As we barrel toward the end of this year, I’ve been thinking a lot about my 2016 goals. It looks like my success rate in 2016 will be 40 percent. When I first noticed this, I was disappointed. I was even tempted to think horrible things about myself: “I’m a loser! I’m no good!” But […]
I travel a bit for work, and one part of the process that always causes me a bit of anxiety is getting into my hotel room. The process is rarely without incident. Often I feel like a complete doofus as I swipe my key card a dozen times waiting for the green light to flash […]
Publishing professionals have been using the term “platform” for a long time. And once my friend and Baker author Michael Hyatt wrote his New York Times bestseller Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World, the term became ensconced forever in publishing parlance. These days we can’t review a book proposal without using the term multiple […]
I recently had conversations with two first-time authors, and I feel very hopeful about both of them. Whether the publisher I work for pursues them or some other publisher, I’m quite certain these authors will be offered contracts. And as long as the publisher doesn’t overpay, chances are good these books will be successful for […]
Recently I asked readers of my blog this question: “What’s the biggest creative challenge or obstacle you are facing?” As I read through the responses, I noticed one particular theme came up again and again: the desire for a bigger audience. Listen to some of these responses; these are direct quotes: “I feel stuck in a […]
If you’re a writer with a book inside you, a platform builder, or someone who simply wants to have an impact in the world, this interview is for you. Join me today for a conversation with author and blogger Natasha Crain. Over the past five years Natasha has steadily grown her blog traffic and subscriber […]
I recently attended Jeff Goins’ Tribe Conference and thoroughly enjoyed it. If you’re a writer or a creative of another type who wants to hone your voice and expand your reach, I highly recommend Tribe! Below are the top 10 things I learned from Tribe: 1. Jeff Goins nurtures a terrific community. I was uber impressed […]
Deciding what book to write can be tough. Writers often have a lot of different ideas, and we know that writing a book requires a significant amount of time and energy. Even if you have a direction in mind, establishing a particular angle or hook can be difficult. How to choose? This problem can be frustrating […]
Recently I asked some writers about their deepest fear when it comes to writing. One of them flatly said “rejection.” Another said, “Will publishers take me seriously if I don’t have a platform?” I hear versions of this all the time not only from writers but from the chattering inside my own head as a […]
Earlier this month book-marketing expert Chad Cannon and I jumped on a video call to have a no-holds-barred conversation about all things publishing. Here are just some of the questions we covered: Tell us about the role of an acquisitions editor. What do you look for when you pursue an author or a project? What are […]
