Blogger to Author

When you're just getting started, making the decision to write a book is the easy part. What the heck do you do next? It's a big journey to go from “this is something I want to do” to writing an actual book. So, to help you start writing your book, I've put together a list of the first steps you should take on your journey to becoming an author. The steps: Find Your Why Figure Out What Your Book is About Find Your Book's Positioning Find Your Reader Path Write an Outline Write Your Book! Need more help planning your book? Free 5-Step Guide to Creating Your First Book Book: How to Write a Wellness Book (adaptable to any niche)

You've made the smart choice to hire an editor for your book. Now comes the tricky part: finding the perfect person to edit your book. It can be overwhelming to find the right book editor who will take care of your baby and make it the best book possible. Here, you'll learn how to find a book editor for your manuscript who will help you transform it into a book readers will absolutely love. Inside this episode you'll find: Why you should hire a book editor A rundown of the different types of editing Where to look to find the perfect book editor How to choose the right editor from a shortlist of options How much it costs to hire a professional editor Whether amateur editors are a good idea (like your BFF with an English degree) Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/122

I'm going to be completely honest with you: I totally winged it when I wrote my first book, Yoga for Runners. I had an idea of what I wanted to write about and include in my book, but in terms of marketing and launching my book, I made a lot of common self-publishing mistakes. Here, I'll share the biggest mistakes I made with my first book. I see other first-time authors making these errors a LOT, which keeps their books from being as successful as they could be. So, I want to share my biggest book blunders with you so hopefully you can avoid making them, too. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/121

Writing a book is hard work. You spend a lot of time typing away at your computer working to create the best book you can. You pour your heart and soul into your new book, working to fill your vision of a book that changes your readers' lives. When you're wrapped up in a book project, it can be so tricky to decide when it's time to stop and publish. When is it time to stop editing and let go? In this episode, I'll tell you the best way to know when your nonfiction book is done. I'll walk you through a process to help you decide whether you've written enough or you need to add more. Whether you're in a rush to finish writing your book or if you're so stuck on making it perfect that you can't stop editing, this episode will help you find your book's endpoint. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/120 Click here to take the Blogger to Author listener survey!

Although NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) started out as a way for fiction authors to finish the first draft of a novel in a month, it's also a great way for nonfiction authors to write a book, too. If you've been thinking about writing your book but you haven't been able to actually write it, this is a great time of year to get writing! In this episode, I'm sharing my top resources to help you make your NaNoWriMo a big success. I'll tell you the steps that you should take to get ready. Then, I'll help you calculate how much writing you need to do every day to meet your goal of writing your book in a month. Finally, I end with a few tips to help you write efficiently so you can finish your book by the end of November. Show notes coming soon!

One of the major reasons why I have my podcast is to help my listeners avoid making the same mistakes I see so many others make with their self-published books. In this episode, I’m going to focus on one of the biggest mistakes that I think a business owner can make: writing the wrong book for your business. I’ve seen many authors (especially eBook authors) write a book that’s not really the best one to build their business strategically. I don’t want that to be you! So, in this episode, I’ll share a framework with you to help you find the best book (and book topic) for your business. I’m going to give you a series of questions that you should ask for yourself, your business, and your book to make sure that your book is going to have the maximum impact it can on your business. Follow this advice and you’ll understand how to write a book that really will help you grow your business. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/118

Many business owners are tempted to write a book because they see the potential for how that book can help them grow their business. But, sometimes they’re a little unsure exactly what that would look like, or exactly how a book is going to bring in more clients. They’re unsure of the ROI. That’s why I like to bring you stories from authors who have written and published books that really helped them take their businesses to the next level. That’s what I have for you in this episode. I am very thrilled and honored to be featuring an interview with business coach, expert, and #1 bestselling author Christine McAlister. Christine leveraged her self-published book, The Income Replacement Formula: Seven Simple Steps To Doing What You Love And Making Six Figures From Anywhere, to get more visibility, land more clients, and drastically increase her income, too. In our interview, we talk about her writing and publishing process and exactly how she used her book to grow her business and get more clients. You’ll also get some great tips for thinking strategically about your business-building book to make sure your book is successful. If you have a service-based business and you are either thinking about or are currently writing your book, you’re going to get a lot of great tips from this episode. And, I think it will really inspire you to see exactly how a book will help you get more clients and grow your business, which will motivate you to keep writing and actually publish your book. You’re going to get a lot out of this interview! Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/117

What’s the secret sauce to writing a great nonfiction book? Having a plan for a book that brings about a true transformation in your reader’s life. Readers of nonfiction books aren’t looking for fluff—they’re looking to improve their lives in one way or another. If you can help them make a positive change and get closer to a goal or a way they want to live their life, they’re going to love you (and your book) for it. But how do you create that book plan? Today, I’m letting you in on a secret. I’m sharing the core components of my Fast Author Framework™, the process I take all of my private strategy and ghostwriting clients through to create a plan and outline for their books. I’ll walk you through the three steps that you should take to plan and write a great nonfiction book that your readers will absolutely love. If you’re struggling to get clarity on what you should put in your book, or if you’ve started writing but you’re unsure if readers will like your book, this episode will help. Show notes and transcript: bloggertoauthor.com/116

