Do You Have A Market For Your Book?

by synovacantrell

So many writers I’ve met over the years struggle with one major problem. They have written their heart and soul into a book and now no one will buy it. It’s a heart-wrenching struggle that I have been through myself. Now, as an author coach, I bring this question up to anyone who is starting on this journey. I want you to start your journey in a better place than I found myself 10 years ago.

I had written my book and taken years to do so. I spent another couple of years begging and pleading for it to be published. I was traditionally published and then I was left alone to drown in the storm of publishing and marketing. I had no idea what I was doing and I floundered rather quickly. You see a big publishing guru once said, “when your book is finished and published, your work is only 5% complete.” That’s right. Marketing your book takes 95% of your effort. And if you’re not willing to do this, then continue writing as a hobby.

I know that sounds harsh, but it’s the truth and sometimes the truth hurts especially for writers. This is another question I ask a new writer.

Does your book have a market?

You see people are under the assumption that you get paid for time and you get paid for products that you sell. This is not true. You do not get paid for time or you would get paid to sit and do nothing. You do not get paid for selling products or you wouldn’t have to do anything. The product would automatically sell itself and money would end up in your pocket.

I want you to realize that you get paid for bringing value to the marketplace. Your book needs to bring value to the potential reader. If the reader cannot see this potential value, they will not purchase the book even if it were available to 10 million people tomorrow.

People buy perception. People buy what they think they will get out of a product. Does your product aka your book, bring value to your potential reader? 

How can a book bring value to a person you might ask. Here are a few examples. Your book can bring entertainment value to those who are looking to escape the realities of life. J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter are a perfect example. She has created an entire alternate reality around fantasy fiction. Your book may also inspire people. Perhaps your writing will inspire people to better themselves to lose weight, to grow spiritually, or perhaps to inspire them to reach for their dreams

The other way a book can provide value is to educate. Perhaps your work will teach someone how to bake a cake as good as Grandma’s. Maybe it will teach them how to care for themselves or care for their family. Or it could help the reader grow with a bit of wisdom and personal development. 

Whatever the value may be a reader must see the potential value before they purchase your book. Now you might say, how is this book valuable to my mother who buys every book I write? Well, she values the relationship she has with you whether she values the book or not. So, when you ask your friends and family to buy from you whether you are selling cosmetics or you’re selling your book they usually buy from you not because they see value in the product but they see value in their relationship with you and they want to support you. 

Whatever the case may be, when creating your book you need to ask yourself is there a market for this book? Is there a group of people that would benefit from this book? If the answer is “no,” then perhaps you should write something else.

Say you want to write a book of haiku poems. Ask yourself this. Is there a market for books of haiku poems? Then research that market. If there is a market for haiku poems, I am not aware of it. It would be a very niche market.

You have to find the target audience for haiku readers and market directly to them. I’m not saying it’s impossible to write whatever you want. But, depending on what you call success you need to have these things in mind before you start. 

Now if your idea of success, is to have your book published and to give it to friends and family or to sell it at a local library at an author event, then so be it. Do it. Go for it. If your idea of success is broader in scope and nature then perhaps you need to study the market and ask yourself if there is a market for your book.

I started out writing a book and found out the hard way that there was a market for my book 10 years ago but there wasn’t when my book was published. I grew up reading a certain genre of book, so my first book fit perfectly in that genre. Unfortunately by the time I was an adult publishing my work, that genre was almost dead. You need to keep this in mind when you write.

If you want to write for the sake of writing, then, by all means, write what you please. But if you are wanting to find a level of financial success in your writing career then I suggest you write for the market.

If you’d like more tips and tricks about the business of writing, check out Synova’s Simply Biz Facebook group and sign up for Synova’s Simply Biz Newsletter.

If you enjoy this content don’t forget to sign up for Synova’s Simply Biz Newsletter and get your copy of her Free Guide: Overcoming Writer’s Block.

Join Synova’s Newsletter here

If you’d like even more help with your writing business, Synova has recently launched a course for aspiring writers.

Empowering Aspiring Writer’s Course:

This course will focus on helping aspiring writers develop their craft and show them how to build a business from their writing.

For more information check out Synova’s store page HERE

For more free tips about writing check out Synova’s Simply Biz Facebook Group

JOIN SYNOVA’S SIMPLY BIZ FACEBOOK GROUP HERE

Hooking Your Reader

by synovacantrell

“Grab them by the heart and pull them towards you” – Synova

Back in the days before Amazon became a publishing house, there were these shadowy figures in our society called gatekeepers. These unnamed individuals were in charge of sorting through thousands of manuscripts submitted by hopeful writers. Each publishing house had these employees, and on their desks were piles of documents known as the slush pile. How could an inspiring writer possibly stand out from the crowd?

