Podcasts about write 2b read

I already had more than 100 guests, who shared their expertise, knowledge and stories at the Write 2B Read podcast. Some of those interviews have been very successful and some of the guests were more impressive than the rest. One of the names out there, about getting whom I've been asked most was Pat Flynn. It seems like being able to talk to him for my podcast back when Write 2B Read was relatively new and unknown was a big achievement in other people's eyes (I am not telling that it was not). So now I have Pat back with a new interview and new book. For those of you who don't know Pat yet below is his short bio. Pat Flynn makes a living on the internet and considers himself the luckiest person on the earth. Through his very popular blog Smart Passive Income and his Smart Passive Income Podcast  he shares his experience and helps his readers reach their goals. I think it is also important to mention that Pat was also from the very few people, who encouraged me to start the Write 2B Read podcast. This time we speak about Pat's second book Will It Fly? How to Test Your Next Business Idea So You Don't Waste Your Time and Money, which launched just few days ago. In this interview Pat explains: what the book is about and how he came up with the idea to write it the struggles Pat had writing his second book and how he got over them when did Pat mostly write the book how did Pat Flynn get his first draft up what was the initial title of the book and how did Pat found the title that he uses now how to validate your non-fiction book idea before starting to write it I guess that was it for today. As I mentioned in this episode I am working on a coaching offer for my podcast listeners and other writers and/or entrepreneurs, who are looking to establish their personal brand online. In case you're interested and prefer not to wait until everything is set up please get in touch and we can start making things happen straightaway! If you enjoyed the interview, please subscribe to it below and you will not miss any upcoming episode. [text-blocks id="podcast-subscription-links" plain=1]

I already had more than 100 guests, who shared their expertise, knowledge and stories at the Write 2B Read podcast. Some of those interviews have been very successful and some of the guests were more impressive than the rest. One of the names out there, about getting whom I've been asked most was Pat Flynn. It seems like being able to talk to him for my podcast back when Write 2B Read was relatively new and unknown was a big achievement in other people's eyes (I am not telling that it was not). So now I have Pat back with a new interview and new book.For those of you who don't know Pat yet below is his short bio. Pat Flynn makes a living on the internet and considers himself the luckiest person on the earth. Through his very popular blog Smart Passive Income and his Smart Passive Income Podcast  he shares his experience and helps his readers reach their goals. I think it is also important to mention that Pat was also from the very few people, who encouraged me to start the Write 2B Read podcast.This time we speak about Pat's second book Will It Fly? How to Test Your Next Business Idea So You Don't Waste Your Time and Money, which launched just few days ago. In this interview Pat explains:what the book is about and how he came up with the idea to write itthe struggles Pat had writing his second book and how he got over themwhen did Pat mostly write the bookhow did Pat Flynn get his first draft upwhat was the initial title of the book and how did Pat found the title that he uses nowhow to validate your non-fiction book idea before starting to write itI guess that was it for today.As I mentioned in this episode I am working on a coaching offer for my podcast listeners and other writers and/or entrepreneurs, who are looking to establish their personal brand online. In case you're interested and prefer not to wait until everything is set up please get in touch and we can start making things happen straightaway!If you enjoyed the interview, please subscribe to it below and you will not miss any upcoming episode. [text-blocks id="podcast-subscription-links" plain=1]Click to view: show page on Awesound

In this episode Adam Bailey from Goodriter.com will explain how and why did they come up with the idea to launch Goodriter and why it will become one of the most valuable resources for all writers. I wanted you to know about the special limited time offer they have for us and make sure that you don't miss that valuable free bundle. In this bundle of 50+ resources the most respected names in self-publishing share their best content for free. The bundle contains 30+ Free ebooks, 9+ Free eCourses and 5+ Free audiobooks. click this link and get your Christmas gift from Gootriter now!  I am proud to be part of that initiative and I am sure you have heard my interviews with most of those, who contributed to this (you can check the list of the interviews below). The special offer expired on December 20th, so make sure you go and grab it now. I assure you it's extremely valuable and you will learn a lot! Just click this link and get your Christmas gift from Gootriter now!  Check out Write to be Read podcast episodes with those, whose resources are presented in the bundle How to Organize a Successful Kindle Book Launch with Chandler Bolt How to Be An Author Entrepreneur with Joanna Penn How to Make Full-Time Income with Kindle Books with Steve Scott How You Should Market to Sell More Books with Jim Kukral Grabbing Attention with Derek Doepker Sell More Books with Bryan Cohen All You Need to Know About Book Covers with Derek Murphy How to Promote Your Book with Matt Stone How to Know if Your Book Will Sell or Not with Alex Newton How to Become a Kindlepreneur with Dave Chesson How To Be Insanely Creative with Sean Platt Self-publishing and Writing Live with Johnny B Truant Horror is Like Pizza with James Thorn How to Start Writing Your First Non-Fiction Book with Cathy Presland Publishing and Collaboration with Tom Morkes How to Gain and Grow Audience with Podcasting with Meron Bareket Ok, so now hearing them on a podcast you know that what they provide is useful and good. So before it's gone on December 20th, 2015 make sure you get the free bundle here! Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Don't miss the opportunity to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.

[spp-player url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/write2bread/128_Voice_Techniques_and__Storytelling_tips.mp3"]Today I am talking with Bruno LoGreco. He is a master life coach, mentor and the author of Stop Sabotaging Your life, 3 Steps To Your Full Potential. In this interview Bruno speaks about why did he decide to write a book what was the hardest part in writing a book how did he overcome the fear of sharing his writing with the world what does he mean by the phrase "stop sabotaging your life" where to find the encouragement if you don't get it from the people around you the 3 steps to achieve your full potential If you are Write 2B Read podcast listener and have written and published your first book thanks to the knowledge and the encouragement you got from the podcast, please drop me a line and I'll feature you in podcast's special episode!

Download Your Free Guide - FIND THE WRITE MINDSET & GET PUBLISHED: The 5 Steps To Build Your Writing Confidence The thing is many talk about how to write a book, how to self-publish it and how to do book marketing but very few talk about how to actually get emotionally prepared to become a writer. I am talking about the write mindset here… There are many emotional barriers that newbie writers have in the very beginning and unless they overcome those they will not get to the stage of writing a book, let alone publishing and marketing it. As I already mentioned in one of the previous episodes 81% of people say they want to write a book…and only 1% DO. I strongly believe that although the 80-% come up with logical and objective excuses for not writing their books, in reality the reasons for not writing are mindset related. When people say that they don’t have time to write or that they can’t write well… the real reasons are much deeper. I think many of us used different credible excuses but in the reality we did not write the book because we were afraid and we were not ready. To be honest, I think all those who have not written a book yet think they are not ready. And I think absolutely all writers go through the same emotional journey in the very beginning. So believe me, even the most well known authors have been in your shoes before. We all think that our writing is not good enough. We are not yet ready to open up and share our writings and we are afraid of being judged. And that’s normal. All published writers have been there. I even think that even after reaching success, even after getting acknowledgement and status many writers still think that their writing is not good enough. There are different emotional barriers that stand between the newbie writer and his dream of seeing his name on a book cover. On the other hand the sad fact is that the only way to find readers is overcoming those barriers and actually publishing. Writer’s doubts are what we all experience and need to overcome to become authors. And sometimes those doubts are so strong that overcoming them alone is very hard. Sometimes you do need support and encouragement. So last week I decided to address that issue and create something that will help you out in case you are one of those writers, who is just starting. I created a guide called   FIND THE WRITE MINDSET & GET PUBLISHED : The 5 Steps To Build Your Writing Confidence. I wrote that guide to help you get over the mental blocks to publishing your first book. I tried to explain there How To Become A Writer and what it takes to become a writer, so you know in advance and get prepared. You will also find out about The step most writers never take..although it is often the easiest one. And you’ll also learn What To Do With Your First Draft. I truly hope that this guide will help you with the emotional aspects I mentioned in this episode. So if you’d like to get my guide and build your writing confidence I am giving it out for free at www.anialexander.com/mindset I will truly appreciate if you could share the link with everyone who you think will need it and help us change the statistics and have more than 1% of people writing their books. So get your free guide now. Meanwhile let’s write and create amazing pieces that others will enjoy reading. Don’t miss the opportunity to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.

Today my guest is Dixie Gillaspie. Ever since she was a little girl, Dixie’s least favorite word was "can’t." It still is, and she's on a mission to prove that anything is possible, for anyone. Her first love is working with entrepreneurs as a coach, consultant, muse, and firestarter. She's good at seeing opportunities where other people see walls, navigating crossroads where other people see dead ends, and helping people connect their passion and purpose to create a powerful presence and increased profit. Dixie contributes to Entrepreneur and Huffington Post and is a Senior Managing Editor for The Good Man Project. In this interview we talk  about the right reasons for writing the "can't" brick walls and what stands behind those 3 stages all entrepreneurs (and writers are entrepreneurs too) go though during their journey the power of incorporating your personal story into writing the benefits of having a good editor writing for big publications/websites Food for Thought Most of us write because we have something inside that we want to share. If you don't have anything inside that matters to you and that you want to share into the world than writing is gonna be really, really hard work for you. If you have something inside you that you wanna share then the first step isn't really the writing - it's the getting comfortable sharing! People remember ideas, not words. There are so many reasons for people to say they can't. What is the purpose for your art? Don't ever abdicate your writing to the editor. Whatever you've been to and whatever you want to share with the world has value. The important thing is finding the people it has value for. Useful Links Dixie's website Dixie on Facebook THE RIPPLES TO WAVES COURSE   Don’t miss the opportunity to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.

So what is it that most of the writers do? What is in common among them? What are the different facts we all share together? I tried to come up with a list of things that might be signs that you are a writer. 1. You are avid reader 2. You own many journals 3. You can’t walk past stationary shop 4. You take pen and notepad everywhere with you 5. You have more books than friends 6. You love watching people 7. You Listen to life stories and think about how to write them up in a book 8. Writing is always in your priority list   9. You love solitude and enjoy “me” time   10. You think about the book you’re writing and the characters no matter  what you do 11. Spelling, grammar and punctuation mistakes annoy you 12. You hate any “real” and “normal” 9-6 jobs   13. You listen to other people’s conversation trying to find a new story   14. You dream of making full time income writing   15. You hate editing  16. You have your personal list of things that boost your creativity   17. You feel guilty if you haven’t written for a while Well, those were the signs I came up with, but I am absolutely sure that there are many other signs I forgot to mention. Please add those in the comments and let's have a much bigger list at the end :) Don’t miss the opportunity to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.

Click to Win Professional Kindle Cover for Your Book Today I am talking to Jim Heskett. Jim is an author, a world traveler, indie podcaster, purveyor of reviews, and writing advice. Steven King was the first author Jim fell in love with. Later, he wrote 2 screenplays with his room mate. Jim had day job, while writing his very first novel, which took him 2 years to complete since he was endlessly revising it. After unsuccessful tries to get agent's attention and find a publisher he finally decided to self publish. And I am sure he has no regrets. In this interview we follow the journey of becoming self-published author, discuss what worked for Jim best, how to deal with having several different audiences and get his advice for newbie writers. Useful Links Jim Heskett's website Indie Author Answers podcast How to Make $450k a Year By Writing Fiction Mark Dawson's interview on Write 2B Read podcast

We, authirs discuss a lot about whether we should stick exclusively to Amazon or our books should be sold on all platforms available out there. I decided to talk to Mark Coker, who is an author himself, but what is more important for this particular case he is the founder of Smashwords. Smashwords was founded in 2008. It is a free ebook publishing and distribution platform, which works with over 100k authors and publishers. In this interview we talk about: Preorders and their benefits Transitioning from Amamzon to other platforms Why Smashwords is the best choice Writing and marketing series  Food for Thought Every writer in the world has a right to publish a book. The most important piece of the puzzle is to write a super awesome book. If your book is only good - the good is not good enough anymore. The book has to take the readers to the emotionally satisfying extreme. Readers are reading either for an emotional experience or for an intellectual experience. (sometimes the combination of both) There has never been a better time to be a writer. Useful links Smashwords Smashwords Style Guide   Also - consider signing up for the Self-Publishing Success Summit, which is the best online summit on the topic with amazing line-up. On that summit 37 World-Changing Authors & Entrepreneurs Reveal How to Write, Market & Publish Your  First Book AND Use It To Get To 6 Figures You can get your FREE access to the Self-Publishing Success Summit here. Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Don't miss the opportunity to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.

Today I decided to be completely honest and share my struggles with you. And the reason for this is not to ask for petty or anything. I simply thought that some of you might have been going through the same thing and we could possibly figure out how to overcome some of those struggles. So, periodically I am getting writer’s doubts and I start questioning myself if I can really write? If what I write is good enough? If I have any potential at all? And if my writing is worth anything. These doubts became really strong recently. The reason is - I have enrolled in Writer’s Bootcamp and starting from the 1st of this month we are writing up different exercises… Then we read,  provide feedback, critique… The ultimate goal of the course - or at least how I see it -  is to learn writing well, to make sure that your quality is high and that you learn the craft. But it’s a painful process. I guess any growth is… It’s painful because in the beginning you start realizing where you stand now. And now… having objectively evaluated where I am, I am not happy about that. So now the doubts are no longer about if I am good or not… because I already know that I’m not… at least yet. The doubt now is about the future… it’s about whether I will be able to master the craft and ensure the quality I’d like my writing to have. I think the bootcamp was just a catalyst. We usually have writer’s doubt coming back to us when we don’t see results… and when we don’t see result we lose the motivation to carry on. And I guess when we lose motivation that’s when we have to push harder… otherwise we may end up sliding down the spiral… and coming back up will be harder than pushing a bit more from where we are now… So every time I get into the stage when things don’t grow and I don’t see results I get disappointed. Right now, looking at what I’ve done so far I realize that things haven’t moved much… my podcast has not grown from what it was few months ago, I have not finished my book and I have abandoned my fiction… And what’s the hardest to admit is that it’s completely my fault. I should have worked harder, I should have written more and I should have put aside my humbleness and promoted more what I’ve already done… So today I spend some time and went back to my reviews. I read the reviews you guys left for my podcast and I went to Amazon and read the reviews that were left for my fiction books. Usually it helps me get on track and reminds me that there are some people who need what I do and that my time and efforts are not wasted. That made me think that maybe writer’s doubt grows when there is lack of encouragement around. [spp-tweet tweet="Writers, who go through the painful process of growth are vulnerable."] They need an extra hug and a positive affirmation. Meanwhile, let’s chin up, pull ourselves together and work harder. Also - consider signing up for the Self-Publishing Success Summit, which is the best online summit on the topic with amazing line-up. On that summit 37 World-Changing Authors & Entrepreneurs Reveal How to Write, Market & Publish Your  First Book AND Use It To Get To 6 Figures You can get your FREE access to the Self-Publishing Success Summit here. Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Don't miss the opportunity to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.

Today my guest is Nick Stephenson. Nick was born and raised in England. He is a fiction author and novelist, writing in the mysteries and thrillers genre. His approach to writing is to hit hard, hit fast, and leave as few spelling errors as possible. We are discussing how to gain the first 10k readers and what Nick did exactly in order to make full time income from writing fiction books. Nick shares practical and simple tips, which can be replicated easily with even only one written book. Nick is also speaking at the Self-Publishing Success Summit, which is the best online summit on the topic with amazing line-up. On that summit 37 World-Changing Authors & Entrepreneurs Reveal How to Write, Market & Publish Your  First Book AND Use It To Get To 6 Figures You can get your FREE access to the Self-Publishing Success Summit here. Food for Thought The statement "The best marketing is writing your next book" is a myth. N1 focus should be getting more readers sign up to your e-mail list and building relationship with them. Offer reader magnet they can get in exchange to their e mail address: something related to your books. Set up marketing system in pace, which later will work on autopilot, so you will have time for writing. Useful Links Nick's website First 10K Readers course free videos and case study Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Don't miss the opportunity to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.

Today I am talking to Tom Morkes. Tom is a West Point grad, Iraq War veteran and CEO of Insurgent Publishing. He is the author of the new book Collaborate: The New Rules for Launching a Business Online. Tom was Write 2B Read podcast guest in episode 49 and you can hear it at this link. Food for Thought Crowdfunding is not good for building an audience. If your reach isn't there and if you don't have built audience in place the crowdfunding campaign will not be successful. Crowdfunding is a way to create an event around your book. There are many growth hacking tools that will help you grow your readership and increase book sales. Useful Links Tom's website The Growth Hacker's Guide to the Galaxy (support the kickstarter campaign here) Indiegogo Kickstarter Publishizer Inkshares Don't Forget! Join the Write to be Read podcast birthday party by registering at here.  I will be more than happy to meet you there on July 1st!   Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Don't miss the opportunity to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.

Today I talk to Parviz Parvizi. Parviz is co-founder of Clammr, a mobile app and platform making audio more social and viral. Users are calling Clammr, which features snack-sized audio clips of 18 seconds or less, the “Instagram of Audio.” Previously, Parviz worked at McKinsey & Company, Goldman Sachs, the FCC, and O’Melveny & Myers. He has advised top 5 global media companies and mobile carriers on strategy and growth. He was a founder of McKinsey’siConsumer research initiative on digital consumer behavior, authoring 3 of the Firm’s 10 most-downloaded media sector knowledge documents. Parviz holds a JD from Yale Law School and AB from Cornell. In this interview we talk about the Clammr app. Clammr brings social engagement and discovery to audio.   Users are calling our app Audio Instagram and Audio Twitter.  Listeners get personalized streams of Entertainment & News in 18-second bites that they can launch automatically into full-length music, podcasts, and news. Audio content creators love Clammr as a way to make their content more discoverable and viral.  Blogs and video producers love us for reaching audiences when they can't look at screens. Advice and Links Download Clammr for iPhone/iPad in the App Store or by visiting http://clammr.com Use the web-based publisher to upload files and for a basic listening experience if you are on Android: http://publisher.clammr.com Workshop and update videos at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC5x7Z_UUMu-Ev_k9ftnP1g Don't Forget! Join the Write to be Read podcast birthday party by registering at here.  I will be more than happy to meet you there on July 1st! Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Don't miss the opportunity to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.