So many writers get inspired for an idea for a book, so they jump in and start writing. I’m all about working off of inspiration, and if you have something to say, by all means, get those words on the page! But, I do think that when it comes to writing a book, it’s smart to do some planning before you get too far into your project. This is particularly true if you’re writing a book that you plan to leverage to grow your business. Before you even start on the outline for your book, you should do some thinking and planning. Just like a plumber would never start installing pipes without seeing a blueprint for a house, you need to have the right vision for your book if you want it to be successful. And, you really need to do some careful planning if you want that book to build your business. In this episode, I’m telling you all about the number one thing you need to know about your business-building book. Specifically, I’m going to help you formulate the right vision for your book so it has the biggest impact on your business. Doing this work will help you write a better book, and it will help you make sure you’re not wasting your time writing the wrong book for your business. Show notes and transcript: bloggertoauthor.com/115

More and more infopreneurs and thought leaders are writing and publishing books. (Yes, bloggers, this includes you, too.) And, they’re doing it for good reason: a book is a great way to expand your authority, credibility, and visibility. It’s also a tool for building a business. In a world where potential clients spend just a few seconds looking at most of your content, a book is a unique opportunity to build a longer, deeper relationship. Unfortunately, many of those authors and authors-to-be make some big mistakes when they’re creating their books. I see so many of them spending time writing a book that isn’t the best complement to their business. Ultimately, their books aren’t as successful as they could have been. And, those books wind up having a much smaller impact on the author’s business. In this episode, I want to share the biggest mistakes I see infopreneur and thought leader authors make with their books (and, more specifically, their self-published books). If you’re writing or thinking about writing a book to build your business, I encourage you to listen carefully. Avoiding these mistakes will help you create a better book that will help you take your business to the next level. Show notes and transcript: bloggertoauthor.com/114

I know many of you are working hard to build a coaching business. Your clients are getting great results, and you’re ready to reach a wider audience with your message. And, you want to help more people improve their lives or businesses through a mass-market product like a book. You can see how a book will help you build authority and visibility, but when you think about what you should actually put in your book, you get stuck. You’re not alone! In this episode, I’m excited to feature an interview with holistic health expert and coach Tess Hanke of Comet Creek Family Wellness. Tess has a successful business helping women overcome fatigue, weight gain and anxiety that accompany emotional exhaustion. Recently, she’s started to write a book that will help her grow her coaching business even more and help establish her as a holistic health expert to a wider audience. In the interview, you’ll hear us talk through how to plan out a book that will help you build your coaching business. You’ll get to dive into my Fast Author Framework™ and create a vision for your book, including what you should write about in your book. And, you’ll learn how to find the right voice to connect with readers and turn them into paying clients. If you’ve been dreaming of writing a book for your coaching business but you don’t know to get started, this episode is for you! Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/113

Are you worried that your nonfiction book isn't any good? You’re not alone! One of the most frequently asked questions I get is, “How do I know if my book is any good?” I know that there’s a lot of fear that your book will be judged and that people won’t like it, especially if you’re self-publishing. But, luckily there are ways to make sure that readers really will like the book you’re putting out into the world. In this episode, I'll tell you what to look for to make sure your book really is good. I’m sharing my best tips based on what I see as a professional copy editor, which I hope will help you avoid the most common writing mistakes I see nonfiction authors make. (These tips also happen to cover some of the most common suggestions I make to my developmental and copy editing clients.) And, I’ll tell you how to get the feedback you need to make sure your book really IS good. Follow these tips and you’ll be well on your way to writing a book your readers will absolutely love. Show notes and transcript: bloggertoauthor.com/112

Self-publishing can be a bit of an enigma when you’re just getting started as an author. In recent years, self-publishing has exploded in popularity, and a lot of preconceived notions about self-publishing have come along with that surge in popularity. You may have heard that your favorite expert self-published a book and you assume that if you just follow the same steps, you’ll have the same level of success. Or, Google or social media might lead you to some bad advice, which can negatively affect your book. In this episode of the podcast, I’m honored to feature an interview with self-publishing expert and hybrid press owner Alexa Bigwarfe. In our interview, Alexa shares what she sees as the most common and biggest misconceptions about self-publishing. We dispel these common myths so you can gain a more accurate understanding of self-publishing and what to expect if you self-publish your book. Whether you’re still trying to decide whether to traditionally publish or self-publish, or if you’re firmly team self-publish, I think you’re going to learn a lot from this episode. So, turn up the volume and enjoy this interview with Alexa. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/111

I know many of you listening are bloggers and content creators who are looking for a way to stand out in a crowded niche. I know firsthand how frustrating it is to spend hours every week producing amazing content for your audience but not seeing any real growth. That’s exactly where I was with my fitness blog before I self-published my first book. Today I’m excited to share an interview and on-air coaching call with Emily Dingmann. Emily is a nutritionist and food blogger who does amazing work, but lately she’s been thinking about self-publishing a cookbook to help take her blog and business to the next level. Writing a book has been on her to-do list, but she’s struggled to figure out what she should write her book about and how to produce it. In this coaching call, I walk Emily through the framework I use to help my clients choose the best topic for a book that will build their business. We talk about how she can use that book to grow different elements of her business, including a membership program that she runs. We also talk about the pros and cons of traditionally publishing vs. self-publishing cookbooks, how long her cookbook needs to be, and how to make sure readers will actually want to buy her cookbook. Even though Emily specifically plans to write a cookbook, there’s still a lot of great information in here for those of you who want to write a nonfiction book for your business that’s not a cookbook. And, if you’ve been struggling to figure out what you should write your book about, I think my discussion with Emily will help you start to plan out the best book topic to build your business. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/110 Get individualized help creating a plan and outline for your book (including finding the right topic) with a Book Mapping Session! You'll walk away with a detailed plan and book outline that will help you stay focused and write your book faster. Learn more here!

