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The Business of Self-Publishing

Business & Economics Podcasts

Devoted to the art, craft, science, and business of self-publishing

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United States

Description:

Devoted to the art, craft, science, and business of self-publishing

Twitter:

@jckunzjr

Language:

English


Episodes
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2 Writing Tips to Show Your Non-fiction Readers You Understand Them

2/15/2021
Updated September 24, 2023 Subtitle Easy writing techniques that will help you attract, connect, and hold on to your readers Synopsis Here are two fundamental and powerful non-fiction writing techniques to show your readers that you understand them and their issues. These two writing techniques, along with a hefty dose of sincerity, honesty, and respect for yourself, your subject matter, and the reader, will go a long way to helping you build an audience of readers, followers, and buyers. What You Will Learn 1. You will learn why you need to write in such a way that helps you build an emotional connection with your readers. 2. You will learn how and why you need to talk to your readers and not at them. 3. You will learn how and why you need to convey your enthusiasm to the reader. Introduction You are a small business owner or a sole proprietor. And you write a blog aimed at your audience of current customers and prospective customers. You are using your blog to show the world you are an expert in your field. You are willing to share the experiences and knowledge you have gained during your career. You want your customers and prospects to know that you have the solutions and answers to their problems because you understand them and what they are going through. You are one of them and want to help them succeed. To show your audience all of this is true and that you are for real, there are some simple but powerful ways to prove this to them in your writing. I have compiled two of my favorites here that you can immediately apply to your writing and make it more engaging: Writing Tip # 1. Talk to Your Readers, Not at Your Readers Talking to your audience in their words, terms, phrases, and levels is a very persuasive writing technique. This tip should be easy for you if you are an expert with many years of experience. Speak to your audience, customers, and prospects in such a way that conveys you genuinely want to help them solve their problems and become more successful. You might be an expert, a Ph.D., a professor, a celebrity, and highly successful. But you must never, ever talk down to your audience. For example, do not make yourself sound important by using big or obscure words. Or boast about your most significant accomplishments. You will immediately look insecure and immature. Your audience will be insulted and never come back. It will be challenging to become successful by alienating your audience. You need your audience as much as your audience needs you. You would not be writing if you did not need your audience for whatever personal and professional reasons you might have. Talking in a helpful, friendly, respectful, conversational way goes a long way to getting people to listen to you and trust you. This is how you build an audience of readers, followers, and buyers. Writing Tip # 2. Convey Your Enthusiasm Showing your enthusiasm for the subject matter AND your enthusiasm for sharing and helping your readers is a powerful writing technique. You cannot fake this kind of enthusiasm. Readers can detect nonsense from a mile away. You will lose them forever once they get a whiff of dishonesty. If you do not have this enthusiasm, why are you wasting your time and the reader’s time by writing in the first place? Enthusiasm, excitement, passion for a subject, and wanting to share it to help people are compelling. It will get every reader excited too. They will want to know more about the topic AND you. This mindset is how you build an audience of readers, followers, and buyers. Conclusion Now you have two easy-to-implement writing techniques that will help you attract, connect, and hold on to your readers. These two writing techniques, along with a hefty dose of sincerity, honesty, and respect for yourself, your subject matter, and the reader, will go a long way to helping you build an audience of readers, followers, and buyers.

Duration:00:04:57

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6 Simple Tips for Writing Non-fiction in Plain English

10/12/2020
Updated February 22. 2024 Subtitle A powerful writing technique that will help you build a bigger audience and sell more books Synopsis Writing in “plain English” is a great way to make a good impression on your audience. This technique means writing in a way that makes your message easy to read and understand. It doesn’t matter who your audience or subject matter is. Every audience will benefit from writing that uses plain English. This technique will also help you build a bigger audience and sell more books. Here are my six favorite tips to assist you. What You Will Learn 1. You will learn how to simplify your non-fiction writing to make it easier to understand and remember. 2. You will learn how and why writing in plain English can help you build and retain a broader readership and following. 3. You will learn how and why writing in plain English will make you look more intelligent and your writing more powerful. Introduction Writing in “plain English” is a great way to make a good impression on your audience. This technique means writing in a way that makes your message easy to read and understand. It doesn’t matter who your audience is or what your subject matter is about. Every audience will benefit from writing that uses plain English. And it certainly doesn’t mean talking down to your audience or using baby words. It means writing in a way that gets your message to your intended audience respectfully and appropriately. Your readers will sense this and respect you for it. This behavior and attitude is how you build an audience for your work. Here Are My Six Favorite Tips to Help You Start Writing in Plain English: Tip # 1. Write for Your Audience, Not for You In other words, put your reader first. Always. Writing non-fiction is about providing value to the reader and helping them solve their problems. Their needs come first, not yours. You must speak directly to the reader. You do this by using only appropriate words and concepts for your audience. If you’re writing to show off your smartness, you’ll lose them immediately – and they won’t return. Tip # 2. Avoid Big and Fancy Words This technique doesn’t mean you must use simple words. It immplies that you must use words that are appropriate for your audience. No matter who your audience is or what the subject matter is, you’ll look foolish and insecure if you use big, fancy, ornate words. Using these kinds of words is the fastest way to lose your readers. Don't use them if you sincerely want to help people and be taken seriously as a writer. Tip # 3. Avoid Slang, Jargon, Abbreviations, and Clichés These types of phrases typically don’t help your reader. If, for some reason, you need to use one, you must explain what the term means. Don’t ever assume the reader will know what you’re talking about. It would be unfair and disrespectful of your readers, and they’ll sense that. And you’ll have wasted their time. Tip # 4. Write Short and Clear Sentences Shorter sentences go a long way to making your writing more comfortable to read and understand. Long sentences tend to be confusing and tiring to read. Writing shorter sentences forces you to cut out all the unnecessary words. Try to keep your sentences under 20 words. Tip # 5. Use Contractions Yes, contractions. Such as: “can not” becomes “can’t;” and “will not” becomes “won’t.” They help you sound natural, not like a robot. Not like an insecure “intellectual” trying to impress the reader. But as someone the reader can identify with and believe. Like you’re talking to the reader face-to-face. This technique goes a long way to getting a reader to stay with you. Don’t be afraid to use them. Your readers will appreciate it. Tip # 6. Read It Aloud before Publishing This tip is essential if you ever hope your writing to sound natural. Readers want you to talk to them, not at them. You need to sound like a natural person. One that genuinely wants to help the reader fi...

