Podcasts about write with impact

Are you looking to elevate your authority, grow your business, and foster deep, profitable relationships through your podcast? In this episode of Podcast Talent Coach, I dive deep into the undeniable power of becoming a published author, and how your podcast is the perfect springboard to make it happen. BENEFITS OF BEING PUBLISHED A book isn't just a collection of words; it's the foundation of authority, visibility, and influence in your niche. Whether you've been podcasting for a year or have hundreds of episodes under your belt, you already have a treasure trove of content that can be repurposed into a high-impact book. I'll walk you through why having your name on a cover instantly elevates your credibility, opens new doors for speaking gigs, and sets you apart in your field. Let's face it... everyone wants to stand out, but not everyone knows how to do it strategically. In my conversation with book coach and editor Susan Crossman, we break down how you can curate your podcast episodes into a well-structured book. PUBLISHED WITH SUSAN CROSSMAN Susan Crossman is a book coach and editor who helps mission-focused coaches, consultants, and innovators write and publish compelling books that make a difference in their businesses and their world. She believes a well-written book can be a powerful force for good in our world and she takes delight in assisting her clients to greater author-ity. Susan's journey is as inspiring as her expertise. From her childhood dream of writing while perched in an apple tree to overcoming loss and transforming her own story into five published books, she shares actionable insights every aspiring author needs. We also tackle the big question: should you self-publish or pursue a traditional publisher? Susan cuts through the confusion, helping you decide what aligns best with your business goals and personal aspirations. Don't fall into the trap of thinking "if you write it, they will come." As we explore in this episode, writing a book is only 20% of the journey. The real impact comes when you masterfully market and leverage your book as part of your broader content strategy. Susan and I share real-world examples, from business leaders like Tony Robbins to rising entrepreneurs who found their true calling and built movements after publishing their first book. And yes, we get honest about the pitfalls of poor quality, AI-generated books and why investing in professional editing, structure, and heartfelt writing delivers results your audience will respect. OTHER OPPORTUNITIES The benefits of being a published author extend far beyond the book itself. We delve into the speaking opportunities, media exposure, and industry recognition that come with being a published author. Susan recounts how one of her clients, an accountant-turned-author, became a sought-after speaker and leader in her field - all by articulating her value and experience in a quality book. We also talk candidly about best-seller myths, the importance of audiobook versions, and how to avoid the embarrassment of a rushed, unpolished book. If you want your message to stick and your book to stand the test of time, this episode gives you a clear blueprint. GET PUBLISHED Ready to get started? Susan is hosting a powerful three-day event, "Write With Impact," specifically for coaches, consultants, and change-makers who want to create books that make a difference. I'm excited to offer you a free ticket to this event. Visit www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/writewithimpact and use the code EARLYBIRDSPECIAL. Whether you're after legacy, client attraction, or a larger stage, there's never been a better time to transform your podcast content into a book that multiplies your influence. Need more personalized help? Reach out to me at coach@podcasttalentcoach.com or apply for a coaching session at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply. Let's get your message out of your head, onto the page, and into the hands of the people you're meant to serve!

How can thought leaders improve their writing? There are few people more qualified to answer this question than Glenn Leibowitz, Group Head of Communications for McKinsey & Company's Greater China region (based in Taipei, Taiwan), and a talented writer in his own right. In fact, he was recognized four years in a row as a LinkedIn Top Voice: twice in the Marketing & Social Media category and twice in the Management & Workplace category. Glenn takes great pride in teaching writing. He distills the majority of his insights on his “Write With Impact” podcast, a five-star show featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists and bestselling book authors who reveal their writing tips and tricks. “Write With Impact” has been going strong since 2015. In February, Glenn invited Buday TLP CEO Bob Buday on his show to talk about Bob's book and the essentials of thought leadership. Now, for the reverse, Glenn has joined Bob on “Everything Thought Leadership” to discuss how thought leaders can write better, the impact of AI writing programs like ChatGPT, and Glenn's own quest to become an even better writer. You can find out about Glenn's podcast at: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/write-with-impact-with-glenn-leibowitz/id987596874 “Blueprint” by Jahzzar is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/Ashes_1206/blueprint/ https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Jahzzar/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Alan McIvor is a headhunter based in Taipei at the Paul Wright Group. We met several years ago when he was just starting to build his clientele and presence on LinkedIn. Alan joined me recently for a LinkedIn Live video session where we exchanged tips for writing articles on LinkedIn. Alan has had a lot of success recently with several viral articles that have attracted tens of thousands of views and thousands of likes and shares. I asked Alan about his writing process, how he incorporates personal stories into articles that demonstrate his expertise, and how he crafts click-worthy headlines. He also shared some of his tips for writing outreach messages on LinkedIn. If you'd like to watch our entire LinkedIn Live session just go to my new learning community, Write With Impact Academy at writewithimpact.academy. Just enter your email to sign-up. And if you enjoyed this episode, or any other episodes of Write With Impact, I'd appreciate a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Follow Alan on LinkedIn here. And follow me, Glenn Leibowitz, on LinkedIn here.

Glenn Leibowitz is Head of Reputation & Communications for McKinsey Greater China based in Taiwan. He is also the host of the Write With Impact Podcast and the founder of the Write With Impact Academy. The post 841: How to Write With Impact With Glenn Leibowitz, McKinsey Consulting [K-Cup DoubleShot] appeared first on Time4Coffee.