You’ve worked really hard to write an amazing book that’s going to completely wow your readers. Then, a really big question sneaks up on you…what are you going to call your book? How do you choose the right title that will instantly make readers want to buy your book and read it? Unfortunately, I see a lot of authors make some big mistakes when it comes to choosing a book title. They come up with a title that they think is amazing, but that title is actually more appealing to the author than it is to readers and shoppers. In these cases, the authors are usually able to sell copies to their immediate audience and fan base, but the book fails to appeal to a wider audience. That means their book is ultimately read by fewer people, and it has less of an impact than it might have if the author had chosen the right title. In this episode, I’ll walk you through the process that I use to help my clients choose a great title for their books. I’ll also tell you how you can figure out what titles will be most appealing so you can sell more books and reach more readers. You’ll learn a simple framework to help you choose the right title for your book, a title that will help your book reach a wider audience. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/109

My number one goal for the podcast is to make it easier for you to create an amazing, successful self-published book that helps you build your authority, credibility, and business. But, in order to write that book, you need to make sure it’s a book that people actually want to read. One way to do that is to talk with your audience and learn what they need help with. However, if you want your book to appeal to a wider audience, you’ll need to do a different kind of market research. If you have a great idea for a book, but you’re not sure if it will sell, this episode is for you. I’m going to tell you all about my favorite tool to see what books are actually selling…and how much money they’re really bringing in. This tool will also help you figure out what readers are looking for so you can write the book that they want to buy. And, it can help you properly position your book so you can make more sales, too. Curious to find out what that tool is? Let’s dive in!   Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/108

When it comes to writing and planning a book, many self-published authors skip an important step: doing the research that’s needed to make their book successful. But, spending a few hours doing a little basic research can really pay off—both figuratively and literally. Authors of high-quality books take the time to do their research and do it right. I know you want your book to be great, too. So, I want to help you learn more about the research you should be doing for your nonfiction book. In this episode, I’ll walk you through the three main types of research that I think you should do for your nonfiction book. The research I’ll describe has helped my clients create superior self-published books, and it’s the type of research all the pros do before diving into their books. Ideally, you’ll do this research before you start writing, but if you’re already working on your manuscript, I still recommend doing this research. It’s absolutely going to help you write a better, more successful book. Show notes and transcript: bloggertoauthor.com/107   This episode is sponsored by my “Your Best Book Plan” Strategy Sessions and my Book Mapping Sessions. Both include done-for-you market and topic research to make this part of the process fast and easy for you. (And, the “Your Best Book Plan” sessions are $50 off for a limited time.) Learn more about how these sessions can help you write a better book and sign up for a session at bloggertoauthor.com/services.

I’m really excited for this episode because it’s my very first on-air coaching call I’m hosting on the Blogger to Author Podcast. I know that a lot of you have specific questions about your books, especially if you’re trying to plan out your book from scratch. Many of you have downloaded my free “5-Step Guide to Creating Your First Book” or my free “Health & Wellness Book Planner,” but you’re still feeling stuck. So, I’m putting together these on-air coaching calls with prospective authors who are feeling a little stuck, too, and I hope that listening to me work with them one-on-one will help you find your path forward as well. In today’s call, I’m chatting with Suzi Fevens of Confessions of a Fitness Instructor. Suzi loves to write and she’s been thinking about writing a book for a while, but she was struggling to come up with a good idea for a book topic. And, she was unsure of what she should put in her book. In this on-air coaching call, I walk her through the book planning process in my Fast Author Framework™ to help her come up with a great idea for a book that will serve her people and help her build her business. If you’re having trouble figuring out what you should write your book about, I hope you’ll find this coaching call helpful! And, even if you already have a topic picked out and you have your plan written, I still think you’re going to get some valuable tips to improve the content in your book. Either way, definitely make sure you listen to my on-air coaching call with Suzi. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/106   If you need help planning out your book, including choosing the right topic that will mesh perfectly with your business or deciding what should go into your book, consider signing up for one of my Book Mapping Sessions. We’ll meet for 75 minutes and I’ll walk you through the planning section of my Fast Author Framework.™ The Book Mapping Session is perfect for any nonfiction author who is struggling to come up with a plan or outline for their book. You'll receive an exclusive set of worksheets to go through before our call to make sure you get a ton of value out of the call. Based on your answers from the worksheets, I'll also do a little market research to help us make sure that you'll be writing a great book that's competitive in your market. Then, we'll have a one-on-one video conference (75 minutes) will help you create a detailed outline for your nonfiction book.  You'll walk away from the call with a detailed outline that will make your book writing time much easier and more focused, saving you a ton of time during the planning and writing processes.