Duration:00:06:23

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4 Basic Content-Sharing Etiquette-Rules

9/14/2020
Updated February 18, 2023 Subtitle Here are the basic rules of content sharing you need to follow to stay out of trouble and keep your self-respect Synopsis All content creators and authors want their work to be shared. But taking too much information and content from them can become a problem for you and the original author. This sharing is especially true if you take credit for someone else’s work or don’t credit them appropriately. Here are the basic rules, as I see them, you need to follow. What You Will Learn 1. You will learn my four basic rules for sharing another author’s content. 2. You will learn why linking to another author or providing backlinks is imperative. 3. You will learn some of the fundamental ways you should not be claiming the work of others as your own. Introduction Sharing content is expected. The entire internet is about sharing content. If you would like to share, use, or copy the author’s content or work on your website, article, blog post, book, etc., that’s great. It’ll help that author expand their audience and help you and your audience. I’ve made a list of some ways that my content is taken and used without giving me any credit, or not the proper credit, for my work. Many of these offenders don’t even include a backlink to my website. I’m sure many of you have had these same things happen to you, too. Here Are the Basic Rules, as I See Them, You Need to Follow: Content Sharing Etiquette Rule # 1: Use the Author’s Name as They Use It a. You must display the author’s name as they use it on their own online and in-print work. If the author’s name is Joseph C. Smith, Jr., don’t re-write it as Joe Smith. Or as Joe Smithjr. The author has a reason to write his name as he does, and you should respect that. Content Sharing Etiquette Rule # 2: You Must Include a Backlink to the Original Author a. If you share or use another’s online content, such as you might find on their website or blog, a link back to the author’s website or blog is mandatory. Simply including their name is not enough. Backlinks are a significant part of blogging. You want backlinks to your work, and so does the author whose work you use. Content Sharing Etiquette Rule # 3: You Must Notify the Original Author a. Notifying the author is mandatory if you share or use their content in your book, ebook, or print. b. Sending the author an email letting them know you used their content in your book is expected. It is common courtesy and a sign of respect. c. The original author can let readers see how and where his content is shared. This respect is how you succeed as an author, blogger, and businessperson. It’s a win-win-win for all involved. Content Sharing Etiquette Rule # 4: Don’t Put Your Name on Something You Didn’t Create a. You cannot re-post an author’s content and add your name as a co-author. b. You cannot re-post an author’s content, then delete their name and sign your name to it, claiming it is your work. c. You cannot re-arrange the paragraphs and then claim the original author’s work as yours. d. You cannot re-post an author’s content, word-for-word, and then claim it as your work by simply changing the title. e. You cannot re-post an author’s content word-for-word, add a few paragraphs, and then claim it as your work. All of these are outright stealing and copyright infringement. Doing any of this but adding a backlink to the original author does not make it any less creepy and underhanded. Conclusion These simple rules will help you stay out of trouble and maintain self-respect. These rules will help you build good relationships with content creators and authors. When you show others respect, courtesy, and fairness, they (I should say “many”), in turn, will show you the same. It can, and should be, a win-win for both authors and their respective audiences. Questions to Think About 1.

Duration:00:06:00

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5 Selfishly Great and Satisfying Reasons to Write a Non-fiction Book

7/13/2020
Updated January 18, 2023 Subtitle Sharing your skills, knowledge, and experiences will improve your life in surprising ways Synopsis You should write non-fiction if you like to help people improve their lives, careers, businesses, and relationships - by teaching, inspiring, and sharing your knowledge and experiences. Here is a short list of my favorite reasons why you should write and sell non-fiction books. What You Will Learn 1. You will learn why writing non-fiction is a great way to help satisfy your own needs and wants. 2. You will learn five great reasons why you should write non-fiction. 3. You will learn about stumbling blocks no longer in your way. Introduction If you like entertaining people, you will probably enjoy writing fiction. But, if you want to help people improve their lives, careers, businesses, and relationships - by teaching, inspiring, and sharing your knowledge and experiences - then you should write non-fiction. From my perspective, we all have an obligation to do this, especially if we like to communicate by writing. And, in the high-tech world we live in today, there are no longer any obstacles preventing us from doing this through self-publishing Here Is a Short List of My Favorite Reasons Why You Should Be Writing and Selling Non-fiction Books: Reason # 1. A Non-fiction Book Can Boost Your Career and Business Even with the massive proliferation of self-publishing, having your name on a published book will still impress most people. One of the main reasons to write a non-fiction book is to boost your credibility in the eyes of your current clients, prospective clients, co-workers, and peers. Handing a prospective client your signed book is infinitely more impressive than giving them a business card and a brochure. Credibility is one of the main ingredients to building a great career and business. A well-written non-fiction book will help you achieve that. Reason # 2. More People Buy Non-fiction Books There will always be a demand for non-fiction books. Non-fiction sales numbers have been rising for many years and outpacing fiction. Just walk into any big bookstore, look around, and immediately see that non-fiction takes up almost the entire store. In addition, many book buyers don’t mind paying a higher price for non-fiction books. Reason # 3. Non-fiction Books Help Make the World a Better and More Productive Place You spend your life learning about specific topics. Topics that you have become an expert in. And you get paid for applying that knowledge to help others improve their lives. A non-fiction book will enable you to help thousands more than you could realistically help from your office. Reason # 4. Non-fiction Books Are Easier to Market and Sell This reason is half the battle to building a successful marketing plan. And, it’s essential if you have any hope for sales success. With non-fiction, finding and understanding your target audience is much easier. And, as a bonus, non-fiction books generally have a very long shelf life. If appropriately written, your book will make you money for a long time. Reason # 5. Non-fiction Books Aren’t Overly Difficult to Write Although nothing is easy to write, especially for publication, you are probably writing about topics you already have knowledge, understanding, and expertise in. Or, at the very least, a topic you have a great enthusiasm for and interest in. And, if you look at writing your non-fiction book not as one gigantic project but as many little goals that you can achieve one at a time, you’re more likely to finish writing it. So, with some planning, research, an outline, and some perseverance, the process will be a great learning experience for you and an enjoyable one. Conclusion You must share your knowledge, understanding, and expertise to be viewed as a leader in your field. Don’t be afraid to share your unique skills, knowledge, and experiences.

Duration:00:05:47

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Book Review: The Public Domain Publishing Bible

5/11/2020
This is an easy to read and comprehensive guide on how to republish public domain books to get started as a self-publisher. Heavy emphasis on starting and running a self-publishing company on a very tight budget. Plenty of practical advice and resources for doing this. Nagy also discusses how, what, and why he republished books that are in the public domain.

