t-make-me-even-contemplate-this brutal. What was this terrifying thing she told me? Brace yourself… Recently Bridget’s computer died—and took the draft … Read more
The book journey has many exciting moments. Surprisingly, “pub day” is rarely one of them! It may sound counterintuitive, but by the time your book publishes most of the heavy lifting is behind you. Unless you’ve scheduled a bookstore event or a book launch party, pub day is more of a whimper than a bang. But you … Read more
Just three weeks until The Book You Were Born to Write enters the world, and the excitement is almost overwhelming! I swear the weeks get shorter, the closer we get to publication day. In fact, if there’s nothing you take away from this blog, take this word of warning: Time speeds up during a book … Read more
When you’re staring down the barrel of writer’s block, it can feel like anything would be easier than accumulating a hundred words on a page. Inspiration has gone into hibernation “Having a good idea” seems as likely as “seeing a unicorn” Pairing a few consonants with a vowel or two feels like pushing a boulder uphill … Read more
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times. If you have a book in you—if you hear the call to write—it’s because Life is asking for your story. Unfortunately, my many years of working with authors has taught me this lesson: You’re gonna hit some bumps on the road when you’re writing … Read more
If you’re a first-time author, you may be surprised to learn that writing the book is only 20% of the work. The other 80% comes from selling it! Even if you’re published by a traditional company, these days the selling of actual copies of your actual book is actually…up to you. If you’re watching a … Read more
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