Writing Habits with AI

My Financial Life in Books

Oh, what have I done to deserve this wretched financial life statement?  This five-digit retirement fund? Did I not start and run a freelance business, had this book, How to Start and Run a Freelance Business, that served clients well with persuasive copy? ‘Planning is the secret to success’, you say?  Well, that is my middle name. So faithfully I planned, set goals, budgeted, paid myself first, sought education and read up on Money. Just in case it found me one day. Alas, you have to go seek it. So how does one Create a New Life of Abundance?  In 2008, I thought by sacking your financial planner. But later, I realised that that’s now How to Control Your Financial Destiny. No, I didn’t spend 28 years at the university of life, typing, editing and finessing thousands of words… snipping…
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Writing Goals

Your Writing Goals and the Need for Promoting

If the goal of your writing is to develop skill, express creativity, and just be published, then you will not need a marketing plan. But if your goal is to write to disseminate ideas to as many as possible, and make it pay, then you need all the best book promotion ideas. Your writing goals actually dictate whether or not you will make money from this career. At Sandcliffe Writer’s Festival, three writers talked about their journey and message to other writers. For talented novelist Susan Johnson, having had a roaring writing career in the 80s and travelling the world for 12 years, on returning to Australia she had quite a shock. No longer did traditional publishers give big advances. Neither could she return to teach creative writing at University due to ‘qualifications’. That was until she did an adjunct…
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Book Reader profile
Book Writing

Who is your Book’s Reader? Create a Reader Profile

It’s sometimes the obvious things that you miss when you’re caught up in excitedly writing your book. Along with defining the theme, having a specific reader profile in mind can really help in the formation of your book, and later, its marketing. Sure, you can write at a higher level because you know all about your subject… but should you? Because writing a bestselling non-fiction book is about connecting with your reader, not showing off your experience. If you are open and explain in the Preface that you did start off with a struggle in this area, it actually builds a rapport with the reader much better than if you start “preaching from the top”. You’ll notice I said book’s reader (not readers)… this is because it’s much easier to bring out your true writer’s voice when thinking of one…
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Writing Habits with AI
Book Writing

There’s No Money in Books! Publishing for Profit

Just today someone said to me emphatically, “My friend wrote a book but he said there isn’t a lot of money in writing books.”  That’s true… Crikey thinks so.  (Article here) Author of ‘Fat, 40 and Fired!’ Nigel Marsh told me in confidence that traditional publishing doesn’t pay enough of itself. Luckily he has a sense of humour and can consult. But of course, you’re missing the point (as I said but more politely). The reason to write a book for business is COMPLETELY different to just doing it for satisfaction. And that is… drum roll… to educate new people in your way of thinking and draw them in like bees to your business flowers. So, if your business is “flower arranging” and you write a book on cash flow, don’t expect that to work for you. Take it from…
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Writing Habits with AI
Book Writing

How to Write and Sell Books to Enhance your Business

Hey Service Provider, would you like to learn how to write and sell information products (including print books, eBooks, video courses, etc) that bring you in royalty income? Sounds good? Before you choose a format (book, CD, video etc), you will have to think about two things: 1) Your intended audience’s media format access. No point sending a CD to people who only own a graphics tablet; they may be able to play it in their car but not their computer. Do executives still read print books or do they mainly download eBooks nowadays? You will have to do your research and go for the likeliest media that is easy to access. 2) The word length or data space. Preview Robert Bly’s book below. On page 45 there is a handy table with Word Length of Different Information Products. It…
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personal branding ideas

How to Capitalise on a New Brand You? Publish!

Hundreds of people went to the ‘Key Person of Influence’ conferences, and read the book. This marked a huge trend towards ‘becoming a visible expert in your niche’. A seminar and some scribbled notes is just the start… now for the real work of brand | pitch | publicise | publish.  So how do we embrace personal branding by publishing a book? Like me, you’ve probably been servicing clients and learning your trade for many years. Perhaps the reason you started this ‘expert’ journey is you wanted to stand out among competitors who do not have the same depth of knowledge or helpful experience. Yet to continue the journey towards an effective Brand You… and a book as a calling card… takes even more dedication than usual. Some of us excuse our inactivity because we’re busy, while others realise that you cannot buy CREDIBILITY,…
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