Duration:00:05:38

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How to Create a One-Minute Book Promo Video in 4 Easy Steps

4/13/2020
Updated September 7, 2023 Subtitle You can make a professional-looking book promo video with some research, patience, practice, and persistence Synopsis My main goal is to share how I create my book promo videos so you can see the basic steps involved. You can make a professional-looking book promo video with research, patience, practice, and persistence. What You Will Learn 1. You will learn the four basic steps to create a simple book promo video for your book. 2. You will learn exactly how I do it for the books that my wife and I self-publish. 3. You will learn which software I use and where I post the completed video. Introduction My main goal is to share how I create my book promo videos so you can see the basic steps involved. I try to keep the process simple. I always aim to take a complicated process, make it as simple as possible, and still produce a quality product. And with patience and practice, I will improve each time I create one of these little videos. And hopefully, sell a few more books in the process. Here is a quick run-down of the four main steps I follow to make my introductory 1-minute book promo videos: Step # 1. Create a PowerPoint deck Step # 2. Export deck to .jpeg Step # 3. Import .jpeg’s to iMovie Step # 4. Convert iMovie to mp4 Done. Here is a list of the software programs that I utilize to produce my promo videos: 1. Microsoft PowerPoint for Mac, ver. 16 2. Apple iMovie, ver. 10 3. Adobe Illustrator 2020 4. Adobe Photoshop 2020 Software Notes: a. Microsoft PowerPoint I bought as a package of an entire suite of Microsoft products called Microsoft Office 365 Home, which has an annual fee to use. b. Apple iMovie is a free download from the Mac App Store. c. The Adobe programs are part of Adobe Creative Cloud for which I pay a monthly fee. I upload my videos to the following websites: (For this book, it is to my wife’s pages.) Website # 1. My YouTube page Website # 2. My book’s webpage (on the book’s main page, and on the Media Kit page for that book) Website # 3. My Twitter page Website # 4. My Facebook page Here is a more detailed look at the steps that I follow to create my promo videos: Step # 1. Create slide presentation in PowerPoint The general rule for making PowerPoint slides is to keep them simple, short, and concise. ACLS QA book PowerPoint screen shot Step # 2. Add a .jpeg picture of your book’s cover, and your headshot Ensure they are clear, easy to see and read, high-quality photos. Step # 3. Add text to each slide Again, do not overdo it. Keep it simple, with lots of white space. Step # 4. Save as a PowerPoint presentation .pptx This PowerPoint now completes step 1. Step # 5. Export slides as .jpeg Save them in the same folder as the PowerPoint deck/presentation that you just made. Step # 6. Import/drag/drop all of those .jpeg slides into new iMovie Create a new movie and drag and drop all those .jpeg slides you just made into the movie timeline. Step # 7. Drag/drop music/audio onto the timeline iMovie has a small library of music already included. You choose which one you like and drag and drop it onto the movie timeline. And then adjust the music's length to fit the video's length. ACLS QA book iMovie screen shot Step # 8. Share to file as a 1080p, and then as mp4 This step is accomplished from within the iMovie program. Step # 9. Upload to internet I first uploaded the new video for this book to my wife's YouTube page. After the upload, I go to the “share” button on her YouTube page and take that link to place the video on our book website, my Twitter page, and my wife's Facebook page. # 10. Done Completed, finished, over with, concluded, ended, period. Conclusion I know that this was a rapid overview of the process. And, if you have never used any of this software, the process will seem overwhelming, confusing,

Duration:00:08:36

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Strippable Books vs. Non-Strippable Books: A Self-Publisher’s Guide

3/12/2020
Updated January 2, 2023 Subtitle Understanding the terminology of the book publishing industry can help us become better and more successful at self-publishing Synopsis Understanding the terminology, jargon, terms of art, vocabulary, and slang, of the book publishing industry can only help us become better and more successful at self-publishing. Here is a discussion of the terms “strippable” and “non-strippable” as they relate to printed books and their covers. What You Will Learn 1. You will learn the physical differences between a book considered strippable and one not. 2. You will learn why a particular book is considered strippable. 3. You will learn who is affected by these designations. Introduction Most of us involved with self-publishing will never need to deal with books that are strippable or not. But, despite that fact, we still need to understand the book industry. Understanding the terminology, jargon, terms of art, vocabulary, and slang, of the book publishing industry, can only help us become better and more successful at self-publishing. Here is a discussion of the terms “strippable” and “non-strippable” as they relate to printed books and their covers: Strippable Defined “Strippable” means that a book’s cover can be torn off, or stripped off, by the book retailer or distributor and then sent back to the book publisher for a credit or refund. The publisher tells the book retailers and distributors which books it will allow being stripped and which cannot. Each publisher has rules and guidelines about which books can be stripped. Stripping off the cover of a book and sending the cover back to the publisher without the body of the book will significantly reduce postage costs. It’s much less costly to send back a bunch of book covers than an entire box of books. The bookseller then destroys the book once the cover is stripped off. Title page of a mass-market paperback book. The paragraph in the middle discusses the cover and what happens when a book is stripped. Non-strippable Defined “Non-strippable” books are the opposite of “strippable.” “Non-strippable” means that a book cannot be returned to the publisher for a credit or refund unless the book is complete, with the cover intact. Who Is Involved With, Concerned About, and Affected By, Stripping Books? Stripping books is something self-publishers will never need to be involved in. Strippable and non-strippable books are something that large publishers, book distributors, and retail bookstores are engaged in. Strippable BookThe large publishers are forced by the retailers and distributors to accept returns. Retailers feel that it's too risky for them to put a book in their stores without having the option of sending the book back for a credit or refund. Distributors feel that it’s too risky to receive many thousands of copies of a book from a publisher without having the option of sending the books back for a credit or refund. The large publishers accept returns because they depend on the book retailers and distributors for their financial survival. As small self-publishers, we generally don’t want our books in bookstores and should not want them. Having your book displayed at a bookstore might be good for your ego but not for your bank account. Once you get involved with self-publishing, you’ll quickly learn that bookstores are the worst place to display and sell your books – and doing so can very promptly bankrupt your little publishing company. Mass-market paperback on the left side, with the triangle and the letter S indicating that the book is strippable; Trade paperback on the right side with triangle with no letter S indicating that the book is not strippable. Also, notice the price and size differences. In addition, the mass-market book has a UPC barcode; and the trade has a Bookland/EAN barcode. The “S” designates that that book is strippable.

Duration:00:06:29

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Book Review: Now All We Need Is a Title

2/10/2020
This book is an ". . . an anecdotal account of how some of the most well-known book and play titles come to be. It is not meant to be a comprehensive compendium of every catchy title, but rather a lighthearted look at a struggle that has bedeviled writers for centuries.”

Duration:00:04:43

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10 Tips for Memorizing Information the Smart and Easy Way

