how do I write a book - a guide
Book Writing

How Do I Write a Book? Your Book Writing Helper

This question underlies everything I do when creating books: how do I write a book that resonates with my market?Always think about a potential market first. Also, consider the barriers and pitfalls that may stop you. (To help you, this 1,800 word guide is written by me, Jennifer, an author, book coach and editor).Table of Contents for this Book Writing Guide How long should it take to write a book? How to come up with a good topic for a book? How to write a book when you have Dyslexia or ADHD How long should I spend editing before hiring an editor? What editing step comes after Structure? Proofreading How to write a book with help More info about the Book Creation course  What not to do when writing a bookThe first thing is not to expect yourself to always…
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Why iSBNs are killer
Self-Publishing, Selling eBooks and Media

Why ISBNs Are Killer for Your Book Sales

The Overlooked Superpower in Book Marketing Self-publishing is full of decisions: cover design, editing, distribution. Whether or not you use a hybrid publisher usually comes down to fear. What if I don’t know how to fill out an ISBN?  What if I get stuck as there is no guidance for uploading to Ingram and KDP? (See our Self-Publishing course and Q&As if so!) That’s why you might think it too difficult to take control of your own ISBNs. This article explores how ISBNs can boost your credibility, visibility, and long-term sales. I cover Why ISBNs are good for indie authors. What’s an ISBN and Why Should You Care? An ISBN—short for International Standard Book Number—is a 13-digit code that uniquely identifies your book in the global publishing ecosystem. Think of it as your book’s fingerprint. Every format of your book…
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Writing is a process and habit
Book Writing

Writing is a Process and a Habit

It’s good to keep in mind that writing is a habit — and a book is one potential outcome from that habit. So many want to have the outcome, but they haven’t got room in life for the habit, especially if research is also involved. Let’s take my client BD, a very busy 71-year-old who advises his old business. With overseas trips, interstate trips and 100 family members, he’s got a lot on. His first step involved writing once a week, answering a question on his life (this was a different, automated program). Then he had a weekly or fortnightly call with me for several months to go over small pieces he added to his manuscript. It expanded and I also structured the chronology of events. At the end of nine months, it was almost there. Now just for the…
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how newsletters sell books and services
Publicity, Selling eBooks and Media

How Newsletters Sell both Books and Services

Why are Author Newsletters a Low Hanging Fruit? (An extract from my coming Micro Publisher book) When building any information-based business, influencing new readers is all part of the process… and we don’t do that overnight. Monthly newsletters make this super simple. Rather than solely worrying over promos – what new campaign to offer your email list – you set up a systematic schedule of writing and emailing a newsletter. The beauty is, anything you put into a blog can be transferred to a newsletter, either with RSS setup or simply copying the details and headings. I would suggest putting as much real and actionable content into your newsletter as possible and don’t rely on ‘read more’ links. Over time, my list shows that 2-3% click the read more link, so I switched to one long article and one promotion…
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How to write the dream book on topic with a writing coach
Book Writing

How You Can Write the Dream Book on Your Topic, with a Writing Coach

Many pre-retirees are looking for ways to preserve their ideas, their life experiences and business takeaways for future generations. In fact, about 15 percent of 55-year-olds want to write a book as part of their retirement ‘bucket list’ (Money magazine). However, transforming that dream into a published reality requires careful planning, dedication, and guidance. Why Work with a Writing Coach? Writing a book can be a daunting task, but working with a writing coach makes the process smoother and more structured. A book writing coach helps you refine your ideas, develop a writing schedule, and improve your storytelling. Whether you are writing a memoir, a guidebook, or a business book, expert guidance can be invaluable in overcoming writer’s block, structuring your content, and ensuring clarity in your message. Steps to Writing and Publishing Your Dream Book Step 1: Hone Your…
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Emerging Indie Authors
Self-Publishing

Top 16 Up-and-Coming Indie Authors

Those of us around long enough to know Beetlejuice movie #1 will realise that Indie Authors become their own micro publisher – they don’t pay some other company to publish. If you want to do this also, my new book on Micro Publishing is coming soon.  This list includes (to my knowledge) authors who have made their personal brand into a publishing imprint – at least in the beginning – and have had success. I think it’s important to look beyond the obvious authors who have had a leg up. Most are emerging indie authors from Australia but a few are based elsewhere and some parlayed their success in indie publishing into traditional publishing deals.  You’ll notice most actively publish multiple books. This is because we always get better when we do a process again, revising what didn’t work and…
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Rewrite a book blurb
Book Marketing

