On February 2, 2024, the Juxtabook 2024 Author Edge Virtual Summit took place—this bonus episode of Beyond the Book reviews six insights that we learned and heard from our session speakers and attendees.   

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Episode OverviewIn this episode of "Beyond the Book," we tackle the significant yet often overlooked aspect of hiring a ghostwriter for your book project. We discuss when and why an author might consider bringing a ghostwriter on board, outlining the benefits, roles, and signs that indicate the need for one.

Key Points Discussed:

• Understanding Ghostwriters: Breaking down the misconception that ghostwriters are solely for writing, and exploring their broader role in idea development and editing.
• When to Consider a Ghostwriter: Delving into the reasons for hiring a ghostwriter, such as enhancing idea development, tackling the actual writing process, or providing developmental editing.
• The Roles of a Ghostwriter: Exploring the different roles a ghostwriter can play – from being an ideation partner to handling the writing or acting as a developmental editor.
• Cost and Timeline Factors: Understanding how the amount of work you delegate to a ghostwriter affects both the cost and timeline of your project.
• Recognizing the Need for a Ghostwriter: Identifying signs that you might benefit from a ghostwriter, such as time constraints, writing skill limitations, or the need for quality enhancement.
• Making an Informed Decision: The importance of understanding your strengths and weaknesses as an author and how a ghostwriter can complement your skills.

Action Item:

Reflect on your strengths and weaknesses as an author and assess whether a ghostwriter could help enhance your project.

Podcast Website: www.juxtabook.com/podcasts/beyondthebook 

Submit a Question:  To submit a question and to see the show notes, please visit https://www.juxtabook.com/beyondthebook and press the appropriate button

Learn more about Your Path to Book Publishing by visiting Juxtabook.com and discover if traditional publishing, self publishing, or hybrid publishing is right for you.

Join the Author Edge Community and learn how to publish, and market your book and build your brand. Learn More

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Episode Overview

In this episode of "Beyond the Book," we delve into the complex yet rewarding realm of co-authorship. We discuss the potential benefits and challenges of co-authoring a book and provide essential advice for those considering this collaborative journey.

Key Points Discussed:

• Co-Authorship Realities: Understanding that co-authorship is more than a casual agreement and can be as intricate as a business partnership.
• Why Choose a Co-Author: Examining the reasons behind opting for co-authorship, whether it's filling knowledge gaps, improving writing, or gaining added credibility.
• Approaching it Like a Business: Treating co-authorship as a serious business partnership, considering factors like decision-making, equity, and profit distribution.
• Setting Clear Expectations: The importance of clear communication and understanding roles, commitments, and legal implications of co-authorship.
• Defining Contributions and Structure: Deciding each co-author's contributions, the book's structure, and whether to have a unified voice or distinct voices from each author.
• Alternatives to Co-Authorship: Exploring other options when full co-authorship isn't necessary, such as limited contributions or acknowledgments.
• Challenges of Multiple Authors: A cautionary tale about the complexities and potential complications when involving multiple co-authors.

Action Item:

• Carefully weigh the pros and cons of co-authorship and make an informed decision about entering into such a partnership.

Podcast Website: www.juxtabook.com/podcasts/beyondthebook 

Submit a Question:  To submit a question and to see the show notes, please visit https://www.juxtabook.com/beyondthebook and press the appropriate button

Learn more about Your Path to Book Publishing by visiting Juxtabook.com and discover if traditional publishing, self publishing, or hybrid publishing is right for you.

Join the Author Edge Community and learn how to publish, and market your book and build your brand. Learn More

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In this episode, we dive deep into the essentials of building your own community as an author. We explore the advantages and challenges of being a community leader and offer practical steps to establish and grow your own group.

 

Key Points Discussed:

• Community Building Basics: Understanding the initial steps in creating a community, including choosing the right platform (like email newsletters, Facebook groups, etc.) and understanding the trade-offs of each.
• Social Media Dynamics: The nuances of fostering growth and connections in social media groups, and the importance of monitoring group dynamics.
• Effort and Growth: Insights into the initial heavy lifting required to launch a community and strategies for maintaining engagement and consistency.
• Finding Super Fans: The value of building a community in identifying and nurturing super fans who can amplify your efforts.
• Providing Value: Emphasizing the importance of offering genuine value to your community members to build long-lasting relationships.

Action Item:

• Decide whether you are ready to build your own community and start making connections today.

Podcast Website: www.juxtabook.com/podcasts/beyondthebook 

Submit a Question:  To submit a question and to see the show notes, please visit https://www.juxtabook.com/beyondthebook and press the appropriate button

Learn more about Your Path to Book Publishing by visiting Juxtabook.com and discover if traditional publishing, self publishing, or hybrid publishing is right for you.

Join the Author Edge Community and learn how to publish, and market your book and build your brand. Learn More

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Episode Overview:

Learn about the introduction to the significance of community building for authors, with an emphasis on the various experiences and impacts of being part of communities.