Two years ago, after writing an article on LinkedIn consistently every week for nearly five years, I hit the pause button. Here's my story about why I stopped, and why I've decided to start writing again. Here's how I'm rediscovering the joy of writing. Subscribe to the Write With Impact newsletter on LinkedIn  Subscribe for the latest writing, podcasts, and resources from Write With Impact Subscribe to Write With Impact on Apple Podcasts

Two years ago, I interviewed bestselling author Jeff Goins on my podcast about a book he had just published then, The Art of Work. That book was about finding your calling and figuring out how to pursue it, and it went on to become a USA Today bestseller. I invited Jeff back on the show to talk about his latest book, Real Artists Don’t Starve: Timeless Strategies for Thriving in the New Creative Age, which recently hit The Wall Street Journal bestseller list. In our conversation, Jeff shares a few of the practical and time-tested strategies that writers, artists, and other creative professionals can use to earn a living while pursuing their art. Jeff also dives deep into the exact process he followed when he wrote the book, from crafting the big question he wanted to answer, to conducting extensive research into the lives of some of the most successful artists of the past 500 years, like Michelangelo and Van Gogh. To buy Jeff’s book just head over to writewithimpact.com/artist. That will take you to Jeff's Amazon page where you can instantly download the book for your Kindle app, or purchase a print copy. You can also find out more about Jeff and find his other books over at his website, goinswriter.com. For more episodes of Write With Impact and to find my writing just head over to writewithimpact.com/episode61 Follow Write With Impact on Facebook here Follow Write With Impact on Twitter here

Robin Rice has been an online teacher for more than a decade. She’s an internationally published author of both fiction and non-fiction. And she has created social change projects that have been covered by media around the world. She’s also a professional thinking partner to leaders. In my conversation with Robin, we talk about how you can find your writing voice, a challenge that I had a few years ago when I just started to blog, and a challenge I see many others have as well.  What does it take to break-through the fears and mental blocks holding you back from sharing your writing with the world?  And what should you even write about? These and many other questions Robin addresses and helps you tackle in a new writing program she’s launching on Monday, May 1st. She calls it “Speaking Your Sage; Writing Your Wise.” It’s 28 days of writing and speaking practice and mentoring. Each day, you'll get a short mentoring video, a writing prompt that is paired with a professional photograph, and a range of opportunities to explore and practice speaking your truth around the subject of the day. You can share your work —or not —on her website, socially on Instagram or Facebook with a designated hashtag, on your own website or blog, or just privately with a friend. While live facilitation is limited to May 1st through the 28th, this course can be enjoyed at your own pace. So while you may be listening to this podcast conversation long after the live facilitation is over, you can still sign-up for it and benefit from it. Check out the show notes to this episode over at writewithimpact.com/episode60.   Or head over to Robin’s website, bewhoyouare.com, where you can find information about the course. Subscribe to Write With Impact on iTunes here.

I'm very pleased to introduce Laura Brown back to the show. Laura was my very first guest on the podcast two years ago. She had just published her encyclopaedic book on writing, How to Write Anything. You can listen to that first conversation over at writewithimpact.com/episode1. Please be kind when listening, that was my first episode after all! Two years after that first foray into the world of podcasting, Laura has returned to the show to share some good news: she just sold her second book about writing to her publisher, W.W. Norton.  I asked her to share everything she knows about how to write a book proposal that will make a publisher want to buy your book. While we talk a lot about how to sell your book to a traditional publisher, the practical tips she shares are useful for anyone planning to self-publish their book.  You can find the show notes with links to Laura’s first book and her website over at writewithimpact.com/episode59 Like Write With Impact on Facebook Follow Write With Impact on Twitter Subscribe to Write With Impact on iTunes

Tom Morkes is a graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point, and served as an officer in the US Army in Iraq. After retiring from the military, he decided to pursue his passion for publishing and digital marketing. Today, Tom is the CEO of Insurgent Publishing, a book publishing and marketing company he founded a few years ago. In addition to having published half a dozen books, he provides book marketing services for authors. He recently worked with Neil Patel and his two co-authors on the marketing of their new book, Hustle, which hit the New York Times bestseller list. You might recall my recent conversation with Neil back on episode 54. In this episode of Write With Impact, Tom dives deep into some of the strategies you can use to build an audience of what he calls “superfans” for your book, and the approach you can use to reach out to influencers and persuade them to become ambassadors for your book. Whether you’re self-publishing or releasing your book with a traditional publisher, you’ll get some actionable marketing advice from Tom in this episode. Find out more about Tom and sign-up for my newsletter over at writewithimpact.com/episode57 Follow Write With Impact on Twitter Like Write With Impact on Facebook Subscribe to Write With Impact on iTunes

Neil Patel is a legend in the digital marketing space. He’s a serial entrepreneur who has co-founded companies like Crazy Egg, Hello Bar and KISSmetrics. He also helps major companies like Amazon, NBC, GM, HP and Viacom grow their revenue.  The Wall Street Journal calls him a top influencer on the web, Forbes says he’s one of the top 10 online marketers, and Entrepreneur Magazine says he created one of the 100 most brilliant companies in the world.  Neil was recognized as a top 100 entrepreneur under the age of 30 by President Obama and he was named one of the top 100 entrepreneurs under the age of 35 by the United Nations. He writes frequently for publications such as inc.com, and his new book, Hustle: The Power to Charge Your Life with Money, Meaning, and Momentum, landed on the New York Times Bestseller list.  Neil packs a lot of great tips into this episode. In our conversation, Neil shares some of his tips for formatting and writing a great blog post. He talks about some of the strategies he uses to maximize readership of his blog posts, and he reveals the exact strategies he uses to build his massive email list. Neil also tells me about some big changes to the format, length, and frequency of his own blog posts that his readers should expect to see him put into action soon. And near the end of our conversation, Neil tells me why he’s expanding his blog internationally, how he’s doing it, and the tremendous impact he’s seeing from his efforts. I included several links to Neil’s websites as well as to the sites he mentioned in this episode in the show notes to this episode, so be sure to head over to writewithimpact.com/episode54. And don’t forget to pick up some of my writing tips while you’re there. I’d also like to make a special shout-out to Tom Morkes who helped me make this episode happen. You can find Tom at his website at tommorkes.com.   One more thing before I get started: I’d love to hear from you! If you have any feedback on my podcast or suggestions for future guests, please drop me an email over at glenn@writewithimpact.com.  I’ll be sure to get back to you. Subscribe to Write With Impact on iTunes here. Follow Write With Impact on Twitter and on Facebook.

