Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!

Annabel Monaghan's debut adult novel, Nora Goes Off Script, was released on June 7, 2022. In her words, "Writing it was probably the most fun I’ve ever had" (and she did it during quarantine, so there's that!)

Before Nora, she wrote YA fiction and the popular column, "Does this Volvo Make My Butt Look Big?" about motherhood and womanhood. 

In this episode of Write the Damn Book Already, Annabel and I talked about her journey to Nora and some of the key moments of her writing career, many of which will likely (delightfully) surprise you, as they did me.  

 

INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS

[7:22] How Annabel got a "late" start as an author (at 37) co-writing a book for teens that she had zero intention of writing 

[11:30] The impetus for writing a novel for women and the inspiration for the plot of Nora Goes Off Script (it involves the Hallmark channel)

[13:49] Annabel's process for fleshing out the plot (hint: it’s not what she recom

🧭 BACK COVER BLUEPRINT

Your back cover isn't just your back cover. It's your Amazon description. It's what a stranger reads at 11pm deciding whether to buy your book or go to sleep. The Back Cover Blueprint gives you templates for nonfiction, memoir, and fiction; real-world examples; a polishing checklist; and a guide for turning it into an optimized online description that attracts the right readers. 

🔗 https://www.publishaprofitablebook.com/blueprint

This episode is sponsored by Atticus, the all-in-one writing and book formatting software for self-publishing authors. From drafting to professional ebook and print layout, Atticus makes it easy to format your manuscript for KDP, IngramSpark, and beyond. Learn more at Atticus.io.

WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?

The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 

👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/bookvisibility

✍️ 33-DAY BOOK WRITING BOOTCAMP

You've Been Thinking About This Book Forever. So let's get it written (for real this time). 

👉 https://www.publishaprofitablebook/writethebook

Support the show

******

Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry. 

Available wherever podcasts are available:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube

Let's Connect!
Instagram
Website

Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com

The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.

To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!

Tyler Merritt is an Actor, Author, Activist, and Encourager, and speaking with him on this latest episode of Write the Damn Book Already was nothing short of joy-giving.

His first book, I Take My Coffee Black, is part personal story, part history lesson, part laugh-out-loud humor, and part perspective-considering/shifting, and it's a must-read I'll be recommending for years to come.

 

I N T E R V I E W  H I G H L I G H T S

[6:13] The reality of not knowing what will resonate with a reader and trusting your own voice (Plus, honoring the value of content that you include JUST FOR YOU!)

[6:58] The community writing approach Tyler uses to keep himself "in check" (that prevents getting too much outside opinion that confuses him more than helps him)

[12:50] How Tyler sees his book as a love letter to all the things he loves, and how he intentionally and subtly included points intended to educate without shaming or proselytizing

[14:30] Elizabeth's "stupid" question of the month (asking this was my BOLD MOVE of the day!)

[20:20] How T

🧭 BACK COVER BLUEPRINT

Your back cover isn't just your back cover. It's your Amazon description. It's what a stranger reads at 11pm deciding whether to buy your book or go to sleep. The Back Cover Blueprint gives you templates for nonfiction, memoir, and fiction; real-world examples; a polishing checklist; and a guide for turning it into an optimized online description that attracts the right readers. 

🔗 https://www.publishaprofitablebook.com/blueprint

This episode is sponsored by Atticus, the all-in-one writing and book formatting software for self-publishing authors. From drafting to professional ebook and print layout, Atticus makes it easy to format your manuscript for KDP, IngramSpark, and beyond. Learn more at Atticus.io.

WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?

The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 

👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/bookvisibility

✍️ 33-DAY BOOK WRITING BOOTCAMP

You've Been Thinking About This Book Forever. So let's get it written (for real this time). 

👉 https://www.publishaprofitablebook/writethebook

Support the show

******

Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry. 

Available wherever podcasts are available:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube

Let's Connect!
Instagram
Website

Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com

The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.

To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!

 

If you've ever wondered whether other people really have it easier than you do when it comes to writing and publishing a bestselling book, my interview with the incredible Zibby Owens is one to listen to.

 

Author of the recently released, Bookends: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Literature, as well as editor of Moms Don't Have Time To: A Quarantine Anthology, Zibby is has a unique and thought-provoking perspective on writing, publishing, and just about everything in between.

 

INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS

[4:35] The actual journey behind Bookends (hint: it was NOT "I think I'll write a book" and then the book was written).

 

[7:50] Zibby's "secret weapon" for improving her own writing

 

[9:02] How rejection before acceptance feels different from 273 rejections before "BUT THEN it was accepted."

