Blogger to Author

When you’re writing a nonfiction book, it’s very common to get started…and then get stuck. And, let’s be honest: if it were easy to write a book, everyone who’s ever said, “I want to write a book someday” would already be an author. With that said, it’s also not impossible to write and finish a book. People publish books and become authors every day. But, what makes the people who successfully finish different?

Having finished writing many books, both for myself and for my clients, I’ve learned a few strategies that have really helped me finish books…and finish them relatively quickly. I also see many of the same habits popping up with my clients who successfully write and publish their books. There are a few traits that people who finish their nonfiction books all share. So, today I’m sharing what I think are the traits that have the biggest impact on whether an author will finish his or her book.

Whether you’re just starting to write your book or you’re feeling frustrated because you’re stuck somewhere in the book writing process, this episode is for you!

Deciding to self-publish your book and get it into print is just the first step in a long journey. You’ll spend time writing and editing your manuscript, and when you’re done, you’ll get it typeset or designed so it looks great for your readers. Then comes the process of actually getting your book printed. In theory, it should be relatively easy, but it can be really hard to choose where you want to print your book with so many options available.

If the process of printing your self-published book has you feeling confused and overwhelmed, I’m here to help. And, I’m pulling in my friend and colleague LeAnna Weller Smith of Weller-Smith Design for her perspective, too. LeAnna has worked in the publishing industry for many years, and she knows a lot of the ins and outs of self-publishing. In this episode, LeAnna and I talk about the printing services we recommend for most of our clients. We also run through the big print-on-demand options and talk about the pros and cons of each service to help you pick the right one. And, we touch on offset printing, in case your book has unique features that print-on-demand services can’t fill.

If you need help finding the right printer for your self-published book, you’ve come to the right place!

Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/92

As a business owner, you're incredibly busy. You're working to keep up with clients, create new content to attract new followers, stay engaged on social media, and more. It's no wonder that so many of my audience members struggle to get their books written because they're so busy. If you've been trying to write your book for a while but you're feeling stuck, I think this strategy will help.

In this episode of the Blogger to Author Podcast, you'll learn how you can use your content calendar to write your book. Whether you write blog posts, film videos, have a podcast, write long social media posts, or write amazing emails to your list, you can reuse that content to help write the first draft of your book. And, with some careful planning, you can write that first draft by filling in your content calendar with the topics you'll be covering in your book. Just listen to learn how to do it!

Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/91

Is writing and self-publishing a nonfiction book on your list of goals for 2019? If you really want to make sure you follow through and achieve that goal, it's time to start planning NOW. There are three big things you should be doing now to make sure your dream of self-publishing a nonfiction book in 2019 becomes a reality. Listen to the episode to learn what those three things are, and to learn about some great free resources I have to help you get there.

Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/90

In this episode, I'm talking about where current and future self-published authors should be spending their money on services like hiring a designer or an editor. I've been getting a lot of questions lately about what tasks authors should hire out and what they should DIY. I know a lot of you don't have a budget to necessarily pay someone to do every single part of the process, but maybe you recognize that there are some places where you might benefit from actually paying somebody to help you out.

So, here I'll walk you through a decision matrix that you can work through to help you figure out where you should spend money if you are going to hire someone to help with your book. Really, what it comes down to is figuring out what services should you prioritize, where should you spend your money first (and then second and then third), and using the money you've budgeted accordingly. This episode will help you do just that!

Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/89

Black Friday is coming up quickly, which means that if you want to offer a deal and sell more books, you need to have a marketing plan in place. But, with so many deals popping up in social media feeds and email inboxes, it can be tough to make sure people see your deal…and take advantage of it. In this episode, I’ll walk you through the basics of planning out your Black Friday (or Cyber Monday) book promotion. At the end of the episode, you’ll have a better idea of what you’ll need to do to run a successful Black Friday book sale, and you’ll know how to create an implementable Black Friday marketing plan.

Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/88

What does it take to make a self-published nonfiction book a success? Writing and producing a book takes a lot of time. And, if you're going to hire someone to help you with your book, you need to know whether it's worth investing the money, too. To help you make that decision, I'm sharing what has helped my most successful clients make their books profitable. From writing to marketing, you'll hear what has worked for other self-published nonfiction authors.

Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/87

This episode is being released on November 1st, when holiday shopping season is upon us. That begs the question: how can you make sure your book makes it into gift bags and stockings this year? Many authors will offer sales on their books on Black Friday or Cyber Monday. And, although price cut can definitely entice shoppers to buy your book, sometimes you need to sweeten the deal even more to actually make the sale.

Today’s episode will walk you through some ideas for how you can get a Black Friday boost for your book sales, beyond simply marking your book down for a day or two. If you find the right offer that your audience really wants, you’ll sell so many more books than you would have by just offering 20 or 30% off your book. And, toward the end of the episode, I’ll walk you through the steps that you should take NOW in the beginning of November so you’re prepared for your sale when it happens.

Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/86

There’s a reason why self-publishing is so big right now, especially for entrepreneurs—a book can give you instant authority and credibility. Your book instantly sets you above other people in your niche who don’t have books. It shows that you’re serious about what you do and your business. And, it shows people that you are a thought leader in your space.

In this episode, I want to dig deep into the idea of thought leadership and how your book will help you become a thought leader in your niche. If your goal is to become a go-to person in your field, to get speaking gigs, or even just to be seen as an expert, thought leadership is KEY. So, I’ll walk you through the biggest reasons why your book will help you become a thought leader in your niche, and then I’ll tell you how you can get started on your book…FAST.

Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/85

I often get asked about the differences between traditional publishing and self-publishing. In particular, many entrepreneurs and bloggers want to know which direction they should take. They know that there are pros and cons of both traditional publishing and self-publishing, but they're not sure what the right choice is for them and their businesses.

In this episode, I'm featuring an interview with Bonnie Taub-Dix. Bonnie has a unique perspective because she initially published her book with a traditional publisher. Then, years down the road when she decided the book needed to be updated, she acquired the rights from her publisher and self-published her second edition. That means that Bonnie has some great insight into both sides of the publishing game.

A little more about Bonnie:

Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA,RDN,CDN is the award-winning author of, Read It Before You Eat It – Taking You from Label to Table, and creator of the website and blog called, BetterThanDieting.com. Bonnie is a media personality, media trainer, spokesperson, motivational speaker, journalist, and corporate and brand consultant whose messages are laced with her culinary passion as a foodie, her credible guidance as an advisor and her wit and wisdom as a mom. Bonnie is Director and Owner of BTD Nutrition Consultants, LLC, with offices on Long Island and in New York City. She is also a Health & Wellness Blogger and Contributor for TODAY.com, US News & World Report, Everyday Health, INSIDER, THRIVE Global, Better Homes & Gardens, Family Circle and Vitamin Shoppe’s What’s Good V. Her stories, quotes, and interviews have appeared in thousands of stories in all forms of media comprised of television and radio shows and print and online platforms.

All of that media experience makes Bonnie a true expert in what it takes to be featured in the media, especially if you're a health and wellness professional. So, be sure to keep an ear out for the great publicity tips that Bonnie drops in the interview, too!

Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/84