This week on Elsewhere, Brian Clark sits down with Glenn Leibowitz on Write With Impact to share his story about quitting corporate life, which ultimately led to building a multi-million dollar software company. In this 50-minute episode, Brian and Glenn discuss: Why writers have an advantage because they can turn their work into intellectual property... Listen to episode

Pamela Wilson joined Glenn Leibowitz on Write With Impact this week to chat about writing her first book and the strategic process behind drafting, editing, and publishing it. In this 50-minute episode, Pamela and Glenn discuss: Her podcast, Zero to Book, with Jeff Goins The book writing process What she s learned while writing her first... Listen to episode

Want to be a better podcaster? Something I've seen over and over again is that the best podcasters spend a lot of time writing. Want to learn how to be a better writer? My guest this week – Glenn Leibowitz – wants to help you get there. Glenn has been writing and editing for the past 17 years, mostly for his company, but two years ago he started his own blog and also started to blog weekly on LinkedIn. He writes about professional development, technology, social media, and writing. In April 2015, he launched his weekly podcast – Write With Impact – where he interviews authors of nonfiction and fiction and tries to pick apart their secrets and have them share what they've learned over the years as writers. In December 2015, LinkedIn named him one of 90 “top voices” on LinkedIn (out of the 1 million people who blog there). He ranked #2 in the marketing and social media category. I asked Glenn to join me for a three-part podcast series to share what he's learning about writing and growing an audience, the benefits of storytelling, how to turn a podcast interview into a story, how to get started with publishing on LinkedIn, and more. In this episode, Glenn shares his top tips for becoming a better writer, we discuss why outlines are critical for success, why you should edit after you're done writing, how to write great titles, and so much more. Key Takeaways: Writing an outline is like creating a map for yourself. It will help you get to where you want to go. Sharing a story brings the topic down to earth for your reader and allows them to relate to whatever you're writing. Don't try to make all your writing perfect right away. Allow yourself to separate the writing process and the editing process. If you're not perfectly consistent with your output, that's okay, just keep trying and never give up. Publish something every single week, regardless of how you feel. You'll improve through doing. Your title needs to summarize your podcast or blog post well, and in a way that gets your audience's attention. Glenn: There's so much to learn when it comes to writing, but all the writers I've ever talked with gave this advice: if you want to get better, you just gotta write more. With that in mind, here are my top tips for becoming a better writer. Tip #1. Write to an Audience of One Glenn: Know who you're talking to. Visualize your reader if you can, and if you can't, that's fine, but try to write as if you're writing to just one person. Pretend you're writing an email to a friend or relative. That's a good way to break through any inhibitions you might be feeling when you try to put words down on the page for the first time. Aaron: This is great advice for podcasters as well. When you're podcasting, talk like you're talking to a single person; this makes your listener feel a more personal connection with you. Tip #2. Write Like You Talk Glenn: When writing, pretend like you're talking. Treat your writing as a form of transcription of your thoughts and of that voice running through your head. Just write whatever comes to mind. I wrote a blog post on LinkedIn about this recently — How to Find Your Writing Voice: Listen to the Voice on the Page. That one resonated with a lot of people because they could relate to that. It's how I write, and apparently it's how a lot of people write. As one of my guests on my podcast said, “If you can speak, you can write.” Don't get caught up with the style, the vocabulary, just focus on getting what's on your mind down on the page. Aaron: I agree, but I have a question. Sometimes when I'm writing, I'll think something funny and put it down, but then I look at it and wonder if other people will get it or think it's funny. Do you ever struggle with that? Glenn: That happens to me all the time. I write a lot of stuff that never sees the light of day, but you should edit after you've finished writing. Don't worry about editing while you write. I try not to delete anything during the initial writing. I like collecting words even if they don't end up going in the final version that I publish. Tip #3. Pick a Very Focused Topic Glenn: Whatever you're writing – show notes for a podcast, a blog post, the chapter of your first ebook on Amazon – you need to have a focused topic. Your entire blog post should support or relate to that topic in some way. Think about the main point of your podcast or blog post, and let everything flow from there. Tip #4. Jot Down a Quick Outline Glenn: Jot down a few sentences or a very skeletal outline of what you want to write about. Put the bones down on the page before you start adding the meat. The first sentence or two should be what the entire blog post or chapter is about. Then list out the 4, 5, or 8 supporting points before you start working on the individual paragraphs. These points will be the blueprint, the directions that will help you get to where you want to go. Aaron: I love using mind maps to write outlines. It's been a game changer for me. Writing an outline is like creating a map for yourself. It will help you get to where you want to go. Tip #5. Tell a Story Glenn: Storytelling seems to be all the rage these days and for very good reason; we all love stories. So many of the writers I've spoken to on my podcast have told me how they believe story is wired into our DNA, and I think that's true. We all want to see how a hero overcomes a tough challenge and what happens next, how they grow from that and learn from that. That all sounds like the elements of fiction, and that's how novelists write. But I believe, and my podcast guests agree, that the same elements of storytelling apply to writing nonfiction like blog posts, nonfiction books, essays, and I would argue, even show notes for a podcast. I start most of my blog posts off with a personal story of when I was a kid or teen or twenty-something or even something that happened recently. I relate the topic to something that happened to me personally, a challenge I faced, and then I describe how I dealt with it, and what I learned. My latest post on LinkedIn was about self-driving cars, and I started that one off with a story of how my mom put my brother and me in a defensive driving course even before we could drive, just so she could scare the heck out of us and make us better drivers. I then