2/3/2020
Updated September 5, 2023 Subtitle Memorization is a necessary first step to learning Synopsis Memorization is the fixing of information into your memory through sheer repetition. It is a necessary first step in learning. Memorizing the fundamental terms and concepts of a complex or new topic will provide a strong foundation for a deeper understanding of the more difficult concepts that will follow with additional study. What You Will Learn 1. You will learn what memorization is and why it is vital to learning. 2. You will learn ten tips to help set up an easy-to-follow studying system. 3. You will learn about mnemonics and how quickly you can create them. Introduction Memorization is the fixing of information into your memory through sheer repetition. It is a necessary first step in learning. Memorizing the fundamental terms and concepts of a complex or new topic will provide a strong foundation for a deeper understanding of the more difficult concepts that will follow with additional study. Learning a giant, complicated, or utterly new subject might initially seem overwhelming. We have all been there before. And most of us get through it ok. My wife Michele and I teach many healthcare professionals each year. Most are expected to quickly recall hundreds of essential dosages, formulas, and rules while dealing with stressful situations. We have learned that memorization is the fastest and most practical way to get our students started on their path to becoming great at their jobs. Memorization, schooling, self-study, continuing education classes, online training, on-the-job training, in-house classes, and mandatory certifications all play a part in becoming very successful at almost anything. Here is a list of our favorite tips to memorize a topic and its essential facts: Tip # 1. Break the Material Down into Smaller Parts Smaller bits of information will be much easier for your brain to hold onto. Make several lists. Work on memorizing these lists. Memorize a few facts, and then learn a few more. Tip # 2. Study in Short Periods over a Long Period Short bursts of study, fifteen or thirty minutes at a time, are much better and more productive than sitting there and studying for sixty or ninety minutes. For example, when sitting in a doctor’s waiting room, take out your study cards and read them. These short bursts of study periods can be very productive. Constantly doing this over many months is the surest way to get the information into your long-term memory. Tip # 3. Review the Material Frequently You must review the material frequently to get the new information from your short-term memory into your long-term memory. The more complex the topic, and the less previous knowledge you have for an issue, the more frequently you must review the material. Some nights, you should do a complete study session on a subject. On the other nights, you can do a quick review. But always try to touch that subject at least once every twenty-four hours. Tip # 4. Do Not Cram Cramming is usually useless. Learning a new or complex topic takes days, weeks, months, and years, not minutes. It takes a lot of time to process information correctly. Tip # 5. Use Mnemonic Devices, Catchy Puns, and Phrases Mnemonics are a great memory device to help you memorize complex information. Here is one I created to remember the stages of shock: “Not His lucky CHARMS.” Neurogenic, Hemorrhagic, Cardiogenic, Hypovolemic, Anaphylactic, Respiratory, Metabolic, Septic. You can create a mnemonic from a phrase, rhyme, or sentence. Tip # 6. Teach the Information to Another Person This tip is probably one of the surest ways to force yourself to learn a topic thoroughly. Get a family member, friend, or co-worker to sit and let you explain a subject to them. Have them ask you questions and put you on the spot for an understandable answer. Do not just talk to the person.

Duration:00:08:20

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The Importance of Sincerity When Writing Non-fiction

1/27/2020
Updated December 27, 2022 Subtitle Sincerity will help you build a following of readers that will respect you and what you do, which will help you sell more books Synopsis Sincerity is crucial to all of us because it helps build trust. And faith is one of the fundamental building blocks to developing a lasting and rewarding relationship. Non-fiction writers need to display sincerity with their words. Readers can sense this and reward writers they trust by following them, reading their articles, and buying their books. Here is a short discussion on the importance of writing with sincerity. What You Will Learn 1. You’ll learn why sincerity is vital to non-fiction writing. 2. You’ll learn how to define and understand sincerity. 3. You’ll learn about the critical connection between sincerity and tone in your writing. Introduction Sincerity is crucial to all of us because it helps build trust. And faith is one of the fundamental building blocks to developing a lasting and rewarding relationship. Non-fiction writers need to display sincerity with their words. Sincerity, honesty, and respect for the subject matter and the reader are essential to building up a tribe of followers, readers, and buyers. One of the main ways non-fiction writers display sincerity is by being transparent, straightforward, and honest with their readers. Readers can quickly sense this and reward writers they trust by following them, reading their articles, and buying their books. Your writing voice, and the connection you make with your reader, are heavily influenced by your sincerity for the subject matter, your desire to help the reader, and the tone you use when you write. Here are three terms you must understand in order to write with sincerity: Term # 1. Writing voice refers to when your writing reflects your personality and characteristics. The tone you use helps reveal how you feel about the topic you are writing about and how you think about the reader. Your writing voice will help your readers understand and connect with you emotionally. Term # 2. Sincerity means having no pretense, deceit, or hypocrisy. And, for example, being honest, genuine, truthful, open, transparent, and candid with the reader. Sincerity should never be faked or feigned because, for your readers to believe what you’re writing about, they must genuinely believe that you’re being honest with them. To write with sincerity, you must first respect yourself, the subject matter, and, more importantly, the reader. Once you lose the reader’s respect, they’ll never come back to you to read your articles, or buy your books, ever again. Readers, especially today, can detect hypocrisy a mile away. Term # 3. Tone: reflects your attitude toward your subject matter AND your attitude toward the reader and will significantly influence how your readers interpret your message. Tone refers to your perspective, such as formal, informal, ironic, serious, sophisticated, comedic, sarcastic, sad, dark, or cheerful. Conclusion Sincerity is one of the fundamental building blocks to developing trust between you, the writer, and your readers. One of the main ways non-fiction writers display sincerity is by being transparent, straightforward, and honest with their readers. Your writing voice helps convey your seriousness and attitude toward the subject matter and your sincere desire to help the reader. All of this will help you build a following of readers that will respect you and what you do, which will help you sell more books. Questions to Think About 1. What specific techniques have you used to improve your writing voice? 2. What are some changes you’ve made to your writing tone?

Duration:00:04:51

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The Top Reasons Non-fiction Books Do Not Achieve Success

1/13/2020
Updated February 2, 2023 Subtitle This list can help you make profitable changes to your book Synopsis Why is my non-fiction book not selling more copies? Why is my book a failure? Why do I feel unsuccessful as a self-publisher? The answer is not always as obvious as it might seem at first glance. The results of this survey might help you reassess your book. What You Will Learn 1. You will learn what steps you can take to fix your book and improve its sales. 2. You will learn how to define success for you and your book. 3. You will learn how and why introspective thinking about your book is essential to its success. Introduction Why is my non-fiction book not selling more copies? Why is my book a failure? Why do I feel unsuccessful as a self-publisher? These common questions can sometimes be challenging to answer. And the answer is not always as simple as it might seem at first glance. But there is hope for you and your book to achieve success. Take a Hard Look at Yourself and Your Book If your book is barely making any sales compared to other books in its sales category, you can make several powerful and practical changes to help improve your sales. But they all involve some introspective thinking about your book and will involve some hard work. The Fix Is Within Reach The list of reasons given here will help you to re-evaluate your book and everything you are doing to sell it. This list covers the most common reasons a non-fiction book isn’t selling or gaining any traction with an audience. How Do I Define Success? We can have a personal definition of financial success, one for personal success, one for business success, etc. And each one will be a bit different. But I believe that most of us writing non-fiction books are trying to achieve two primary, fundamental, overarching, basic goals: Goal # 1. Financial Return Some amount of financial return for the hard work we put into creating and publishing our books; and, Goal # 2. Critical Acclaim We all want critical acclaim for ourselves and our books from our peers, co-workers, readers, family, customers, clients, etc. The Top Reasons Non-Fiction Books Do NOT Achieve Success Reason # 1: No market need: Is there an actual need for the information in your book? Is there a solid audience who can benefit from your book? If not, you will not sell any books. Reason # 2: Weak solutions/value: What unique insights do you have that can help others find answers to their questions and problems? Standard cookie-cutter solutions won’t help you sell more books. Reason # 3: Unattractive cover: A cover that looks unprofessional, amateurish, and unthoughtful will turn off book buyers. They will lose respect for you even before they open your book. Reason # 4: Written for wrong audience: You must understand your audience before writing your book. If you don’t, your text will be confusing, help no one, and sales will suffer. Reason # 5: Not enough marketing: Marketing is more about reaching out to a particular audience and showing them you have the answers and solutions to their problems. It’s less about the quantity of money that you spend on advertising to an overly broad market. Reason # 6: Weak social media: At the very least, you need one central place to show your audience you are one of them, you understand them, and you have solutions for them. You only need one or two good outlets to reach your core audience. A website or video channel, for example. Reason # 7: Weak author platform: Whichever social platform you choose, you must commit to it and make it great. Having too many author platforms and not maintaining them is a total waste of time. Reason # 8: Confusing title: For non-fiction, your main title must grab them quickly. It’s your subtitle that tells them what your book is all about. Reason # 9: Not using an editor: Nowadays, it’s not difficult to find a book editor that has some knowledge and expe...

