It has been 54 years since this disabled boy was used as a pawn in a sadistic game and then slaughtered by the Dixie Mafia. His sister, Phyllis is still chasing justice and fighting for answers in the death of Ronnie Anderson.
Read more about Ronnie in Synova’s Book: Silenced By The Dixie Mafia: The Anderson Files
A terrible title can destroy your book and keep you from reaching the world with your words. The title is like a reader’s first impression right behind the book cover. So, how do you come up with a title that will propel your book toward success?
I have a simple strategy that I teach the writers taking my course. Today I will share it with you all.
Step #1: Find the top five best-selling authors in your genre and study them.
What were the author’s last three book titles? Look for keywords that seem to resonate with the readers. While searching through these fifteen books you will notice patterns that might fit with your book. Keep in mind to take note of both the title and the subtitle of each book.
Step #2: KISS
Remember that old saying, “keep it simple sweetie?” I say “Keep it Short Sweetie.” Short book titles with no more than 3-5 words seem to work the best. You can make up the difference using a subtitle if necessary.
Step #3: Start a list of possible book titles
Create a list of possible titles and then compare them to the best-selling titles of your targeted authors. How do they compare? Are they longer or shorter? Did you use some of the same keywords?
Step #4: Test it
After you get your list down to two or three possible titles, send them out to a test group and see which title gets the best response.
I know this sounds strange, but don’t forget to make sure your title truly resonates with your book’s topic and purpose. Sometimes in the race to find the perfect, compelling title authors forget that their title must convey a message to the reader first and foremost.
You know your business will benefit from a book, but something is stopping you from writing it. Here are 3 reasons that could be holding you back.
1. Told Repeatedly to Stop Day Dreaming
Since when is it okay to let go of the very thing that separates us from the animal kingdom? A dog cannot imagine a new invention and change the world with it. Humans alone have this power. Think about it. Every major invention, every Fortune 500 company, every skyscraper was once a figment of a dreamer’s imagination. Don’t stop dreaming! Get back in the habit of daydreaming. (Maybe not while you’re driving.)
2. Lack of confidence
Why, would anyone want to listen to me? Well, why not you? Who said you weren’t important? Who told you that you don’t have a unique perspective to share with the world? You are an event individual. Your experiences have shaped your perspective on life. No one else will have your particular perspective. Share it with the world. Be Fearless. You’ve got this.
3. Lack of knowledge
Get off your tush and get it. Libraries are still free. Get a library card. Besides, I am here to help you get started with your writing.
Ask me how!
Arnold Schwarzenegger says, “you can have excuses or results, but you can’t have both.” It’s time for you to decide. What do you want?
So many people complain about a lack of time, but I contend we all have the same 24 hours a day. It’s more about how we spend those hours.
There are 168 hrs/week. If you spend 40 at work, 56 hrs sleeping, and 7 hrs at the gym you still have 65 hrs left. What do you do with them? How can you make the most out of it?
1. Say NO!
Don’t try to please everyone by taking on all their chores. Let them find someone else, or Heaven forbid let them do it themselves.
2. Plan Ahead
Plan your day the night beforehand. Make a list of the top ten things you need to do and follow the list.
3. Drop the time wasters
Don’t spend hours on Facebook scrolling through your newsfeed. Don’t sit and watch TV for three hours before going to bed. Find something more productive to do .
4. Mobile University
How many hours a week do you spend commuting? Why not create your own Mobile University. Studies show you can get an entire college education in your car on your way to work! Pop in a seminar, audiobook or podcast & learn on your way to work.
5. Delegate
What are you currently doing that someone else could handle? Delegate the tasks that take up all your time so you can be free to work on your goals.
Many writers cringe at the word “marketing” and would rather have someone else take care of that side of the business. In reality, the success of your book depends entirely on you!
I know, I know. No one wants to hear that, but it’s the truth.
“Change the way you look at the world and the world you look at will change.” – Wayne Dyer
I challenge you to change your perception of Marketing entirely. I used to think the same way and found myself panicking when it came to promoting my work.
How did I change my perception?
I tapped into my “why.” What does that mean? It’s simple. I dreaded promoting my work until I realized the real reason why I needed to do it.
Yet Another True Crime Example: As most of you know, I am SWMO’s #1 True Crime writer and I cut my teeth trying to market stories of cold cases, unsolved homicides, and missing persons’ stories. I dreaded it every time until I realized the importance of it.
You see, I needed to build my following as big as possible for my readers’ sake. All those victim’s families needed to get publicity for their unsolved case and it was up to me to do it. The more I started learning about marketing and the more I started implementing those lessons I found I really enjoyed talking about my work. Soon I found promotion was exciting and creative.
Now I don’t have any problems promoting my work and I find the process enjoyable and exciting. One moment I am writing a press release and sending it to the newspapers. The next moment I am making Youtube videos promoting a blog post. The following day I am working on a podcast interview. All of these promotion outlets require a different level of creativity.
I challenge you today to change your outlook on marketing and see how much fun you can have. Create! It’s what we do best.