For the Love of Bringing Books to Life: Write, Publish, and Be Known
Writing Magic: Secrets to Compelling Writing
Once upon a time, a coach I know referred a client to me and–after reading a chapter–I almost told her I didn’t think I could help him. Lucky for both of us, I withheld judgement and agreed to edit one chapter. When he sent me his second chapter, it blew me away. I laughed, I cried and I thanked my lucky stars I hadn’t turned him away. But what could explain the phenomenal leap in the quality of writing? I could only ask… “I studied your feedback from chapter one and applied it. When I say I studied it, I[...]
Can I Really Write a Book? What to Do When Doubt Creeps In
Most people who want to write a book never complete it. Some never start. And one of the biggest reasons is self-doubt. Here are some of the doubts and my responses: Double #1. “I’m not trained as a writer” or the more insidious, “I don’t have an MFA” Guess what? Many of our most famous authors were not “trained” as writers. However, they knew a few secrets: Secret #1: Find a teacher or mentor: You can learn the most important rules of compelling writing in one sitting. Then it’s a matter of practicing them, getting feedback until it becomes[...]
What’s AOL Done to My Huff Po?
I don’t remember seeing an ad pop up (and darken the rest of my screen!) when I click on a link from outside the Huff Po to read an article on the Huff Po. And I don’t remember having an video ad pop up when I click on my first headline. Maybe a minor annoyance, something I have to put up with to read the news and engaging columns and posts by columnists I enjoy. Maybe. But it’s annoying enough that I’ll have second thoughts about clicking on a busy day. I can see my reading habits change already. Yes,[...]
Who Are You Writing For?
Just ask my clients: I’m always beating the drum of “Know who you’re writing for.” If you don’t write for that particular reader, you may alienate the very people you are hoping will buy (and recommend) your book. You want to speak their language. And you don’t want to offend them. You can even picture a particular person (real or imagined) in your mind to help you stay on track. Recently, I received 50 pages of editing from a long-term client along with this note: “I’ve become crystal clear who I am writing to. It’s become so specific. You’ll see[...]
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