The gatekeeper would read the title of the manuscript and then read the first paragraph. If nothing enticed him, the manuscript would be thrown in the trash. I know it sounds cruel, but that’s the way it worked back then. Although Indie publishing has done away with the gatekeepers, it also has flooded the market with books.

Now an author must hook the reader directly. You do that with a beautiful book cover, a compelling title, and an intriguing back cover summary. Visualize this.

You’re at a book signing table in a busy bookstore. What will draw a reader to you? A nice table display, and then what? Your book cover is the next thing that draws the eye. After the cover, they read the title, the back cover summary, and finally, the first paragraph. The reader has just completed the very same cycle as the gatekeeper.

How do you make sure the reader buys your book? While the answer to that varies with in-person sales and online sales, there are some basic principles to ensure your success.

First, you must have a beautiful cover. Beyond that, you must hook the reader. Start this process with an intriguing title and follow it up with a compelling back cover summary and an incredible first paragraph.

How?

First, you must remember that the reader does not buy a book. I know that sounds strange. But, you must realize that a reader buys the emotional connection to the book. Jim Brown makes it very clear in one of his many speeches. You do not get paid for the time. You do not get paid for products, aka books. You get paid for bringing value to the marketplace.

This concept also applies to You’re writing business. You do not get paid for books, e-books, podcasts, etc. You get paid for bringing value to your readers. The reader will buy your book when they perceive it has value to them personally. That value may be entertainment education or inspiration.

So how does all of this help you sell more books? Think about it this way. When you are writing the back cover summary of your book, you want it to be enticing you want it to bring value. You also want it to compel the reader to buy the book.

When writing nonfiction, I like to include a startling statistic or a startling quote to the very beginning of my back cover summary. For fiction, you want to entice the reader with a bit of action and a bit of conflict.

Keep this in mind when writing your manuscript. You do not have to start at the beginning. You need to start at the point of chaos. When you start with a little bit of drama it entices the reader to keep going a lot of books will begin with a little bit of drama then they will cut it off with a cliffhanger, and then they will start at the beginning of the book then they will build back up to that crescendo of chaos.

I always start my fiction books with a little bit of action. This process compels the reader to continue reading.

When trying to entice a reader to pick up your book and to pay for your book, you want to really understand your target audience. What is your perfect reader looking for in your genre? What are some trending topics? The better you know your reader, the better you will be able to provide the value that they are seeking.

Now that you know what your reader wants to serve it to them on a silver platter of emotion. Readers buy an emotional connection. So literally use your words to reach into their chest and pull their heart towards you. That kind of hook will not only give you a book sale. It will give you a reader for life, and it will build a connection with that person, and you will have a true fan for the lifetime of your writing career.

If you’d like more tips and tricks about the business of writing, check out Synova’s Simply Biz Facebook group and sign up for Synova’s Simply Biz Newsletter.

If you enjoy this content don’t forget to sign up for Synova’s Simply Biz Newsletter and get your copy of her Free Guide: Overcoming Writer’s Block.

Join Synova’s Newsletter here

If you’d like even more help with your writing business, Synova has recently launched a course for aspiring writer’s.

Empowering Aspiring Writer’s Course:

This course will focus on helping aspiring writers develop their craft and show them how to build a business from their writing.

For more information check out Synova’s store page HERE

For more free tips about writing check out Synova’s Simply Biz Facebook Group

JOIN SYNOVA’S SIMPLY BIZ FACEBOOK GROUP HERE

Author Branding 101

by synovacantrell

Every successful author has a brand. Do you? J.K. Rowling, John Grisham, and Steven King all have a brand. We all know these authors and their unique style. If someone asks you where to find a well-written fantasy novel, you won’t send them to John Grisham or the king of horror. 

Do you have an author brand?

Author branding is a crucial element in your marketing game, and if you are missing it, then you won’t find the same level of success. 

Why is Author Branding important?

Branding is about recognition. Think about it this way. If someone asks you where to get a cheap hamburger, where do you send them? McDonald’s. Why? It’s because McDonald’s is known as a place for cheap burgers. You don’t send them to a local steakhouse to find a cheap hamburger. Think about the following words; Amazon, Coca-cola, Nike, Kleenex. Each of those words generates an image in your mind. This instant recognition is what you want to create in the minds of your readers. 