 

[9:58] Handling setbacks and Zibby's "why" that compels her to continue to press on

 

[13:55] Wisdom on assumptions about how "easy" it is for someone else, and what we need to remember about other people's perspectives

 

[16:25] How Zibby decided on a unique structure for Bookends (the answer will surprise you, and it isn't

🧭 BACK COVER BLUEPRINT

Your back cover isn't just your back cover. It's your Amazon description. It's what a stranger reads at 11pm deciding whether to buy your book or go to sleep. The Back Cover Blueprint gives you templates for nonfiction, memoir, and fiction; real-world examples; a polishing checklist; and a guide for turning it into an optimized online description that attracts the right readers. 

🔗 https://www.publishaprofitablebook.com/blueprint

This episode is sponsored by Atticus, the all-in-one writing and book formatting software for self-publishing authors. From drafting to professional ebook and print layout, Atticus makes it easy to format your manuscript for KDP, IngramSpark, and beyond. Learn more at Atticus.io.

✍️ 33-DAY BOOK WRITING BOOTCAMP

You've Been Thinking About This Book Forever. So let's get it written (for real this time). 

👉 https://www.publishaprofitablebook/writethebook

Support the show

******

Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry. 

Available wherever podcasts are available:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube

Let's Connect!
Instagram
Website

Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com

The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.

To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!

What makes a book a bestseller?

I was asked a question last week about how I define success for my book writing programs.

The reason the answer made me so excited was that the answer has changed.

Truthfully, my answer to this question a few years ago was very dangerous, even though I didn't realize it at the time.

If you have a similarly dangerous perspective (without realizing it) when it comes to your book, your program, your product, or your service, this episode is an invitation to reconsider so you can have MORE confidence and excitement about how you're sharing your value with the world.

***

Are you ready to get your non-fiction or memoir (finally) written or published so your experiences and insights can impact others?

Click here to check out the various ways we can work together! 

***

SUBSCRIBE to the Write the Damn Book Already Podcast so you don't miss a single episode!

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🧭 BACK COVER BLUEPRINT

Your back cover isn't just your back cover. It's your Amazon description. It's what a stranger reads at 11pm deciding whether to buy your book or go to sleep. The Back Cover Blueprint gives you templates for nonfiction, memoir, and fiction; real-world examples; a polishing checklist; and a guide for turning it into an optimized online description that attracts the right readers. 

🔗 https://www.publishaprofitablebook.com/blueprint

✍️ 33-DAY BOOK WRITING BOOTCAMP

You've Been Thinking About This Book Forever. So let's get it written (for real this time). 

👉 https://www.publishaprofitablebook/writethebook

Support the show

******

Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry. 

Available wherever podcasts are available:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube

Let's Connect!
Instagram
Website

Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com

The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.

To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!

Julie Solomon has built quite a name for herself in the coaching space as the creator of multiple high-value programs and masterclasses and as the host of The Influencer Podcast.  

 

In this episode of Write the Damn Book Already, we discussed her recently released first book, Get What You Want: How to Go from Unseen to Unstoppable. 

 

While Julie has built an enormous business and following over the years, I only just learned of her a few weeks ago while listening to Amy Porterfield's podcast! (I love waking up each day and wondering who I'll discover. Also, the reminder that no matter how "big" or "small" you are, there's always someone out there just waiting to find you and your perspective.)

 

Interview Highlights

• How Julie made the leap to write a bestselling book---having never written a book and self-describing as someone who's the worst at grammar and doesn't know the first thing about editing

• Bringing a book into the world is a team sport (and how to make the most of this when you're someone who loves to create in isolation)

• The difference between purpose and passion when it comes to getting clear on what you want to do and why
• Why Julie chose to write this book now (and when she believes is the magic time to take the leap rather than continue to put it off) 

 

🧭 BACK COVER BLUEPRINT

Your back cover isn't just your back cover. It's your Amazon description. It's what a stranger reads at 11pm deciding whether to buy your book or go to sleep. The Back Cover Blueprint gives you templates for nonfiction, memoir, and fiction; real-world examples; a polishing checklist; and a guide for turning it into an optimized online description that attracts the right readers. 

🔗 https://www.publishaprofitablebook.com/blueprint

This episode is sponsored by Atticus, the all-in-one writing and book formatting software for self-publishing authors. From drafting to professional ebook and print layout, Atticus makes it easy to format your manuscript for KDP, IngramSpark, and beyond. Learn more at Atticus.io.

✍️ 33-DAY BOOK WRITING BOOTCAMP

You've Been Thinking About This Book Forever. So let's get it written (for real this time). 