Duration:00:10:53

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Repurposing Blog Posts: For Maximum Impact, Exposure, and Income

10/14/2019
Synopsis Here is an explanation of the process, or steps, involved in repurposing your blog posts into a saleable, money-making, format. It’s not a quick or easy way to make money from your blog posts. But, it is an interesting and practical way to take your blogging to a whole new level. What You Will Learn 1. You'll learn some easy ways to enhance your blog posts by repurposing content. 2. You'll learn about the “value-added add-ons” that I create from my blog posts. 3. You'll learn how creating quality blog posts can help you build credibility and make money too. Introduction Here is an explanation of the process, or steps, involved in repurposing your blog posts into a saleable, money-making, format. It’s not a quick or easy way to make money from your blog posts. But, it's an interesting and practical way to take your blogging to a whole new level. Enhancing your blog posts, and repurposing them into a saleable format, can really help you reach a much larger audience. Reaching a larger audience means that you and your writing can help a lot more people achieve success. This is the real reason that you write in the first place. And, you can make some money doing it too. It’s a win-win situation. Step 1. Build An Amazing Blog Post It all starts with one blog post. One beautifully written, well-thought-out, easy-to-read, and very helpful, blog post. And, as long as you're providing high-quality content, you will be building credibility with your reading audience. This is essential if you plan on building an audience that will buy your products and services. Ok, so now you have a great blog post. There are a few things that you can add to your blog post to help make it more impactful with your readers. These same things will also help make your post stand out from the crowd of other bloggers. I call these things “value-added add-ons.” They can be such things as a tweetable quote, an infographic, offer a free PDF of the post, provide an audio podcast, and a video. (Many of my posts get these, but the videos are in the works right now.) They are “value-added” because they are enhancing my post by making it easier for my audience to read, understand, and remember it. And, because some people prefer to read the post, some to visualize with an infographic, some to get a free PDF, some to listen to a podcast, and some to watch a video, I provide my audience with these additional sources. I provide all of these “add-ons” to my post to make it more accessible and impactful to a wider audience. I do this because I think of each and every blog post as a product that I'm selling. But, in this case, not for money, but for credibility with my audience. Essentially, I'm selling myself. I need and want my audience to take my information and use it to their advantage. I'm also trying to make the information in my blog post as helpful as possible - to as many people as possible. Those “add-ons” are a great way for me to get my point across to my readers. I also enjoy creating those add-ons. They force me to fine-tune my message and make it as clear as possible for my readers. If you can’t get your message across to your readers as quickly and clearly as possible, you risk losing credibility and helping no one. All of the value-added add-ons I talked about above are being created by repurposing the content within that very same blog post. So, from one blog post, you will be able to: 1. Create a tweetable quote that can be used on Twitter; 2. Create an infographic that can be shared on your blog as well as on SlideShare; 3. Create a PDF of the post that can be given to readers in exchange for their email address; and, 4. Create an audio recording that can be repurposed as a podcast episode. (I’m sure you can think of some other interesting and clever add-ons to enhance your blog posts. Please let me know.) Now, let’s take all of that one step further,

Duration:00:08:13

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5 Easy Steps to Repurposing Your Blog Post into an Audio Podcast

9/12/2019
Synopsis Repurposing your blog post is one of the smartest and easiest ways to spread your message to a wider and more varied audience. The more people that see it and read it, the more that will benefit from it, and you will sell more books. With these 5 steps, you can easily and quickly take that same written post, and change it into an audio podcast. What You Will Learn 1. You will learn the quickest and easiest way to repurpose your blog post into a podcast. 2. You will learn what equipment and software you will need to create your podcast. 3. You will learn how to reformat your blog post into a podcast script. Introduction Repurposing your blog post is one of the smartest and easiest ways to spread your message to a wider and more varied audience, and get your name and work in front of many more people. You worked really hard at creating a high-quality and informative blog post. It probably took you days or weeks to perfect it. After all that work, you want as many people as possible to see it, and become more familiar with your work. The more people that see it and read it, the more that will benefit from it, and you will sell more books. Now, with these 5 steps, you can easily and quickly take that same written post, that is sitting on your blog, and change it into another format - an audio podcast – and share it with an entirely new audience. Here they are: Step 1. Choose Your Blog Post to Record Not every single blog post is going to be a perfect candidate for an audio podcast. A blog post that is simply a list of items, or simply a few thoughts that you're sharing with your readers, are probably not worthy of a podcast. You might also want to start with one of your better or more popular posts. A post that is truly representative of your blog’s main subject matter is also a great place to start. Step 2. Reformat Your Blog Post Into A Script Since your blog posts were probably written for readers, not listeners, you will need to adjust your text to sound more natural when spoken out loud. Begin this process by simply reading your post out loud and listening to how the words flow. The trick is to make the text sound as natural and flowing as a conversational speech. I have realized that writing my blog posts with the idea of using them as an audio podcast recording script, has forced me to write in a more natural-sounding way. This has made my posts easier for my readers to read and understand. My podcasting equipment set up in my home office. Step 3. Get A Microphone and Software A. Microphone You must purchase a good microphone. This doesn’t mean an expansive mic. But, it should be a condenser mic with a small stand to hold it steady. Also, get a foam wind-screen / pop-screen for the mic. Start your search for these on Amazon. B. Software The best place to start is Apple GarageBand. It's very inexpensive, very easy to learn how to use, and comes with music that is free to use for your intro and outro. Apple sells this for Mac and Windows. My podcasting assistant is always listening to me, and very quick to give me practical advice. Step 4. Record Your Podcast and Add Intro and Outro A. Record the Blog Post a. Start your recording in a nice quiet room. Make sure everything around you is turned off. The air-conditioner, the dehumidifier, the ceiling fan, the television in the next room. b. Speak in a relaxed, natural, and conversational fashion. The ends of your sentences should not be a rising or falling volume of your voice. c. Make sure you pause after the commas and periods. B. Record Intro and Outro a. Record a quick intro to your blog post. b. Add a little music during or after the intro. c. Record a quick outro at the end to conclude your post. d. Add a little music during or after the outro. The basic outline of my podcast. Step 5. Upload Podcast and Connect to Blog Post a. From inside GarageBand convert your podcast to .mp3.