followed that story up with the news of Google's self-driving car, which got the green light from the National Transportation Safety Administration. Sharing a story brings the topic down to earth for your reader and allows them to relate to whatever you're writing. Aaron: I love hearing those personal stories. I find it hard to connect with people who don't ever share any personal stories. Tip #6. Edit, Edit, Edit Glenn: This is where your logical, analytical brain kicks in. You need to take a microscopic look at each sentence and word on the page, review your punctuation, and read through your writing over and over again in your mind (or out loud) to see if it all fits together logically. You want to make sure you are delivering your message clearly, which is critically important, and also that it's grammatically correct. If you're not good with grammar or punctuation or word usage, or if you're not a native writer of English, ask a friend or family member to take a look at it, or hire a freelance editor on one of those freelancing websites. But edit edit edit until it's something you feel comfortable publishing (and ideally, something you feel proud of). Aaron: Something I've started doing lately is allowing myself to write a first draft without trying to make it perfect. I used to try to make everything perfect the first time, which really slowed me down. Now, I write an outline, then write a first draft as fast as I can, then go back to do the editing afterwards. I'm much happier now that I've stopped trying to edit while I write. I have to thank the guys who wrote Write. Publish. Repeat. for sharing that tip about writing your first draft as fast as you can. Don't try to make all your writing perfect right away. Allow yourself to separate the writing process and the editing process. Tip #7. Be Consistent Glenn: One thing I see a lot of bloggers do is write a post here, write one there, maybe 5-10 posts, or maybe they go for 6-12 months and then give up. If you're not perfectly consistent with your output, that's okay, just keep trying and never give up. Take Sean McCabe's advice; you have to show up and create content every day for at least two years before you'll see substantial results. If you do see results before that two year point, consider it a bonus. But you've got to look at writing as a long-term play, and not something you just do whenever you feel like it. Don't quit just because you feel bored or if you aren't seeing results yet. Publish something every single week, regardless of how you feel. Aaron: “Show up every day” applies to podcasting too. I've seen amazing results in the past 10 months because I showed up every day and released an episode every week. I've become a better writer and a better podcaster, all because I keep trying. I keep showing up and I give it the best I can every single time, and I get a little better every week and my audience keeps growing. Recap: Aaron: Those were some great tips, so I want to do a quick recap: Write to an audience of one Write like you talk Pick a focused topic Write outlines Tell a story Edit, edit, edit Be consistent Connect with Glenn Leibowitz Aaron: Glenn, you'll be back next week, but in the meantime, where can people go to find you online? Glenn: You can head over to WriteWithImpact.com and sign up for my weekly newsletter so you can get my latest podcast episodes and blog posts, as well as recommendations for books and resources for writers. I'm also on LinkedIn and encourage you to connect directly with me there. You can find me on Twitter at @glennleibowitz. Q&A Levi Allen asked: What are the top books/blogs you'd recommend for growing as a writer? Glenn: I have two books that I recommend to everyone; On Writing Well by William Zinsser, and On Writing by Stephen King. For websites/blogs, I'd recommend checking out Joanna Penn, Jeff Goins, Monica Leonelle, and Chris Fox. You can also check out my website and podcast to find even more great resources. Aaron: I'm currently reading a fantastic book called Write. Publish. Repeat. and I think anyone interested in writing should pick that up. I'm also a fan on both On Writing and On Writing Well, although I'm only about 60% of the way through On Writing Well. Scotty Russell asked: How do you balance injecting value and sharing your own life experiences? Making your audience the hero yet establishing credibility. Glenn: I keep that in mind every time I sit down to write a blog post. I don't want to write what I call “navel-gazers”, that is, posts where I just talk about myself. I try to avoid that, but I do try to include myself or my experiences in the story if it's relevant. I try to always orient the message of the post towards the reader. I'm always trying to think about what would be valuable for the reader. Aaron: Always start with wanting to give your audience something valuable. But I'm wondering; do you ever struggle with qualifying what you're saying with, “This is just my experience, it might not work for you”? I find myself doing that a lot. Glenn: Yeah, of course. That's something I struggle with all the time. It's why I have so many unfinished blog posts in my drafts folder. But I try to push through and publish anyways. Even if the blog post doesn't help everyone, as long as it helps a few people than I'm doing good work. Joseph asked: How do you come up with good titles without making them sounding like click-bait? Glenn: You definitely don't want to use click-bait. Click-bait means that your title promises something that your article doesn't deliver, and you never want to do that. Just be honest and clear with the headline. I often write out a list of possible headlines, and sometimes I'll ask my kids which one they think is best. That usually works out well. Your title needs to summarize your podcast or blog post well, and in a way that gets your audience's attention. Aaron: I think a lot of people – especially if they're new to publishing online – worry about writing titles that sound click-baity, or about doing list articles with titles like 7 Things Every Podcaster Should Know. Glenn: I can tell you this; the LinkedIn editors don't like list articles anymore. List articles are fun, but they're all over the place; too many people are doing them. What I say is it's better to be clear than clever. Sometimes I try to write a clever headline, but before I hit publish I ask myself, “What am I trying to say with this post? Does my headline reflect that?” I try to be truthful and give my reader a clear idea of what they're going to get. Don't lie, don't mislead or promise something you can't deliver. Cool Stuff to Check Out: Recommended Gear: https://kit.com/thepodcastdude Podcast: https://thepodcastdude.simplecast.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/thepodcastdude Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/thepodcastdude Successful Podcasting: http://successfulpodcasting.com Simplecast Blog: http://blog.simplecast.com/ Glenn's website: http://www.writewithimpact.com/

