A Runner’s Advice to Writers
Running is a great metaphor for a lot of things, especially writing. As a writing coach who’s training for my first marathon (Chicago Marathon 2022, baby!), I see parallels all over the place. Often it can be helpful to get a fresh perspective on our writing lives, and I think running offers some really helpful […]
Best Books for Writers on Craft, Creativity, Marketing, and More!
Reading the right books can help you become a better, more successful writer, but where to start!? I’ve been an avid reader of books for writers a long time now, and it’s a topic I’ve written about in the past. But as I keep reading more books in this genre, I expand and refine my […]
An Easy Way for Writers to Renew Their Energy
Recently I heard from a writer who said, “I feel like I get so bogged down with building a platform, I don’t have time to write!” That’s the cry of so many writers I’ve worked with. Here’s another one: “I feel like I’m just spinning my wheels. I forget why I got into this in […]
A “Choose Your Own Adventure” Guide to the Best Books on Writing
I could simply give you a list of my favorite books on writing, but where’s the fun in that?! I thought it would be more fun to guide you to the one that is most likely to help you based on what you’re looking for. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to what is likely the first […]
How Writers Can Use Speaking to Build a Platform and Sell Books
Grant Baldwin is the founder of The Speaker Lab, a training company that helps public speakers learn how to find and book speaking gigs. Through his popular podcast The Speaker Lab and flagship coaching program Booked and Paid to Speak, he has coached and worked with thousands of speakers. His book, The Successful Speaker: Five […]
How a Writer Faced His Fear and Landed a Book Deal
Writing a book proposal and landing a book deal is hard work, but it can be done. I recently sat down for a video call with writer, spiritual director, and speaker Brian Plachta about his journey from a small platform to a landing a book deal. We talked about: how Brian pushed through his fear […]
See How Quickly You Can Structure Your Book This Way
Not long ago I was in a video call with a coaching client who was struggling with how to structure her book. She has a brilliant concept. Her book meets a real need real people have in a unique way. But her first draft of the contents page did not deliver on the promise of […]
How to Write a Nonfiction Book Proposal + Free Template
“It all starts with a book proposal.” That’s inevitably what I end up saying to a writer who asks me about publishing. As a 20-year publishing professional who has reviewed thousands of book proposals, I’m regularly asked for advice on how to get published. And that’s my answer: it all starts with a book proposal. […]
How Much Money You Can Expect to Make from Your First Book Contract
Books require a lot of time and energy to write. It is natural, not greedy, to wonder whether it’s all going to be worth it in the end. Good work is its own reward, yes, and it’s hard to put a price tag on the feeling of getting your book into the world, knowing it […]
Why Rejection Is NOT the Problem
I remember meeting with an unpublished writer in a Nashville coffee shop years ago. She told me in no uncertain terms she was a writer and was going to be published. That writer was Rachel Held Evans, and she meant what she said. Evans worked hard on her craft and nurtured an audience. She honed […]