Duration:00:06:16

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Benefits vs. Features: A Crucial Key to Selling More Books

7/15/2019
Updated December 26, 2022 Subtitle If you cannot explain the benefits and features of your book, the readers will not buy it Synopsis One of the biggest marketing mistakes we non-fiction authors can make is confusing the benefits and features that readers will get if they buy our book. And at first glance, it might seem a little challenging to understand the differences – especially if you’re writing a book for the first time. So, here is a quick explanation to help you understand the fundamental differences between a book’s benefits and features. What You Will Learn 1. You will learn how to define your book’s benefits. 2. You will learn how to define your book’s features. 3. You will learn how and why benefits and features work together to help you sell more books. Introduction One of the biggest marketing mistakes we non-fiction authors can make is confusing the benefits and features that readers will get if they buy our book. And at first glance, it might seem a little challenging to understand the differences – especially if you’re writing a book for the first time. And, if you, the author, don’t understand how to explain the benefits and features of your book, the reader/buyer will undoubtedly be confused – which means they won’t buy your book. So, here is a quick explanation to help you understand the fundamental differences between a book’s benefits and features. A. What Are Benefits? Benefits are what the readers will get out of reading your non-fiction book. In other words, the end results from reading your book. Think about a product (your book) that produces beneficial results that promote a person’s (the reader’s) well-being. Your book’s benefits are the value the readers will receive by applying your advice to their problems. Your book MUST convey your information and advice so the reader can apply it to their situation and problems. If they can do this, they will view your book as a significant value. The readers will consider the MONEY they paid for your book and the TIME they invested as well spent, but only if they benefited from reading it. Some common examples of a non-fiction book’s benefits: 1. They will learn specific steps to solve a problem that they want to fix (the main reason that they bought your book in the first place) 2. They will learn how you, the author, fixed your own problems 3. They will learn how other people with the same problem fixed it and improved their lives, careers, relationships, business, etc. 4. Spend less time on problem-solving, and more time on making money 5. Learn how to lose 30 pounds in 30 days 6. Learn how to get five more clients in the next 30 days 7. Learn how to turn your hobby into a profitable business 8. How to fix your failing business, marriage, partnership, career, etc. 9. How to start a new business 10. How to help a family member that has Alzheimer’s disease Obviously, this list could go on forever. But you get the idea. And now you can easily define what your book’s benefits are - or should be. B. What Are Features? Features are the things that your non-fiction book has in it. In other words, your book's attributes, design, and appearance. Think about a product’s (your book) structure and appearance that a reader (buyer) can look at and compare to other books. Your book’s features can go a long way to helping a book buyer choose your book over all the others. Your book’s features can and should, if appropriately developed, give you a competitive advantage over other books covering the same subject matter. They can help differentiate your book from the others. Some common examples of a non-fiction book’s features: 1. Interviews 2. Checklists 3. Annotated bibliography 4. Large print 5. A famous person wrote the foreword 6. Lots of graphs and graphics 7. Questionnaires 8. Many real-world examples 9. Charts 10. Images Obviously, this list could go on forever.

Duration:00:06:39

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Understanding Your Reader’s Needs and Wants Can Lead To Higher Book Sales

3/14/2019
Updated January 22, 2023 Subtitle Needs versus wants in non-fiction book marketing Synopsis Your needs and wants, as an author, can be surprisingly and distinctly different than those of your readers. But, once you realize these differences between you and the reader, you can focus on truly understanding your reading audience and their needs and wants. So, here is a short discussion to help you define and understand what your reading audience needs and wants in their own life, which has led them to you and your non-fiction book. What you Will Learn 1. You will learn why your needs and wants don’t necessarily coincide with those of your readers. 2. You will learn why you must ask yourself the right questions to understand your readers. 3. You will learn how and why understanding the needs and wants of your audience will make you stand out from the crowd and thereby help you sell more books. Introduction: There Is Great Value in Understanding Your Reader Your needs and wants, as an author, can be surprisingly and distinctly different than those of your readers. What we non-fiction authors need and want within our own lives and what our readers need and want within their own life can sometimes be a far cry from each other. But, once you realize this difference, you can focus on understanding who your reading audience is, their needs and wants, and what motivates them. So, here is a short discussion to help you start to define and understand what your reading audience needs and wants in their own life, which is what has led them to you and your non-fiction book: A. NEEDS (Functional Needs) Of Your Readers Your readers (book buyers) have a functional need they are trying to satisfy when looking for a book that can help them improve their quality-of-life issues. This need might include finding out how to start a business. Or how to solve a business problem, such as finding more clients. The list of specific quality-of-life issues we all need help and guidance with is endless. You, the author, have expertise in a few of these issues. Your job is to help your readers with one particular quality-of-life issue they seek help with. By talking to your customers and clients, prospects, students, patients, co-workers, employees, friends, and family and doing an in-depth search on Amazon, you will begin to hear and see the most common quality-of-life issues people are searching for answers to. Some problems will be simple and easy to discuss, and others will be much more complicated. Your job as an author is to provide practical and easy-to-understand solutions to the reader that they can apply to their situation. B. WANTS (Emotional Needs) Of Your Readers Your readers (book buyers) also have an emotional need, or desire, that they are trying to satisfy. This want might include feelings of joy that develop after completing a project, starting a new business, helping a new client succeed, or helping a student pass an exam, for example. The list of emotional needs that people desire is also endless. You are helping your readers achieve, satisfy, or find the answers to the functional needs that led them to buy your book in the first place. And you will also be helping them achieve the wants or emotional needs they are trying to satisfy. The readers might have first sought you out, visited your blog, and purchased your book based on their functional needs. Their drive to experience or satisfy their emotional needs led them to you for help in finding answers to their functional needs in the first place. Conclusion: Bringing It All Together for Success It must be a win-win relationship between you and your readers When you write your non-fiction book, you must remember that needs and wants are inseparable. When a reader is searching for help, advice, guidance, and answers for a problem in their own life, they’re not thinking about their pain as a needs and wan...