Want to be a better podcaster? Something I’ve seen over and over again is that the best podcasters spend a lot of time writing. Want to learn how to be a better writer? My guest this week – Glenn Leibowitz – wants to help you get there. Glenn has been writing and editing for the past 17 years, mostly for his company, but two years ago he started his own blog and also started to blog weekly on LinkedIn. He writes about professional development, technology, social media, and writing. In April 2015, he launched his weekly podcast – Write With Impact – where he interviews authors of nonfiction and fiction and tries to pick apart their secrets and have them share what they’ve learned over the years as writers. In December 2015, LinkedIn named him one of 90 “top voices” on LinkedIn (out of the 1 million people who blog there). He ranked #2 in the marketing and social media category. I asked Glenn to join me for a three-part podcast series to share what he’s learning about writing and growing an audience, the benefits of storytelling, how to turn a podcast interview into a story, how to get started with publishing on LinkedIn, and more. In this episode, Glenn shares his top tips for becoming a better writer, we discuss why outlines are critical for success, why you should edit after you’re done writing, how to write great titles, and so much more. Key Takeaways: Writing an outline is like creating a map for yourself. It will help you get to where you want to go. Sharing a story brings the topic down to earth for your reader and allows them to relate to whatever you’re writing. Don’t try to make all your writing perfect right away. Allow yourself to separate the writing process and the editing process. If you’re not perfectly consistent with your output, that’s okay, just keep trying and never give up. Publish something every single week, regardless of how you feel. You'll improve through doing. Your title needs to summarize your podcast or blog post well, and in a way that gets your audience’s attention. Glenn: There’s so much to learn when it comes to writing, but all the writers I’ve ever talked with gave this advice: if you want to get better, you just gotta write more. With that in mind, here are my top tips for becoming a better writer. Tip #1. Write to an Audience of One Glenn: Know who you’re talking to. Visualize your reader if you can, and if you can’t, that’s fine, but try to write as if you’re writing to just one person. Pretend you’re writing an email to a friend or relative. That’s a good way to break through any inhibitions you might be feeling when you try to put words down on the page for the first time. Aaron: This is great advice for podcasters as well. When you’re podcasting, talk like you’re talking to a single person; this makes your listener feel a more personal connection with you. Tip #2. Write Like You Talk Glenn: When writing, pretend like you’re talking. Treat your writing as a form of transcription of your thoughts and of that voice running through your head. Just write whatever comes to mind. I wrote a blog post on LinkedIn about this recently — How to Find Your Writing Voice: Listen to the Voice on the Page. That one resonated with a lot of people because they could relate to that. It’s how I write, and apparently it’s how a lot of people write. As one of my guests on my podcast said, “If you can speak, you can write.” Don’t get caught up with the style, the vocabulary, just focus on getting what’s on your mind down on the page. Aaron: I agree, but I have a question. Sometimes when I’m writing, I’ll think something funny and put it down, but then I look at it and wonder if other people will get it or think it’s funny. Do you ever struggle with that? Glenn: That happens to me all the time. I write a lot of stuff that never sees the light of day, but you should edit after you’ve finished writing. Don’t worry about editing while you write. I try not to delete anything during the initial writing. I like collecting words even if they don’t end up going in the final version that I publish. Tip #3. Pick a Very Focused Topic Glenn: Whatever you’re writing – show notes for a podcast, a blog post, the chapter of your first ebook on Amazon – you need to have a focused topic. Your entire blog post should support or relate to that topic in some way. Think about the main point of your podcast or blog post, and let everything flow from there. Tip #4. Jot Down a Quick Outline Glenn: Jot down a few sentences or a very skeletal outline of what you want to write about. Put the bones down on the page before you start adding the meat. The first sentence or two should be what the entire blog post or chapter is about. Then list out the 4, 5, or 8 supporting points before you start working on the individual paragraphs. These points will be the blueprint, the directions that will help you get to where you want to go. Aaron: I love using mind maps to write outlines. It’s been a game changer for me. Writing an outline is like creating a map for yourself. It will help you get to where you want to go. Tip #5. Tell a Story Glenn: Storytelling seems to be all the rage these days and for very good reason; we all love stories. So many of the writers I’ve spoken to on my podcast have told me how they believe story is wired into our DNA, and I think that’s true. We all want to see how a hero overcomes a tough challenge and what happens next, how they grow from that and learn from that. That all sounds like the elements of fiction, and that’s how novelists write. But I believe, and my podcast guests agree, that the same elements of storytelling apply to writing nonfiction like blog posts, nonfiction books, essays, and I would argue, even show notes for a podcast. I start most of my blog posts off with a personal story of when I was a kid or teen or twenty-something or even something that happened recently. I relate the topic to something that happened to me personally, a challenge I faced, and then I describe how I dealt with it, and what I learned. My latest post on LinkedIn was about self-driving cars, and I started that one off with a story of how my mom put my brother and me in a defensive driving course even before we could drive, just so she could scare the heck out of us and make us better drivers. I then followed that story up with the news of Google’s self-driving car, which got the green light from the National Transportation Safety Administration. Sharing a story brings the topic down to earth for your reader and allows them to relate to whatever you’re writing. Aaron: I love hearing those personal stories. I find it hard to connect with people who don’t ever share any personal stories. Tip #6. Edit, Edit, Edit Glenn: This is where your logical, analytical brain kicks in. You need to take a microscopic look at each sentence and word on the page, review your punctuation, and read through your writing over and over again in your mind (or out loud) to see if it all fits together logically. You want to make sure you are delivering your message clearly, which is critically important, and also that it’s grammatically correct. If you’re not good with grammar or punctuation or word usage, or if you’re not a native writer of English, ask a friend or family member to take a look at it, or hire a freelance editor on one of those freelancing websites. But edit edit edit until it’s something you feel comfortable publishing (and ideally, something you feel proud of). Aaron: Something I’ve started doing lately is allowing myself to write a first draft without trying to make it perfect. I used to try to make everything perfect the first time, which really slowed me down. Now, I write an outline, then write a first draft as fast as I can, then go back to do the editing afterwards. I’m much happier now that I’ve stopped trying to edit while I write. I have to thank the guys who wrote Write. Publish. Repeat. for sharing that tip about writing your first draft as fast as you can. Don’t try to make all your writing perfect right away. Allow yourself to separate the writing process and the editing process. Tip #7. Be Consistent Glenn: One thing I see a lot of bloggers do is write a post here, write one there, maybe 5-10 posts, or maybe they go for 6-12 months and then give up. If you’re not perfectly consistent with your output, that’s okay, just keep trying and never give up. Take Sean McCabe’s advice; you have to show up and create content every day for at least two years before you’ll see substantial results. If you do see results before that two year point, consider it a bonus. But you’ve got to look at writing as a long-term play, and not something you just do whenever you feel like it. Don’t quit just because you feel bored or if you aren’t seeing results yet. Publish something every single week, regardless of how you feel. Aaron: “Show up every day” applies to podcasting too. I’ve seen amazing results in the past 10 months because I showed up every day and released an episode every week. I’ve become a better writer and a better podcaster, all because I keep trying. I keep showing up and I give it the best I can every single time, and I get a little better every week and my audience keeps growing. Recap: Aaron: Those were some great tips, so I want to do a quick recap: Write to an audience of one Write like you talk Pick a focused topic Write outlines Tell a story Edit, edit, edit Be consistent Connect with Glenn Leibowitz Aaron: Glenn, you’ll be back next week, but in the meantime, where can people go to find you online? Glenn: You can head over to WriteWithImpact.com and sign up for my weekly newsletter so you can get my latest podcast episodes and blog posts, as well as recommendations for books and resources for writers. I’m also on LinkedIn and encourage you to connect directly with me there. You can find me on Twitter at @glennleibowitz. Q&A Levi Allen asked: What are the top books/blogs you’d recommend for growing as a writer? Glenn: I have two books that I recommend to everyone; On Writing Well by William Zinsser, and On Writing by Stephen King. For websites/blogs, I’d recommend checking out Joanna Penn, Jeff Goins, Monica Leonelle, and Chris Fox. You can also check out my website and podcast to find even more great resources. Aaron: I’m currently reading a fantastic book called Write. Publish. Repeat. and I think anyone interested in writing should pick that up. I’m also a fan on both On Writing and On Writing Well, although I’m only about 60% of the way through On Writing Well. Scotty Russell asked: How do you balance injecting value and sharing your own life experiences? Making your audience the hero yet establishing credibility. Glenn: I keep that in mind every time I sit down to write a blog post. I don’t want to write what I call “navel-gazers”, that is, posts where I just talk about myself. I try to avoid that, but I do try to include myself or my experiences in the story if it’s relevant. I try to always orient the message of the post towards the reader. I’m always trying to think about what would be valuable for the reader. Aaron: Always start with wanting to give your audience something valuable. But I’m wondering; do you ever struggle with qualifying what you’re saying with, “This is just my experience, it might not work for you”? I find myself doing that a lot. Glenn: Yeah, of course. That’s something I struggle with all the time. It’s why I have so many unfinished blog posts in my drafts folder. But I try to push through and publish anyways. Even if the blog post doesn’t help everyone, as long as it helps a few people than I’m doing good work. Joseph asked: How do you come up with good titles without making them sounding like click-bait? Glenn: You definitely don’t want to use click-bait. Click-bait means that your title promises something that your article doesn’t deliver, and you never want to do that. Just be honest and clear with the headline. I often write out a list of possible headlines, and sometimes I’ll ask my kids which one they think is best. That usually works out well. Your title needs to summarize your podcast or blog post well, and in a way that gets your audience’s attention. Aaron: I think a lot of people – especially if they’re new to publishing online – worry about writing titles that sound click-baity, or about doing list articles with titles like 7 Things Every Podcaster Should Know. Glenn: I can tell you this; the LinkedIn editors don’t like list articles anymore. List articles are fun, but they’re all over the place; too many people are doing them. What I say is it’s better to be clear than clever. Sometimes I try to write a clever headline, but before I hit publish I ask myself, “What am I trying to say with this post? Does my headline reflect that?” I try to be truthful and give my reader a clear idea of what they’re going to get. Don’t lie, don’t mislead or promise something you can’t deliver. Cool Stuff to Check Out: Recommended Gear: https://kit.com/thepodcastdude Podcast: https://thepodcastdude.simplecast.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/thepodcastdude Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/thepodcastdude Successful Podcasting: http://successfulpodcasting.com Simplecast Blog: http://blog.simplecast.com/ Glenn's website: http://www.writewithimpact.com/