Sometimes the brand will take over the product in the marketplace, and you see this example in Kleenex and Bandaid. Both of those are brand names that have become so prevalent that they have overtaken the product. No child asks for a medical adhesive strip when they scrape their knee. They ask for the brand, Bandaid. The same is said with a kleenex. Think about this. What if your author brand could become so defined that it overtook the market in your genre. How incredible would that be?

What is a brand?

A brand is everything your readers perceive you and your company to be. It’s shown in the fonts you use in your advertisement and the color schemes you use for your website. It includes images and logos and most importantly the overarching theme of your business. Don’t worry. I will use myself as an example.

As a writer, I started out writing on a whim. Whatever came to mind, I would write and struggle to get it published. After I finally succeeded in publishing my work, I found no one wanted to buy my unextraordinary book. There was nothing to set me or my book apart from the throngs of other writers. 

After I wrote the biography of an ex-gangster from Chicago, I completely rebranded myself as a true-crime writer. Since I was writing about a mafia-style gangster, I slowly adopted a mafioso-style look to my online presence. Then came the obvious branding tool, my fedora. Here’s the story behind the hat.

I had just published “Unorganized Crime” and was heading to a local bookstore for a book signing. On the way, I stopped and picked up Sidney (the ex-gangster), and he handed me a black fedora. 

“Here Sis wear this. You’ll look cute in it.”  

Those words would change my life and author branding forever. Shrugging my shoulders, I put on the hat. It was way too big and fell into my eyes all day. While at the event, I made a short three-minute video for Facebook, asking people to come out and see us. I thought nothing about the hat.

Two weeks later, I found myself at an author event at this tiny hole-in-the-wall library. I didn’t wear a hat. For the next two hours I had six people ask me where was my hat. It was then I realized the significance. I had accidentally created an author brand and knew I had better stick with it. Now the fedora is incorporated in all my logos and I always wear it in my videos. People look for it at events, and it has taken on a life of its own.

(To See more examples of my branding check out www.mytruecrimestories.com)

Think about your genre, and how can you create a brand that will set you apart from the crowd? Is there something as simple as a hat that can build your brand? Study the successful authors in your genre and see what they do. Do all of their pictures have a specific look about them? Do they always dress a certain way? What can you do to emulate them?

I have a lot of author friends who dress up as a character out of their books at their events. Does your website represent the fantasy world you are creating in your books? I like to think of my branding as a theme. The over-arching Mafioso style bleeds into every Facebook post and every video. Think about your genre and see if you can come up with a little something that will set you apart from the crowd. 

If you’d like more tips and tricks about the business of writing, check out Synova’s Simply Biz Facebook group and sign up for Synova’s Simply Biz Newsletter.

If you enjoy this content don’t forget to sign up for Synova’s Simply Biz Newsletter and get your copy of her Free Guide: Overcoming Writer’s Block.

Join Synova’s Newsletter here

If you’d like even more help with your writing business, Synova has recently launched a course for aspiring writer’s.

Empowering Aspiring Writer’s Course:

This course will focus on helping aspiring writers develop their craft and show them how to build a business from their writing.

For more information check out Synova’s store page HERE

For more free tips about writing check out Synova’s Simply Biz Facebook Group

JOIN SYNOVA’S SIMPLY BIZ FACEBOOK GROUP HERE

Five essential keys to writing your book

by synovacantrell

First, you must have a story to tell, and second, you have to have an audience. Without an audience, you will end up with a book that won’t sell. Too many authors get caught in the trap of writing for the art’s sake, but they don’t study the market to find out what the people want to read. While everyone should write something they’re interested in, you have to make a difficult decision. Are you going to write for yourself, or are you going to write for the market?

Next, your book needs a specific genre. So many authors say their writing can’t be categorized. It’s a common rookie mistake. If your book cannot be categorized, it can’t be sold. If you look up a book on Amazon or in a physical bookstore, it has a genre. It’s how all books are categorized and sold.

Books do not sprout wings and fly around the bookstore changing genres. To successfully sell your work, you must label it in a specific genre. The next issue ties into the genre. You must know the rules of your genre. Of course, some rules can be broken, but every genre has a basic set of guidelines that all books must follow. Make sure to research your genre and get a good feel of these guidelines before you publish your book.

The fifth item on this list would be in the form of a question. Do you have a complete book? Does your idea have enough information to fill an entire book? If your story isn’t complete in its narrative, then perhaps you can interview other people for nonfiction, or for fiction writers, maybe you should create more characters. Sometimes you have plenty of characters, but not enough conflict to fill out an entire story line.