Duration:00:07:02

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Successful Non-fiction Authors Do Not Confuse Empathy with Sympathy

12/13/2018
Updated February 16, 2023 Subtitle Having genuine and honest empathy for your audience is one of the keys to success as a non-fiction author Synopsis Even though empathy and sympathy both involve your feelings about your readers, they refer to two distinctly different emotions. As an author, book marketer, and emotionally mature adult trying to help people, you must genuinely understand the difference. Here is a short discussion about the importance of empathy and how it relates to your book sales. What You Will Learn 1. You will learn the difference between empathy and sympathy. 2. You will learn why understanding the difference will help you sell more books. 3. You will learn why empathy can help you create a great book. Introduction Do you genuinely understand for whom you are writing? And not in a superficial way. Knowing is the difference between building a devoted audience of followers, readers, and book buyers you help AND your time, words, and efforts being wasted and helping none. The difference is that empathy is a significant ingredient to your success as an author. Successful Non-fiction Authors Do Not Confuse Empathy With Sympathy Even though empathy and sympathy both involve your feelings about your readers, they refer to two distinctly different emotions. As an author, book marketer, and emotionally mature adult trying to help people, you must genuinely understand the difference. Here is a short discussion of empathy and sympathy to get us started: Definition # 1. Empathy: refers to your ability to “walk in your reader’s shoes.” You’re trying to get into their heads and understand their reality, feelings, and motivations. The more intimate knowledge or understanding you have about their reasons, questions, confusions, and desires, the more you and your book will genuinely help them find what they need and want. Deep down, you must know your audience and can’t fake it. Definition # 2. Sympathy: refers to the compassion, sorrow, or pity you have for your readers. Empathy and sympathy typically go together. With sympathy, you might have compassion for your readers, but you don’t know what it is like to honestly and sincerely “walk in your reader’s shoes.” And sympathy might have been an initial motivating factor to get you to write your book. But simply having sympathy with your readers does nothing to help them find answers and solutions. And sympathy alone certainly won’t help you sell more books. You might ask yourself, “How can empathy for my readers improve my book sales?” Empathy can be shown for the readers, and can improve book sales at the same time, in two easily achievable ways: 1. Having Empathy BEFORE You Write Developing empathy for your reading audience before you write your book forces you to think precisely about who you are writing for. Who are you trying to help? Who can you relate to? Identifying your reading audience is imperative if you ever hope to build an audience that wants to listen to you and read your books. Zeroing in on this specific group of people and building an audience who knows what you write about, what you are about personally, what knowledge you have, and how generous you are with your knowledge will help you to build an audience that will continue to grow over the long-term. This targeting is how you create a continuous income stream from your writing. 2. Having Empathy WHILE You Write When writing non-fiction to share your knowledge and experiences with readers, you must have empathy for those readers. If you do, the readers will immediately see and understand that you can relate to them and their problems. The readers will realize you are striving to help them improve their situations. This realization helps them to make an emotional connection with you. And it leads to a more devoted audience of followers, readers, and book buyers. Conclusion I believe that most people go into writing non-...

Duration:00:06:35

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5 Surefire Ways to Optimize Your Book’s Sell Sheet

9/20/2018
Updated December 10, 2022 Synopsis To become or remain financially successful as a self-publisher, you must be able to quickly and effectively get your marketing message to your book-buying audience. Your book’s sell sheet is an excellent tool to do this. The sell sheet is a perfect marketing tool for offline AND online marketing – because it’s simple to understand and gets directly to the point. So, here is a short discussion of five specific ways to make your sell sheet a potent marketing tool. What You Will Learn 1. You will learn about the five essential elements you must incorporate into your book’s sell sheet. 2. You will learn how and why these elements are essential for your book’s success. 3. You will learn the five most important ways to optimize your sell sheet so that people want to read it. Introduction To become or remain financially successful as a self-publisher, you must be able to quickly and effectively get your marketing message to your book-buying audience. Your book’s sell sheet is an excellent tool to do this. The sell sheet is a perfect marketing tool for offline AND online marketing – because it’s simple to understand and gets directly to the point. And, as The Professor likes to say, it’s “no fuss, no muss, no waste, no bother” for you or the buyer. (He has many insightful gems like that. I hear them all the time. He has one for every imaginable situation. But he’s a wealthy business genius, so we all listen.) Here Are The 5 Essential Elements To Optimizing Your Sell Sheet: Sell Sheet Optimization Tip # 1: Keep It Simple The genius of a sell sheet is that it’s quick and easy to read. It’s supposed to convey the most important and pertinent information about your book in a short, simple, and obvious format. And it must be appealing to look at and read while doing all of that. All of the information on the sell sheet must only be concerned with your book. No extraneous information is necessary. In other words, don’t oversell or exaggerate. Get to it quickly. You only have about 30 seconds to hold onto the person reading your sell sheet. Use every inch of that sell sheet very wisely. Ask yourself: “What information is necessary to help the buyer find out more about my book or go directly to buying it?” Sell Sheet Optimization Tip # 2: Differentiate Your Book Differentiate yourself, your message, and your book from your competition. You’ve all heard about differentiation a million times before. You know this already. If you didn’t know how to differentiate yourself, your message, and your book from your competition BEFORE you wrote your book, you have much bigger problems that a sell sheet can’t fix. Your message that you want, or need, to share with your reading audience and how you write about it needs to come through on your book’s sell sheet. Look at yourself, your message, and your book from the perspective of your audience, readers, and customers. Now show them how you and your book are different, better, or more insightful for your book’s subject matter than your competition is. Sell Sheet Optimization Tip # 3: Build a Visual Hierarchy By “visual hierarchy,” I mean that the reader’s eyes should first notice the essential item on your sell sheet. This item, text, or photo will probably be the most oversized item on the page. The book’s cover, for example. Or the title of the book near the top of the sell sheet. You should get the idea here. Then their eyes should be drawn to the second most important item on your sell sheet. Maybe this is a word or statement about the book’s subject matter. The text here might be bigger or more colorful than the other text on the page. Then on to the third most crucial information you want the reader to see next. And so on. Typically, these items start at or near the top of the page, where most people first look on paper. And, when viewing on a computer screen, almost always from the top down.

Duration:00:08:25

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Is a Large Platform Critical for an Author’s Success?