Don't Forget! Join the Write to be Read podcast birthday party by registering at here.  I will be more than happy to meet you there on July 1st! These days I’ve come across many articles and questions concerning Amazon’t new policy that will be implemented starting July 1st. At first it seemed confusing even to me, so I went through some stuff and decided to clarify things for you today. For those of you who have not heard about this yet - the news says that Amazon twill pay Kindle authors only for pages read… Before digging into this let me make one thing clear from the very start. This will only affect self-published authors whose books are available on Amazon’s lending services I mean those who self-publish their books exclusively through Amazon’s “KDP Select” program. It means that the news applies only at cases when Amazon prime members get your book for free from the Amazon Landing Library and if you are not enrolled at KDP Select program nothing changes for you. But what if you are enrolled at the program. Before the change each month Amazon fixed a price per each landed/downloaded book and paid everyone that amount. So basically each landed book was viewed as a sale and the price was set by Amazon. What will happen from now on? Well now what will matter is how many pages have the people who have landed your book have actually read. If someone downloaded your book and never opened it - you won’t get paid at all. So you will be paid for each page read. “We’re making this switch in response to great feedback we received from authors who asked us to better align payout with the length of books and how much customers read,” the company said. Basically“ Under the new payment method, you’ll be paid for each page individual customers read of your book, the first time they read it.” Some might think about fooling the new system by making the fonts bigger, double spacing the thing, etc, right? Well Amazon thought of it too and developed a “Kindle Edition Normalised Page Count” (KENPC) which standardises font, line height and line spacing. So that part has been taken care of. Since some have asked what I think about this here we go…. First of all it is good that the writers have the choice - it is only for the KDP Select authors, so if you don’t like the new system you can still sell your books on Amazon and be out of the KDP Select. Second I am thinking about my personal reading experience. I am not from those people who feel obliged to finish the book when they start reading it. In average I finish only 1-2 books out of the 10 that I pick up. I give a book chance of 20-30 pages - it either hooks me or it doesn’t and when it does’t I don’t feel like investing my time and attention into it. If the writer is not able to keep my attention and want me read more then he’s probably not a very good writer, right? So in that respect I think that it is fair. There are so many VERY short non-fiction books, which have only one main message and lots of air inside. There are non-fiction books, which were written in 2 hours. Why should their authors be paid the same as a thriller writer of 140k word book, who spent months writing the book? Maybe if that new system applied to all book sales and not only the landing library we would have less of those small non fiction crappy books which were outsources just to make passive income for the publisher? Maybe in that case only really good writers would make money and not those who don’t even write the books but outsource them and use keywords and stuff to get the downloads? Maybe, I don’t know… but I see the logic of encouraging authors who's books readers want to read. The Goldfinch, by the Pulitzer Prize-winning Donna Tartt, was one of 2014’s biggest sellers. But I read today that data released by Kobo showed that only 44 per cent of readers who downloaded it read to the end. Maybe people downloaded it because it was an award winning book, because it was a bestseller and many spoke about it. But apparently over 50% of them did not like it enough to read till the end. On the other hand, as one of the authors stated - if we apply the same logic then it means we should pay for the burger according to how many bites we had… huh? So the new thing I spoke about today is effective July 1st. What I’d like to mention though is that it will be happening all the time. Amazon has been changing it’s algorithms many time before and it will be continuing doing so along with its policies. And it is good to know about the new things coming up and be prepared but what is ore important I think is to make you sure that you write the best book you can. Because if your writing is good, if it resonates with the reader, if it makes the reader feel and think, you will most probably succeed no matter what! Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Don't miss the opportunity to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.

Today my guest is Beren Hollins. Beren Hollins is a Doctor from Britain who now works in Canada. He is planning to publish his first novel later this year and with that in mind decided to commit to the idea of building an audience in advance. So he started The First Three Chapters Podcast. His podcast features new  books and help new authors get visibility and gain audience. Beren reads the first 3 chapters of the book in audiobook format and lets his listeners know where they can buy the book in case they like it and want to read the rest. In this interview we talk about Beren's journey of becoming author, the plans he has about the launch of his first book this year, podcasting as a way for authors to gain new audience  and how you can benefit from The First Three Chapters podcast. Hearing the words that you've written read by somebody else is just amazing. It brings it to life in a way that's hard to describe. It certainly makes everything about the words you've written much more real. Useful Links The First Three Chapter Podcast on iTunes Beren's website Podcast Incubator Don't Forget! Join the Write to be Read podcast birthday party by registering at here.  I will be more than happy to meet you there on July 1st! Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Don't miss the opportunity to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.

Today my guest is Christal Earle. She is entrepreneur, speaker, passionate author and transformational coach.We all tell stories to ourselves and the world about who we are and what we are here to create. Christal works with  people who want to understand how to take their unique story, voice, passion and purpose into the world in a way that resonates and connects with who they are and the audience they want to reach. In this interview we talk about how the stories we tell ourselves may keep us away from success and how to change them into new stories. We also We look for what we want but we find what we believe.   Useful Liks Your Brilliance Unlimited (Christal's website) Transform Your Life Story: A Ten Day Journey to Change the Stories You Tell Yourself (Free eBook) You can e mail Christal at Christal (at) yourbrillianceunlimited.com Resonate: The Stories We Tell Ourselves (Living Inside Out Book 1)   Don't Forget! Join the Write to be Read podcast birthday party by registering at here.  I will be more than happy to meet you there on July 1st! Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Don't miss the opportunity to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.

Susan's first book- the classic bestseller -How To Work A Room-(now available as a silver anniversary revised edition in print, as an ebook and audiobook) has sold over one million copies in 13 countries. Named by Forbes.com as one of the Networking Experts to follow in 2015, Susan RoAne, an author and in-demand international keynote speaker, has shared her message of connection and communication with audiences worldwide, and in diverse publications including: the New York Times, Sydney Telegraph, Financial Times, Globe and Mail, USA Today,forbes.com, Men's Health,Buzzfeed , the San Francisco Chronicle, huffington post and The Wall Street Journal as well as on TV, Radio and podcasts worldwide. Her clients include Coca Cola, Kraft Foods, The US Air Force, UnitedHealth Group, Yale University, Apple Computer, Procter and Gamble, authors@google, Intel, Stanford University, LinkedIN, The National Football League, — and, her personal favorite . . . Hershey Chocolate! Interview highlights Writing is isolating but the part of being an author is you have to be out there so people know who you are and that you create visibility. [spp-tweet "You are your own best PR person."] When we’re face to face something happens that cannot be replaced by anything online. Don't give your title during introduction - give the benefit of what you do and what your book will do. Small talk is how we build those little details connections that link us to people and have them engage with us. Little small talk starts and leads to a big talk. Always know the etiquette and the culture of the room. Writing a book is hard but everything after is harder. Bring who you are to what you do. Useful Liks Susan's website Dan Poynter's website Author U Publishers Lunch Publishers Weekly Writer's Digest Important! Join the Write to be Read podcast birthday party by registering at here.  I will be more than happy to meet you there on July 1st! Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Don't miss the opportunity to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.

Guess what? Write 2B Read podcast is almost 1 years old and its birthday is on July 1st. I thought about how to celebrate that milestone and yes it deserves a celebration because I have super unstable personality and for me a year is quite long… So I thought what to do and realized that this podcast would not stay alive until now if not you - my listeners. And it became completely clear to me that whatever I decide to do should be done with you. That is why I came up with the idea of having a live Q&A hangout with anyone who would like to join me to celebrate together our podcast’s birthday. I thought that it would be nice to finally get together and have fun. Besides I have never done videos before and most of you have only heard my voice, so this will be the first time I’ll quit my comfort zone and get on live video for you. You will be able to ask me anything you’d like to know and I will do my best to answer… but guess what? I don’t know everything so if there will be questions, which I don’t know how to answer I will either cover those in the upcoming podcasts or get a guest who knows about the topic ok? And maybe… I will also get a surprise guest for you. In any case I think it will be fun and I’d love to have you there. Simply click here and register to the hangout. I will do the rest :) If for some reason you will not be able to make it live - don't worry. Make sure you register and I will send you the recording.  Today I will have a solo piece and I’ll share with you my thoughts about inspiration and experiences. We all had periods when we were not inspired enough. When we opened our computer screen and stared at it with no clue what to write about, or how to start what we thought about writing … as a result we got irritated, it made things worse and it is very probable that we gave up, shut the screen and left the desk… It has happened to me many times. And it does not feel good at all. So where one should look for inspiration? Is it something that comes to you whenever it wants? Is that unexplainable muse controlling when and how you write? I don’t want to believe in that because as soon as I do I will feel as if nothing is under my control and I am not a writer but rather inspiration’s tool which it uses to express its thought… Thinking back I realize that one can draw inspiration almost from everything. Life itself is a great source of inspiration. And I know what you might think - compared to all those books with amazing life stories yours might not be so interesting or so inspiring… and that might be true… but there are still ways even in that case. My life has never been dull to be honest and I’ve always been through different stuff which could eventually make a good story but I have not yet gained the courage to write about my life yet… at least not the way it should be written. But I have written about other people’s lives instead. My both novels Highball and Dreamdown were written based o true life stories, which later were modified into fiction. So yes, if at this point for some reason you don’t think that your life could be source of inspiration for your stories turn to other people’s lives. You don’t know people, who's lives inspire you? Cool - pay attention to the content shared on social media, see what stories are in there and get interesting life stories from there. Or simply get out of the house, go to a coffee shop and while you breath in the aroma  and enjoy every sip - watch people. Watch them and come up with their life stories - who are they? Why are they here now? Where they will go after they finish their coffee? Who do they love? Why do they look sad or tired? What dreams do they have? There is Benjamin Franklin  quote which says "Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing." I’d like to talk about the second half here - about doing something worth writing. I know that what I’ll say now may not be something you’d like to hear because we live in materialistic world and many prefer things… BUT my advice to you will be Buy experiences not things.Why? Well I don’t know about you but although I love my Prada sunglasses they don’t inspire me to write. I simply enjoy wearing them. But on the other hand when I am making a short trip, or meet new people, or read a thought or feelings provoking book I do get inspired to write. So if you think your life is not inspiring - make it become inspiring. Fill it with experiences - go ahead and create the life which will inspire you to write. Become one of those people who's life stories are worth sharing with the word. Well that was the dose of inspiration from me and before we part once more I’d like to remind you that you can join the Write to be Read podcast birthday party by registering at here.  I will be more than happy to meet you there! Take care, have a great week end and keep writing! Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Don't miss the opportunity to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.

First of all thank you so much for the amazing feedback for the episode 100. For those who have not listened to it - the write 2b read podcast episode 100 featured interview with me, which my friend podcaster Bill Nowicki had recorded just few days after the podcast was launched. So if you wanna know more about me as a person and find out who stands behind this voice and as I’ve been told pretty thick James Bond girl accent - then head over to www.anialexander.com/100 By reaching the milestone of 100 episodes I spent some time thinking about how much I have learnt in less than a year of podcasting… And it’s not like all the things I’ve learnt are related to podcasting, not at all… So today I would like to talk about the coincidences in life… which later, looking back are things that had to happen in order to lead you to things which you had to come across. In order to explain what exactly I mean I’ll refer to the Write 2B Read podcast - which you are listening to right now and which has become a very crucial part of my life. So let me tell you its story. I thought about podcasting long before I actually launched this podcast. I love to talk, I love people, I am curious and I am a story teller, so it was sort of logical that podcasting could be something that I would enjoy… BUT what happens usually when we want to do something? Yup… self-doubts and excuses attack and push back the intention to do something new. And that’s exactly what happened to me back then. I recalled the fact that I have an accent and that would not sound well… I thought that the technical part of producing a podcast was very complicated and I also thought that no one would like to be interviewed by a completely unknown Armenian podcaster… And then the coincidences in my life came by one by one. First of all one of my good online friend and a fellow writer Rob Cubbon introduced me to my current podcasting mentor Meron Bareket. I don’t even remember how did the topic come up. It was long after the self doubt had won and I had decided that podcasting is not something I could possibly manage and had forgotten about it. So I got introduced to Meron’s free video tutorials, where he covers everything you need to know about launching a podcast  (which by the way you can get too at www.podcastincubator.com/write2bread) and after watching the first few videos I realized that technically it is not as complicated as I thought. That sort of made me think that things were not impossible. So I drank a bottle if beer and recorded a few second audio to send out to few British friends and see if my accent would be bearable. The feedback was great and they told that I should definitely go ahead and start a podcast. So it all led me reach the point when I though “what the hell - let’s try it”. For me it was just an experimental project. I was going to do my best, try and see what happens. Now, when I think back … I might have never known Rob (btw I still don’t remember how we met online)  and respectfully not be introduced to Meron… Even after the launch I might not have put so much time into it… or got so many amazing guests… or might have given up at the early stage… So I guess, things happen for a reason. When they do you don’t yet know where those things will lead you to… Yes there is an element of luck to meet the right person at the right time, to come up with an idea at a time when there are people who are willing to help you execute it, to gain the courage when you need it most… but if you embrace what comes and later on help the chain reaction with putting some time and effort on top of the initial coincidence amazing things may happen. When you get an idea for a book - help it become a book - start writing it and don’t let the uncertainty about whether it will sell or not stop you. When you meet someone online - help that person change your life - talk to him. I am connecting to 3 new people online each day. Some of them later become online friends, business partners and avid listeners. When you think about doing something you’d like to do - don’t overthink - just do it. Don’t let the imaginary barriers stop you from starting. When you get self-doubts - try to see how real the doubts are… maybe they are created and imagined by you and have nothing to do with the reality. Look back at all the coincidences in your life and you will realize that they were not pure coincidences. They were chances, opportunities and the beginnings of something new. They were the turning points and the twists that you needed in your life. They may lead you to amazing changes and make you create something amazing. Maybe coming across the Write 2B Read podcast was not a coincidence either and the fact that you are listening to me know means something… like that you need to write that book inside you, or you need to find out how to share the book you have  already written with the world - or simply get the inspiration and the encouragement that you needed now. Go ahead and make things happen. You can do it! Oh and go ahead and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes to make sure that you don’t miss anything new :)

We are at episode 100 and I still can't believe it! It has been a very exciting and fruitful period. I still remember how I recorded and later re-recorded many times my very first episode. I sounded nervous and did not like the result... but it is still there the way it is. I did not record a new one to replace it, because I thought that it is fair to leave it the way it came out ... I have enjoyed almost all the interviews done until now and I am proud that I've spoken to so many awesome people. It blows my mind to realize that every day someone I don't know listens to me somewhere on the other hand of the world. It feels weird and at the same time amazing to realizing that there are many people I have never met who hear my voice at least twice a week... I truly appreciate every single listener. Every time I feel down I re-read your reviews and e mails and the day gets better. I won't be mentioning names, cause you know who you are and you are so many but I  would like to thank everyone, who has encouraged and helped me make this happen. In the episode 100 you will hear an interview with me which was recorded just few days after the launch of the Write 2B Read podcast and it will help you know me better./p>   Below are the interviews I've done in no particular order for you to listen if you have not done so yet. Just click on the image and it will play. Here are the interviews and short solo pieces:                I feel honored and happy that you find the shows useful. The biggest achievement of the show is that some of you - my listeners have self-published your first books. That what the podcast was created for - to inspire and encourage you along the way and make sure that you become authors. To many more episodes and new books! You can connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group.

Click the banner below and get a free audiobook from 150,000 available fiction and non-fiction titles for your iPhone, Android, Kindle or mp3 player. I am not sure you know this, but a while ago I was a self-development blogger. My blog was called Life Probabilities and although I am no longer the owner and the author of the blog it still exists.  Now Vinod is the owner of the Life Probabilities and he is covering self development related topics there so you can check out the blog if you like similar topics. So today I will present you with one of the blog posts I wrote at Life Probabilities about success. Since the thoughts I had are still valid I decided that I could share them with you here too. Who doesn’t want to be successful? Yup, that’s what I thought. No one. These days there are many talks about becoming successful, not giving up after failure, getting there, striving for perfection and such. All that is supposed to motivate and encourage… But sometimes, just the opposite happens. Sometimes reading all those articles and coming back to where you are at that moment may make you even more depressed. Why is that? I think it is because many self-development authors contribute to the stereotyping of the meaning of success. The same thing does the TV, the media and the society. If you ask around about who is successful many will somehow come up with the names of celebrities, rich businessmen, top managers or well-known people. No one will think of a single mother who raised a creative and happy child. No one will come up with the name of a person, who left everything behind in order to follow his dream. No one will recall the young guy, who spent days and nights outside with his camera in order to finally make that perfect shot he had in mind. What we need to understand is that success is not a fixed term. Success is different for everyone. For one being successful may mean climbing up the career ladder. For someone else it may mean not working for a corporation. For someone success may be being rich and famous. For someone else it is about a happy family and genuine friends. For some writing and completing a full length novel is already a success, but for someone else the success is becoming a bestselling author. Besides that your vision of success may be evaluated periodically. At different stages of your life you may have different understandings of success. Life does not stand still and you have the right to change your mind and follow different goals. Success is a complex term. It is not always obvious and visible. Being true to your values may be a success itself. Reaching inner peace and harmony, may also mean that you are successful. In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey he has one exercise. You have to imagine your funeral. Think about who will be there and what will they say about you and your life. Surpassingly what you would like them to say is what you are supposed to achieve during your life. For me success is living so that the words I would like to be told at my funeral are told when the time comes. By the way for you, the listeners of the Write 2B Read podcast, Audible is offering a free audiobook download with a free 30-day trial to give you the opportunity to check out their service. So you can get the number one international bestseller The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People mentioned in this episode or any other audiobook of your choice for free at www.audibletrial.com/write2bread 

The whole week I’ve been thinking a lot. The more I thought the more I got confused. Well thinking too much is a dangerous thing I have to say. Sometimes overthinking keeps you from actually taking action. You keep thinking and analyzing and coming up with outcome scenarios and after that coming up with back up plans… then back up plans for the back up plans which would not work… In short I was totally confused and lost. I was thinking about my personal brand, about my presence online… about what to do next, about what to change and what to keep the same. I got in touch with good friends, who spent their time listening to my stories and plans and hopes and stuff. I guess I wanted to know what I had to do… I was trying to map up my desired future and retro-plan it coming up with a plan how to get there. And as a result I learnt few things which I want to share with you today. The first thing I realized after speaking to many people, and most of them are quite successful and prolific - is that I am not alone and many of them don’t have a clear vision either. And that’s ok… You see as far as you can see and you are able to see further only if you move forward. So by staying in one place and not moving you won’t see the future I’m afraid. No one knows where he or she will end. We can’t predict how life will turn out. But what we can do is act, try, experiment, do our best and walk  one step at a time. The other thing that I understood was - I was stuck because I felt overwhelmed. And I was overwhelmed because I was dreaming big. Please don’t get me wrong, dreaming big is good. The thing is when you are planning your actions looking at the big dream it may feel impossible. Reaching that big dream may feel very complex and complicated. And when that happens you may get stuck at one place. So I would rather say Dream Big but Start Small. As Lao Tzu said the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. No one reached enormous success immediately. The success we see and think is an overnight success is cumulated result of many consistent small victories and accomplishments. So instead of feeling confused and instead of panicking because I did not know what to do next, all I had to do was take the first step and see where it takes me. Putting these lessons into the more specific writing sphere I could say that don’t think too much whether you are good enough or not to write a book, don’t think too much whether people will like it or not, don’t overthink about how to promote, market and sell it. And also don’t think about a 600 page novel right away. Simply take action and write your first page. Ok so that’s it for now… Move forward by writing one page at a time and enjoy the process! Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Don't miss the opportunity to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group. 