You’ve got a great idea for a book. Maybe you’ve even started to outline or write your book. Then the fear starts to creep in. Just how much do you need to write to finish your book? How do you know when you’re “done” or if you need to write more? One of the most frequently asked questions I get is “How long should my book be?” I understand how frustrating it is to not know exactly how much you need to write. And, I get that you want to finish your book sooner than later, and you don’t want to have to be writing longer than you have to. So, I’m creating this episode to help. Here, you’ll learn the generic answer I give whenever I’m asked how long someone’s book should be. Then, I’ll share the framework I use to help decide what needs to go in your book to help you get a better idea of what your book needs to include to be “long enough.” Finally, I’ll give you some general ranges of the length of the average book in several different nonfiction genres so you can compare your book to industry averages. And, I’ll wrap up with some action steps to help you figure out how long your book needs to be. Show notes and transcript: bloggertoauthor.com/105   Still getting stuck with what needs to go in your book? I can help. I’ve created a brand new “Your Best Book Plan” Strategy Session to help you make sure that you’re including all of the right information in your book (and excluding all of the wrong information). First, I'll send you a questionnaire to learn more about your book, what you have outlined, and your ideal reader. Then, I'll do some market research for you and combine that with my experience as a developmental editor to help you review, organize, and improve your book outline and plan. Finally, we'll meet on a video call to work together to create a plan for your best book. Best of all, I’m offering $50 off for the first 10 clients who sign up for a “Your Best Book Plan” Strategy Session. Learn more and sign up here.

Most nonfiction authors think that they need to go it alone. They see their book manuscripts as their babies, and they would never even think of hiring a nanny to help out. But, when you’re trying to run and grow a business, you don’t always have the time to write your book. You need some childcare for your baby book. You need someone to help with your book project so you can stay focused on your business. For busy business owners, collaborative writing may be the solution. With collaborative writing, you get some extra help creating the manuscript of your book. That means your book gets written faster, and you get more time to keep working on your business. In this episode, I’m going to tell you all about collaborative writing and why you should consider it for your book project. And, I’ll go through the frequently asked questions I get about collaborative writing so you can decide if a collaborative writer is right for your book. If you really want to finish your book but you absolutely don’t have the time to write it, listen up, because this episode may just have the solution to your problem. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/104

Writer’s block strikes fear into even the most seasoned writer. Nothing saps your confidence like sitting in front of a blank screen or piece of paper for what seems like eons, failing to come up with any words to fill it. And, unfortunately, writer’s block is incredibly common. Even professional writers have off days when they struggle to come up with the words they need. In this episode, I’m sharing six strategies that you can use to overcome writer’s block. These are strategies that have worked for me personally, and I know they’ve worked for other writers, too. I know that writer’s block can feel like a deep pit of frustration. But, there are ways to work your way out of that pit. So, instead of getting all worked up about your writer’s block, let’s come up with some solutions to help you overcome it! Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/103

One of the biggest problems that I hear writers struggle with is not having time to write. This is particularly true for those of you who are also business owners and who are busy running your businesses, creating content, staying active on social media, and a dozen other things. When you’re trying to write a book but you’re crunched for time, it helps to be able to get more written in the time you do have. So, to help you get more words onto the page when you sit down to write, I’m sharing five tips to help you speed up your writing. (Several of these tips definitely apply to fiction writers, but I’m primarily aiming the tips at nonfiction writers.) If you find yourself saying, “But I don’t have time to write” or, “I can’t seem to finish my book because I’m too busy,” this episode is for you! I hope that at least one or two of these tips will help you finally finish your book and become an author. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/102

I’m going to be honest with you for a minute. The publishing space is getting pretty crowded, especially in popular niches like business or health and wellness or even cookbooks. That means that your book is competing for attention with many other books out there. How do you get the attention of potential book buyers? How can you make your nonfiction book stand out from the crowd and make it onto readers’ bookshelves? There are three big places where you can make your nonfiction book stand out: writing, design, and marketing. In today’s episode, I’ll walk you through a few tips to help you make your book stand out in each of these three areas. You’ll get some food for thought, and hopefully you’ll come up with a few action items that you can follow to improve your book. My goal is that by the end of the episode, you’ll have an action item or two that you can implement right away to make your nonfiction book stand out. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/101

Sometimes, you need to take a break from your book. Maybe life got crazy and you simply didn’t have time to write. (It happens—don’t beat yourself up if you’ve needed to shift gears away from your book.) Or, maybe you just didn’t feel like writing for a while. Sometimes we get burnt out or overwhelmed or we just need a break from things. Again, it happens. But, if you want to become an author, you have to finish your book. You have to start writing again. So, how do you start writing again after a break? How do you get back into the swing of writing so you can finally finish your manuscript? The process isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it. In this episode, I’ll walk you through the steps that I think you should take to get back to your book manuscript. These steps will help you get reacquainted with your manuscript and get back into the rhythm of writing so you can finish your book and become an author. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/100 Free 5-day writing challenge: bloggertoauthor.com/writingchallenge