Re-Write of a Book Blurb

Occasionally I like to re-write a book blurb because it’s leaving so much unsaid. When writing a non-fiction book blurb especially, we need to focus on the specific group of end readers and what problems they want solved. How does the material match those problems? How can their dreams be helped on track by these pearls of wisdom? Let’s see how it works in this example (re-write is below the original). ORIGINAL: “How to be a Six-Star Business” (2021) Share the stories, inspiration, and genius of 22 entrepreneurs from around the world who provide insights and action steps to go BEYOND the every day in your business. Discover the 3 pillars and 9 principles that will make your business 6 Star as you continually strive to do and be better connect your heart to your purpose and join the 6…
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book creation or writing courses compared
Self-Publishing

Two Courses Compared: Mark Dawson’s “Can You Write a Bestseller” vs. Jennifer Lancaster’s “Book Creation Self-Publish”

In the ever-expanding universe of self-publishing, aspiring authors often find themselves at a crossroads, seeking the perfect course to guide them through the intricate web of book creation, book marketing, and self-publishing. Two prominent contenders in this space are Mark Dawson’s Can You Write a Bestseller and Jennifer Lancaster’s Book Creation Self-Publish. In this comparison review, we’ll delve into the nuances of both courses to help you make an informed decision.Course Content and Structure:Led by Suzy K Quinn, the “Can You Write a Bestseller” course is modular, focusing primarily on the process of writing a bestseller. This unit places a spotlight on honing writing skills and crafting compelling narratives, key for beginning writers. However, it’s worth noting that this course might leave authors yearning for more comprehensive coverage in other crucial aspects of self-publishing and hence need to buy another…
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Learning to do, not to have (writer learning)
Book reviews, Book Writing

Learning to Do, Not Learning to Have

Most of the educational learning we do is theoretical and ‘nice to know’, but, according to researchers, has little adaptation to the real world. This is alarming. However, there is a lot we can do to improve our learning and skill take-up. In ‘Ultralearning‘ by Scott H Young, he gives four ways to learn directly. These are: Learn through a Project – SkillShare and Coursera courses let you do this. It works on two levels: your project aim makes for practical outcomes and your learning becomes more enjoyable and fruitful. Immersive Learning – Going to the region to learn the language works far better than learning on an app. The Flight Simulator Method – Students of a US high school found that when trying an important matter in a mock courtroom, they got way more specific, adaptive learning. Critical thinking…
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keep on writing productively
Book Writing

How Do You Keep on Writing and Being Productive on Blah Days?

I often witness non-fiction book writers have a dip in their motivation and self-belief. So what if you have those blah days, and can’t seem to think of a single good idea? The book ‘On Writing’ by Stephen King helped me long ago to realise: you just have to make a commitment to keep sitting down to write, despite not feeling like it. Prolific fiction writer Amy Suto said that a simple mindset shift early on changed everything for her. Her advice, whatever your feelings on the day: decide to show up imperfectly. “I’m going to do it without putting pressure on the outcome. I’m going to do it tired. I’m going to do it imperfectly.” Being a book coach is something that makes for fascinating party conversations. “Oh, you help people write a book? … I always wanted to write…
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how to create a digital product to help book sales
Selling eBooks and Media

How to Create a Digital Product to Help Book Profits

As nonfiction topic specialists, we all know that royalties aren’t quite enough, and your expertise and advice is worth a lot more than $5 per customer! So, it may be time to learn about a tool which has a way to add a simple coaching service or digital product to your book. You used to need to use a shopping cart like WooCommerce plus Woo Payments (setup time!) and connect a processor if you wanted to sell anything virtually (through WordPress). No longer! A product in this post is one that Jennifer uses herself and endorses to others – if you click on the link and go through the trial to purchase, Jennifer gets a commission. Now, you can use a main EMS platform to host each product and its payment options. Or still use a sales page in your…
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