My today's guest is Liston Witherill. In 2014 Liston walked away from a CMO position at a $10M company to start my own thing. He was already totally booked in his consulting business two months before leaving. That is because Liston is a proudly trained conversion copywriter and he is no joke when it comes to sales. He spends most of his time trying to understand how people are making decisions. In this interview we talk about the copywriting, as well as writing book description and sales page. Below are just the few highlights of the interview. Yes, I do this on purpose. I don't provide you with a transcript so you go and listen to the show. Highlights Present the book in such way that it resonates with the people, who read about it. Copywriting is NOT a creative writing. With copywriting we always have a goal of getting someone doing something very specific. Number one mistake in copywriting is that people talk about themselves. The copy should be focused 90% of the time on a reader and what he wants. Want to know more? Check out the special free resource Liston has created for you! Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Don't miss the opportunity to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.

Today I would like to talk about numbers… No, no - we will not go into maths or any calculations. I want to talk about how the digital numbers sort of determine how cool we are… Let’s see how people who don’t know you judge about your reputation online? They look at how many followers you have on Twitter, how much traffic does your website get, how many likes your Facebook page has, etc. They check who your Facebook friends are and how many of those are well-known and influential people. It becomes a game of large audiences, big e mail lists and download numbers. Let’s look at the traditional publishers. They don’t care about what kind of book you have. All they care about is how large is your audience and how many of your book you could sell to them… Which makes me think - hey if I had a large audience and could sell many books why would I need you anyway? The problem is - When we get into that swirl we forget one simple truth and that is - those numbers represent people. Every single one is a human being who lives, feels and thinks.  Our e-mail list is not a  list of e mail addresses - it’s a list of people. When we look at our website traffic graph - it’s not clicks - it’s people who made those clicks and ended up on your website. Many don’t realize that it’s not about the size of your audience. It’s about the engagement of that audience. It is about the quality of that audience. So how do you create a high quality audience. I think it can be built only through relationships. Honest, sincere and human relationships… And I do believe that human relationships can be built in the virtual space. You may not be meeting those people in person, but you have the opportunity to connect with them. At the beginning I was chasing numbers too… I logged in to my Amazon KDP dashboard and tracked the book sales. Those numbers impacted my day’s mood and low numbers made me feel like a failure… But then I looked at it otherwise… Even if only few people gave my the precious gift of their time and attention and if they spent hours and days reading what I wrote and it made them feel something - that’s already impressive and great. If I compare my podcast stats with the very popular podcasters I may get depressed at some point. But it doesn’t happen because I don’t do that. I look at the stats and try to remember that on the other end of the word, there are people, who listen now and hopefully get inspired and encouraged by what I’ve got to say. And if this podcast helps even only few of you - then I’ve accomplished my goal. I truly believe that it’s all about relationships. Relationships are not built overnight and it is a long-term thing. But believe me, it’s absolutely worth it. It may seem difficult but it is not really. If you care about your audience and provide value to them you’ll be fine. So many successful people during our interviews repeated over and over again that the key to success is helping people. So I guess  it’s time to listen. The thing is - It’s not about you… it’s about them. By shifting your mindset from “what is it for me?” to “how can I help them” things will start changing. Ideally there should not even be “me” and “them”. If you manage to create a community, which will be called “we” then you’ll totally nail it! So don’t chase numbers. Instead have a goal of creating a loyal audience, who will be around and who will support and encourage what you. So today I wanted you to Think about those things - because I think that it’s crucial. That’s it for today. Take care and keep building your dream! Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group   Don't miss the opportunity to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.

Today I have a very special guest. If I had not met him online most probably the Write 2B Read podcast would not exist. My guest is Meron Bareket. He is the host of the Inspiring Innovation podcast -  and the Podcast Incubator - The World's Best Step-By-Step Podcast Training & Community To Take You From Zero To Launching A Successful Podcast. The Podcast Incubator was the only resource I used when I launched my podcast in only 3 weeks. I knew nothing about podcasting 3 weeks before my podcast launch so I had to learn everything from scratch. I know that there are many famous brands to go to but where I personally went to and got everything I needed was at the Podcast Incubator. There are step-by-step videos, I have access to Meron Bareket, who ensures over the shoulder support and the community is absolutely amazing. For me personally relationships are important and Podcast Incubator is where I found high quality relationships with the mentor and other members. I not only go there when I need answers to questions, or help with technical issues, but also when I seek encouragement, inspiration and moral support.  I am absolutely convinced that Podcast Incubator is a unique place, where you get answers to all your tailored needs.In this interview we will be covering the exciting subject of podcasting and find out how authors can use that marketing platform in order to get exposure and gain new readers.  [spp-tweet " Podcasting is the most exciting marketing platform on the Internet."] In this interview we cover the following: How much do you have to invest to start a podcast  What podcast types you can choose from  How to get audience from scratch with podcasting  The future trends of podcasting  Free resources and bonuses you can get  By getting the lifetime free access to the resources you will find out about how to: Plan your podcast Set up your show Choose gear and software Record your podcast Edit your podcast Set up your podcast hosting Launch your podcast Meron was kind enough to offer 2 bonuses on top of it all Extremely valuable 1 on 1 call with Meron Premium module with Tim Paige covering podcast intros/outros and how to build your e mail list fast Resources mentioned Audio-Technica ATR 2100 microphone – good quality and affordable microphone, which is ideal for recording at home Call Recorder for Skype – this is what I use to record my  interviews for the podcast Libsyn - this is the hosting service I use for the Write 2B Read podcast. Use the coupon code “inspire” while registering and you will get 2 free months Bluehost - when I created it I knew very little about websites and hosting services that is why one of the most important things was the customer support. I changed about 4 hosting service providers and at the end, comparing all of them I ended up with Bluehost. It seems to be the best in terms of price/quality of service and I am quite happy with it. Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. It means that I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase at no additional cost to you. But that is not the only reason. I could have made a long list of different things I don’t believe in for commission’s sake. But I featured here only those products and services, which I truly believe are helpful and useful. Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Don't miss the opportunity to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.

While many of those who live here are over excited about Kim Kardashyan’s visit to Armenia I instead make sure that you have fresh audio content that will encourage and inspire you. Today it will be just me pouring out the thoughts that I decided to share with you. So we’ll have a short solo piece this time. Did you know that if you close your eyes facing towards the sun you’ll see very nice bright colors inside your  head. The colors will be changing and vary from yellow to bright red with a bright orange and all shades  in- between those. You will enjoy the esthetically pleasant sensations. Well I didn’t know either, until one day when I was writing in the balcony just before the sunset. When the  sun came out and started kissing my face I decided to take a moment and concentrate on the nice sensations. So I took out the sunglasses and closed my eyes facing the sun. Why am I telling you this you would wander and what does it have to do with writing? Well, while watching those nice colors I realized how important the opportunities are. I thought that we       never know what the opportunity will bring until we try something new. In the above example, just one   small and unusual act brought me to a completely new place. A place I had never been before. I think one should pay attention to different potential opportunities. The same goes for the writing. Sometimes the problem is that we are so obsessed with the book we are writing, that we don’t notice other things around us. We might be so focused on the initial plot of the novel that we miss the nice new twist that was not initially planned. When I was writing my first novel I thought about the characters and re-lived the story day and night. At that period I stopped driving a car, because I sometimes forgot to look at the streetlights and signs. And what happens when we get obsessed with our book? Well, besides the fact that the chances are that we will actually finish it this time, we might also miss opportunities. In fact, when I look back I realize that many of the exciting things that happened to me did actually happen, because I noticed the opportunity and was proactive about it. I’ll share just one simple example so you can see what I mean.  Not many know this but my short story Stars was published by Paulo Coelho on his blog. And that was long before I had any substantial online presence or had published any of my writings. I simply read on Paulo’s blog that he was looking for short stories and he will publish the ones he liked. Well I have to be honest here. I am not reading every single post he puts up on his blog, so it was partly a luck too. But when I did saw the post I saw an opportunity there. If I thought too long over whether to send my story to him or not, nothing would have happened. Maybe nothing would have happened even after I did send it. That was possible too. But I would never know if I did not try. So sometimes all you have to do is ignore the self doubt, stop over analyzing the situation and simply act! That’s all I did and as a result ended up being published by Paulo Coelho and my story is still there on his blog. I guess what I wanted you to realize is that the Life is full of possibilities. We simply need to be open and flexible enough to embrace them. Pay attention to the opportunities that come your way and they may take you to a better place or change your life completely. Just go ahead, write your best book, overcome self-doubt, don’t miss the opportunities that are around you and believe that everything is possible! Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Don't miss the opportunity to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group. [text-blocks id="podcast-subscription-links" plain=1]

My today's guest is Nathan Chan. Nathan is the Publisher & Editor of Foundr Magazine, a digital magazine for young entrepreneurs on the App Store & Google Play store. Nathan launched Foundr in March 2013 from his bedroom and in a small period of time it has become a top 10 ranked 'Business & Investing Magazine' on the app store. He has had the pleasure of interviewing some of the most accomplished entrepreneurs around the world namely Sir Richard Branson & Arianna Huffington and much more. But surprisingly enough publishing a magazine and entrepreneurship are not the topics we have covered in this interview. I decided to talk to him about Instagram because he had amazing results using that channel. In over 5 months Nathan started his magazine Instagram account from scratch and reached over 110k followers. Besides the brand exposure and the community around the brand he is now receiving around 1200-1500 e mail sign ups a week. How cool is that? In this interview I tried to pick his brain and find out what are the main things we need to know about using Instagram and how could we use it to get amazing results. Interview Highlights Engagement on Instagram is 50 times better than on Facebook. Serve your community by producing content. Quotes work extremely well on Instagram. Be very clear in your bio what your account is about. To grow followers on Instagram create content that really resonates with your audience create content that is sharable create content that is valuable and that people want to come back to be consistent (post at least 2-3 times a day) utilize hashtags follow like minded accounts (30-40% follow back) find top influencers in your niche and build relationships with them More you post faster you grow. Useful Links Instagram Domination training Wordswag app (IOS) Phonto (Android) Tags for Likes Canva Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Please feel free to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.

My today's guest is Gabriela Pereira. Gabriela is the Creative Director and Instigator of DIY MFA, the do-it-yourself alternative to a Masters degree in writing. She earned an MFA from The New School and has taught writing both online and at writing conferences. Her book about DIY MFA is due out in Spring, 2016 from Writer’s Digest Books. Learn more at DIYMFA.com. We spoke about writing, of course and below are the highlights of our conversation. What Gabriela Said Whenever I see a debut author launch their first book it makes me realize that magic is possible. I do believe that writing is a teachable skill. There are no accidents in writing. You should strive to reach the point when you can break the rules on purpose. There is no right or wrong way of writing because that would mean putting your brain on autopilot and following the rules. Every word should be in your writing for a reason. When you're just putting your words on a page you're creating the raw material. Putting words in a page may be a struggle. Once you've gotten yourself into a routine and into a habit of writing fairy regularly it's a lot easier to sustain that momentum. I believe that writers should write the thing that doesn't make them want  to break the computer. If you hate it - don't write it. You wanna remember the individual humans behind the numbers. Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Please feel free to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group. 

Derek Doepker is a multiple #1 bestselling author with books in the fitness, self-help, and publishing niches. Through his courses – which include ‘Kindle Bestseller Secrets’ and ‘Hooks for Books’ – he has trained thousands of authors on how to write, publish and market their books successfully. He’s also got a #1 bestselling book called ‘Why Authors Fail’ that reveals the 17 mistakes that stop self-published authors from achieving success and shows how you can fix them. In this interview Derek provide self-publishing advice and shares the most common mistakes that writers make. Advice from Derek Put yourself in the shoes of the book buyer. Imagine yourself going through the experience of buying your book. Become very reader-focused. Turn competitors into companions. Tips for your book's success 1. Grab attention (by the book cover, title and description) Paying for professional book cover is investment, not an expense. If you book does not have a good cover you will be losing out many sales or your book might not sell at all because of its bad cover. 2. Understand who the target reader is Look at the successful books in your genre. Read their reviews and find out why people liked it and what readers did not like. Survey people and find out what they need 3. Get guidance Learn from people who are already successful.  Shortcut to success is seeking out mentors, coaches and resources that will guide you through the entire process. Common Mistakes Writers Make 1. The wrong mindset Many writers think about "How can I get value?" when getting into it instead of thinking "How can I give value?" 2. Perfectionism Many writers spend years because they want to make their book perfect before it is published. You can't get a perfect book until you make imperfect attempts and learn from them. 3. Distractions Many writers let themselves distracted often while working on their book. 4. Not following proven formulas Writers either imitate what was done before (in a copy-paste style) or they get too creative. Useful links To get Derek's free Kindle marketing audio training visit eBookBestsellerSecrets.com You can find Derek’s fitness website at ExcuseProof.com You can check out Derek’s self-publishing books here on his Amazon Author Page at http://www.amazon.com/Derek-C.-Doepker/e/B00UH3IBJM Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Please feel free to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group. 

My today's guest is one of my best friends Julie Sheranosher. Julie was a Captain in the army and had absolutely no choice but to get REALLY good with time management. She found out that she has a talent for understanding people's needs and routines and matching them with custom-tailored time management systems that work for them. Julie quit the army and became a Time Hacker, helping the highly successful entrepreneurs to reach the NEXT level. She has a blog, 2 podcasts, book and a whole bunch of happy clients. Today we will talk about how to make time for writing every day and Julie provides us with practical tips of how to make it happen. Below are the highlights of the interview, but as always they don't cover everything we spoke about. That is why I encourage you to dedicate about 50 minutes to listen to the interview itself and learn much more than I covered in the notes. Highlights Time Hacking is all about finding how time can work for you instead of the other way around. It all comes down to finding clarity, focus and priority. Every single day you get 24 hours no matter what you did with the previous ones. It doesn't matter if you've managed it well or not. You get a new fresh start. There is no such thing as "I don't have time". Time is not something you have. Time is something you make. If you want something to happen then you make time for it. Multi tasking is basically doing more things slower. I am never ever busy. I'm always doing what is the most important thing right now. I am never busy for anything because it's always my choice. Changing habits take from 28 to up to 32 days straight. And if you stop in the middle the counter starts from zero and you have to start over again. If you can't see results and don't see early wins you won't stick with it. Useful Links Julie Sheranosher's website The Time Hacker podcast Julie's Time Saving Tools Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Please feel free to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group. [text-blocks id="podcast-subscription-links" plain=1]

Last Chance! The Write 2B Read Master Class starts in a couple of days, so if you are interested to become part of it and publish your book in 8 weeks - hurry up!   The Interview I wanted to interview James Altucher since many months already, but the self-doubt, insecurities and other nonsense was keeping me away from connecting with him. Finally, one day I got the courage and wrote him a Facebook message. And I'm glad I did.   The reason I wanted to have James on my show was not that he is a  famous. If you have followed my podcast you know that I don't choose people who are famous, but people who are interesting to talk to and who are able to provide value to you - my listeners. I knew that my interview with James would be packed with wisdom and that you'd enjoy it too. For the very few of you, who don't know who James Altucher is - I have included his short bio below for you. James Altucher is a successful entrepreneur, investor, board member, and the writer of 11 books including the recent WSJ Bestseller, "Choose Yourself!". He has started and sold several companies for eight figure exits. He's on the board of a billion revenue company, has written for The Financial Times, The New York Observer, and over a dozen popular websites for the past 15 years. He's run several hedge funds, venture capital funds, and is a successful angel investor in technology, energy, and biotech. He has also lost all his money, made it back, lost it, made it back several times and openly discusses how he did it in his columns and books. Although I encourage you to listen to the interview, because there is no other way to feel the energy and the flavor of our conversation, I have included the important points James mentioned during our talk below for you. About money and time If I lost $20 I could always make $20 back. But if I lose 20 minutes of my life I will never ever be able to rewind the clock. I will never ever be able to make those 20 minutes back.   About the idea muscle Every day I try to exercise my idea muscle so I write 10 ideas a day.   About  job Job is a very small subset of ways to make a living. Make a living - make a life. Life is much bigger than just the job.   About failure There is no such thing as absolute failure. There is too much "failure porn" on the Internet. Much better is to set yourself up in such a way that failure becomes strengthening to you.   Don't call a failure - failure. Call it an experiment!   About life Life is like experiment where we add and subtract and merge ideas and come up with new ideas.   About Abundance Persistence + Love = Abundance   About success The best predictor of successful tomorrow is a successful today.   About publishers Publisher's don't care about you. They care how much your book is gonna sell. Traditional publisher blocks you from your audience and from communicating to your audience.   About being nervous I am still nervous every time I hit publish.   About being a good writer If you write a good book in popular genre you'll be successful. But I think the key is really to focus on being a good writer. Improving your skills at writing. Because then the genre will find you.   Ultimately the goal of whether you're a good writer or not is if people enjoy your writing.   The only way you can improve as a writer is by reading and writing every day.   Writing is about storytelling it's not about lecturing.   Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Please feel free to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.