👉 https://www.publishaprofitablebook/writethebook

Support the show

******

Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry. 

Available wherever podcasts are available:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube

Let's Connect!
Instagram
Website

Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com

The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.

To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!

Listen, I love money. I welcome it. I appreciate it.

I celebrate when my clients receive it in exchange for their guidance.

And I celebrate when I receive it in exchange for mine. An overflow of money makes a lot of things easier.

But let’s be honest.

It’s just one type of win. It feels like lately, in the coaching space, the focus is heavily on wins like:  

🥳  My client generated $12K after just two weeks in the program

🥳 Sarah was living in an alley last year and now she owns two castles outside of Rome

🥳 Cliff attracted a $30K client immediately after investing $60K in my program.

Because that’s the power of alignment and action.

Now, let me be clear. I am not saying these things don’t happen (the castle purchase may be a stretch). They do. But what I’d love to see more of is a focus on what we’ve come to consider “just a small win.” In truth, there is no such thing as a small win. And what we’ve come to see as BIG wins (the $60K client who is so demanding that you want to claw out your eyeballs) often end up not feeling quite so big when you have to hire your own expensive therapist to get you through the contract without going insane!

In this episode of Write the Damn Book Already, our focus is on getting back to recognizing wins like:

✅ An aha moment on your messaging that gives you 4 new content ideas

✅ Having the courage to finally go live on social media (and not even caring that no one joined) ✅ Sticking to your new exercise routine for a full week and having so much more energy to engage in life AND confidence in your self-discipline game

✅ Thinking about grabbing the ice cream after a long day and then…not doing it (full disclosure: this is not a win I’m claiming lately)

✅ Meditating for longer than 7.34 seco

🧭 BACK COVER BLUEPRINT

Your back cover isn't just your back cover. It's your Amazon description. It's what a stranger reads at 11pm deciding whether to buy your book or go to sleep. The Back Cover Blueprint gives you templates for nonfiction, memoir, and fiction; real-world examples; a polishing checklist; and a guide for turning it into an optimized online description that attracts the right readers. 

🔗 https://www.publishaprofitablebook.com/blueprint

✍️ 33-DAY BOOK WRITING BOOTCAMP

You've Been Thinking About This Book Forever. So let's get it written (for real this time). 

👉 https://www.publishaprofitablebook/writethebook

Support the show

******

Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry. 

Available wherever podcasts are available:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube

Let's Connect!
Instagram
Website

Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com

The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.

To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!

Justin Guarini became a household name in 2002 as the runner-up in Season 1 of American Idol. From there, he's starred in multiple Broadway shows and, in 2015, began appearing in Diet Dr. Pepper commercials as "Lil' Sweet."

But the road to success has not always been an easy one.

Through the ups, down, and complete direction reversals that the public is often not made aware of, Justin ended up in unexpected territory, fascinated with the ins and outs of what allows entertainers, influencers, and entrepreneurs to be confident in moments when they're feeling anything but.

It's been a journey that led to the creation of his Core Confidence program and his soon-to-be-released book, Unshakeable Confidence.

In this incredible conversation, Justin and I discussed confidence -- that "thing" that every creative person lacks at one point or another, no matter how much success he or she attains!

Interview highlights:

[4:30] Confidence is not necessarily something you’re born with. You don’t “have it” o

🧭 BACK COVER BLUEPRINT

Your back cover isn't just your back cover. It's your Amazon description. It's what a stranger reads at 11pm deciding whether to buy your book or go to sleep. The Back Cover Blueprint gives you templates for nonfiction, memoir, and fiction; real-world examples; a polishing checklist; and a guide for turning it into an optimized online description that attracts the right readers. 

🔗 https://www.publishaprofitablebook.com/blueprint

This episode is sponsored by Atticus, the all-in-one writing and book formatting software for self-publishing authors. From drafting to professional ebook and print layout, Atticus makes it easy to format your manuscript for KDP, IngramSpark, and beyond. Learn more at Atticus.io.

WANT TO SELL MORE BOOKS (WITHOUT THE SELF-PROMO CRINGE)?

The Author Visibility Bundle gives you 200+ done-for-you email templates, social media graphics, and other book promo tools designed to help authors build buzz and drive sales, without feeling pushy. 

👉  PublishAProfitableBook.com/bookvisibility

✍️ 33-DAY BOOK WRITING BOOTCAMP

You've Been Thinking About This Book Forever. So let's get it written (for real this time). 

👉 https://www.publishaprofitablebook/writethebook

Support the show

******

Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry. 

Available wherever podcasts are available:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube

Let's Connect!
Instagram
Website

Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com

The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.

To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!

