Click the file to play the audio.

(It says "download file" but most browsers actually stream it...some may require you to download first, though I've never personally experienced that.)

Find out the difference between a ghostwriter and a writing coach and how each path can help you become an author! And, of course, which one I can do for you ;)

P.S. It usually says "download" but most browsers actually stream the audio.

What's the difference between a ghostwriter and an editor? Click the file below to listen.

P.S. It might say "download" but most browsers actually stream it!

There are three distinct phases to getting your book DONE.
Spoiler: Only one of them is actually "writing."

Pre-writing
You can't really outsource the pre-writing. This is the big ideas and purpose - the core of your brand. This is what your brain is full of, what you want to share with the world, the sparks that make you love what you do!

The good news is that most people have already DONE this work. If you've been a key note speaker, taught a workshop/course, or coached people, you've already done this part! This is the perfect time to get in touch with a ghostwriter, because you can outsource the rest!

Writing
This is the fingers on the keyboard phase. You have to spend many many many hours with your fingers on a keyboard. Sound awful? Outsource it. When I write for my clients, THEY are the author because THEY are the genius!

To me, the part of it where the book goes onto the page is more like speaking a foreign a language. I take your genius and translate it into a book format!

Post-writing
This includes editing (multiple rounds), proofreading, formatting the page, cover design, uploading and writing book descriptions, etc. This part is fun to watch unfold, but tedious to manage (and kinda overwhelming for the first few books LOL). Luckily I've done it many times and can take care of it for my ghostwriting clients.

I go into more details in the video below.

There are a few questions that come up with clients and colleagues on a regular basis. One is whether to self publish or go traditional publishing. Another is what "the book" should contain. I'll save the former for another day, and today we will dive into the latter.

What should you put in your book?
I always start with challenging folks to think about this in terms of two books. I mean, in reality, you could probably write a dozen books, but not everyone needs that many books. Two books, however, is a very reasonable number of books to write and has some strategic benefits.

What should you put in your first book?
I always advise people with this: Make you first book what you want your clients to know (and possibly do) before they hire you! Strategically, your first book should be the shorter of the two, and you should self-publish it. This allows you to control the entire process (keeping it perfectly on brand), complete the project much more quickly, establish yourself as an author, and get the essential info into the hands of your clients and potential clients.

The best idea I may have ever suggested for a first book was for a CPA to write a book about the four quarters of the year, with a few simple tasks for each quarter, so that their clients are are prepared for a successful tax season. Their clients got awesome value, and their job actually got easier! Quarters is a great way to organize a finance book, and it's also practical in terms of do-able tasks for the reader.

Of course, the first book for your clients will be unique to your business, and I'm always happy to hop on the phone and brainstorm! The overall idea is to create an introduction that gives value and hopefully turns the reader into a model client.

What should you put in "the" book?
When I say "the" book I usually mean the book of your brand or business (or for some clients, their life story). This is the book that should be longer, may take longer, and for some clients will be picked up by a traditional publishing house. In this case, you are wanting to capture a great deal of your expertise.

You probably know everything that needs to go in your book already, but it will take some organizing. (When you hire a ghostwriter, the ghostwriter can organize it for or with you. You don't need to do this step on your own.) In a sense, this book is the book that explains everything you do for your clients.

It is perfectly OK to tell your clients HOW to do this work in your book! Your book will sell you, and you do not need to make your book sales-y for it to do so. Most people will still need your help, and the ones that have the time to do it themselves very likely didn't have the money to hire you anyway, and that's OK. In fact, that is the beauty of writing a large (and action focused) book; you can share your knowledge and wisdom with more people than could ever possibly hire you, making a bigger impact in the world. Give the maximum value possible in your book; it will speak for your quality and expertise.

As always, it's fun and easy to write a book when you hire a ghostwriter. Let's chat and see if it makes sense for you and your business!

I'm super excited to announce that I'll be presenting my signature talk on how to go from the idea of wanting to write a book to writing the book to actually publishing the book - which you can do in 101 days!!!

Please join me! Sign up for the event here:

https://hopin.com/events/momentum-2021

Then click "9A: Go From "I Want to Write a Book" to PUBLISHED in 101 Days" to add it to your calendar.

Of course most people will need a little bit of help to write so much so quickly. If you don't have the time or the bandwidth to dedicate to such a task, there are so many ways to help yourself succeed, which I will cover in the "golden nuggets of getting it done" section of the talk.