My today's guest is Srinivas Rao. Srini is a bestselling author and the host and founder of The Unmistakable Creative podcast. In this episode we have a pretty unstructured talk about things related to success and creativity. About expectations Expectations are killer of joy. You will never live up to everybody's expectations. Part of what kills our ability to so things is that we have these lofty expectations and when we don't - suddenly things are lot easier. There is a beauty about being a beginner and not having an audience and not having anybody reading yourself. There is something very liberating about that. About feedback Feedback can become whole other form of addiction. We're culturally conditioned to seek praise and avoid criticism. About the audience We've kind of really gotten obsessed with growing the audience - almost to a fault. And the challenge with that is that we're trying to do work that is designed to build audience as opposed to work that is designed to strike a cord or touch someone's heart. Biggest lesson It doesn't stop after you had first level of success. That's not where it ends. What helps creativity Being away from the computer. The key is shutting down every digital distraction. What kills creativity One thing that kills creativity is comparison. About books "Where my work started to improve and change is when I stopped reading books about social media and blogging. Once I literally stopped reading any books about marketing or online marketing or social media and then my work got significantly more interesting and better." Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Please feel free to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.  

My today's guest is Ryan Hanley. He helps brands and businesses find their audience, tell their story and win the battle for attention online. He is also the author of Content Warfare: How to find your audience, tell your story and win the battle for attention online. What is content marketing? Content marketing is the process of creating media in the effort to add value to an audience. About building audience It's a culture of audience building. You are never not building an audience. About your book audience You don't write a book and then go and find an audience. That would possibly be the worst possible thing you could do as an author. About time You never gonna find time. [spp-tweet "You either make time or you don't wanna write a book that badly."] Benefits of the Crowdfunding (besides the money) it validates the idea it activates the audience it is a good accountability tool Drawbacks of the crowdfunding With crowdfunding your core audience has already bought the book. So you have to sell the book twice: once to those who will fund your book and once again when it is published. Those who back up your campaign will not be part of your Amazon sales and therefore contribute to your book's bestselling rankings. Good News Ryan raised $10K with his crowdfunding campaign and it took only 147 people to fill that campaign. This means that you down need huge audience - all you need is couple of hundred people, who are willing to invest in you. Useful Links Ryan Hanley's website Content Warfare (Ryan's book) Publishizer (crowd-publishing platform for authors) Book Baby (POD hardcovers) CreateSpace (papaerback) Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Please feel free to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.  

My Today's guest is James Thorn. J. Thorn is a Top 100 Most Popular Author in Horror, Science Fiction, Action & Adventure and Fantasy (Amazon Author Rank). He has published over one million words and has sold more than 130,000 books worldwide. In March of 2014 Thorn held the #5 position in Horror alongside his childhood idols Dean Koontz and Stephen King (at #4 and #2 respectively). James believes that reading dark fiction can be healing. James admires strong people who are not afraid to speak their mind. You can watch this presentation at the Author Marketing live where and find out about all the mistakes he made at the very beginning. You can get more details and contact James through his website. Impressive Quotes "I figured out what to do by failing over and over and over again" "I think talent is overrated. Perseverance is essential in becoming a writer" "There was a moment when I was sitting at my desk and had my finger on a delete button on a title at KDP" "Horror is like pizza" "I like my books to be escape for people" "Even the best book is gonna get really harsh criticism" "Reviews are for readers. It's readers' space and authors should stay out of it" Advice from James [spp-tweet "When you are starting just write the story you wanna read."] Writing a novel is a long lonely process and if you are not really excited about what you're doing - it's gonna be hard. If you can't take criticism or you can't accept rejection writing is not the business for you. [spp-tweet "You have to keep writing and you have to keep growing."] If you give up easily you're not gonna be successful writer because there are way more rejections than there are rewards in this business. You should chase what you're passionate about in life no matter what anyone else thinks about it. If you're doing it for money you will eventually lose interest. It will become a job and you'll wanna do something else. Your biggest challenge is not sales - your biggest challenge is discoverability. What you're trying to do is get eyes on your work and in order to do that you have to sacrifice your compensation. [spp-tweet "Giving your book for free to certain people at certain times does pay off."] Personal branding is the single most important thing you can do besides the writing. Be patient. It takes time for you to develop your voice as a writer. It takes time to understand how to unfold a story. You're gonna doubt yourself. You're gonna have moments when you want to quit. You will have people tell you that you should quit. And if you listen to it all you will quit and you won't write. Just persevere, be patient and at certain point if writing is for you you'll know it and if not you'll know it. And that should come from inside and from your own judgement and not based on the things that people are telling you. Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Please feel free to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.  

Neeraj Kumar is an IT Professional based in London. He was born and grew up in India and moved to the UK in 2000. Neeraj has just launched his maiden Novel called ‘The I.T. Immigrant’, which a biographical fiction. On this Podcast Neeraj shares some insights about his writing journey, what inspired him to write this Novel and some practical tips and tricks he has applied in his own writing and book promotions. Neeraj can be contacted via his Facebook page Don't forget to check out the Write 2B Read Master Class You can get all the details and reserve your spot here  The Master Class starts on March 20 and the group will be limited to 25 people. 25 people only because I want to ensure that I have enough time to provide you with the personal support, encouragement and over the shoulder guidance on top of the knowledge you’ll be getting. Please do not hesitate to contact me and ask anything you need to know but could not find on the website. I will be more than happy to meet you in the class. Let’s share your story with the world! Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Please feel free to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.  

Today I would like to talk to you about the most exciting and at the same time scariest moment. That is the moment when what you’ve been working on for a while is put out to the word. Many of my guests have mentioned that the biggest challenge that writers are facing is hitting the publish button. Many writers complete their work and stop there. There are so many amazing stories hidden somewhere in someone’s computer folder or in someone’s drawer. What makes publishing a book so scary? I can tell my personal opinion. I think that what keeps most of us from putting ourselves out there is the fear of failure. We are afraid to fail publicly. We are afraid that the book won’t be liked, that the book will get bad reviews. We are terrified that people will be asking “so how is your book doing?” and we’ll have to admit that it is not selling… Besides the emotional pressure we are having with ourselves, by putting our work out there we are putting ourselves in a situation where we also have to deal with others. By publishing our work we kind of give permission to people to read it and later publicly share their opinion about it. The opinion, which can’t be predicted in advance. The opinion which can’t be silenced if it’s not what you hoped for. So, does it mean that those who hide their writings are right? Well… I don’t think so. Because along with all the things I said there is another side to this. What if your book helps someone? What if your book inspires people? What if people need to get the message you’ve shared in the book? What if your writing will help someone escape the reality, forget their problems and re-live the lives of your characters? What if people will actually like it and the book does well? You know what? You will never know what will actually happen unless you publish. So you have 2 choices. Either keep that writing to yourself and keep dreaming seeing your name on book’s cover knowing that the dream will never come true… or collect all the courage you have, take the risk and hit that publish button. I know it’s hard. I know that you have to get out of your comfort zone for that and that taking risks is scary… But I also know that nothing amazing in life happens until you leave that comfort zone of yours behind. I know that it is very difficult… At the same time I believe that an unread story is a broken dream. Unread story is a broken dream I know what I’m talking about because I’ve been there. I had different notebooks and word documents hidden far away. I’ve been their only reader and they felt lonely and neglected because of that. None of the books wants to be read only by its author. Maybe you are not ready to publish your book because you think it’s not good enough? Well, let me tell you something. None of the good writers are ever completely satisfied with their writing. They all think that it could have been written better. And that’s ok… No one’s first book has been perfect. But if not that first book… we would never have read author’s second, third and fourth books either. When I was launching this podcast my biggest fear was that no one would listen to me. Well if I listened to that fear and did not launch - no one would listen to me for sure… but you’re listening to me now right? Which kind of proves my point. Just don’t let the fear stop you. Go ahead and try and you’ll be surprised how wrong you were to feel scared. So ask yourself now… Do you have a story that you want to share with the world? Do you dream of seeing your name on a bestseller cover? Do you have a special story to tell? If yes, then what are you waiting for? Since I know that it is not easy I am willing to help you and I want to tell you how… Remember me talking about taking risks, getting out of the comfort zone and putting yourself out there? Well I did that few days ago… I am very excited about that. But I am also terrified .. Yes, both at the same time. That is because I have the same feelings one has while hitting publish. I have launched a Write 2B Read 8 Weeks Master Class for you to overcome everything I spoke about in this episode. Remember I told Unread story is a broken dream? I want to change that for you. With this Master Class that I have created I want your dream to become reality. I am not sure you know this, but I spent years in the high stress corporate world as a marketing specialist for big brands… until I finally burned out and decided to strike out on my own. It was a difficult decision, but looking back now I can say it’s been one of the best ones so far. I decided to follow my passion and become a writer. The only problem was… I knew nothing about writing, self-publishing and book marketing back then. Oh yeah and I also couldn’t afford to hire anyone to help me out. But what I did have was time (the one great benefit to being jobless). So I dug in and through trial and error, and more error…  I made all the possible mistakes that self-published newbie authors made. I spent weeks and months researching and experimenting. and failing… That was until I finally became Amazon bestselling author - twice. But believe me I did it the slow and the hard way. That is why I want to help you avoid all the mistakes I’d made and save your precious time so you can spend it on writing instead. The Write 2B Read Master Class will have your book published in 8 weeks. Basically by the end of week 8 you will be all set for your exciting journey of becoming an author, with your book already available for sale on Amazon and paperback! During our weekly coaching and video calls I will show you how: to finalize your book and make it ready for publishing (title, cover, blurb, etc) to come up with your launch strategy and make sure that your book gets the visibility it deserves to fulfill your dream and have your book published on the biggest bookstore in the world (both Kindle format and paperback) to build and grow your audience (social media, e mail list building, etc.) to create your personal brand We will have Group Coaching Meetings With Your Book Project in the Hot Seat You will become part of the exclusive Facebook Group where you will meet like-minded people and get direct access to me there. You will get feedback on your ideas (book title, cover, concept, launch plan, etc.), present your problems and get help and the members may become part of your book launch team. Each new member will get 30 minutes Skype call when we will specifically discuss the details your project and end up with action plan  for your book and you will also get unlimited e mail support in-between the live weekly calls I know what you might be thinking… Actually Few days ago I saw a similar program which was priced over $1,000. Remember when I told my story? I needed something like this but I could not afford paying thousands of dollars. And I don’t want you to that either. That is why the price of the 8 week master class is only $149. You can get all the details and reserve your spot here  The Master Class starts on March 20 and the group will be limited to 25 people. 25 people only because I want to ensure that I have enough time to provide you with the personal support, encouragement and over the shoulder guidance on top of the knowledge you’ll be getting. Please do not hesitate to contact me and ask anything you need to know but could not find on the website. I will be more than happy to meet you in the class. Let’s share your story with the world! Well that was all I wanted to share with you today… Just like I feared that no one would listen to my podcast, now I am scared that no one would enroll to the Master Class. I truly hope you’ll prove me wrong again. Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Please feel free to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.  

When I was about 6 years old I got my very first roller skates. To be honest I don’t even remember where they came from, but they were very classy for the Soviet times. The skates were from those you attach to your shoes, with red leather upper side and laces… they had 4 rubber wheels each. Two in front and two in the back. Oh and the size was adjustable, so I could use them like forever… or until they broke or something. After getting the skates and feeling super happy I had to learn skating. It was winter and it was snowing outside… I was even more impatient than I am now. And people who know me well will tell you that I am one of the most impatient people they have ever met. So what did I do? No, I did not go outside - because those who know me well will also tell you that I absolutely and intensely hate cold. So I decided to make my first tries on our living room carpet. Every day I was putting the skates on and trying to move without falling. As you can imagine there were many falls… I fell on the soft carpet and immediate stood up and tried again. I don’t remember how long did it take until I mastered that thing, but by the time we went out with my dad I could maneuver my skates like a pro… Why am I telling about something that happened 30 years ago and what does it have to do with writing you might ask… Well, although it is not so obvious but in fact it does. I can link it to writing, to entrepreneurship and anything else that requires the right mindset. The thing is, when I got those shiny skates I did not think that I can’t skate. When I was falling on the carpet over and over again it never occurred to me that I will not be able to learn. I did not even consider giving up. It was not an option I would choose because I never even thought that it could be one of the options. So what happens to us when we grow up? Why do we start getting all those negative thoughts triggered in our mind? Why every time we write something we keep thinking that it is not good enough? Why do we have so many doubts about sharing our writings with the world? How come our 6 years old self is so much stronger? How come she keeps standing up after every fall until she reaches the point when she doesn’t fall anymore and we, instead close up and stop writing after getting a negative feedback? Back then I did not spend hours on that carpet because I wanted others to admire when they saw me skating outside, no. I did that because I wanted to skate. I wanted to be one of the people who can do that, that’s all. So why do you write? You write because you want to sell your books, or you write because you want to be a writer? Do you think about giving up, because you lack encouragement and inspiration? Do you think you can’t succeed because you have only 2 readers and one of them is your mom? I’ve told this many times already… But I think it’s worth repeating again. If you are writing and creating a story with your words then you are a writer. It doesn’t matter if what you’ve written is liked by others or not. It doesn’t matter if 2 people read you or hundred… What matters is that you have created a brand new story, from scratch with your words. You have come up with a piece of writing which was not out there before… Just like my first tries in the living room, your stories too will not be perfect. Some of them will even be terrible. So what? Do you have to conclude that you can’t write just because your first story is not a masterpiece? Who’s first story was? Just like my 6 years old me you have to practice too. You have to write, erase, tear up the paper and start all over again. With each try things will go smoother. With each next try you will enjoy it more… and your each new version will sound better and the story will be stronger. All those things you are longing for now - the readers, the fans, the book sales, your name on the bestseller’s cover… it all will come with the time. It will… but ONLY if you don’t give up and start over after each thorn paper and each erased paragraph or deleted document. I am sure you have your own examples of your 6 year old strong self. Recall those, admire your little self and try to be like that strong will child. So next time you feel discouraged, you feel down or feel like giving up - re-think again, get back your positive mindset and try again. Or write me an e mail and I’ll cheer you up! Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Please feel free to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group. [text-blocks id="podcast-subscription-links" plain=1]

My today's guest is Joe Bunting. He is a writer and entrepreneur. He  ghostwrites books for busy leaders. He also wrote a #1 Amazon Bestseller "Let's Write A Short Story" and publishes the blog for writers called The Write Practice. He also founded Story Cartel. In this interview we discuss different writer's struggles and Joe suggests ways to overcome those. Tip For Your Writing Observe and try to describe whatever captures your eyes. Taking notes of what is going on around you. It is a good lesson in showing and not telling. Very valuable tip for your storytelling. Biggest Struggle + Solution The biggest thing that people struggle with is the ability to finish their writing. It is important to give yourself deadlines and to break up your writing project into smaller chunks (chapters, section, etc.). It is so important to give you deadline that gives you focus. And the hardest part is setting the deadline yourself. About Stress Stress in the right amount is good thing - it focuses you and gives motivation. We all need a little bit of stress to write well. You do better when you write your first draft in short period of time. Sometimes we get too perfectionistic about those. Ideas Vs Books People think that an idea is all it takes to write a good book. [spp-tweet "Ideas are useless - execution is everything!"] About Amazon Reviews The best way to market your book is to get reviews. Amazon reviews do 3 important things. They provide social proof. They create "word of mouth" buzz (we are likely to buy books our friends are taking about) Right now Amazon algorithm is set in such way that the book with more reviews climbs the sales ranks faster than the one with less reviews. Important Advice Publish - put your writing out there! Until you don't start putting it out to the world it's very difficult to step into your identity as a writer. Food for thought Too many people keep their work locked away for too long. Writers write for people. they don't write in closets. One of the best way to learn something is to teach. The main thing he focused on was not selling a lot of copies but giving away a lot of copies. The amazing part about launching a book is - you finally see how people are reacting to your writing. They (ones who provide feedback on your writing) didn't have to read your book. They took time out of their lives to read and that's a gift. Useful Links The Write Practice (Joe's blog for writers) Story Cartel (readers get free books, writers get reviews) Joe Bunting's Amazon author page Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Please feel free to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.

