Have you ever stared at the top of a blank page, not looking at the story but looking at the title, and felt like a complete idiot because you can’t put a name to the thing that it took you 120,000 words to write? You’re not alone. In my consulting work, titles stop...
If you don’t define your brand, others will do it for you. In today’s world, writers aren’t just authors; they are brands. Learn how to take control of your identity, craft a clear message, and build a brand that reflects your true creative purpose.
We all need a business plan…even writers. Maybe, especially writers. We write because we love it. But how are we supposed to pay our bills? It doesn’t happen by accident. We, like anyone else in business, need a business plan. It’s essential in doing the work we love....
In the last essay, we discussed an overview of the Four Ps to create an effective sell-through plan for your books or services. In this essay, I’d like to apply those principles directly to writers and speakers. The last essay was an overview; this essay focuses on...
I often get asked to write guest blogs, and I’m sure you do, too. Or maybe writing a guest blog is something that you are thinking about but don’t know the best way to go about it. From my experience, understanding your goals is the best result for you when writing a...
Professional writing, like anything professional, is a business. For those who want a career as a writer, business requires daily attention, just like writing. Remember: if you are not growing daily, you are getting worse. There is no stasis, stagnation, or limbo in...
Some writers write purely for the joy of it, for the sheer pleasure of expressing themselves. Their interest doesn't extend to publishing, and that's perfectly fine. Their satisfaction lies in writing itself, which makes all the difference. Others write because they...
The big question I received today as Guest of Honor at Bouchercon is: How do I sell more books? I especially got this question as I spoke with all the authors participating in the Discovery Zone individually. It is a great question, but I will dart a little around...
A marketing plan is a crucial roadmap for your book’s success. Learn how to create a custom strategy tailored to your book’s unique strengths, audience, and opportunities.
Most websites have a header, and your Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other accounts also have headers. Instagram posts can also pose as headers. What does all this mean? You have free billboards all over the web. Use them. If you know you will use headers, make...