Key Highlights:

• The diversity of community forms available to authors, ranging from social media groups to more traditional forums.
• The role of community participation in enhancing an author's brand.
• Strategies for choosing the right community that aligns with an author's interests and expertise.
• Tips for contributing effectively to existing groups and establishing a credible voice and brand.
• Insights into creating one's own author community, including understanding where the target audience congregates.
• Discussion on alternative communication channels for building communities, such as email newsletters, Substack, Slack, and WhatsApp.
• The balance between quantity and quality in different community building channels.

Action Items:

• Encouragement for listeners to identify and participate in communities relevant to their interests.
• Guidance for those considering starting their own author community.

Upcoming Content:

Future episodes will focus on the intricacies of building and managing a community, along with key considerations for starting one.

Engagement Opportunities:

Invitation for listeners to engage with the podcast by visiting the website for Q&A sessions and author coaching.

 

Actionable Insights:

For today, your action item is to explore what communities you can participate in and, if you want to start a community, what that might look like

 

Podcast Website: www.juxtabook.com/podcasts/beyondthebook 

Submit a Question:  To submit a question and to see the show notes, please visit https://www.juxtabook.com/beyondthebook and press the appropriate button

Learn more about Your Path to Book Publishing by visiting Juxtabook.com and discover if traditional publishing, self publishing, or hybrid publishing is right for you.

Join the Author Edge Community and learn how to publish, and market your book and build your brand. Learn More

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Ep. 38 Why is selling a book so hard?  (A look at reading rates)

In this episode, we dive into the perplexing challenge of selling books in the current market, despite their affordability.

Key Statistics:

• A startling revelation from a YouGov.com survey: In 2023, only 54% of Americans read at least one book, implying 46% read none.
• Reading habits breakdown: 5 books a year places you in the top 33%, 10 books in the top 21%, and 50 books in the top 1%.

Discussion Points:

• Evolving Reading Habits: Understanding how content consumption is shifting from traditional books to digital platforms.
• The Impact of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: Emphasizing the power of recommendations in promoting books.

Author's Journey:

• The Book as an Extension of the Author: Exploring how a book represents the author’s brand and identity across various platforms.
• Content Strategy: Encouraging authors to think beyond the book and consider their overall content strategy.

Four Key Strategies for Authors:

1. Multiple Interactions: Ensuring readers engage multiple times with your content for better brand engagement.
2. Clarity in Offering: Highlighting the importance of clear, concise communication of your expertise and the value proposition of your content.
3. Creating Engaging Books: Aiming to write books that not only attract but retain reader interest, encouraging recommendations.
4. Symbiotic Relationship Between Brand and Book: Understanding how each published piece, be it on social media, newsletters, or podcasts, nurtures the author's brand.

Actionable Insights:

Encouragement to create compelling content that resonates and is share-worthy.

Strategies to increase reader engagement and word-of-mouth marketing.

Podcast Website: www.juxtabook.com/podcasts/beyond-the-book 

Submit a Question:  To submit a question and to see the show notes, please visit https://www.juxtabook.com/beyondthebook and press the appropriate button

Learn more about Your Path to Book Publishing by visiting Juxtabook.com and discover if traditional publishing, self publishing, or hybrid publishing is right for you.

Join the Author Edge Community and learn how to publish, and market your book and build your brand. Learn More

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THE AUTHOR  EDGE VIRTUAL SUMMIT 

Where Writing, Branding, and Marketing Converge!

Friday, February 2, 2024

SAVE 50% WITH EARLY BIRD PRICING AND ACCESS TO ADDITIONAL BONUSES

Register at www.juxtabook.com/authoredgesummit 

Learn more about Your Path to Book Publishing by visiting Juxtabook.com and discover if traditional publishing, self publishing, or hybrid publishing is right for you.

Join the Author Edge Community and learn how to publish, and market your book and build your brand. Learn More

Liked this episode? Share it and tag us on Instagram @juxtabk

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Episode Overview:

• The episode explores the impact that every book, regardless of its scope, has on both the author and the readers.
• Discussion on how writing, whether published or not, is a transformative experience for authors.
• Emphasis on the varied and often surprising impacts a book can have on its readers.

Key Points:

The Transformative Power of Writing:

• Exploring how the act of writing, be it fiction, non-fiction, or research, profoundly affects the author.
• Writing as a transformative journey, regardless of publication.

Unexpected Impacts on Readers:

• The episode underlines the importance of authors considering the potential impact of their work.
• Recognizing that a book's influence can be intentional or unintentional, large or small, and sometimes surprising.

Personal Story: "Curious George Makes Pancakes":

• Sharing a personal anecdote about how "Curious George Makes Pancakes" inspired the host's young son.
• The story illustrates how a simple children's book led to a charitable initiative by the son, who organized an ice cream fundraiser for a local children's hospital.
• The event's success and the positive experience of buying and delivering toys to the hospital.