Ani Alexander is a bestselling fiction author and a podcaster. Her podcast Write 2B Read is created to inspire and encourage writers. She enjoys being online entrepreneur and is working hard to reach success. She is an Armenian who grew up as the daughter of a diplomat and an engineer with international contracts. Her travels took her to Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Belgium and Russia. We talked about some of the changes she experienced, her influences and her journey from to the corporate world and away from it  into entrepreneurship. She shared unique insights on what it's like to live in Armenia and she discusses how to get into fiction writing and really just following your path. You can find out more about her and her work on her See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

My today's guest is Tim Paige. Tim is proud to be the Conversion Educator at LeadPages. An experienced marketer in all forms of media, Tim spends his days speaking to the most successful marketers across multiple industries, and sharing his findings with business owners who want to increase their marketing results. In this interview Tim provides practical advice about where to start building audience, how to drive traffic to your site and how to build, grow and treat your e mail list. Where to Start? It's one thing to be a fantastic writer and artist and it's another thing entirely to get people to actually experience your fantastic art. Start by building your e mail list cause it's an asset you own. Fist place Tim recommends to start is get the "title of your book".com domain and link that to a landing page. What is a landing page? It is a webpage, that's designed for people to take an action.  And typically that action is to opt in - i.e. give their e mail address. Many people give a free chapter of their book, which is good IF people already know who you are or if people already know your writing. If you are a first time writer, instead of the free chapter of your book you better come up with a resource that will appeal to potential readers of your book. It should appeal to major pain or interest of the audience. In terms of conversion it is better to provide a 1 page pdf as lead magnet than an online course or anything else requiring time to digest How to Drive Traffic? To drive traffic to your landing page you have 2 options, you have to have money or time. If you have money, you can save yourself time by paying for the traffic. If you don't have the money (which happens more often :) you need to spend time to generate traffic. There is no fast solution with no money. If you want to drive traffic efficiently one of the best ways to do it is through content marketing. The good news is that as an author you already know how to create great content. You have to write quality blog posts that not only speak to your particular audience but also include relevant keywords for your books. You can get useful resources on keywords at Content Marketing Institute and Orbit Media Studio. You can write a blog post and then create different content out of it. Using Voice Bunny services you can get the audio version of the blog post. You can make a video based on that post and pit it on YouTube. That way you will be able to be everywhere. Later on, you will already have ready content + social proof and can pitch to guest post on other blogs. How to Treat Your Email List? The biggest mistake you can make with your email list is to NOT e mail them. You wanna keep in regular contact with your audience. Once they get in your e mail list set up an autoresponder sequence for every 3 days for minimum 6 e mails (maybe a course or entertainment series, your book chapters, etc.). When you're e mailing your list promoting your blog post make sure that you have a clever subject line they would immediately want to open. Also the copy of that e mail should have only one goal and that's to click to go to your website and read your blog. Do not include your entire post in your e mail because like that you will be losing traffic, comments, shares and similar SEO juice. Once or twice a month you can send something exclusive (content or free resource) that is only for your e mail list subscribers. It will make them feel special + when you promote your list you can mention that you provide special content for free. Don't e mail too much but e mail enough so your subscribers don't forget about you. You can treat your e mails very much like social media. Tim recommends that your e mails are as personal as they can possibly be. Remember that your e mails are going to people and they read them in the middle of their lives. So show them that you are real person too and treat them like people. Don't be afraid to sell, just make sure that you have earned your right to sell. Step by Step Recap Create a landing page Come up with irresistible short pdf that your audience needs Get their emails and build your e-mail list Set up autoresponders sequence Be yourself and send out genuine e mails Don't forget to forget your books too Useful Links ConversionCast podcast Tim's podcast intros and outros business Voice Bunny Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World Free Webinar for Writers Join Me and Meron Bareket from the Podcast Incubator on a free webinar where you will: “DISCOVER HOW TO USE THE POWER OF PODCASTING TO GAIN AN AUDIENCE, GET IN FRONT OF AVID READERS, AND SELL MORE BOOKS… IN 7 EASY STEPS!” So save the date and register to the webinar, by clicking the link below: FEBRUARY 18th at 10am Pacific, 1pm Eastern 6pm GMT    http://podcastincubator.com/writers Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Please feel free to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.  

My Guest My today's guest is Mark Schaefer. Mark is a college educator, marketing consultant, and author of four social media marketing books including Social Media Explained. In this interview we talk about personal brand. We discuss why is it so important and Mark provides valuable advice on how to create a personal brand as an author. I encourage you to listen to the interview, because I think it was really a good one. Self-Publishing vs Traditional Publishing 3 big advantage of the traditional publishing distribution advance boosts your ego BUT... People are mostly buying online anyway, so the distribution does not impact so much. One can get corporate sponsors for his/her book. That is even better than the advance, because you don't have to pay them back. You get total control when you self-publish (what to write, how to write, how to market, etc.) Food for Thought Taylor Swift recently said that in the past you would get a record contract to grow your audience and in the future you have to grow your audience in order to get a contract. The same goes for all artists and writers. With tools like social media we have the opportunity to make connections and build relationships with anyone in the world. Successful are the people who have the courage to show themselves, to bring their personal stories and who are human. Everything we say and everything we don't say on social media accumulates and becomes part of our brand. Relax, have fun and be yourself. It's the only choice you have to stand out. You have to be original. You have to have the courage to show yourself and be yourself, because there is only 1 you. YOU have no competition. If you share your personality (even a little bit) it i usually rewarded. Establish connection through social media. Establish presence and find the people who will be interested in you. Connect with those people, create value, give away your books for free. Take the time, do the work, build the audience, build your trust and be patient on building your brand!  Tweetables Blog + social media is the best way to build a brand for an author today. Brand = the image people have about you in their brain. You can't sell books without an audience. You can't wait for the people to come to you. Write 2B Read Closed Facebook Group Please feel free to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.

My today's guest is Jesse Krieger and he am a guy who loves traveling the world, learning languages and cultures, making friends along the way and starting businesses. Jesse love it so much that he wrote a book called Lifestyle Entrepreneur: Live Your Dreams, Ignite Your Passions, and Run Your Business from Anywhere In The World, which became a bestseller. In this interview we talk about the different opportunities that books may bring with them and discuss what it takes to have a full time author career and become lifestyle entrepreneur. Takeaways You have to grow a lot as a person in order to grow your business. The book became the doorway to all the possibilities to make money that are related to the book. Your book is your hook. There is no excuse to not have a success with your book if you're willing to put in the work and show up consistently and put in effort. If you are published author you still have to promote your book as a publisher's job isn't to market it. If you wanna be author as full time career you have to realize that a large part of it is doing marketing. Nobody loves being sold but everybody loves to buy. It's probably 20-30% writing and 80-70% marketing to make career out of it. Embrace the marketing and don't think of it as marketing, think of it as sharing the ideas of your book with different people in different ways. Create experience that people want to be part of. Useful Links Jesse's website Lifestyle Entrepreneur (the book) Bestseller Campaign Blueprint (online training that will help you Become a #1 Best-Selling Author and Build a 6-Figure Book-Based Business and Brand!) Closed Facebook Group Please feel free to join me and other Write 2B Read podcast listeners at our Facebook group.

Steven Aitchison is a personal development writer and product creator and he has been writing personal development products for his blog at www.stevenaitchison.co.uk/blog for the last 8 years. He also has several personal development products helping thousands of people around the world: more recently, due to the overwhelming success of his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ChangeYourThoughtsToday he was almost forced to produce a Facebook course showing others how to utilise the power of Facebook for marketing, promotion and engaging more with readers and fans at www.yourfbchallenge.com That is why in today's episode we will be talking about Facebook and more specifically, how can authors use Facebook to build and grow their audience, sell more books and make money! Below, I have included several tips that we have covered, but I encourage you to listen to the interview, because it includes so much more... Highlights Set up a Facebook page specific for the book you will be writing. Do that as soon as you get the idea for the book. The marketing should start before you even start writing. Through the Facebook page you will be able to disseminate information to your fans and your readers. Master 1 social platform before moving to the others. Post image quotes 3-4 times per day. You can schedule that up to 6 months in advance. To get likes for your Facebook page you can start by advertising by $2 a day and target your readers. You may get only 20 likes per day at first, but it will build up as a snowball later on. To get readers you can target the readers of Facebook author pages similar to yours. You can also collect the information of people, who have visited your site and target those people through Facebook ads too. Go through successful Facebook pages in your niche and see what their popular content is. Also go through your page insights and see who your audience is. When people comment, reply to their comments or at least like their comment. The momentum will build quicker that way. Besides, you'll get ahead of the game cause most of the authors don't do it on Facebook. See what's working best and do more of that. Put links to the posts that have gone viral. Link those to your income streams to make money. Potential income streams may be: Google Adsense on your website, affiliate links + sales of your products. You may also send people from Facebook to your free product page in order to grow your e mail list. Bigger your e mail list - more products you will be able to sell to them.  Steven's products www.99positiveaffirmations.com/products www.guidedmind.com/Products www.mindalchemy.net/free-gift www.advancedearlyriser.com Few Days Left (Giveaway) I am really happy to announce that last week my podcast passed 50k downloads. This may not sound too much for some, but for me it is very special. The reason is – when I was launching Write 2B Read the biggest fear I had was that no one will listen. That’s what I was scared of most. So reaching 50k downloads is huge! To celebrate that (+ my birthday this month) I created a giveaway for writers, which you can see here. The winner will get Scrivener + 2 books, which will help become successful self-published author. Please check it out and share with those, who might be interested.

A while ago I told you the story of how I started writing. I still can’t explain why and how exactly that happened. But after the first poem, which I wrote I’ve been writing on and off for 20 years already. Just like most of you I did not share my writings with the world and kept them to myself. I did not even read most of what I’d written, because I loved and enjoyed the process of writing more than the result itself. After a while though I decided to show it to my mum to get opinion. I handed her the piece of paper with my hand written poem on it and asked to tell what she thought. Mum took it, read it and told only two words - “not bad”. Although the feedback was not negative, I took it exactly that way. The expression of her face and the way she pronounced those two words sort of showed that she meant just the opposite of what she said. And although, maybe I have let it go, I have not forgotten that moment. That was my very first experience facing criticism. Was I upset? Yes, I was. Did I stop writing? No, I didn’t. I kept on writing in the evenings in my room while listening to music through my earphones and drinking beer straight from the bottle. I was aware of the fact that most 16 year old girls spent their evenings differently, but honestly I did not care. Then one day I saw announcement about a poetry competition in the UK. Back then they were asking for real hard copy letters. So the next day I was at the post office sending the poem I had shown to mum to the competition. I thought that the jury might know things better… I sent the letter and completely forgot about it. That is until I received a reply. I held the closed envelope and took some time to collect courage and open it. When I finally did and read the letter I absolutely had to show it to my mum. There were two main messages I wanted her to read from there. The first one said that according to the jury I had talent (which I did not believe btw) and the second message said that I was among the semi-finalists of the competition. So what happened next? Well it appears that after jury’s letter and acknowledgment mum took my writings more seriously. I can’t tell she liked them - she still probably didn’t, but she accepted the fact and believed this time that my writings were “not bad”. Those who have heard me tell that you as a writer don’t need anyone’s permission and acknowledgment to write and be a writer might think that I contradict myself. But I don’t. Let me explain. The thing is… that letter did not change much in how I saw my writings. It did boost my ego a bit, I admit… but I still did not think I had talent, I still enjoyed the process more than the result and I still did not consider what I did as something more serious than a hobby and escape from the reality. What the acknowledgement did was impress others and bring in credibility to what I wrote in other people’s eyes, not mine. Somehow it seems like others need that acknowledgement more than yourself. It impresses people and makes them look at you with different eyes. But does that acknowledgement change the way you write? Does it make you a better writer? Does it change you as a writer at all? I think the reason it did not change much in me was that I was writing for myself at that stage. I did not need to share my writing, I did not aim to publish my poems and I was not looking for a fame. I knew I could write, I loved doing it and I wrote to either cope with the reality or escape it altogether. I wrote regardless of whether mum or others liked what I’d written or not. I wrote regardless if the jury thought I was good or not. I did not need the permission to continue writing. And the acknowledgement I received simply meant that maybe what I wrote was “not bad”.  You think you need many people to like your books, in order to consider yourself a successful writer? You think you need to become a bestselling author in order to prove yourself and others that you’re good? You think good reviews will make you a good writer? You think 1,000 true fans is a proof of your talent? Maybe… Although I think that none of the above will happen until YOU accept your writing, until YOU believe that you are good and until YOU make the decision to collect the courage and become vulnerable by putting your writing out there. And just after you put it out there - make the decision that  if you get “not bad” as a feedback you will not give up and continue writing anyway! Reminder 1 I am really happy to announce that last week my podcast passed 50k downloads. This may not sound too much for some, but for me it is very special. The reason is – when I was launching Write 2B Read the biggest fear I had was that no one will listen. That’s what I was scared of most. So reaching 50k downloads is huge! To celebrate that (+ my birthday this month) I created a giveaway for writers, which you can see here. The winner will get Scrivener + 2 books, which will help become successful self-published author. Please check it out and share with those, who might be interested. Reminder 2 As you already know the podcast is sponsored by the Author Marketing Institute. AMI wanted me to let you know that their next event for authors is coming up at the end of Jan. It’s called Author Marketing Live and it’s a virtual conference. That means you can attend from your home or office and see all the presentations via your computer or tablet. Grab a seat today to learn from best sellers like Steve Scott, Joel Comm, Lewis Howes and Peter Shankman, and more. You can grab a ticket to the event for only $99 if you use the coupon code “ani” during checkout. That’s $49 off the regular ticket price. Just visithttp://www.authormarketinglive.com to register.

Giveaway Celebration I am really happy to announce that last week my podcast passed 50k downloads. This may not sound too much for some, but for me it is very special. The reason is - when I was launching Write 2B Read the biggest fear I had was that no one will listen. That's what I was scared of most. So reaching 50k downloads is huge! To celebrate that (+ my birthday this month) I created a giveaway for writers, which you can see here. The winner will get Scrivener + 2 books, which will help become successful self-published author. Please check it out and share with those, who might be interested. Now let's get to the interview My today's guest is Bryan Cohen. Bryan is an actor, freelance writer, author and an occasional game show contestant. He has written over 30 books, which have sold more than 30,000 copies. His newest book is Ted Saves the World, the first book in a new YA paranormal/fantasy series.  With Jim Kukral from Author Marketing Club, Bryan co-hosts The Sell More Books Show. He’s also been keeping a blog to help creative writers find new inspiration for the last five years. Check out Build Creative Writing Ideas here. Bryan’s writing has appeared on over 100 blogs, including The Creative Penn, Helping Writers Become Authors, HughHowey.com and RachelleGardner.com. In this interview we discuss how to deal with 2 separate audiences, how to manage time,sell more books and prepare book launches. Interview Highlights How to deal with different audiences? Different audience should be approached differently. Bryan has 2 separate audience building approaches (blog fir non-fiction and videos for fiction), 2 separate websites and different e mail lists. How to Sell More Books? In order to sell more books, you need the three things mentioned below: 1. Get the fundamentals right (strong book cover, professionally edited text, catchy title, etc.) Everything about your book listing page online has to be indistinguishable from the traditionally published and professionally .... book. [spp-tweet "If your book looks like a self-published book it's unlikely that people will buy it. " 2. Mailing List 3. Building Relationships How to Launch a Book? From the first day you're writing your book, you're considering your marketing and planning your book launch. You need to plan everything way in advance. Food for Thought [spp-tweet "It is better to be rejected and sell more books, than it is to not be rejected and never try."] Don't Forget As you already know the podcast is sponsored by the Author Marketing Institute. AMI wanted me to let you know that their next event for authors is coming up at the end of Jan. It's called Author Marketing Live and it's a virtual conference. That means you can attend from your home or office and see all the presentations via your computer or tablet. Grab a seat today to learn from best sellers like Steve Scott, Joel Comm, Lewis Howes and Peter Shankman, and more. You can grab a ticket to the event for only $99 if you use the coupon code "ani" during checkout. That's $49 off the regular ticket price. Just visit http://www.authormarketinglive.com to register.

Celebrate with a Giveaway I am really happy to announce that last week my podcast passed 50k downloads. This may not sound too much for some, but for me it is very special. The reason is - when I was launching Write 2B Read the biggest fear I had was that no one will listen. That's what I was scared of most. So reaching 50k downloads is huge! To celebrate that (+ my birthday this month) I created a giveaway for writers, which you can see here. The winner will get Scrivener + 2 books, which will help become successful self-published author. Please check it out and share with those, who might be interested. Don't Forget As you already know the podcast is sponsored by the Author Marketing Institute. AMI wanted me to let you know that their next event for authors is coming up at the end of Jan. It's called Author Marketing Live and it's a virtual conference. That means you can attend from your home or office and see all the presentations via your computer or tablet. Grab a seat today to learn from best sellers like Steve Scott, Joel Comm, Lewis Howes and Peter Shankman, and more. You can grab a ticket to the event for only $99 if you use the coupon code "ani" during checkout. That's $49 off the regular ticket price. Just visit http://www.authormarketinglive.com to register. Now let's get to my today's guest - David Nihill David was born in Dublin, Ireland. After graduating with a Master’s Degree in Business in 2003, he moved to San Francisco where he worked for the Irish government helping startups expand rapidly. He has been involved with startup companies ever since. David is the Founder of FunnyBizz Conferences, a community conference series helping content creators tap into the power of storytelling, comedy and improv to create better content. He has performed standup comedy at California’s leading clubs including Cobbs, the Comedy Store, the Improv and the Punchline even though he strongly denies being a comedian and is well aware most people don’t understand his accent. His learning, taken from one year's intensive experiments in comedy, performed on someone from the business community with a huge initial fear of public speaking (i.e. him!) have been featured in Inc. and Forbes amongst others. He loves sharks, still dislikes public speaking, and calls San Francisco home when immigration officials permit. In this interview we discuss how David wrote and launched his book Do You Talk Funny?, which you can get for free in the coming 2 days. So what did David do? David had the original idea for that was creating an online course on Udemy called Become a Better and Funnier Speaker. By clicking on the link you can get the course for $18 (with 70% discount). What were the benefits of that strategy? It is easier to find natural voice by talking than writing Udemy promoted the course, so David was able to avoid the self-promotion Training's demand validated that there is a need of the topic Helped create the audience (around 4k students enrolled) 10-20% of the students were engaged and provided interactive feedback Saved time and effort (all training material was transcribed for $80) The online training brought in passive income of $12k The income from the training made it possible to invest in producing a good quality book The creation of the training took about 2 weeks only Through training data you can track where students drop off and which parts should be modified Food for Thought The passive income is not as passive as you think it is!    