Being able to claim "bestseller" status is all the rage, but what creates a REAL bestseller? What creates a book that is recommended again and again because it deeply touches the hearts of its readers? What creates a book that truly transforms not only the readers but the author as well? 

In this episode, you'll discover:

• The major component most TRUE bestsellers have in common (it has nothing to do with title, cover design, or a TikTok influencer endorsement)
• What all bestselling non-fiction and memoir authors know about their ideal readers
• Why clarity feels more challenging when writing versus talking (if you feel this way, you're completely normal!) 
• The phrase that's likely throwing you off and causing you to delay writing (but can actually propel your book writing AND your own growth if you know to listen for it)

🧭 BACK COVER BLUEPRINT

Your back cover isn't just your back cover. It's your Amazon description. It's what a stranger reads at 11pm deciding whether to buy your book or go to sleep. The Back Cover Blueprint gives you templates for nonfiction, memoir, and fiction; real-world examples; a polishing checklist; and a guide for turning it into an optimized online description that attracts the right readers. 

🔗 https://www.publishaprofitablebook.com/blueprint

✍️ 33-DAY BOOK WRITING BOOTCAMP

You've Been Thinking About This Book Forever. So let's get it written (for real this time). 

👉 https://www.publishaprofitablebook/writethebook

Support the show

******

Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry. 

Available wherever podcasts are available:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube

Let's Connect!
Instagram
Website

Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com

The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.

To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!

This episode of Write the Damn Book Already clarifies the answer to a common question: What the heck is the difference between non-fiction and memoir?

Episode highlights:

[1:24] Why it's important to clarify "common concepts" covered in your book

[3:40] The BIGGEST difference between non-fiction and memoir (and it's not what you think!)

[6:40] Where most aspiring authors get "tripped up" when it comes to writing memoir (and how they can get back on track, writing with ease and excitement)

[8:22] The main difference between the author's intention when it comes to memoir verses non-fiction

[12:52] A great question to ask to ensure that your book lands in the hands of those who will love it and recommend it constantly

🧭 BACK COVER BLUEPRINT

Your back cover isn't just your back cover. It's your Amazon description. It's what a stranger reads at 11pm deciding whether to buy your book or go to sleep. The Back Cover Blueprint gives you templates for nonfiction, memoir, and fiction; real-world examples; a polishing checklist; and a guide for turning it into an optimized online description that attracts the right readers. 

🔗 https://www.publishaprofitablebook.com/blueprint

✍️ 33-DAY BOOK WRITING BOOTCAMP

You've Been Thinking About This Book Forever. So let's get it written (for real this time). 

👉 https://www.publishaprofitablebook/writethebook

Support the show

******

Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry. 

Available wherever podcasts are available:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube

Let's Connect!
Instagram
Website

Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com

The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.

To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!

Most of us have walked through a bookstore and imagined what it would feel like to see our own book sitting on one of the shelves (or, preferably, a front-of-store table!). 

It's incredibly common (and understandable!), therefore, that aspiring authors dream of seeing their book in the bookstore and wonder how to make this happen. 

The truth is, it's possible. Even without a traditional publisher behind you. 

But once you understand more thoroughly how that part of the book selling process works (and what it costs, both financially and in terms of logistics to have your book carried by a bookstore), it's not uncommon for authors to identify alternate ways to realize this dream without unnecessary stress or unexpected costs.

In this episode of the Write the Damn Book Already podcast, you'll discover:

- Why you REALLY want your book to be carried by bookstores (it's not to sell 1,000,000 copies) and how acknowledging this can immediately flip the switch on this dream

- Why some authors appear to be available through Target and other retailers that sell books (even though they really aren't)

 - The actual behind-the-scenes process of getting your books into big-box bookstore (Barnes & Noble, Target, Costco, ...)

***

Click here to sign up for my monthly Favorite Books list!

🧭 BACK COVER BLUEPRINT

Your back cover isn't just your back cover. It's your Amazon description. It's what a stranger reads at 11pm deciding whether to buy your book or go to sleep. The Back Cover Blueprint gives you templates for nonfiction, memoir, and fiction; real-world examples; a polishing checklist; and a guide for turning it into an optimized online description that attracts the right readers. 

🔗 https://www.publishaprofitablebook.com/blueprint

✍️ 33-DAY BOOK WRITING BOOTCAMP

You've Been Thinking About This Book Forever. So let's get it written (for real this time). 

👉 https://www.publishaprofitablebook/writethebook

Support the show

******

Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry. 

Available wherever podcasts are available:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTube

Let's Connect!
Instagram
Website

Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] com

The podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.

To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth