Become a Writer Today

You don't have to write a novel or a 60,000-word magnum opus to become an author. Successful recipe books can earn authors a healthy paycheque and build a brand in a way that's just not possible through other forms of media.

Sean McCormack is the head vet for Tails, a pet food company that provides personalised dog food in the United Kingdom and France. He's also the co-author of The Happy Dog CookBook, a recipe book for dogs.

In this interview McCormack explains:

• Why he co-wrote a recipe book for dog
• The value of writing ideas down in a book as opposed to an interview or video
• What it took to produce the first draft in just a few weeks
• How he road-tested the recipes inside of The Happy Dog CookBook
• How a business can build its brand through publishing a book

And lots more

I start by asking Sean to explain what Tails do and why they decided to publish a cookbook for dogs with Sean.

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One of my goals on Become a Writer Today is to help you earn more money from writing.

Creating courses and offering coaching is a great way of getting paid. You can easily turn a non-fiction book into a course.

Selling courses and coaching packages is a little bit trickier though. Believe me, I've made a lot of mistakes!

Many writers feel uncomfortable with asking for the sale. I know I did when I first started selling courses online.

Laura Philips is a British entrepreneur who runs Love to Launch. Her business coaches students and clients how to create, launch and sell online courses, products and services.

In this interview, she explains:

• How to launch a product or service to it feels effortless
• How to align your creative passion with what readers and customers want
• What a non-fiction writer should consider before their next launch 
• How to avoid overwhelm and still find time for your creative work... or time off

And lots more

I started by asking Laura to describe how she helps online entrepreneurs launch courses, products and services.

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If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins

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PaperTrue provides copyediting and proofreading services to writers, entrepreneurs and academics. Based in India, the company employs over 100 editors and works with writers, academics, entrepreneurs and executives around the world.

In this interview, CEO Neha Vaidya explains:

• Why every writer should work with an editor
• How to prepare your story, screenplay or book for an editor
• How much editing and proofreading costs
• What to expect from your editor

And lots more

I started by asking Neha to explain a little more about how PaperTrue helps writers.

Further reading
This Is Working

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Michal Korzonek is the co-founder of Journal Smarter. Living in the UK with his partner and co-founder Silvia Barros, he teaches clients and students how to use journaling for cultivating habits and  focusing on their goals.

In this interview, he explains:

• How writers and creatives can use journaling to find more ideas
• How to cultivate a journaling habit if you don't have one
• The tools he uses...and why analogue is sometimes best
• How journaling encourages creative and clear thinking

Further reading

• How to Start a Journaling Habit Today
• Journal Writing for Intelligent People: The Ultimate Guide

And lots more

I started by asking Michal what he wants to achieve with Journal Smarter.

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If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins

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Daniel Bordovsky is a Czech-born independent musician and composer. His instrumental music has been featured in over 2,000 projects including the US National Parks project. He also recently collaborated with entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk.

This year, Bordovsky is on track to earn over $300,000, up from $50,000 when he began working independently two years ago.

Although not a writer, in the traditional sense, his approach to creative work should inform anyone who wants to earn a living from stories, books and other creative projects.

• Why every creative should give away their best work for free, at least at first
• What it takes to build a network with influencers online
• How he balances business with creative projects
• The importance of finding time for your art

And lots more

Attention writers!

Would you like  a free book from a Masterclass teacher? Check out my Masterclass review for more details.

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If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins

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Joshua Jay is an award-winning magician and the author of popular books like several popular books including Magic: The Complete Course. He's also the founder of Vanishing Inc. one the largest magic retailers in the United States.

I recently caught up with Jay, and in this interview, he explains:

• How writing and publishing books helped grow his business
• The role of suspense and surprise in any creative work
• How he balances business and creative projects
• Why we should prepare for the next recession today (and how to do it)
  

And lots more

Attention writers! 

What's the best grammar checker of 2019?  Find out in my guide and get a discount on your tool of choice.

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If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins

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How can you unlock creative thinking? What would it take to think like Leonardo da Vinci?

One man with answers to those questions is New York Time best-selling author Michael Gelb.

Michael is the author of over a dozen books about creativity, innovation and leadership, including the best-seller How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci.

His latest book is called The Healing Organization: Awakening the Conscience of Business to Help Save the World.

Prior to its release, I caught up with Michael. In this interview, he explains:

• Why every creative and business owner should give something back
• How you can think like Leonard da Vinci
• Where he gets ideas for his books
• How you can unlock creative thinking
• How side-pursuits, like Tai-Chi and Qigong inform his creative process

And lots more

Attention writers!

What's the best grammar checker tool you can use?  Find out in my guide and get a discount on your tool of choice.

--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/becomeawritertoday/message

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If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins

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Louise Dean is a British novelist, the author of four published works including Becoming Strangers, This Human Season, The Idea of Love and The Old Romantic.

Becoming Strangers was long-listed for the Man Booker prize while The Old Romanic was an Oprah book of the week. Dean also teaches aspiring novelist how to write fiction and secure book deals via the Novelry.

In this interview, she explains:

• The one skill every writer must learn (this applies to fiction and non-fiction)
• Why 90 days is the perfect amount of time for first drafts
• How she approaches writing and business
• What it's like when your works becomes an Oprah book of the week
• Her radical approach to fighting writer's block

And much more.

Attention Writers!
Would you improve your writing skills? This article explains to top online writing courses available online today and includes details about Louise Dean's course.--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/becomeawritertoday/message

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If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins

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Pascal Gambardella, who holds a PhD, is an author and lecturer specialising in creative thinking. Over the years, he has taught students how to become more prolific and how to overcome problems like writer's block.

In this interview, Pascal explains:

• How he encourages prolific writing
• The questions you should ask yourself at the start of any writing project
• Why every writer should trigger a creative state and how to do it
• What his writing routine looks like

And lots more

Resources

How to Write a Journal

Attention writers!
What's the best grammar checker of 2019?  Find out in my guide and get a discount on your tool of choice.

Support the show

If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins

Thanks for listening!

Timothy Sykes is a blogger, a millionaire day trader, teacher and now philanthropist through his charity Karmagawa.

Sykes teaches students how to trade penny stocks. He has built a business around his controversial approach using blogging, content and social media marketing.

Sykes is also the author of An American Hedge Fund: How I Made $2 Million as a Stock Operator & Created a Hedge Fund.

In this interview, Sykes explains:

• How he uses content marketing to build his business and promote his charity
• What it takes to stand out on social media today
• How he deals with online critics
• Why storytelling is every entrepreneur and creative professional's secret weapon

And lots more

Attention writers!
What's the best grammar checker of 2019?  Find out in my guide and get a discount on your tool of choice.

Support the show

If you enjoyed the show please leave a review on Apple. And if you have any questions you can find me on Twitter @BryanJCollins

Thanks for listening!