Ani Alexander didn't let her job take over her life anymore, she took action! Connect with Ani Alexander of Write 2B Read! anialexander.com Ani Alexander could see herself slipping into a depressive circle. Living in Armenia, she took advantage of a new telecommunications company coming into the country for a good paying job. She quickly saw herself going to work for 12-14 hours a day, coming home and spending only dinner with her family. This was before she had to crack her laptop open and work well into the night. Putting her foot down, with the help of her husband, she decided to advance her passion of writing into a career. Ani Alexander didn't know exactly what she was getting herself into, but found success in writing novels. Even though Ani had never written anything longer than a short story before. Ani Alexendar is now a published author in English and in Spanish, internationally! She has even started up a podcast called Write 2B Read to help other authors find their path in writing. I hope that Ani keeps up the good work, and helping others! I hope to be on her show at some point. ;) Buy Radiohead's Creep https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFkzRNyygfk Episode 119

Matt Stone, also known as "Buck Flogging," is the founder of Buck Books and co-founder of Archangel Ink. Matt has been earning a full-time income as an author since 2010, has self-published 20 books, and has written two traditionally-published books as well. He's most notable for the creation of Buck Books at the end of May, 2014, which has quickly grown to become the 2nd largest book promotion website on earth. Food for Thought Just because it's traditionally published it doesn't mean that it's gonna sell. Traditional publishers are not better at selling books than indie authors are. It is impossible to have a successful book run on a self-publishing book if you don't have at least a little bit of a launch platform built in. If you have a launch platform built up (no matter how big it is) that still does not guarantee that the book will be a bestseller but you can definitely give it a good chance. The success of each book can almost directly be linked and co-related to the number of downloads it got in the first 24 hours. Many authors do everything by themselves and as a result can't make a professional product. 99 cent releases and promotions are really powerful. Author's time is best spent on writing and publishing more books. Buck Books Buck Books was created to come up with the marketing solution for published books. The service is free and they don't charge authors. The books they are looking to promote should be: of good quality preferably always priced at 99 cents (not countdown deals) at least 100 pages long (longer better) are heavily discounted Buck Books also promoted books, which are doing their free promotion. Soon Buck Book will have a new service for fiction books. On Gaining Readers Blogging takes too much time and does not work very well for authors (especially fiction authors). Instead you could try: Get outside of your website and network with people, who've already built their audience. Tap into and appear in froty of their audience (write something for them - guest post, story, etc.) Network with writers, who will help you Create a podcast Host events Organize a competition on your website (and capture e mail addresses like that) Put a link at the end of your book sending readers to your site where you capture leads Useful Links Matt's Amazon Author Page Archangel Ink Buck Books GoodReads Pat Flynn's Kindle Publishing Facebook Group Keep writing and stay in touch. Please feel free to connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group. Don't Forget to Get Your Free Book Click Here to Download  

I would like to start this pos by saying that I am very excited to let you know that The Ani Alexander Collection of all my 3 fiction books is already available on Amazon for pre-orders. You can check it out at http://bit.ly/aaacollection I basically combined my books Highfall, Emotional Moments and DreamDown. Amazon's Pre-Order Feature I am experimenting with Amazon’s pre-order feature to see how it works. So far things went quite smooth. If you want to put up a book for a preorder. You basically go through the same steps you usually follow to self-publish a book on Amazon. The only difference is that you select the release date and may upload not the final version of the book, but the draft document. When you select the release date Amazon tells you when is the deadline by which you will have to submit the final version of your book. Of course that is days before the release. Meanwhile, people see your book’s page on Amazon and can pre-order it with one click. As soon as the book goes live they receive it in their Kindles. In case you don’t submit your final book document by the deadline, Amazon will penalize you and you will not be able to use the feature for at least year, I think. How to Create Book Bundle on Amazon? Unfortunately Amazon does not allow you to bundle individual books through their ASINs or in some other way. After talking to many writers I understood that the only way to do this is create a new book, which has all the books in one file. So you basically combine all the books files together and make one Kindle book file out of it. And then you upload that as a new book – with a new title and a new cover. Now, when the bundle is for series, it is easy – you can create a box showing the books inside the series next to each other in that box. Then you can put a title of your series and say something like volumes 1-6. Or the entire and whichever your series name is. In my case, I had a challenge because I had 3 separate books. From which 2 novels and 1 book of short stories. So I had the concern that if I put those in a box, people may get confused and think that all three are part of the same story, which is not the case. That is why I approached the cover differently. I created a simple flat cover, which features all the 3 covers of my books. So far I am getting positive feedback about that and it seems to work. And again if you visit my collection’s Amazon page at bit.ly/aaacollection you can see it yourself. Building Landing Page for Your Book As to book’s landing page.. well I am still debating with myself about whether I needed one or not. Since for me it does not take a long time to create a landing page I created one… but I am not sure, which is best – to drive people to the landing page or directly to book’s Amazon page. The thing I am not comfortable with is that when people go to your book’s landing page they eventually click and are directed to the Amazon sales page. This means that they have to make one more extra click, which I am not sure is good. You can check out my book's landing page here. How to Direct Readers to Your Book's Amazon Sales Page No matter Which Country They Come From So let me explain what I did with the bit.ly/aaacollection url, which takes you to my my collections’ Amazon sales page. I found this really nice website at http://authl.it/ where you can fill in your books ASIN and it will create a link, which will take your reader’s to their respective countries Amazon book sales page. Let me explain. What I mean is – if one uses the Amazon.com link but is from the UK he usually ends up on your book’s Amazon.com sales page which says that you can’t buy the book through this website from your country and directs you to the Amazon UK page. Which sounds fine… but there is a problem. The problem here is that it takes you to the Amazon Uk homepage and not your book’s page. So the person will have to search for your book again, which may not happen if that person is not a die-hard fan of yours. So what the http://authl.it/ link does is take everyone to their respective country’s sales page of your book… which is pretty cool I think! And as a final touch I created a url through bit.ly so I can track how many people clicked at the link. This will help me see the conversion rate. So Basically, all you need to launch your books bundle is: new cover new Kindle formatted document new book description (in my case I have mentioned there which books are included and put each book’s description below) if you feel like it maybe book landing page on your website crazy promotion. If you manage to promote the ore-order well, then by the time the book is released it will already have pretty high rankings as a starting point. Which will help enormously.  Bundle Pricing Obviously readers should be encouraged to but the book bundle by a much lower price, compared to if they bought the books separately. More they will save, more attractive the bundle will be. From those 3 books in the bundle I have 2 that are selling at 3,99 and 1 is selling at 2,99. With the bundle readers are saving over 60% of that and paying for all the 3 books only 3,99. So basically it is 3 books for the price of 1. So to see all I told you and to check out the book please go to http://bit.ly/aaacollection That was all I had to share with you. Keep writing and stay in touch. Please feel free to connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group. Don't Forget to Get Your Free Book Click Here to Download  

Cathy Presland is from the UK. She is former economic advisor to government around the world. Now Cathy is a speaker, trainer and writer. She helps people write, publish and market their non-fiction books. I found her through the How to Publish an eBook on Kindle - eBook Publishing  Udemy course, which I took when I was just starting my self-publishing journey. Unlike many others, who left their jobs because they did not like it,  Cathy really enjoyed what she was doing. Simply at some point she decided to look for a different lifestyle. She started working with entrepreneurs first. Later, she focused on working specifically with writers. About writing a book It is a self-development process and it massively boosts your self-esteem and confidence. It's always a learning curve. About the self publishing service providers (such as Book Baby for example) Those have both advantages and disadvantages. The main advantage, especially for the first time writer is that they take away the burden of formatting, uploading, etc. The biggest disadvantage of using the service is that you don't have control over the marketing. The best thing you can do as first time writer is just get your book out there, see how it goes, learn some lessons and produce more content. Struggles newbie writers have (and how to solve them) 1. Most people say that they don't have time to write We make time for the things that are priority for us. We all can make time. The issue is not that we don't have time. The issue is something else... and it usually falls into two things - you have too many ideas and no structure  Solution: Structure your writing. Make a plan. Outline. Write down the chapters and sections. Choose a particular section and write it up. That way it will be easier - there is emotional component to writing your own story. It is about exposing ourselves and feeling vulnerable. Solution: None except - you will have to write despite it. You have to write anyway, because you want to. Keep in mind all those readers, whom you will help with your book and who will appreciate your book. Advise to newbie writers The lot more books you have there are more things that you can do. Build your portfolio of your books. [spp-tweet "Don't keep caught up at what people are saying about your book - just keep creating!"] Useful links Cathy Presland's website Cathy Presland on Facebook Cathy Presland's Udemy Courses Please feel free to connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group. Don't Forget to Get Your Free Book Click Here to Download  

This time I’ll talk about something that seems to be important to many of us. I’ll share my thoughts about being a writer and how you get there. Every year, here in Armenia we have the TEDx Yerevan. I truly enjoy those events because every time they end up being really inspiring and uplifting experience. I’ve been there for three years. Usually at similar events During coffee breaks and lunchtime, the most common question people ask each other is, “So what do you do?” At the conference in 2012, when people asked that question it was very hard for me to answer. At that time I had quit my job and just started writing my first novel called Highfall. Back then I did not even have the title, so it was just a novel. Maybe that is why I answered to that question with insecure and lame phrases, such as “I am trying to write”, “I write a bit” and “I want to be a writer.”  Sound familiar? I’m sure it does. The next year at Tedx event it was completely different. That time was different because my life had gone through an important change over the past year. That year I had no problem saying, “I am a writer” believing in every single word. The last time, which was this September, when I went there again, people were already introducing me to others saying – “This is Ani. She’s a writer”. That sounded like music to my ears. So let’s get back to the very beginning. Those insecure phrases with “I’m trying to write…” “I write a bit…”. What keeps us from saying “I’m a writer?” It seems like we need permission to write. We are looking for someone (preferably a publisher or a famous writer) to tell that what we write is good, so we can keep on doing that. What do all those insecure phrases mean? Who is “aspiring writer,”? Who is “pre-published writer,”? Who is “undiscovered writer,”? Who is “almost a writer,”? What are those words we put before writer for? To me personally, Someone is either a writer or he is not. Jeff Goins in his book You Are a Writer (So Start Acting Like One) says Becoming a writer begins with a simple but important belief: You are a writer; you just need to write. And I completely agree with him. You don’t need to seek anyone’s permission to write. You don’t need to pass an exam to be called a writer and be able to share your story. You don’t need to obtain any license for that. You don’t have to want to become a writer… You simply need to be one. Writers write. And no one can take it away from them. Whether what you’ve written is liked by many or only few is another question. You will never write a book, which will be liked by everyone, so don’t even try. By trying to please every single reader you will only lose your unique voice. After all it’s better to be loved and adored by few than simply liked by many. There will always be writer’s doubts and you will always have different challenges along the way. But that does not mean that you are not a real writer. In fact there are no real or unreal writers. Don’t WANT to be a writer. Don’t decide to BECOME a writer – decide to BE one. I’m sure that if you are here now listening to me, then you have decided to be a writer. And you are… You ARE a writer! Don’t wait for someone to acknowledge that fact. Don’t waste time waiting for others permitting you to call yourself a writer. Do your thing – write. And please do me a favor. When someone asks what you do – gather all your confidence and faith and reply “I am a writer!” That was all I wanted to tell to you today. Hopefully I managed to pass my message through. Have a nice day and be writers! Please feel free to connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group. Don't Forget to Get Your Free Book Click Here to Download  

Today I am talking to Farnoosh Brock. I've been following her online since few tears already. Farnoosh is an inspiring online entrepreneur. She quit her 6 figure job and now is the passionate founder and president of Prolific Living. She has also been published by a major publishing house - twice! Farnoosh Brock's Story Farnoosh had a long 11+ years corporate career. She had everything you could imagine for a perfect dream corporate job. But she wasn't happy. She was looking for something that would fulfill her. She was looking for distractions to keep her busy - so Farnoosh started blogging. And blogging took off for her. Maybe that's because Farnoosh was passionate writer. For several years Farnoosh's blog was a hobby, but it grew with the time and more it grew more she was interested in blogging and less interested in her corporate job. In 2010 Farnoosh attended the bloggers conference the Blogworld event in Las Vegas. At that conference I saw people, who have turned their online blog into a full time business. She came back home from there and started looking at her blog as business. She started her newsletter, thought about launching her first product and write her first book - Writing Manifesto. She gave it away to her readers, but it did not do well because they were coming to her blog for personal development. At that point Farnoosh was assigned a project she did not want to work on. She also felt so unhappy at work. That is why Farnoosh resigned. 2 years after that she even hired her husband to come on board and together they are running their online business now. The Entrepreneurial Journey Farnoosh told: "My company was my identity – my corporate job. Not a minute of this three years I have regretted my decision. Have I missed anything – anything at all. I’ve almost forgotten that I was part of that corporation. This is so the right thing for me. There has never been that looking back and thinking that I should have staid – ever! There’s leaving where you’ve been miserable and there’s arriving to that next place. And that has been very difficult. Even before the publishing deal came, I was self-publishing my own books and creating my own products. There have been products which did not do well. In fact the very first product I was in love with myself it didn’t do well at all and it was too hard to come to terms with that. And it’s so necessary – it has to happen. You have to fail and to deal with it. And to learn from it and to see that it’s part of the process. You just don’t quit something and jump to a series of success. It does not happen that way to anyone. Everyone that you admire has had struggles. It was a shift to being very much on your own. It is a lonely journey – so you have to create opportunity to connect. You have to be part of mastermind, support communities, etc that will help you. The one thing that helped me get me through was the support of my husband. When you see online entrepreneurs, writers, bloggers – the people who are really successful, they get help. They hire mentors, they hire coaches. They invest in themselves, they put money on the table. Be willing to invest in yourself. There is no secret formula. You just have to follow the road. If this is your road you have to take it."  How did Faroosh get traditional publishing deal Farnoosh said: "At first I published 5 self-published non-fiction books on Kindle. Most successful book on Kindle store was the green juicing guide. It was selling 100s of copies a month at $9.99. You plan your entrepreneurship journey and something completely different happens. So that success was quite unexpected. That book was actually how traditional publishers found us. They contacted us. At first they refused. When they came and persisted and we agreed to write a new book. It was…. And I had only 6 weeks to write that book, which by now have sold around 30k copies. Self-publishing opens doors of opportunities. When you publish on Kindle store and get natural readers and good reviews publishers come to you. Being traditionally published was not about money – it was about the credibility, which still comes when you have a traditionally published book. If you have not published take your opportunity to publish using self-publishing. Otherwise you are wasting your time. Your book has to come out today for your readers. If you are writing to be read as opposed to be published by fancy publisher then you have to publish."  Self-publishing vs Traditional publishing Farnoosh told: "For us both – self publishing route and the traditional publishing route have been successful. The reason we had the 2nd deal from the traditional publisher was because we worked with them as equal partners. When the book was handed over for editing I started working on the marketing to help them sell the book. I used my platform online to promote my book. The distribution power of the traditional publishers is so much bigger. Many people who otherwise would never see your book otherwise. It can be a lead generation for you. Self publishing has given us the opportunity – it has opened a door. For every book it’s different, for every person it’s different. The first door you can have absolute control on is the Kindle door. If you don’t have a literary agent or traditional publisher then self publish on Amazon and do your best to promote the book."  Book Marketing Ideas Farnoosh implemented We decided to do a book trailer and put that up on a page and linked to all the places the book was selling at. We worked together with the publicist. I was offered free copies. I tapped into my network and send individual e-mails. They said yes, we sent out the books and I followed up. And we got media coverage. Barnes and Nobles had us make smoothies in the bookstores. They let me sell my books there. I put together a media kit for the book. Making super easy for people who were willing to promote the book. (you can access the media kit Farnoosh created by clicking here). Using non-standard creative approach  Advise from Farnoosh to all those who want to succeed A year from now you will wish you had started today! Just start now! Whatever you focus on – grows! Focus on 1 thing but don’t give up on all other dreams and work them in at some point later. Deadlines are great motivators. Set deadlines and get accountability partners. Practice daily writing.  Useful resources Farnoosh's website - Prolific Living Farnoosh Brock's Amazon author page where you can find all her books Smart Exit Blueprint Course Write 2B Read podcast interview with Joanna Penn - How to be an Author Entrepreneur Cathy Presland's online course - "How to Publish an eBook on Kindle - eBook Publishing Course" 750 Words Get Your Free PDF Resources Get 100+ Twitter Hashtags Successful Writers Use Find out where to get professional book covers WHEN MONEY IS TIGHT You Wrote a Book: Now What? Please feel free to connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group.

I will start the show notes of today's episode with the official version of my guest's introduction, which states the following: David Ralph is the host and creator of the top ranked seven day per week show “Join Up Dots”. Based on the words of the late Steve Jobs, David take his guests through an emotional dissection of their lives, culminating in a conversation with their younger self. What mistakes would they rectify? What success would they class as their “Big dots” to the achieving the life of their dreams?. With a daily audience of over 18,000 listeners, David has truly found his path in life.But this is the pinnacle of nearly thirty years based in corporations around London and the United Kingdom, where David didn’t know his path, and like so many of us followed the route that was expected. The route that was not his. And to that I will add my non-official version of who David is: David is extremely hard working person, who is ready to sacrifice almost everything in order to get where he's headed for. He is almost never unhappy and the energy he radiates from his microphone, along with his pleasant British accent is simply amazing. Up to now only few people, knew that David has written a book. Only two people have seen it up to now, but that doesn't matter. The fact that he has written and completed a book already makes him a writer. Why did he do that? It seems like he wanted to prove to himself that he could do it and also leave a mark in the world. David wanted to write a page, which sounded like a book... but then his words started flowing and the page grew into a chapter and that in its turn into a book. David wrote the book while he was at work - putting 1k words a day. David was editing on the go, so I am quite surprised that he reached the end to be honest. When the book was ready and David read it, he did not like it. Maybe that is why it ended up being abandoned by him. Now, after some time David went back and read the book again. This time, he liked what he read and seems that at some point he might even consider sharing that story with the world. In this interview we talk about pretty much everything. We discuss difficult bosses, escape from the corporate world, finding what you love doing, writing processes, the muse and the life itself. At some point you may even get confused about who interviews whom... David's thought's I wanted to highlight If you love doing something you find a way of doing it. We've only got one life, so let's make most of it. I'm a believer in the belief. Everything we do in life is about challenging ourselves to overcome something that we don't believe we could do. I don't want to earn money doing something I don't love. Please feel free to connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group.

