Our culture glamorizes productivity. We believe that in order to be productive, we have to do it all. If we check all the boxes and cross all the tasks off our to-do list, then and only then will we succeed at being productive. I used to buy into this idea myself. I thought saying no […]
Studies show that as many as 80% of people want to write a book. I hear this goal all of the time from people I meet in the business world. Countless numbers of people over the years have proclaimed their desire to write a book, but only a small percentage will actually make their book […]
There’s a common belief that everyone has at least one book in them and the trick is to get it out. Well, they don’t write themselves, so it’s important to get yourself a game plan when you decide that you actually want to go for it. Here are some tried and tested tips to get […]
My freshman year in college, I chose my course schedule based on class titles and time slots. Early-morning sessions lost out to late-morning or afternoon alternatives. After a few problems (don’t ask about calculus), I realized the professor might be the most important factor. By asking around, it was easy to discover who the good […]
We all love humor, because it’s fun to laugh. But why do we laugh? And is there any way we can learn to write funny things so that other people will laugh? Is there some secret to it? I’ve been fascinated by that question all my life. When I was ten years old, I stumbled […]
The back cover is where you convince readers to buy. One trick that many writers use is to craft a compelling description before writing the manuscript because it can help to know what to focus on when developing the manuscript. You have a very limited amount of space on the back of your book so […]
There are just two things you need to write authoritative and compelling nonfiction: to be an authority, and write in a way that interests and informs your reader. “Obviously,” you say? Well, yes and no. The problem is that many books are published by authors with little first-hand knowledge of their subjects or experience in […]
Last year more than 900,000 ISBNs were assigned by Bowker. If you want to sell more books in such a crowded field, they need to stand out in a positive way. In their effort to rise above the competition, authors conduct innovation sessions to think outside the box, brainstorming for the best creative strategy. This […]
You’ve heard it before: Writing and publishing a quality book can help establish you as an expert, boost your visibility, and open the door to more opportunities such as speaking gigs and interviews. But when you’re already running your own business, who has time to write a book? Enter the anthology. An anthology is a […]
“If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” Rudyard Kipling (1865- 1936) As part of the advanced memoir writing class I teach, one of the assignments is for the participants to write a brief narrative linking their family history to historical events happening on a local, national or international scale. […]
If you’re looking for data about an industry or you want to follow current trends, following are some resources to use. Trendwatching.com – Provides monthly reports on a wide variety of consumer trends. Wikipedia – The user-generated online encyclopedia may provide some details and stats for specific industries or keyword phrases. Beware, since this is […]
Get Your Words’ Worth by Brian Jud
Two concepts determine your relative success in answering questions during a television or radio performance: preparation and flexibility. In most cases you will not know the questions you will be asked during the interview. But if you understand your topic and know beforehand what you want to get across to the audience, you will be […]
How to Write Sales Copy for the Back of Your Nonfiction Book
If you’re working on your first book, you will inevitably have to sit down and write the sales copy that appears on the back of your book (also known as “jacket” copy). For authors who haven’t had to do this before, it can feel like a bit of a challenge. You have a very limited […]
Author Name: Wendy D. Steele Book Title: Let Me Get My Coffee! Then We’ll Talk Business: And The Lessons I Learned As An Entrepreneur Synopsis Let Me Get My Coffee! Then We’ll Talk Business is a self-help/memoir based on how I grew my company BluePrint Resumes & Consulting to multiple locations throughout the U.S. and […]
If you’re looking for data about an industry or you want to follow current trends, following are some resources to use. Trendwatching.com – Provides monthly reports on a wide variety of consumer trends. Wikipedia – The user-generated online encyclopedia may provide some details and stats for specific industries or keyword phrases. Beware, since this is […]
Get Your Words’ Worth by Brian Jud
Two concepts determine your relative success in answering questions during a television or radio performance: preparation and flexibility. In most cases you will not know the questions you will be asked during the interview. But if you understand your topic and know beforehand what you want to get across to the audience, you will be […]
How to Write Sales Copy for the Back of Your Nonfiction Book
If you’re working on your first book, you will inevitably have to sit down and write the sales copy that appears on the back of your book (also known as “jacket” copy). For authors who haven’t had to do this before, it can feel like a bit of a challenge. You have a very limited […]
New Benefits for NFAA Members: Media Leads, Content Archives, Partner Discounts
We have been hard at work developing new benefits for our Authority and VIP members: View Content by Topic Members have always had access to archived teleseminar recordings, weekly homework tips, and our exclusive templates, checklists, and other content. Now we’ve made it easier than ever to find the help you need because we’re now […]
How to Cite Sources in Your Manuscript
Nonfiction authors know the importance of citing sources in their work. But sometimes it can get confusing figuring out how to correctly quote and give credit to your sources within your text without losing your flow of thought. Fair Use Under Fair Use law, you can reprint a small amount of text as long as […]
What has been most surprising about being an author?
This month we asked nonfiction authors to answer this question: What has been most surprising about being an author? Here’s what they had to say: Dr. Jo Lukins I had not anticipated the personal learning through the process of writing my book. I had fully expected to be immersed in the content of the book, […]
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