Read the complete show notes to this episode and pick up a free ebook with writing tips at writewithimpact.com/episode42 Today I’m talking once again to Chris Fox. Chris was on episode 29 of this podcast last year, when we talked about his new book at the time, 5,000 Words Per Hour, which has gone on to be a major bestseller on Amazon. This time, we talk about his latest book, Write to Market: Deliver a Book That Sells.   In our conversation, Chris walks us through the strategies that he shares in his book for conducting the kind of thorough market research you need to do before you even start writing your first draft. He offers very practical advice around identifying profitable but currently underserved genres on Amazon, understanding what your readers are really looking for, and why you need to be reading much more in your target genre if you want to write books that appeal to your target readers. And he shows how he has successfully applied his “Write to Market” methodology to his own fiction and nonfiction books. In this podcast, Chris also shares two major announcements regarding his writing career. First, Chris has committed publicly to writing a 70,000-word novel over the next 21 days. And he’s not just writing his first draft, which is what National Novel Writing Month is all about. No, Chris intends to write and publish a complete novel on Amazon in just 21 days. It’s a gutsy challenge and I look forward to following him throughout the process to see how he works his magic. To find out about his other major announcement, you’ll have to listen to our conversation! It’s a very big milestone for Chris, and I’m sure it’ll inspire many of you part-time writers out there when you hear about it. Subscribe to Write With Impact on iTunes   Links Chris Fox Writes 21 Day Novel Writing Challenge Chris Fox on Amazon Chris Fox on Facebook Chris Fox on Twitter  