Tom Morkes is a West Point grad, Iraq War veteran and CEO of Insurgent Publishing. He is the author of the new book Collaborate: The New Rules for Launching a Business Online. You can get early access to the book and bonuses by supporting his crowdfunding campaign here: http://publishizer.com/collaborate In this interview we talk about book publishing, crowdfunding and collaboration. Get Your Free PDF Resources Get 100+ Twitter Hashtags Successful Writers Use Find out where to get professional book covers WHEN MONEY IS TIGHT You Wrote a Book: Now What? Please feel free to connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group.

Todays guest is Ani Alexander, someone that I am proud to say has become one of my closest friends in the world. I have never met her, don't know too much about her personal life, but can honestly say she has become one of the people that has helped me so much as Join Up Dots keeps on growing. She has a fascinating story, which starts by being born in a country that now is no longer there, the soviet union, and as teenager loved to write. And these have all lead her to be the host of two podcasts "Ani Alexander's Brand Architect" and "Write 2B Read" In her heart she believes that everyone has a story to tell, and would like nothing more than putting pen to paper and getting creative as a child. But as we see time and time again, the thing that we liked as kids somehow got forgotten as we grow into adulthood. And instead of thinking "Lets make a career out of something that I love doing"...which of course is the sensible thing to do, she instead went into the corporate world. And joined the masses. Yes, for the next twelve years she followed a path that left her with a paycheck every month, but nothing more. She was lost and definitely feeling uninspired. So she took the leap of faith and went for it on her own And now with her business flourishing, her network of aspiring authors flocking to help her get them in the bestsellers list, life is getting better everyday. She is also the author of three books "Emotional Moments", "Dream Down" and  "Highfall" But if this sounds like an easy transition then think again. I know her well, and I know the hustle and work ethic that it is taking to get to the point she wants to be. She is climbing up the ladder of success everyday, one rung at a time even when exhausted, even when she was  unsure she could climb any higher? So how does she keep herself going when sometimes the world seems against her? And why did she feel along with everything else on her plate, she would go and conquer the world by recording the Write 2 b Read podcasts in English, not her natural tonque Well lets find out as we bring on to the show to start joining up dots the one and only Ani Alexander To find out more about Ani Alexander go to: Podcast: Ani Alexander's Brand Achitect podcast Description: If you are an author, coach, speaker, online entrepreneur or podcaster who wants to stand out and get noticed with your brand as wel as grow your online audience, then you're at the right place.  Podcast: Write 2B Read Description:  Do you have a story inside you that you want to share with the world? Do you dream seeing your name on a bestseller cover? Do you have a special message to tell? If yes, then what are you waiting for? If the reason you have not written a book yet is that you have doubts or you simply don't know where to start, then this podcast is for you. Write 2B Read podcast is created to encourage and inspire writers to become authors. It will have very short episodes with tips, reflections and encouragement as well as longer interviews with writers, who will share their views and thoughts about writing, self-publishing, book marketing and anything else that they think you should know. I really hope that the podcast will help you in your journey of finding your readers and becoming a bestselling author. You are welcome to join , where we will be discussing everything that you would like to know, share tips, provide feedback and simply spend a good time together. Needless to say, that I will need your support badly and by just spending few minutes to rate and review the podcast on iTunes as well as subscribing to it by clicking at the link below will make a huge impact to podcast's growth and success. Dream Jobs, Online Courses, Persistence, Personal Trainer, Decision Making, Publicity, Young Entrepreneur, Freedom, Addicted, Shawn Stevenson, American Hustle, Make Money Online, Motivational Quotes, Expedition, Challenges, Steve Jobs, How To Start A Business, The Secret, Rich, Online Marketing, Time Management, Blogger, Videos, Recruiting, Authentic, Travel Blogs, Ultra Running, American Football, How To Make Money, Online Business, Company Culture, Law Of Attraction, Planet Money, Jobs, Video Marketing, Linkedin, Success Principles, Digital Marketing, Action Taking, Starting A Business, Successful Entrepreneurs, Personal Branding, Amazon, Lead Generation, Career Change, Life Planner, Comfort zone, Simplicity, Break The Rules, Book Launches, Personal Finance, Secret To Success, Business Plan, Health And Fitness, Tech Startup, Self Publishing, Entrepreneurs, Love, Career Path, Educational, Creativity, Selling, motivation, motivational, inspiration, confidence, success, freedom

Throughout his adult life Ian has helped people move through huge challenges. From his varied experience as a Business Owner, Sports Coach, Trainer, Sales Manager and Therapist; he has developed a deep understanding of the fears, anxieties and mindsets that can hold you back. He has helped countless individuals to lose weight, stop smoking and rid themselves of unwanted phobias. Ian  is also the author of Escape the Mind Trap: how to conquer your inner demons. You can connect with Ian through Twitter (@Ianmaxijackson) In this interview we talk about writer's doubt, fear of failure, criticism and his book. Useful Free Resources Get 100+ Twitter Hashtags Successful Writers Use Then download this FREE BOOK and find out how to create a good quality book, prepare it for publishing and find your readers Find out where to get professional book covers WHEN MONEY IS TIGHT  If the reason you have not written a book yet is that you have doubts or you simply don’t know where to start, then I am here for you. Please check out my coaching page to see what I can help you with. Please feel free to connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group.

Get 100+ Twitter Hashtags Successful Writers Use Paul Colaianni is the founder and host of The Overwhelmed Brain - personal growth podcast designed for critical thinkers. In this interview we discuss his very first Kindle book called Clear The Path To Happiness: Powerful, Practical Steps To Become Happier, Feel Better, And Enjoy Living. Useful Links Paul's Website Paul's Podcast Podcast Answer Man Podcast Incubator Goodreads Get 100+ Twitter Hashtags Successful Writers Use If the reason you have not written a book yet is that you have doubts or you simply don’t know where to start, then I am here for you. Please check out my coaching page to see what I can help you with. Please feel free to connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group.

  Nick Loper is the founder of the Side Hustle Nation. It's a community for aspiring & part-time entrepreneurs, who are looking to make money outside their day job. One of Nick's side hustle is publishing. In this interview we  discuss side hustle, entrepreneurship and kindle book marketing. Nick shares very unexpected and effective place to sell books! Food for Thought The last thing you need is the second job that you hate! Opportunities are not visible until you're already in motion. Useful Links Don't let your manuscript collect dust! Download this book and find your readers. Side Hustle Nation (Nick's website) The Side Hustle Show (Nick's podcast) Nick's Amazon Author Page Slideshare Fiverr Kindle Countdown Deals If the reason you have not written a book yet is that you have doubts or you simply don’t know where to start, then I am here for you. Please check out my coaching page to see what I can help you with. Please feel free to connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group.  

Bruce Van Horn is a Dad, a writer, a coach, an entrepreneur, a speaker, a runner, and a lot of other things as life demands His personal motto is: “Life is a marathon, so let’s train for it!” In this interview we cover many different topics. Bruce talks about life and about writing. He also shares his book launch strategy. I personally found this interview extremely inspirational. I know it is longer than the usual length of Write 2B Read episodes, but I could not cut it down because I believe that all of it has value and it is worth the 60 minutes we spent talking :) Please feel free to connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group. Also get my free gift to you here!  

The first 2 things that we need to do after completing the book is editing it and getting a book cover. If your budget is not tight, then you can hire a designer and get a customized and professional solution. But what if you can't afford it? Well, even then I would not recommend doing it yourself or going to Fiverr. Pre-designed book covers may be good solution. I made some research and came up with list of websites, where you can find professional and affordable book covers. I have created a free pdf with all the links and other details, such as price range, book genres, etc. You get the free pdf I created for you by clicking the link below: Get Your Free Pdf Here Since from the list I personally prefer the Go On Write website, I thought that it would be nice to talk to the person, who's behind it. That is why today I am interviewing James (aka Humble Nations, aka CL Smith). He is the guy that makes all the book cover designs and runs the book pre-designed cover websites Go On Write and Humble Nations. He's been a freelance graphic designer for the last twenty-years, and he's been designing book covers for the last couple of years. In this interview James shares his views on book cover design, explains how he is creating those and what helps him stay productive. Reminder 1 I am super excited to open a new coaching program for you. You can get all the details by clicking this link. But if you want the short version then basically here is what it is about. Besides the encouragement and over the shoulder guidance, by the end of the coaching month you will have a clear vision of what kind of book you want to write, practical publishing and marketing action plan and an author website where your readers will be able to find you. Basically you will be all set for your exciting journey of becoming an author. Reminder 2 I am featuring podcast listener interviews. This means that you will be part of the Write 2B Read podcast. If you would like to be interviewed for the show, please shoot me an e mail by clicking this link and tell me why do you think that you should be the one interviewed. This will help us know each other better and have a real-life examples from our peers. Please feel free to connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group.  

Jill Sanders is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Pride Series, Secret Series and West Series romance novels. Having sold over 150,000 books within 6 months of her first release, she continues to lure new readers with her sweet and sexy stories. Her books are available in every English speaking country and are now being translated to 6 different languages, and recorded for audiobook. In this episode Jill Sanders shares her journey and tells how she became New York Times and USA Today bestselling author being completely self-published and starting from scratch - without having an audience. Few things Jill does that may help you too Connects with peer writers - to get support Has a free novella as lead magnet - to build her e mail list Organizes giveaways - to boost ongoing sales Makes teasers - readers love those Makes "you" time - that's when the creativity comes Where to find Jill Jill Sander's website Jill's Twitter account Jill Sanders on Facebook Jill's Amazon Author Page Jill on iBooks Jill Sander's B&N Author page Please feel free to connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group.  

Today we have podcast listener interview. If you would like to be interviewed for the show, please shoot me an e mail by clicking this link and tell me why do you think that you should be the one interviewed. This will help us know each other better and have a real-life examples from our peers. Today I am interviewing Philip 'Norvaljoe' Carroll. He is an army trained Certified Orthotist living in the Central Valley of California. He is a husband of many years, a father of three and grand father of three. He enjoys spending time with his family, trips to the mountains and playing the piano. He has been a story teller all of his life and has been honing his writing skills for the last six years. He has just published his first book through Amazon's KDP and Createspace, "Flypaper Boy: Coming of Age" and previously published to books in serialized audio at www.podiobooks.com He. has had several short stories published in anthologies and eMags. In this interview Philip shares his journey of becoming an author and self-publishing his first book. Mentioned in this interview: NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month Podiobooks  David Farland's Writing workshops 100 Word Challenge Goodreads I Should Be Writing Podcast Self Publishing Podcast If the reason you have not written a book yet is that you have doubts or you simply don’t know where to start, then I am here for you. Please check out my coaching page to see what I can help you with. Please feel free to connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group.

Josh Elledge, Chief Executive Angel of SavingsAngel.com has…   Been on TV and radio more than 1000 times in more than 100 different cities, Owned a newspaper Writes a syndicated column to 1.5 million readers Has created more than $8 million in free advertising for his company. Has taught very large audiences how to do the same thing In this interview we cover a completely new topic - the PR in all its forms. Josh will explain how to get media coverage, how to pitch journalists, how to present yourself afront of the camera and how to capitalize the fact that you've been featured! If you want to know more about the topic you should check out Josh's webinar where he will teach you his strategies and formula for getting on the news in any city. More importantly, you’ll learn how to position yourself as the expert that the media will come back to week after week. Important Announcement 1 I am super excited to open a new coaching program for you. You can get all the details by clicking this link. But if you want the short version then basically here is what it is about. Besides the encouragement and over the shoulder guidance, by the end of the coaching month you will have a clear vision of what kind of book you want to write, practical publishing and marketing action plan and an author website where your readers will be able to find you. Basically you will be all set for your exciting journey of becoming an author. Important Announcement 2 I am featuring podcast listener interviews. This means that you will be part of the Write 2B Read podcast. If you would like to be interviewed for the show, please shoot me an e mail by clicking this link and tell me why do you think that you should be the one interviewed. This will help us know each other better and have a real-life examples from our peers. Please feel free to connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group.

        I have compiled 50 of the Best Online Courses from my Online Learning Podcast Interviewees and included Links and Discounts to all of them in this Free eBook - I hope you find a Course to help you!  Don't forget when the Coupons are Gone, they are Gone! Yours to Keep -> Download Your Free PDF - "Discounted: 50 of the Best Online Courses" eBook -> Click on This Link to Download Now! Influencer Interview This week's Influencer Interview is with Jared Easley with the support of co-host for this episode, Ani Alexander.  Jared is the co-founder of Podcast Movement, a US Conference focused on Podcasting and also the author of "Podcasting Good to Great - How to Grow your Audience Through Collaboration".  It was great fun to co-host this episode with Ani Alexander, the host of the Write 2B Read podcast and I hope you enjoy learning from both Jared and Ani.  One of the most inciteful things Jared says in the interview is "Don't over think Perfection, it will ruin you every time!"                                   In this Interview We Cover: How Jared started podcasting How he learned how to podcast and why an expensive mistake nearly stopped him from starting How Jared managed to get great guests on a brand new podcast with no audience The strategy Jared used to build his audience step by step How to build an Army while remaining authentic The Podcast Movement Conference that Jared co-founded His amazing guest line up for that conference Ani discusses Jared's writing experience with him How he got to be a No 1 best seller in Amazon The process he used to write his book How Jared managed to write his book in a month and why Find Out More You can find out more about Jared by going to his website at http://www.starvethedoubts.com. You can find the Starve the Doubts Podcast on iTunes here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/starve-the-doubts/id637311992?mt=2                               Learn more about Ani Alexander at her website at http://www.anialexander.com                 You can find the Write 2B Read Podcast on iTunes here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/write-2b-read-writing-self/id894764419?mt=2    I need your help! If you haven't already, I would love if you could be amazing and take a minute to leave a quick rating and review of the podcast on iTunes by clicking on the link below. It's the most amazing way to help the show grow and reach more people! Leave a Review for the Online Learning Podcast on iTunes by clicking on this link Don't Miss An Episode!  Subscribe Below:     Using something Else?  Copy this Address:  http://jbdcolley.com/olpfeed or http://jbdcolley.com/feed/podcast/?wpmfeedkey=1;e975168c39a63e2f7befd9ba8758bf9e  

Pat Flynn makes a living on the internet and considers himself the luckiest person on the earth. Through his very popular blog Smart Passive Income and his Smart Passive Income Podcast  he shares his experience and helps his readers reach their goals. He was also from the very few people, who encouraged me to start the Write 2B Read podcast. In this interview we talk about why getting laid off was the best thing that happened to him, why did Pat decide to write his first book Let Go, what were his challenges along the way, negative reviews and how he keeps his audience engaged. Let Go was first published on Snippet. This is an app that makes it possible to create a book, which can integrate images, videos and social media. As a result readers not only read your book, but also get additional experiences.  Mentioned in this episode Let Go by Pat Flynn Snippet  Pat’s First Kindle Book closed Facebook page Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life Fiction Unboxed SPI 079 : Time Travel and Book Marketing with Jeff Goins – Strategies to Help You Sell More Books and Spread Your Word One Hundred Years of Solitude (International Writers) Important Announcement 1 I am super excited to open a new coaching program for you. You can get all the details by clicking this link. But if you want the short version then basically here is what it is about. Besides the encouragement and over the shoulder guidance, by the end of the coaching month you will have a clear vision of what kind of book you want to write, practical publishing and marketing action plan and an author website where your readers will be able to find you. Basically you will be all set for your exciting journey of becoming an author. Important Announcement 2 I am featuring podcast listener interviews. This means that you will be part of the Write 2B Read podcast. If you would like to be interviewed for the show, please shoot me an e mail by clicking this link and tell me why do you think that you should be the one interviewed. This will help us know each other better and have a real-life examples from our peers. Please feel free to connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group.  

I met Steve at  Pat's First Kindle Book closed Facebook group. The group already has over 8k members and Steve has been one of the most active and helpful guys in there. Steve Scott has  built a reliable Kindle publishing business. Now he is making full time income with his Kindle books. He works on his business for about 15-20 hours per week and has over 25 full length Kindle books in the market. In this interview we talk about how he has made it and what works best for Steve. What he shares is pretty straightforward and easy to implement. Useful Links Steve Scott's blog - In his blog Steve covers his proven strategies for building a nonfiction Kindle business that generates a reliable income Steve Scott's Amazon author page -  you can find all Steve's books there The BookStrapper Guide to Marketing Your Book: Creating a Bestseller By Yourself Pat's First Kindle Book closed Facebook page KDP Select program Food for Thought Before even writing the first book put together a lead magnet. Have at least one platform - blog, podcast or youtube channel. The best way to market a book besides the e mail list is to write another book. Have at least one editor to look over your stuff. If you're getting started and you have no platform KDP Select is the best way to go. It offers a lot to new authors. Steve's strategy points Put out a good quality book Market to your e mail list Launch at 99 cents Produce books regularly create human connections, relationships, network and talk to people on 1 on 1 basis If you are Write 2B Read podcast listener and would like to be interviewed for the podcast, please e mail me your story you want to share. If the reason you have not written a book yet is that you have doubts or you simply don’t know where to start, then I am here for you. Please check out my coaching page to see what I can help you with. Please feel free to connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group.

