My Annual Review of 2018

The Ups, the Downs, and What I Learned Along the Way

This has been a year of transition for me! That coupled with author James Clear’s advice to do an annual review are enough for me to take up the task. Following Clear’s example, I’ll cover what went well, what didn’t go so well, and what I learned. Here we go! What Went Well This Year? […]

3 Reasons I’m Ditching Microsoft Word for Scrivener

What I Learned from Joseph Michael, The Scrivener Coach

Recently I asked Joseph Michael to present a webinar on the ins and outs of Scrivener to readers of this blog. While I was the host of the webinar, I was also a very willing attendee. You see, I have known about Scrivener for a long time. Friends like Michael Hyatt and Jeff Goins, both […]

How to Get a Publisher’s Attention

And 10 Other Things Writers Want to Know about Publishing

Recently I asked readers of this blog, “What’s your #1 question about publishing or getting published?” Below are some the questions I received with my responses. I’ve tried to order these in terms of the chronological process of deciding how to publish, picking a publisher, submitting, and so on. I hope you enjoy reading through […]

What Every Author Needs to Know about Publishing and Marketing on Amazon

An Interview with Kindlepreneur Creator Dave Chesson

We all know Amazon is the biggest bookseller in the world by far, but marketing on Amazon is still a mystery to many authors. Most writers don’t understand what makes a book an Amazon bestseller. And they’re confused about how to work with the Amazon platform to market their books and increase sales. That’s why […]

What Is a Writer Platform and How Do You Build One?

Answering Readers’ Questions about Building an Audience

Below are questions I received recently about how to build a writer platform followed by my responses. My hope is that these questions are broadly representative of those many writers have about this often vexing topic. Before I jump into the questions, let me first define what I mean by platform. An author’s platform is […]

This Is How I Really Feel about Platform

Finding Common Ground between Art and Audience Building

Can I be honest with you? I get tired of talking about platform, and I’m sure writers get sick of hearing people like me talk about platform. Why is this? I think it’s because the work writers do to build an audience often feels other than and separate from doing art. The Difference between Art […]

How to Be Absolutely Sure Your Book Idea Has a Market

Answering Reader Questions about How to Choose a Book Concept

I recently conducted a survey for writers and received several comments and questions about the whole issue of book concepts. Below I’ll copy some survey responses and offer my reflections and advice. “I have several book ideas but can’t get focused. I am unsure what topic people would be interested in hearing about from me.” […]

How to Enjoy Your Writing Life More Than Ever

3 Tips for Increasing Your Happiness as a Writer

Financial guru Suze Orman once said, “If you want to get out of debt, you must get more enjoyment out of saving your money than you do spending your money.” I love that. I love the idea that we can choose what we get enjoyment from, and I think she’s right. Let’s take what she […]

How Curiosity Improves Your Life and Makes You More Creative

6 Simple Steps

Have you ever felt “stuck in a rut” creatively? Ever struggled with writer’s block? Do you ever feel like you’ve simply run out of content ideas? As writers we need to be at our best creatively, yet so often we hit a wall. It is the height of frustration to have the desire to serve […]

One Ridiculously Easy Thing You Can Do to Enhance Your Creativity

Because the Cause of Your Creative Blocks May Be Different Than You Think

The other day I was getting ready to go for a run when it occurred to me: I’d be more comfortable in my other pair of shorts. I also knew I would enjoy the run more if I downloaded an episode of one of my favorite podcasts. That way I could listen to it on […]