Libbie Hawker is a novelist who writes historical fiction. Since launching her career, she’s published over 20 novels and novellas. In this episode, I talk to Libbie about her bestselling non-fiction book, Take Off Your Pants!: Outline Your Books for Faster, Better Writing.  In her book, she shares the approach she uses to outline her novels. It’s an approach that has enabled her to drastically improve her writing productivity. In our conversation, we cover a lot of ground: She dives deep into the outlining approach she discusses in her book, which is essentially a method for planning your novel to ensure that it has all the elements in place for a story that your readers won’t want to put down. Libbie also shares her advice for encouraging readers to leave reviews and for dealing with negative reviews. She talks about advertising on Facebook and other sites and when the best time is to invest in advertising your books. And, Libbie talks about what it’s like to pursue a hybrid publishing strategy: while she still publishes independently, she also has a contract with a traditional publisher as well. It’s a fun conversation that’s packed with advice for novelists and non-fiction writers as well. For more information about Libbie and links to her books, check out the show notes to this episode over at writewithimpact.com/episode32. Download a free PDF with 10 writing tips at Write With Impact. Follow Write With Impact on Twitter Like Write With Impact on Facebook

Hey everyone, This is a short "coffeecast" episode of Write With Impact. I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to download and listen to my podcast. I really appreciate all of the positive feedback I've been getting lately about the podcast. Since launching Write With Impact in April, it's been downloaded tens of thousands of times. I'm very grateful for your support and I hope you continue to listen and share episodes you like with your friends. I also have a very special guest today as well... Dig into the growing archive of interviews with great writers and sign-up for my weekly newsletter over at writewithimpact.com Follow Write With Impact on Twitter @impactfulwriter Like Write With Impact on Facebook: facebook.com/WriteWithImpact Keep writing!  

Sonia stopped by for a chat with Glenn Leibowitz to discuss content marketing in the digital age. In this episode, Glenn and Sonia discuss: Sonia’s advice on developing your own blogging voice How to expand your professional network and build your audience by cultivating relationships with other writers Why you should be paying close attention... Listen to episode

Back in episode 10, I spoke with Monica Leonelle, the author of Write Better, Faster. In that book she broke down the exact methods she uses to write really fast. That episode has proven to be one of the most popular I’ve published so far. I’ve invited Monica back onto the show because she’s got another book coming out this week which I think you’ll really benefit from, especially if you’re struggling to squeeze your writing into a very busy schedule. If you’re like me and you’re trying to carve out time to get your writing done while holding a full-time job or taking care of a family, it can be really tough. Monica has written a book that speaks directly to writers like us who are struggling to get our writing done while balancing our other commitments at work and at home. She calls it The 8 Minute Writing Habit: Create a Consistent Writing Habit that Works With Your Busy Lifestyle. In this book, Monica helps you tackle the mindsets that are blocking you from starting - and finishing - your writing projects. And then she offers practical strategies and tips that can help you develop a consistent writing habit. Read the show notes here Subscribe to Write With Impact on iTunes Subscribe on Stitcher Follow Write With Impact on Twitter Like Write With Impact on Facebook