While writing give yourself space just to write and don't worry about the editing. Chad Allen is a speaker, writer, blogger, and creativity coach. He speaks regularly on topics such as writing, the creative life, how to write compelling nonfiction, and how to blog a book. Chad also serves as an editorial director for Baker Publishing Group, one of the most influential Christian book publishers in the world. he has over fifteen years of experience in the book publishing industry and has worked with many bestselling authors. In this interview we take inside look at how traditional publishers work, how they pick writers and why do they turn down books. Food for Thought The most common challenges writers face these days are: 1. challenge with writing the book (need help getting started) and 2. lack of time. It's important to distinguish between the writing and the editing process and not try to do both at once. Start with writing the book proposal. We have to (as writers) reject perfectionism for the sake of productivity and creativity. If you're always editing your own voice will never have a chance to come out. 3 elements that contribute to whether the book is going to be successful (and what traditional publishers are looking for) are: platform concept writing "It's gonna take more than 1 book before you're known out there." The number 1 reason Baker Publishing Group (and most of the publishers) turns books down is lack of platform. "There is no shortcut in becoming a good writer" If you are Write 2B Read podcast listener and would like to be interviewed for the podcast, please e mail me your story you want to share. If the reason you have not written a book yet is that you have doubts or you simply don’t know where to start, then I am here for you. Please check out my coaching page to see what I can help you with. Please feel free to connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group.  

Danny Iny quit school at 15 to start his first business. Now Danny Iny (@DannyIny), a.k.a. the “Freddy Krueger of Blogging”, is the founder of Firepole Marketing, the author of the Amazon best-selling book Engagement from Scratch!, and the creator of the Audience Business Masterclass training program. In the interview we discuss how Danny built large and engaging audience from scratch. We also cover the story of his  best-selling book "Engagement from Scratch" birth and success. Food For Thought (Giving up) I never considered it as a viable option. [spp-tweet "If you want to get reviews you gotta write a good book.@DannyIny"] If you want people to like your book and support it then write the book that they want to read. I think there are many writers, who have unrealistic expectation around how much work is gonna be involved in marketing and promoting their book. Marketing your book, building an audience - it's as much work or more than writing a book. I don't know anyone who's achieved significant success just working a few hours on the weekend. It's a marathon - it's not a sprint. [spp-tweet "It's not about how long it takes, it's about where it ends up bringing you.@DannyIny "]  Important Announcement! I am super excited to open a new coaching program for you. You can get all the details by clicking this link. But if you want the short version then basically here is what it is about. Besides the encouragement and over the shoulder guidance, by the end of the coaching month you will have a clear vision of what kind of book you want to write, practical publishing and marketing action plan and an author website where your readers will be able to find you. Basically you will be all set for your exciting journey of becoming an author. Please feel free to connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group.  

Jim Kukral is a 16-year Internet marketing professional who was recently named by Dun & Bradstreet as one of “The Most Influential Small Business People on Twitter.” Jim also serves as a Program Faculty Member for the University of San Francisco’s Internet Marketing Program where he teaches classes to students around the globe on the topics of Internet marketing, entrepreneurship and social media. In addition, SmallBizTrends.com chose Jim as one of 100 top small business influencers online.  Jim's website Author Marketing Live!  -in-person learning and networking event for new and experienced authors who want to turn their writing into a full-time career. (September 8, Cleveland, OH) Author Marketing Club Digital Book Launch Food for Thought You should market the book the minute you have the idea for the book.  I'd crowdsource the entire thing before I even write a chapter.  Big mistake is going ahead and writing a book that nobody wants.   Everyone needs to be a marketer these days. Doers get what they want, and everyone else gets what they get.   Find where your audience is. And then target those people. Don't forget to get the free resources I've created for you! Connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group.

Today I am opening a new page for the Write 2B Read podcast. Starting from today I will be featuring podcast listener interviews. This means that you will be part of the Write 2B Read podcast. If you would like to be interviewed for the show, please shoot me an e mail by clicking this link and tell me why do you think that you should be the one interviewed. This will help us know each other better and have a real-life examples from our peers. Today I am featuring the first listener interview. I spoke to Thai Nguyen and discovered that Write 2B Read got really unusual listeners! Thai is a Professional Re-inventer: a 5-Star Chef, International Kick-boxer, Writer, Speaker, Huffington Post contributor and Mindset/Life Coach... Now he also started writing his first book and that is what we will talk about in the interview. Actually Thai left everything behind and went to Peru in order to write his book. He will share his experiences, talk about his struggles and achievements as well as the future plans. We will discuss the process of writing the first book too. You can get more details and interesting info on Thai's webpage The Utopian Life. If the reason you have not written a book yet is that you have doubts or you simply don’t know where to start, then I am here for you. Please check out my coaching page to see what I can help you with. Please feel free to connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group.  

Kimanzi Constable is former bread delivery guy who has published 2 non-fiction books, which have sold over 82k copies. He is a published author, international speaker, life and business coach. His mission is to help men and women live their life by their own design and create true freedom in life. Kimanzi self-published his first book. For that he needed $900, which he did not have. He worked different odd summer jobs for that. As a result he had self-published a professional book, which .... sold 5 copies in 6 months. In this interview we will follow his journey from being frustrated and disappointed writer to becoming a bestselling author. Kimanzi is a big advocate of guest blogging. That is probably because his success started from the first guest post he landed at Michael Hyatt's blog, which alone brought 20k visits to his very low traffic blog. What Kimanzi wants you to know: It takes time - so be patient Build your audience constantly Make sure you have a good quality book - have it professionally edited, formatted, etc. Send out exclusive content to the subscribers of your mailing list Choose experiences over stuff Want to know more about Kimanzi? check out Kimanzi's website Kimanzi's Amazon Author Page Kimanzi's Facebook Page Also: Don’t forget to get the free resources I’ve created for you! If the reason you have not written a book yet is that you have doubts or you simply don’t know where to start, then I am here for you. Please check out my coaching page to see what I can help you with. Please feel free to connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group.  

John Paul Aguiar is the founder of the Money Dummy blog. He is a Internet Entrepreneur – Social Media Consultant and Experience Online Marketer. Within 11 months,  John Paul was making enough money online, that he was able to stop receiving his Disability checks. He took that success and brought it to blogging and has used his marketing know how to build a very popular, successful blog with a total following of over 110,000 in less than 2 yrs. John Paul was  #6 on Forbes Magazines Top 50 Social Media Influencers List in 2013. Food for Thought "Twitter is easy to drive results from if you use few things correctly. Here is John Paul's suggested formula: While using Twitter be active and share content. What content to share? Your stuff + other people's stuff (related to what you do) + 10-15% random stuff + little bit of you = Twitter success! When you are on Twitter share great stuff. If people like what you're sharing they're gonna look at you and pay attention to you and start sharing your stuff. You wanna be active and available on Twitter - answer to questions, reply to comments and thank for the retweets. The only way to get people's attention is with content. And the only way to do it is to have a blog where you put your content. Helpful Links The Money Dummy Blog - John Paul Aguiar's blog Brainy Marketer - Online Marketing Tips, Advice and Help Marketing with Twitter - John Paul's free resource Hootsuite - The leading social media dashboard to manage and measure your social networks Don’t forget to get the free resources I’ve created for you! Please feel free to connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group.

Founded in May 2013 and based in San Francisco, California, Patreon was created to enable fans to support and engage with the artists and creators they love. Empowering a new generation of creators, Patreon is bringing patronage back to the 21st century. Today I am interviewing Cole Palmer, who is creator and user relations manager at Patreon. I did my best to find out everything writers need to know about this platform. In fact not only the writers, because Patreon works for all types of creators: Musicians YouTubers Web Comics Writers & Bloggers Indie Gamers Video Producers Authors Podcasters Animators Artists Photographers and any creator who wants to share their work! I really believe that you should give it a try and am planning doing the same myself. Don’t forget to get the free resources I’ve created for you! Please feel free to connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group.

Kary Oberbrunner left his day job to pursue his dream job. Through his writing, speaking, and coaching, he helps individuals and organizations clarify who they are, why they are here, and where they should invest their time and energy. His book Day Job to Dream Job was launched few days ago.  In that book Kary not only shares his personal story of how he has done, but he also shares the 9 step plan to make the transition successful. It is very practical and useful book for all those, who would like to leave the office prison and get their dream job. Kary's amazing programs Your day job was probably a good thing. Its just no longer the best thing. It reflected the person you are, not the person you are becoming. Millions of people are squandering their talents and wasting their time in jobs they don''t love. Discover your Dream Jobber Plan and turn your passion into a full-time gig. This premium writing, publishing, and marketing experience positions you in a powerful coaching relationship with author Kary Oberbrunner. Through video modules, live mentoring calls, and expert training tools you''ll achieve your dream of being a published author. Kary''s unique step-by-step framework enables you to control the process and create a legacy piece that propels you forward both personally and professionally. People who lose their way are people who’ve lost their why. Get a GPS for your life and start living from your true potential. Author your OPUS and become a Master in the Art of Living. Do you know who you are? Youll never outperform your own self-image. And if you put a small value on yourself, the world will not raise the price. Most of us dont know who we are and the cost is killing us. Its why we suffer from: addictions, broken relationships, blind spots and just plain mediocre lives. Discover who God created you to be. Food for Thought "You don't have income problem. You have clarity problem." Clarity - competence - confidence - influence - impact - income People will not buy product and service if you don't have clarity. "Most people don't realize their guru status." You need your value proposition statement. "Market before you manufacture." 1 sheet Kary refers to in the interview is a who, what, when, where, why, and how for your product or your service. We don't need traditional publishers as much as we did in the past. Don't forget To check out the free resources for writers and come and join us at the Write 2B Read closed Facebook Group!

Imagine the following situation. You go to event with an author you really like. The event is very nice and you are happy to finally meet the author of the books you enjoy reading. Then, at the end, before the author leaves she/he is willing to sign books. Everyone rushes with their books and you feel confused,  looking at your Kindle. That is exactly what happened to Evan Jakobs. Since Evan is a software developer, who enjoys building web and mobile applications that help people personalize their digital experiences, he came up with the idea of Authorgraph.  With the help of Authorgraph you can now sign your Kindle ebooks for your readers. It is easy and takes only few seconds. It is also a nice solution for readers. Many readers tell that the only reason they buy printed books is to get it signed by the author. Now they can have their favorite author's signature by buying the ebooks. The service is free and it is used by 9,000 authors who have already sent out 130,000 autographs. You can get my autograph too btw. Simply click here and choose the book you want me to sign. You can also connect with Write 2B Read listeners and me by joining our closed Facebook Group.

Rob Archangel is the co-founder of Archangel Ink, a full-service gas station for self-publishing success. Started by authors, for authors, Archangel Ink helps authors with an innovative fusion of the traditional publishing model with the ease, speed, and adaptability of self-publishing. All they require is a an completed manuscript, and they handle the rest–allowing you do what you do best–write! Their services include: Professional grade manuscript editing, proofreading, custom cover design, eBook formatting, paperback production, audiobook production, foreign language translation, sales copy writing, keyword, pricing, and category research & marketing and promotion. Food for Thought [spp-tweet "One of the biggest marketing tools for self-published author is more books"]   Don’t forget to get the free resources I’ve created for you! Connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group.

  Tara Ross is a bestselling author of Social Media Mastery. She is leading a laptop lifestyle and  works basically from anywhere. That is why she is able to travel a lot and bring amazing pictures  from everywhere she goes to. Tara's self-published books are part of her online business. In this interview we will find out how  does she do it.  Her Links Tara's website Tara's Amazon Author's Page  Words of Wisdom  "Market first: Write second! Don't forget to get the free resources I've created for you! Connect with me and other Write 2B Read listeners in the closed Facebook Group.

For Rob Cubbon everything started in 2005 with the Wordpress blog he created. How could a blog bring clients, create online business and make Rob an author? You will find out by listening to this episode, where Rob shares his journey from bored and unhappy freelancer to bestselling author, happy person and online entrepreneur. You can find out more about Rob by visiting his website  or checking out his Amazon author's page. If you enjoy the Write 2B Read podcast, please help me grow the show and help more writers please click the link below and leave the podcast review on iTunes Feel free to join our closed Write 2B Read group on Facebook and share your thoughts, opinions and ask any questions.  

Today I am honored to interview Chris Brogan.Chris Brogan is an advisor and strategist to professionals and owners. It’s business strategy meets powerful personal development.Through courses, consulting, coaching, and events, he blends clarity of vision with pure action. He is the New York Times Bestselling author of seven books and counting. You can check out Chris Brogan's books at his Amazon Author Page.  Chris Brogan is also the CEO, publisher and acting executive editor of the Owner Digital magazine.  Food for thought The best way to grow a really big community is to be helpful to a lot of people and just repeat it many, many, many times.  "Don't allow excuses." Once you find a good path stay focused on that path. "Never believe the praise or the criticism." I work priorities not time. Time never changes, it's always the same, there's always 24 hours. "My mood does not get a vote in when I write." Instead of being wanting to be a writer - write... and publish and produce! If you enjoy the Write 2B Read podcast, please help me grow the show and help more writers please click the link below and leave the podcast review on iTunes Feel free to join our closed Write 2B Read group on Facebook and share your thoughts, opinions and ask any questions.

This is the fifth episode from the Book Magnets series. In this episode I will share with you everything that I think is important to know about the book prices. If you enjoy the Write 2B Read podcast, please help me grow the show and help more writers please click the link below and leave the podcast review on iTunes Join our closed Write 2B Read group on Facebook and share your thoughts, opinions and ask any questions.

This is the fourth episode from the Book Magnets series. In this episode I will share with you everything that I think is important to know about the book reviews. Below are the link where you may find reviewers for your books Book Blogger Directory -organized by genre a comprehensive, alphabetical listing of book blogs. The Book Blogger List – a database of book bloggers organized by genres. YA Book Blog Directory – young adult book review blogs list. Directory of Book Bloggers on Pinterest – book bloggers using Pinterest by Mandy Boles. Kate Tilton’s Book Bloggers – list of book bloggers that provide reviews. The Indie View – big list of Indie reviewers. Book Reviewer Yellow pages  Amazon top reviewers list  Review the Book - I have not used this one personally Story Cartel  Goodreads  If you enjoy the Write 2B Read podcast, please help me grow the show and help more writers please click the link below and leave the podcast review on iTunes Join our closed Write 2B Read group on Facebook and share your thoughts, opinions and ask any questions.

This is the third episode from the Book Magnets series. In this episode I will share with you everything that I think is important to know about the book blurbs. If you enjoy the Write 2B Read podcast, please help me grow the show and help more writers please click the link below and leave the podcast review on iTunes

This is the second episode from the Book Magnets series. In this episode I will share with you everything that I think is important to know about the book titles. If you enjoy the Write 2B Read podcast, please help me grow the show and help more writers please click the link below and leave the podcast review on iTunes

This is the first episode from the Book Magnets series. In this episode I will share with you everything that I think is important to know about the book covers. I have even created a free ebook with book cover resources for your reference, which you can get by clicking here, or filling the form below. If you enjoy the Write 2B Read podcast, please help me grow the show and help more writers please click the link below and leave the podcast review on iTunes

Get Your Thank You Gifts Now! (click) What are the book magnets? (Btw it is not a term – it’s something I came up with)  Book magnets are all the different elements of the book, which attract potential buyers and make him decide whether to buy it or not. I created Book Magnet series under the Write 2B Read podcast where I will be talking about the things that potential readers see first – that is before buying your book. So in the series we will cover 5 Book Magnets: 1. Book cover 2. Book title 3. Book blurb 4. Book reviews  5. Book price Starting from next Monday (July 28, 2014) – each day of the week I will release an episode where I will talk about 1 particular book magnet.

“To avoid criticism say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.” ― Aristotle In this episode I am talking about criticism and how to deal with it. Before I was also afraid to be criticized but then I came up with several thought, which made me think that criticism is not always a bad thing. Below are the points that helped me accept criticism 1. It is not about you 2. You cannot have a look from the ‘’outside’’ 3. No one is perfect 4. Chance to improve 5. Criticism as success indicator 6. Filtered criticism 7. Criticism as strong motivation 8.  For someone to criticize you, it means that he/she cares 9. Necessary criticism 10. Keeping the balance Would love to hear about how you deal with criticism and what do you think about the topic in general. Head over to the Write 2B Read podcast closed Facebook group to discuss the topic with us. Thank you for listening! If you would like to help me and you haven’t already, I would appreciate if you could take a minute to leave a quick rating and review of the podcast on iTunes by clicking on the link below. It’s the best possible way to help the podcast grow so it can encourage  and inspire more people! Review or subscribe to Write 2B Read podcast on iTunes by clicking on this link  

In this episode I share the story of my very first writing experience. Back then I did not realize that it was the starting point of a long and exciting journey. I know how it happened and you will know that too once you listen to this short episode. But why did it happen, I still don't know and most probably never will. What about you? Do you remember your first writing experience? If you do, please feel free to share it with us either in the comments below or at the Write 2B Read podcast closed Facebook group. Thank you for listening! If you would like to help me and you haven’t already, I would appreciate if you could take a minute to leave a quick rating and review of the podcast on iTunes by clicking on the link below. It’s the best possible way to help the podcast grow so it can encourage  and inspire more people! Review Write 2B Read podcast on iTunes by clicking on this link

Hi everyone! I am very excited to announce that the Write 2B Read podcast is finally live. Many have writer's doubts, in my case I had podcaster's doubts. I've been thinking about creating a podcast since 2 years already, but never did anything about it. I was not sure about my voice, about my accent and about the fact that people will actually listen to me. Then I realized that I will never know until I try. So I spend the last few weeks learning podcasting from scratch and recording episodes and interviews for you. Write 2B Read podcast is created to encourage and inspire writers to become authors. It will have very short episodes with tips, reflections and encouragement as well as longer interviews with writers, who will share their views and thoughts about writing, self-publishing, book marketing and anything else that they think you should know. I really hope that the podcast will help you in your journey of finding your readers and becoming a bestselling author. You are welcome to join Write 2B Read podcast's closed Facebook group, where we will be discussing everything that you would like to know, share tips, provide feedback and simply spend a good time together. Needless to say, that I will need your support badly and by just spending few minutes to rate and review the podcast on iTunes as well as subscribing to it by clicking at the link below will make a huge impact to podcast's growth and success. Review Write 2B Read podcast! From my part, I would like to offer you an ebooks for writers that I have created for free. You can check the details and get them by clicking here. Thank you in advance for listening to the podcast, spreading the word about it and providing feedback!