How successful can your self-published book really be? And, what do you actually need to do to create and market your book to reach that level of success? From the outside, it can be difficult to know what to expect from your self-published book. Will it be a total flop, or will you consistently sell copies? Will bookstores want to sell your book? Will your book have an impact on your business? From time to time, I like to bring you interviews with real, successful self-published authors. I think hearing from these authors helps us get a better idea of what we need to do to make our books a success. And, hearing what other people are doing to market their books and use those books to build their business might inspire you to do the same. In this episode, I’m very excited to be interviewing Lyn Lindbergh, author of COUCH to ACTIVE. I first spoke with Lyn on the podcast last summer in Episode 70: Hiring Help for Your Book. I’m grateful that Lyn is back with us today to talk about everything that she’s done to make her book successful since we last spoke. You’ll hear what Lyn has done to successfully market her book, how she’s gained national recognition for her book (and was even a finalist for a book award!), and how she got her book into bookstores (including the big-name store I get asked about all the time!). Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/99

It’s a fear that I think every author-to-be has at one point: you work your tail off to write and publish a book…and no one buys it. It’s terrifying to think that you could put so much effort into creating a book that readers don’t want to read. And, if you’re hiring editors, designers, or other professionals to help with the production of your book, zero book sales could result in a big financial loss for you. So, how do you tell if readers will buy your book? How can you help relieve your fears and prove to yourself that yes, people will want to read your book? In this episode, I’ll walk you through four important steps that you should take to figure out whether people will want to buy your book. These steps will help you think through some very important questions you should be asking yourself if you want to estimate how successful your book will be. At the end, I think you’ll have the answer you’re looking for. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/98

So, you’ve decided you want to publish a cookbook. Now what do you do? The idea of having to write and produce an entire cookbook can be overwhelming, especially when you look at the project as a whole. But, when you break things down and just focus on the next step in front of you, it’s much more manageable. That’s why today I’ll be walking you through the steps you’ll need to take to publish your cookbook. If you’re still trying to decide whether you want to create a cookbook, I encourage you to go back and listen to Episode 96, which is a deep dive into whether you should publish a cookbook and if it’s actually worth the effort. But, if you’re ready to go, this episode will serve as a checklist with the steps to go through when you’re ready to make your cookbook a reality. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/97

I’ve been working with and hearing from a lot of food bloggers lately, food bloggers who are interested in publish a cookbook. But, they’re often unsure about whether they actually want to go through with it. I totally get it—producing a cookbook can take a lot of time, and it can be difficult to know whether your effort is going to pay off in the end. In today’s episode, I’ll walk you through some of the frequently-asked questions I get from food bloggers who are trying to decide whether they should self-publish a cookbook. I’ll answer questions like, “is it worth it?” and, “how much will it cost?” You’ll learn more about choosing between traditional and self-publishing, whether you should publish your cookbook in print, if you’ll actually make money from your book, and how much time the whole process can take. My hope is that by the end of the episode, you’ll have the tools and insight you’ll need to help you decide whether you should self-publish your cookbook. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/96

If you’re like me, you’ve started a big project only to get busy or distracted and the project sits and sits until you’ve totally forgotten about it. But, if that project is important enough, you’ll eventually come back to it and finish what you’ve started. This happened to me with my second book: I wrote maybe a third or a half of the content, then I moved 800 miles across the country and had a baby. That book manuscript sat on my hard drive for almost a year before I finally picked it back up and self-published it. But, I’m really glad that I did come back and finish the book. It fits a unique space in my business—it’s a low-cost way for my audience to get a lot of information—and it definitely is helping people. But, there are times when it doesn’t make sense to keep writing a book you’ve been working on. There’s a season for everything in your business, and sometimes it’s the season to temporarily shelve your book manuscript…or to put it aside entirely. In some cases, your book may actually bring you further from your goals, and writing it can actually be a waste of precious time. I know that you don’t have time to waste. This episode is meant to help you figure out whether you should keep writing your book or if you should just walk away from it. There are three big instances when I think you should completely walk away from writing your book, and I want to share those instances with you here. My hope is that by listening to this episode, you’ll be able to decide if you should keep writing now, put your book aside for a little while, or scrap the project entirely. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/95

In some ways, mindset is everything. Having the wrong mindset and looking at your work and career the wrong way can really hold you back. If you keep looping back to the same negative thoughts or limiting beliefs, you can limit your success. Conversely, if you look at your book and your writing through the right lens, it will help you become much more successful. In this episode, I’ll primarily be speaking to nonfiction authors, but I think fiction authors can and will get a lot out of these mindset shifts, too. I’ll walk you through the five big mindset shifts that I think authors should make to be more successful. I’ve worked with and talked to many aspiring and published authors, and there are a few beliefs and mental habits that hold many of them back. I want to help you overcome these five major blocks so you can have a great author mindset and ultimately have more success as an author. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/94

When you’re writing a nonfiction book, it’s very common to get started…and then get stuck. And, let’s be honest: if it were easy to write a book, everyone who’s ever said, “I want to write a book someday” would already be an author. With that said, it’s also not impossible to write and finish a book. People publish books and become authors every day. But, what makes the people who successfully finish different? Having finished writing many books, both for myself and for my clients, I’ve learned a few strategies that have really helped me finish books…and finish them relatively quickly. I also see many of the same habits popping up with my clients who successfully write and publish their books. There are a few traits that people who finish their nonfiction books all share. So, today I’m sharing what I think are the traits that have the biggest impact on whether an author will finish his or her book. Whether you’re just starting to write your book or you’re feeling frustrated because you’re stuck somewhere in the book writing process, this episode is for you!

