writing a book with help
Book Writing

AI and Systems to Improve Our Writing Habits

Sometimes we need a little help to make a new habit. When writing a book, the practice of “writing and researching” needs to become habitual. That’s why reminder apps are so useful. On Google Workspace Marketplace, you’ll find “Intelligent Apps”. When I saw them all, and this Calendar AI assistant, I was “mind blown”. Of Reclaim.AI, one user said, “Overall I think a lot of people dread the idea of mapping out their goals, passions and more menial time obligations, and what Reclaim can offer is the ability to take the guess-work out of when to DECIDE to do something.” To write a whole book, you need to keep reminding yourself for about the first four weeks to keep up the writing. Using Google Calendar and time blocking (or Reclaim), you can remind yourself to write at a particular time.…
Read more
fixing pricing at Australian book retailers

Fixing Errant Prices at Australian Book Retailers

You might be facing similar self-publishing book pricing problems. In 2018 I had issues with proper listing and pricing at Australian book retailers, such as Booktopia.  Since then I have learnt more about the secrets of Print on Demand (with IngramSpark). Things I will be writing about in an upcoming Pitfalls of Publishing book! Feeds are not distribution. IngramSpark promising Australian micro/indie publishers that they can get their book listing out to 39,000 retailers/libraries  is misleading. As a proud author-publisher, I do NOT expect that online book retail partners like Booktopia and The Nile to not list POD books, or list them at over-inflated prices!  Actually, The Nile still stocks NONE of my books as partners of Ingram. Retail Prices As an experienced user of Print on Demand, I list my titles prices with consistency. To encourage sales, I set a…
Read more
planning a course

Why You Shouldn’t Create a Course Before Considering This

For those who have written a business or life advice book, you may be starting to get excited about the idea of creating a course. You could capitalise on your new concepts. You could make 10x the profit of the book itself. But slow down there, the Lone Ranger is galloping off way too fast. The thing is, when offering a higher level product like a course, we need to think about getting multiple sales leads, systematically, and promoting the course.  Before you do a mini freak-out, let’s delve into what that might involve if you’re committed to NOT making Meta and Google any richer. Okay? Most businesses selling goods online advertise on Facebook or Google, then use retargeting ads relevant to the content the person was looking at. (These are ads that follow the web visitor around the Internet).…
Read more
more author income streams
Book Editing

The Guide to Unlocking Copy Editing Secrets for Your Book’s Success

In the crowded book market, a well-edited book can make all the difference to reader sharing and reviews. And reviews affect sales. But how do you ensure that your book receives the professional treatment it deserves? In this comprehensive guide, I delve into the techniques and secrets used by top copy editors to polish manuscripts to a high standard. Whether you’re aspiring to learn to edit or are already halfway there, let’s equip you with the knowledge to have a better draft. Then you can decide whether to give it to an editing expert or put forward a traditional publisher proposal. Here you’ll learn a few common writing mistakes, some tips for using Word’s features, and what book editors really do. Get ready to unleash the true potential of your book – with the power of good editing.   Understanding…
Read more
what kind of format to use for thought leadership

Which Kind of Format Will You Make – a Book, a Podcast, a Magazine, or an eBook?

If you’re looking at several choices to enhance your personal brand presence or generate leads or similar, then this article goes through the most popular ways to expand one’s thought leadership. The biggie: Do I write a paperback book? If writing is your preferred mode of communication—or you want it to be—then writing a full book could be your top choice. Tacked on my wall in 2002 was a tatty piece of paper with my goal written: “Write a book”. Sure, I had written many essays, but a book was a higher mountain to climb than that. I did not have a clue about it and only wrote a ‘booklet’, however… small steps lead to big goals. The mistakes I made earlier on, such as never writing an outline, help to inform my advice now as a book writing coach.…
Read more
Engage the world in book creation
Blogging Strategy

Are you a Beginner, Novice or Pro at Blogging?

Beginners with a purpose take time to learn all about how to blog, what platform to use, how long to make posts and start with one. Novices blog on a theme, with different topics they believe their audience might like. It’s still fun for them. Pros research the topics their audience is already asking for on Google, use keyword research tools, and have a regular posting schedule, such as weekly or fortnightly. They make nice imagery, which helps their blog look beautiful. And they might add a different style to mix things up, like a recipe card or how-to panel. What do you need to get started? You need a WordPress, Wix, Ghost or Squarespace platform. It’s best if you can own your domain name and use that. Some blog on WordPress.com until they are ready to move to a…
Read more
Filters
Reset