Reflective Questions for Authors:

1. What impact do you envision your book having?
2. Inviting authors to consider and list the potential personal impacts, reader impacts, and unexpected outcomes their writing might generate.
3. Encouraging thoughts on how a book might inspire others to write or take positive actions.

Podcast Website: www.juxtabook.com/podcasts/beyond-the-book 

Submit a Question:  To submit a question and to see the show notes, please visit https://www.juxtabook.com/beyondthebook and press the appropriate button.

Learn more about Your Path to Book Publishing by visiting Juxtabook.com and discover if traditional publishing, self publishing, or hybrid publishing is right for you.

Join the Author Edge Community and learn how to publish, and market your book and build your brand. Learn More

Liked this episode? Share it and tag us on Instagram @juxtabk

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Introduction:

- The episode focuses on how authors can effectively achieve their goals in 2024.

Key Advice for Authors:

 Strive for Excellence, Not Perfectionism:

•      Importance of producing high-quality work without the paralysis of seeking perfection.
•      Being an author is a process of constant learning and improvement.
•      Emphasis on progress over perfection, recognizing that significant progress is a victory.
•      The value of pausing and learning from the writing process.

   Building Routines:

•      How habits and routines are foundational for achieving goals.
•      Practical advice on establishing routines, such as setting specific writing times and tasks.
•      Tips for identifying times for focused work and minimizing distractions.
•      Role of routines in reducing decision fatigue and transforming goals into habitual actions.

Actionable Insight

Call to Action: Determine where you could shift your focus to pursue excellence, not perfectionism and what routines you can build this year. 

Podcast Website: www.juxtabook.com/podcasts/beyond-the-book 

Submit a Question:  To submit a question and to see the show notes, please visit https://www.juxtabook.com/beyondthebook and press the appropriate button.

 

Learn more about Your Path to Book Publishing by visiting Juxtabook.com and discover if traditional publishing, self publishing, or hybrid publishing is right for you.

Join the Author Edge Community and learn how to publish, and market your book and build your brand. Learn More

Liked this episode? Share it and tag us on Instagram @juxtabk

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In this episode, we turn the spotlight on an exceptional author currently under the guidance of our coaching program. This individual is weaving a distinctive path in the authorial landscape, employing strategies that resonate deeply with the essence of a successful author journey.

Author Focus:

The author's current work is tailored for teachers contemplating a shift from the profession they once chose. The book aims to serve as a comprehensive guide, offering support to educators seeking a way out of teaching. The goal is to help them identify their skills, navigate potential career transitions, and envision a future beyond the classroom.

Key Highlights of the Author's Approach:

1.  Audience Understanding:The author stands out for their crystal-clear understanding of their target audience, the teachers looking to transition out of the profession. This clarity significantly streamlines the writing process.
2.  Empathy from Shared Experience: The author empathizes deeply with their audience, having walked in the shoes of teachers. Their own journey from teaching, a profession they found flawed, to a different career, provides invaluable insights for readers facing a similar decision.
3.  Beyond the Book Focus: The author thinks beyond the book, actively considering supplementary resources, tools, and courses that could complement the book. This holistic approach ensures that readers have avenues for ongoing engagement and support.
4.  Community Building: Recognizing the need for a supportive community, the author is intentionally working on building a platform where teachers can connect, share experiences, and receive ongoing guidance. This goes beyond the conventional idea of a Facebook group and may include virtual or in-person meetings.
5.  Impact over Sales: The author places a premium on impact and success for readers rather than merely focusing on book sales. This mindset underscores a commitment to the transformative journey of their audience.
6.  Strategic Planning without Distraction: While juggling various aspects of authorship may seem daunting, the author maintains a strategic focus. They are dedicated to completing the book while actively noting ideas for supplementary resources, understanding that timing is crucial for each building block.
7.  Tailored Book Format: Recognizing the unique preferences of their audience, the author is contemplating a format that aligns with the teaching profession. This might include a spiral-bound or workbook-style layout, making the book more relatable and user-friendly for teachers.

Action Item:

Reflect on your own author journey. Consider your current position and evaluate how your present actions align with your broader goals. Are you strategically thinking about the impact you want to create in the long run? Use this reflection to guide your next steps.

Join us in applauding this author's thoughtful approach and consider how you can incorporate similar strategies into your unique authorial journey.

Actionable Insight

Learn more about Your Path to Book Publishing by visiting Juxtabook.com and discover if traditional publishing, self publishing, or hybrid publishing is right for you.

Join the Author Edge Community and learn how to publish, and market your book and build your brand. Learn More

Liked this episode? Share it and tag us on Instagram @juxtabk

Love the show? Leave a review and let us know!
CONNECT WITH US: Website | Instagram | Facebook