Deciding to self-publish your book and get it into print is just the first step in a long journey. You’ll spend time writing and editing your manuscript, and when you’re done, you’ll get it typeset or designed so it looks great for your readers. Then comes the process of actually getting your book printed. In theory, it should be relatively easy, but it can be really hard to choose where you want to print your book with so many options available. If the process of printing your self-published book has you feeling confused and overwhelmed, I’m here to help. And, I’m pulling in my friend and colleague LeAnna Weller Smith of Weller-Smith Design for her perspective, too. LeAnna has worked in the publishing industry for many years, and she knows a lot of the ins and outs of self-publishing. In this episode, LeAnna and I talk about the printing services we recommend for most of our clients. We also run through the big print-on-demand options and talk about the pros and cons of each service to help you pick the right one. And, we touch on offset printing, in case your book has unique features that print-on-demand services can’t fill. If you need help finding the right printer for your self-published book, you’ve come to the right place! Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/92

As a business owner, you're incredibly busy. You're working to keep up with clients, create new content to attract new followers, stay engaged on social media, and more. It's no wonder that so many of my audience members struggle to get their books written because they're so busy. If you've been trying to write your book for a while but you're feeling stuck, I think this strategy will help. In this episode of the Blogger to Author Podcast, you'll learn how you can use your content calendar to write your book. Whether you write blog posts, film videos, have a podcast, write long social media posts, or write amazing emails to your list, you can reuse that content to help write the first draft of your book. And, with some careful planning, you can write that first draft by filling in your content calendar with the topics you'll be covering in your book. Just listen to learn how to do it! Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/91

Is writing and self-publishing a nonfiction book on your list of goals for 2019? If you really want to make sure you follow through and achieve that goal, it's time to start planning NOW. There are three big things you should be doing now to make sure your dream of self-publishing a nonfiction book in 2019 becomes a reality. Listen to the episode to learn what those three things are, and to learn about some great free resources I have to help you get there. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/90

In this episode, I'm talking about where current and future self-published authors should be spending their money on services like hiring a designer or an editor. I've been getting a lot of questions lately about what tasks authors should hire out and what they should DIY. I know a lot of you don't have a budget to necessarily pay someone to do every single part of the process, but maybe you recognize that there are some places where you might benefit from actually paying somebody to help you out. So, here I'll walk you through a decision matrix that you can work through to help you figure out where you should spend money if you are going to hire someone to help with your book. Really, what it comes down to is figuring out what services should you prioritize, where should you spend your money first (and then second and then third), and using the money you've budgeted accordingly. This episode will help you do just that! Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/89

Black Friday is coming up quickly, which means that if you want to offer a deal and sell more books, you need to have a marketing plan in place. But, with so many deals popping up in social media feeds and email inboxes, it can be tough to make sure people see your deal…and take advantage of it. In this episode, I’ll walk you through the basics of planning out your Black Friday (or Cyber Monday) book promotion. At the end of the episode, you’ll have a better idea of what you’ll need to do to run a successful Black Friday book sale, and you’ll know how to create an implementable Black Friday marketing plan. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/88

What does it take to make a self-published nonfiction book a success? Writing and producing a book takes a lot of time. And, if you're going to hire someone to help you with your book, you need to know whether it's worth investing the money, too. To help you make that decision, I'm sharing what has helped my most successful clients make their books profitable. From writing to marketing, you'll hear what has worked for other self-published nonfiction authors. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/87

This episode is being released on November 1st, when holiday shopping season is upon us. That begs the question: how can you make sure your book makes it into gift bags and stockings this year? Many authors will offer sales on their books on Black Friday or Cyber Monday. And, although price cut can definitely entice shoppers to buy your book, sometimes you need to sweeten the deal even more to actually make the sale. Today’s episode will walk you through some ideas for how you can get a Black Friday boost for your book sales, beyond simply marking your book down for a day or two. If you find the right offer that your audience really wants, you’ll sell so many more books than you would have by just offering 20 or 30% off your book. And, toward the end of the episode, I’ll walk you through the steps that you should take NOW in the beginning of November so you’re prepared for your sale when it happens. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/86

There’s a reason why self-publishing is so big right now, especially for entrepreneurs—a book can give you instant authority and credibility. Your book instantly sets you above other people in your niche who don’t have books. It shows that you’re serious about what you do and your business. And, it shows people that you are a thought leader in your space. In this episode, I want to dig deep into the idea of thought leadership and how your book will help you become a thought leader in your niche. If your goal is to become a go-to person in your field, to get speaking gigs, or even just to be seen as an expert, thought leadership is KEY. So, I’ll walk you through the biggest reasons why your book will help you become a thought leader in your niche, and then I’ll tell you how you can get started on your book…FAST. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/85

I often get asked about the differences between traditional publishing and self-publishing. In particular, many entrepreneurs and bloggers want to know which direction they should take. They know that there are pros and cons of both traditional publishing and self-publishing, but they're not sure what the right choice is for them and their businesses. In this episode, I'm featuring an interview with Bonnie Taub-Dix. Bonnie has a unique perspective because she initially published her book with a traditional publisher. Then, years down the road when she decided the book needed to be updated, she acquired the rights from her publisher and self-published her second edition. That means that Bonnie has some great insight into both sides of the publishing game. A little more about Bonnie: Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA,RDN,CDN is the award-winning author of, Read It Before You Eat It – Taking You from Label to Table, and creator of the website and blog called, BetterThanDieting.com. Bonnie is a media personality, media trainer, spokesperson, motivational speaker, journalist, and corporate and brand consultant whose messages are laced with her culinary passion as a foodie, her credible guidance as an advisor and her wit and wisdom as a mom. Bonnie is Director and Owner of BTD Nutrition Consultants, LLC, with offices on Long Island and in New York City. She is also a Health & Wellness Blogger and Contributor for TODAY.com, US News & World Report, Everyday Health, INSIDER, THRIVE Global, Better Homes & Gardens, Family Circle and Vitamin Shoppe’s What’s Good V. Her stories, quotes, and interviews have appeared in thousands of stories in all forms of media comprised of television and radio shows and print and online platforms. All of that media experience makes Bonnie a true expert in what it takes to be featured in the media, especially if you're a health and wellness professional. So, be sure to keep an ear out for the great publicity tips that Bonnie drops in the interview, too!   Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/84

These days, more and more people are self-publishing books. That means more competition for readers and more noise for you to break through. How do you get your self-published to stand out? By finding what makes your book unique and special. In many ways, your book is like your business. To stand out and find people willing to buy your book (or invest in your business), you need to tell them how your book is different. How is your book THE book to solve their problem or help them make a transformation they've been working toward? Why should your book be the go-to book in your niche? As an added bonus, finding what makes your book special can also help you focus your writing and editing to make your book really good. When you know why and how your book is unique, you can double down on that uniqueness and make your book truly special. Yes, your book can still do a lot of good and help people even if you don’t know what makes your book unique. BUT, if you can find out what makes your book truly special…it’s going to make your book even better. In this episode, I'll walk you through five questions you should ask your self to find what makes your book special. You can use those answers to help you write a better book, and to help you find more readers (and sell more books), too. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/83

"How do I know if my book is any good?" That's one of the top five questions I get asked over and over again. It's a tough question to answer, and my answer is always nuanced and dependent upon that author's audience and ideal reader. Really, it comes down to whether your book helps solve a problem for your reader, or if it helps them improve their life. Luckily, there are a few simple ways that you can improve your manuscript. So today, I'm giving you a little bit of insight into my thought processes as an editor and sharing three ways that you can expand on and improve your nonfiction book manuscript. These three strategies will help you write a better book — a good book. If you want to make sure your book helps your readers and helps you build a relationship with them, make sure you listen to this episode. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/82

Many food bloggers (and other fans of food) dream about becoming a cookbook author someday. They flip through cookbooks in the bookstore and fantasize about what it would be like to see their name on the cover and see their food photography on those glossy pages. But, many of them wait around for a publisher to come calling. They either wind up waiting many years for their dream to come true, or they never realize that dream at all. I'm excited to feature an interview with registered dietitian and author Maggie Michalczyk in this episode. Maggie decided that she wanted to publish a cookbook, but that she didn't want to wait around to get a deal with a traditional publisher. Instead, Maggie decided to take her cookbook's fate into her own hands and self-publish. Best of all, she leveraged her relationships with brands to get them to sponsor recipes in the cookbook, giving her money to fuel the production of the book. If you dream about publishing a cookbook someday, I think you'll find this interview with Maggie very inspiring. Maggie will show you that you don't have to wait for a deal with a publisher to create your cookbook. And, you'll also hear some great tips for working with brand sponsors to help you offset the cost of the production of your cookbook. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/81 Follow Maggie on Instagram @onceuponapumpkin Follow Beth on Instagram @drbethbrombosz

Bloggers are uniquely suited to become authors. Most bloggers today are actively working to build an audience of engaged followers who will want to buy their book. They don't have to create an audience of book readers from scratch. They've done the hard work of finding the people who need their message, which makes the process of selling books infinitely easier. Bloggers are also used to the writing process. They consistently create new content month after month. They have the skills that it takes to write a book manuscript. And, as a bonus, they can repurpose the content that they've worked so hard to create and use it in the first draft of their book. They've got a leg up when it comes to writing a book, and many bloggers can put together a self-published book very quickly. This episode is a dive into why every blogger should consider writing a book. Even if you ultimately decide that it's not for you, I think it's something that you should at least ponder for a little bit. A book can do big things for your blog and for you. I'll tell you all about them in this episode. And, I'll tell you how you can get started on your book, too. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/80