Did you know that it's the autumnal equinox?  Since life does not feel very balance right now, it's easy to overlook this celestial holiday.

In fact UNBALANCED is about the the most prominent word I can think of for the times. Everything has been magnified since coronavirus rocked this planet.

And while the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus still spreads through the global population, up and down, putting us on a seesaw of sadness, fear, and frustration, this all takes place on the landscape (literally) that is burning and flooding. It very often feels apocalyptic.

I consider this year to be the year of perpetual winter. With covid running rampant, ebbing and flowing, givings us ups and downs and more questions than answers, and lockdowns, quarantines, stay at home, safer at home, and every other variation, this is the year that we will hunker down at home like we would in the darkest of winter... But we'll do it all year long.

And that to me feels symbolic. We need to turn inward. We need to contemplate. We need to figure out how we're going to save ourselves from ourselves. Yes, humans are our own worst enemy. I don't necessarily blame us for the virus, but I do squarely blame us for the climate crisis, which hasn't gone anywhere while we all stayed home.

So, take this time to look for your own balance. The pendulum has certainly swung the other way - we have too much togetherness, too much home time right now. (Well, I do anyway LOL.) But the bigger question is how do emerge from covid in a way that will allow us to rebuild our lives and protect the planet and fight for justice as well?

It's a tall order, and I think taking time to get ourselves grounded, to find out own balance is the secret, which is, of course, what so much of my work is about.

I talk to a lot of people about their book writing process, and it's not uncommon for entrepreneurs to be waiting for the right time to invest in their book. That can mean either time or money.

Typically, when a business is in early growth mode, the business owner doesn't necessarily need a book. It's common that a business owner will need a book at precisely the time that they get too busy to write it!!!!

Of course, enter coronavirus and suddenly some of us have abundant time now (while others of us have no time).

First, will a book benefit your business? If the answer was yes, is yes, or will be yes, then you should consider how you're going to get it done.

If you have become time abundant, and you know you have the bandwidth... and the skill... and the patience, then this might be your time!

I've had at least one colleague-friend who has made great progress on their book since the world shut down!

If you know you'll be miserable putting fingers to the keys, then it doesn't matter how much time you have. Hire me!

If you are scarce of time, yet you know a book will benefit your business, then it's time to bring in the hired help!

I've heard of the elevator pitch a million times: How do you sum up your business to someone in an exciting way, in the time you share an elevator ride with them?

But I just heard a new take on this for authors! How would a READER of your books sum up your books to a friend at a cocktail party?

I mean 1) I'd rather be talking to strangers at a cocktail party than in an elevator and 2) I love it that it's what one of my readers would say, which is so much cooler and more fun to think about than what I'd say!

We're all at home anyway, let's get some gardening and cooking going on. Don't know where to start? Kitchen Magic will guide the way!!!

Kitchen Magic is all about getting into the beginner mindset and having fun with what you are creating. Being inspired - looking at what is in the pantry and coming up with some new ideas! Throwing some seeds in the ground and seeing what happens. I've found consistent watering to always be the hardest part of gardening in my world, but since I'm home all the time now, it's gotten a lot easier to do!

Get two free sample Kitchen Magic style recipes (I call them "formulas" but maybe they are more like "spells" or conconctions"...Hmmm...) Get them here.

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TL;DR

I really hate it when people say things like "this is the change we've been waiting for" or "everything happens for a reason."  Tell that to the people living in homeless "camps" in South Africa or those waiting in line for hours for the government provided food in Pakistan. Coronavirus isn't a "blessing in disguise" and it's not "mean to be." It's a virus. It happens to all animals, and it happens more easily in overly populated species. The saddest part is that those who already suffered the most will be yet again the hardest hit because of this. But that's another thought for another time. I'm actually just trying to share some inspiration, NOT depress you! Could have fooled you, right? LOL. That's why I moved this down below. It's all my true thoughts and opinions, but you can always bow out with a TL;DR.

The point I started out trying to make is actually this: Some good things might come of these stay at home shelter in place orders, for those of us lucky enough to have a home, and enough income/savings/unemployment to keep living off of during this time. We can spend more time as a family; we can grow things; we can cook food. All of that is good, but it doesn't make the coronavirus or COVID19 good. I think it's important to make the distinction.