3/15/2018
Updated June 1, 2023 Subtitle A platform built on quality, not quantity, will help you build a following that will help you achieve success Synopsis Creating a massive platform with thousands of followers might seem the most obvious way to succeed. But there is more to it than that. A huge email list and Twitter and Facebook following are all great and can be a worthwhile accomplishment to strive for. But the quality of those followers is much more critical for your success. What You Will Learn 1. You will learn why a robust author platform is not always the best or most practical for most self-published authors. 2. You will learn why high-quality email addresses are more important than many. 3. You will learn what you need to do to start building your author platform. Introduction Is a large platform critical for an author's success? The quick answer is no. But the platform must be well-established. In today's new media world, it is not necessarily about the numbers anymore. It is now about engagement with the readers. Whether for a large or micro niche audience, it does not matter anymore. Is the author seen as the go-to person to that audience? Is the author making an emotional connection with them? Is the author getting his audience rallied around a particular niche? Is the author selling books and ebooks to that audience? Is that audience commenting on the author's blog posts? Are they re-posting or re-tweeting those blog posts? These questions will help you understand what it means to have a strong and well-established platform. More Is Not Always Better Because Not All Traffic Is Created Equal Creating a massive platform with thousands of followers might seem the most obvious way to succeed. But there is more to it than that. A huge email list and Twitter and Facebook following are all great and can be a worthwhile accomplishment to strive for. But the quality of those followers is much more critical for your success. But the quality of those followers is what is essential. Especially for those of us (99% of all authors) who do not have the market power and name recognition of massive money authors and mass-media celebrities. The Active Niche vs. The Passive Mass For example, if your email list is mainly composed of those who simply downloaded your ebook because it was free if they gave you their email address, and then they never open your emails again, your email list quality will be shallow. You need to know how to engage with those downloading your free ebook and try to convert them into faithful followers willing to visit your blog repeatedly. Give Them a Reason Not to Cut and Run Your blog posts and emails must give them a reason to keep reading and returning for more. The high-quality followers are the ones that will not unsubscribe after your first email to them. Those who remain on your list and continue to open your emails will stay with you long-term and be more willing to share your blog posts and buy your books. It Is Not about the Numbers Anymore You must never forget that in today's social-media-savvy world, it is more about how the author is interacting with the audience AND how the audience is interacting with the author. It is not so much about the numbers anymore but about the quality of the engagement between the author and his audience. Reach Out and Touch Someone Even if an author has a substantial following but does not know how to sell, talk to his audience, or get that audience rallied around something, the author will not be able to hold onto that audience for the long haul. And book sales will suffer. Conclusion What Do I Do Now to Improve My Author Platform? You do not need to be all over social media. Just start somewhere. Start by focusing on one social-media outlet. Your first outlet should be your blog. Your blog will enable you to focus on your target audience.

Duration:00:07:08

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Do We Write Books for Financial Success or Critical-Acclaim?

11/13/2017
Synopsis Do we write books for profit alone, or to gain favorable approval from others? Or is it a combination of both? Is money more important than fame? Does fame guarantee a stream of income? These questions are a good place to start to understand why we do what we do, and how we can, or should, be defining our own success as self-publishers. What You Will Learn 1. You will learn to look at how you define what success means to you as a self-publisher. 2. You will learn what the difference is between “financial success” and “critical acclaim”. 3. You will learn how and why you can have both at the same time. Introduction Do we write books for profit alone, or to gain favorable approval from others? Or is it a combination of both? Is money more important than fame? Does fame guarantee a stream of income? These questions are a good place to start to understand why we do what we do, and how we can, or should, be defining our own success as self-publishers. How Do I Define Success As A Self-Publisher? I believe that most of us that write and publish books are after two main things. These two can probably be shortened, or simplified, down to “money” and “fame”. I’m sure that you think that there must be countless ways to define success. And, I’m confident there is. We all have our own personal definition of what success means. But, I believe that most of those can be boiled down to the two main categories, or blanket terms, of “money” and “fame. So, here is a very brief definition of each of them: Success Ingredient # 1: Money/Financial Success: Some amount of financial return (money) for the hard work we put into creating and publishing our books; and, Success Ingredient # 2: Fame/Critical Acclaim: Critical-acclaim for ourselves and for our books (fame), from our peers, co-workers, readers, family, etc. Here are my personal definitions of these two terms, from my perspective as a self-publisher: Definition # 1. Financial Success: We all want or need more money. And it would be really nice to be able to develop a steady stream of never-ending income from our books. But, unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of self-publishers make little or no money from self-publishing. And only a few make a decent part-time living doing it. Even fewer make a full-time living at it. But, you must also realize that for most people, making money directly from the book alone is only one of many reasons to get involved with self-publishing. It is not uncommon for a non-fiction book that we have written to help us achieve financial success in other indirect ways. For example, some of us want to self-publish as a way to promote our own business. Some want to advance their career by gaining credibility in their chosen field – and credibility certainly helps bring and hold onto new business. Some might want to build a nice little side-business to supplement their current career or do during retirement. Many of these reasons might be much more important to a self-publisher than making money directly from the sales of their book on Amazon. Nowadays, having a book published is an amazing and powerful way to separate you from the crowd. Despite the fact that it's much easier and less expensive now, more than ever before, most people still don’t make the effort to publish a book. Doing so can give you a nice competitive advantage. Definition # 2. Critical-Acclaim: We all want or need a certain amount of fame. Here I’m using the term “fame” as a blanket term for all types of positive approval, or praise, or good reputation for our professional work, our book, and our ability to help others. As authors, we greatly desire to be seen as highly credible in our book and in our subject matter. We want to be well-known for our trustworthiness and expertise. We need our reading audience and our clients to believe and trust us when we speak. But, don’t make the mistake of thinking that this fame,...

Duration:00:07:46

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The Strategic Advantage of a Credible Book Foreword Author

9/14/2017
Updated January 31, 2023 Subtitle Without credibility, your book will not achieve the critical or financial success you seek Synopsis For a book foreword to give a substantial strategic advantage over other books competing for the same audience, someone with believable credibility should write it. And this credibility must be backed up by a combination of objective and subjective characteristics simultaneously. What You Will Learn 1. You will learn how and why objective and subjective characteristics help a person’s credibility. 2. You will learn about some of these characteristics. 3. You will learn some essential traits of a good foreword author. Introduction For a book foreword to give a substantial strategic advantage over other books competing for the same audience, someone with believable credibility should write it. A combination of objective and subjective characteristics must back up this credibility. We all size up a person by analyzing and weighing these characteristics. These elements work together to build a person’s credibility persona. What Characteristics Help Build Credibility? 1. Objective characteristics (provable facts) such as college degrees, job titles, written books, achievements, awards, membership in specific organizations, etc. 2. Subjective characteristics (gut feelings) such as dynamic character and intelligence, how someone dresses and speaks, how likable they are, their optimism, confidence, how they relate to an audience, and so on. What Makes a Good Foreword Author? Credibility. A good foreword author is considered a known, credible expert in a book's general topic. This person can be a well-established author in the same genre, a well-established and well-known expert, a professor or speaker teaching the same subject, or someone with significant achievements in their work or private life. And they must understand the critical role a book foreword can and must play in a book's overall success. Established Experts Are in Great Demand Well-established, highly accomplished, and credible people are in great demand – by the media, other businesses, and authors like you and me that need a book foreword. They’re also very busy with their books, companies, and projects. The more established a person or expert is in a field, the more likely they get bombarded by requests to write someone’s book foreword or provide a testimonial. As a result, most of the requests will get turned down. For these reasons, getting one of these credible experts to write your book’s foreword will immediately make you and your book stand out from the crowd. Conclusion You must never forget that a book foreword is a marketing tool for your non-fiction book. Even if the book is well written and has an attractive cover, without credibility, the book will not achieve the critical or financial success you seek. A credible foreword author can help you achieve these goals. Therefore, the right person must be found and convinced to write the book foreword. Then, both the book’s foreword author and the book’s author will benefit in many positive ways. Questions to Think About 1. How can you find and convince a “highly credible person” to write your book’s foreword? 2. What advice would you give yourself about finding someone like this for your book?

Duration:00:04:56