As self publishing becomes more and more popular, self-published authors are more and more likely to run into...well, let's call them haters. They look down on self-published books, and they tell self-published authors that their book is never going to go anywhere. There are even a few traditionally-published authors out there who think they're better than self publishers. I'm here today to tell you to ignore all of the haters. Your self-published book can be just as important as any traditionally-published book. That's especially true when you look at your book from the right perspective. Aside from a plethora of examples of very successful self-published authors, there's one thing that I think you should focus on when you gauge the success of your book. Hear what that metric is in this episode. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/79

I know that many of you who listen to the podcast are already authors. You've written, published, and launched your books, and you love hearing tips to help you sell more copies of your book now that the momentum of your launch has worn off. Whether you published your book six months or six years ago (or even longer), this episode is for you. Traditionally you think about retail stores getting ready for holiday shoppers. But, authors should take the time to get their books ready for holiday shopping season, too. There are shoppers out there who will want to buy your book as a gift...but is your book ready to find them? And, will your book stand out enough from other books in your niche so that it lands in someone's shopping cart? In this episode of the Blogger to Author Podcast, you'll learn five things that you should do (or at least consider) to get your already-published book ready for the holidays. I'm going to be applying these five tips and strategies to my books over the next few weeks, and I hope you will too. I think they'll result in more holiday book sales for both of us. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/78

As you can tell by the title, "How to Get More Health and Wellness Clients with a Book," this episode is specifically aimed at those of you who are professionals in the health, wellness, and fitness industry. I've spent many years first being passionate about, then working in, this industry, and three of my four books are fitness books. Most of my clients are also in health and wellness, which means I have a LOT of experience with health and wellness books. I also interact with many, many professionals in the industry. One of the big things I notice when it comes to helping health and wellness professionals write their books is that they often don't see what a huge impact a book is going to have on their business. They often look at a book in terms of book sales and how many copies they can sell a month. But, by focusing on book sales alone, they're missing the big picture. In this episode, I'll walk you through all of the ways that your book will help you build your health and wellness business. I'll tell you exactly how your book will help bring more clients to your business, clients who want more than just a book. You'll get a better picture of how a book will help you increase your revenue much more than by simply selling books. And, you'll see how your book is the key to taking your health and wellness business to the next level. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/77 Free "5 Easy Steps to Become a Health & Wellness Author" Guide: bloggertoauthor.com/health

eCommerce giant Amazon has been a game changer for self-published authors. But, getting your book seen by the shoppers who want it can be a little tricky. With hundreds of millions of shoppers on Amazon each month, all you need to do is load your eBook into KDP and the money will start rolling in, right? If only it was that easy... In this episode, I'm featuring an interview with Dave Chesson of Kindlepreneur. Dave is a Kindle publishing expert, the host of the Book Marketing Show Podcast, and creator of KDP Rocket software, which I've used to help my books and dozens of client books show up more often in Amazon search results. I invited him to come on the podcast to talk about his author journey, why he created KDP Rocket, and how KDP Rocket can help you sell more Kindle books on Amazon. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/76

Smart authors take full advantage of the holiday shopping season. They know that their book would make a perfect gift, and they want to make sure that it's on shoppers' lists. But, if your book isn't ready in time for the holidays, well...you're not going to see that nice holiday bump in your book sales and royalty payouts, either. If you want to publish you book in time to take advantage of the holiday shopping season, you need to be getting started NOW. In this episode, I'll walk you through everything you need to do to get your book ready for holiday shopping season. I'll also share the #1 thing you need to do to make sure shoppers actually buy your book as gifts (hint: you can't unwrap an eBook). And, I'll tell you how you can get a copy of my self publishing checklist for nonfiction authors. That way, it's easy to see what you've already done and what you still need to do to get your book ready for holiday shopping season. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/75

I've mentioned before that more and more authors with big audiences are choosing to self publish. I'm really honored to feature an interview with one of those people in this episode of the Blogger to Author podcast. I had the amazing opportunity to interview Dana Malstaff of Boss Mom. Dana self published her book Boss Mom: The Ultimate Guide to Raising a Business & Nurturing Your Family Like a Pro in 2015, and that book helped her launch her business into the stratosphere. In our interview, Dana and I chat about why she chose to self publish her book and the process she went through to write it. We also talk in depth about how she chose the topic for her book, why that topic wasn't what she had originally intended, and why that decision wound up changing the course of her business. And, Dana gives us a few suggestions for using mind mapping to plan out our books. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/74

Fiction and memoir writers, you're going to love this episode! I have Gabriela Pereira of DIY MFA back on the podcast to help you make your manuscripts amazing. We talk about how to write great characters, how to find a plot and story people will want to read, and how to choose the right ending for your story. And, she fills us in on what you should do if the first draft of your novel is...not good. You'll learn how important the first page and the first chapter are, and how you can make sure you're getting your reader interested in your book right away. Then, Gabriela tells us how you can use storytelling theory to write a compelling memoir. She tells us how we need to use the principles of great writing (characters, plot, and so on) also apply to memoir so it's more relatable or aspirational. You'll hear a great framework that you can use to decide which stories from your life that you should put in your memoir...and which ones you should take out. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/73