Mark Vanhoenacker is a Senior First Officer for British Airways who flies cross-continental routes on 747s.  He writes about flying for The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Slate, and other publications. He’s the author of the recent book, Skyfaring: A Journey With a Pilot, which was published by Knopf. The book has received glowing reviews from The New York Times Book Review, The New Yorker, Conde Nast Traveler, The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal and many more. I enjoyed the book for the beautiful, poetic descriptions of flying and aircraft, and for how the author takes very complex concepts from the world of aviation and translates them for lay readers like you and me. I fly quite a lot each year for my job as a communications professional, and I have to admit the experience of flying has lost a lot of its cache over the years. I don’t enjoy many aspects of flying, especially what I have to go through on the ground before and after I’m on the plane. But this book has renewed my fascination and appreciation for flying. And for me, it’s an example of beautifully crafted nonfiction writing that can inspire and educate at the same time. In this episode, I talk to Mark about the story of how he went from PhD student to management consultant to 747 pilot; how he started his side career as a writer by publishing in top-tier newspapers and online publications; what inspires his poetic writing style, and the process he went through to write and publish his new book. And at the end of our conversation Mark reads two passages from his book, which I hope you’ll stick around long enough to listen to. As always, you can find the show notes to this episode with links to Mark’s book and website at writewithimpact.com/episode23. There you can pick up a free ebook I put together with some of my writing tips and inspiring quotes from great authors.  Follow Write With Impact on Twitter @impactfulwriter Like Write With Impact on Facebook  Follow the Write With Impact collection on Medium  

Today I’ve decided to take a break from talking about writing. Instead, we’re going to dive into a topic that is something I’ve been doing for several decades now through my work as a communications and branding professional, and something that I believe is incredibly relevant to all of you writers out there: branding!   That’s right. We’re going to put our pens down and close our Moleskin notebooks and Macbook Pros and listen to Aaron Pierson talk about how to create a brand strategy that will help you get noticed.   Aaron is an experienced brand strategist and designer who has worked with several leading digital marketers and major consumer and B2B companies.   At the end of our conversation he talks a little about his new Activator digital brand strategy course which you can find right here.     I worked with Aaron on the branding for this podcast and the Write With Impact website, so I know what it’s like firsthand to get his expert guidance on brand development.    I think you’re going to enjoy this conversation and will get a lot of practical tips for thinking about your own brand, whether you’re an ebook author or blogger or freelance writer or editor.   Be sure to pick up your free writing tips over at writewithimpact.com/gift   Subscribe to Write With Impact on iTunes at writewithimpact.com/itunes   Subscribe on Stitcher at writewithimpact.com/stitcher   Follow us on Twitter @impactfulwriter   And like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/writewithimpact  

Leah Bell is the author of the brand new book, The Angry Grad. It’s a book for students and recent college graduates who might be facing a mountain of debt and uncertain job prospects. In her book, she shares some hard-nosed facts and advice about college and the working world, and then offers practical ideas and asks questions that can help the reader think through his or her options after graduation. In my conversation with Leah, she talks about why she wrote this book, who it’s aimed at, and what they can expect to get out of it. She also talks about how she wrote it, and what she plans to do to market it. If you haven’t already noticed from my previous episodes, I’m a champion for the self-publishers out there, and I have invited several authors who have self-published their work on Amazon and have done quite well at it. This is Leah’s first book, and I thought her story would provide inspiration to all of you who are working on your first book, or thinking about writing one. I think you’ll enjoy this conversation as much as I did. If you want to check out her book and buy a copy on Amazon, just click here.  Contact Leah atThe Angry Grad website   Subscribe to Write With Impact on iTunes at writewithimpact.com/itunes and on Stitcher at writewithimpact.com/stitcher   Sign-up to become a Write With Impact Scribe and receive the latest episodes, blog posts, and free ebooks at writewithimpact.com

Monica is a novelist who writes across several different genres, including romance, young adult, and science fiction.    In this episode of Write With Impact, Monica shares the process she developed that enables her to write more than 3,500 words per hour. She covers the exact framework that she explains in her new book, "Write Better, Faster: How To Triple Your Writing Speed and Write More Every Day."   It’s a fascinating conversation, and I’m sure you’ll get a ton of valuable strategies and tips on how to substantially boost your own writing speed.     You can find links to her blog, where she shares a ton of free insights into her writing process, as well as links to her books on Amazon over at writewithimpact.com/episode10   To get the latest episode of Write With Impact, subscribe on iTunes at www.writewithimpact.com/itunes or on Stitcher at writewithimpact.com/stitcher  

Steve Scott has built a highly successful business by self-publishing Kindle books on Amazon. Starting from literally zero just a few years ago, today he’s earning anywhere from $20,000 to upwards of $60,000 a month publishing books on a range of highly practical topics, with a focus most recently on personal productivity and developing good habits.   In this episode of Write With Impact, Steve goes into detail on the marketing strategies he uses to promote his books, his writing process, and some of his near-term plans for expanding his book-based business. He also offers advice for first-time authors hoping to self-publish their books on Amazon.    For the complete show notes to this episode, click here: www.writewithimpact.com/episode5  

Isaac Stone Fish is Asia editor at Foreign Policy, where he edits, reports, and writes stories from across the region. Previously a Beijing correspondent for Newsweek, Isaac spent seven years living in China before joining Foreign Policy.   His articles have also appeared in the New York Times, the Economist, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times, and he has appeared as a commentator on MSNBC, BBC, and NPR.   In this episode of Write With Impact, Isaac talks about how he finds and tells stories from Asia.   Find the show notes to this episode and more information about Isaac here: www.writewithimpact.com/episode4   And please subscribe to Write With Impact on iTunes to get new episodes every week: www.writewithimpact.com/itunes   Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/writewithimpact  

Welcome to the introductory episode of my new podcast, Write With Impact! My name is Glenn Leibowitz, and I’ll be your host and guide. This is “Episode 0″, my “About this podcast episode”, where I tell you what this podcast is all about and what you can expect to get out of it. I’ll also talk a little bit about who I am. Read the full transcript to this episode and grab my free ebook with writing tips over at www.writewithimpact.com/episode0