When reading over your work, make sure the story is complete in itself. Even if the book is going to be part of a series, the reader needs a feeling of fulfillment. The story should be complete and could stand on its own if the reader doesn’t buy the next book.

These are five essential elements all writers need to look at before publishing their book. If you’d like more tips and tricks about the business of writing, check out Synova’s Simply Biz Facebook group and sign up for Synova’s Simply Biz Newsletter.

If you enjoy this content don’t forget to sign up for Synova’s Simply Biz Newsletter and get your copy of her Free Guide: Overcoming Writer’s Block.

Join Synova’s Newsletter here

If you’d like even more help with your writing business, Synova has recently launched a course for aspiring writer’s.

Empowering Aspiring Writer’s:

This course will focus on helping aspiring writers develop their craft and show them how to build a business from their writing.

For more information check out Synova’s store page HERE

For more free tips about writing check out Synova’s Simply Biz Facebook Group

JOIN SYNOVA’S SIMPLY BIZ FACEBOOK GROUP HERE

What’s the Point?

by synovacantrell

Why are you wanting to write a book? What’s your objective? What is your goal for this project? These are some questions you need to address before you start writing your book. 

If you have a clear outcome in mind when you start, you will find the book is easier to write and will require fewer rewrites.

Here are a few examples of why people write books:

  • – To inspire others

To educate

To leave a legacy

To Generate Leads for your business

Make money

To entertain

Even if you’ve already started writing your book, stop and figure out your “WHY” before you go any further. 

#authorcoachingforbusyentrepreneurs #authorcoaching

If you enjoy this content don’t forget to sign up for Synova’s Simply Biz Newsletter and get your copy of her Free Guide: Overcoming Writer’s Block.

Join Synova’s Newsletter here

If you’d like even more help with your writing business, Synova has recently launched a course for aspiring writer’s.

Empowering Aspiring Writer’s:

This course will focus on helping aspiring writers develop their craft and show them how to build a business from their writing.

For more information check out Synova’s store page HERE

For more free tips about writing check out Synova’s Simply Biz Facebook Group

JOIN SYNOVA’S SIMPLY BIZ FACEBOOK GROUP HERE

Writing An Award-Winning Book Title

by synovacantrell

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 to “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. 

If you enjoy this content don’t forget to sign up for Synova’s Simply Biz Newsletter and get your copy of her Free Guide: Overcoming Writer’s Block.

Join Synova’s Newsletter here

If you’d like even more help with your writing business, Synova has recently launched a course for aspiring writer’s.

Empowering Aspiring Writer’s:

This course will focus on helping aspiring writers develop their craft and show them how to build a business from their writing.

For more information check out Synova’s store page HERE

For more free tips about writing check out Synova’s Simply Biz Facebook Group

JOIN SYNOVA’S SIMPLY BIZ FACEBOOK GROUP HERE

The Six Basic Human Needs and How They Can Help Your Writing

by synovacantrell

Motivational guru, Tony Robbins, has established the six basic human needs and how they relate to our behavior. They are certainty, variety, significance, connection, growth, and contribution. So, how do these human needs relate to your writing? 

Too many writers spend years creating their books only to find they won’t sell. It could be because of their unappealing book covers, or their lack of marketing skills, but sometimes there’s another, sneakier reason.

Flat, perfect characters don’t hold the reader’s attention. Psychology tells us that humans are attracted to people who are like themselves. No, there aren’t going to be identical people, but there needs to be something about the person that can be relatable. 

When a book’s character lacks depth, it’s hard for complicated humans to relate. No one is utterly beautiful, amazingly successful, and has no problems. Your characters shouldn’t live this way either.

Every human’s basic instinct is to gain pleasure and to avoid pain. Does your character behave this way? If not, maybe you should re-think your story. Now, I know what you’re thinking. I’m writing non-fiction, so this doesn’t apply to me. Wrong! It definitely applies to a non-fiction writer. If you are writing a biography, a memoir, or a self-help book, you need to dive into the reasons behind the actions of your main character. 

When I was writing the biography of an ex-gangster, I didn’t merely relate his activities in sequential order. I tried to dive in deeper and discover the reasoning behind his actions. Sidney did most of his criminal activities in an attempt to seek the pleasures of fast cars and fast women. Growing up in poverty, he wanted notoriety and significance. As a child, he noticed all the local mobsters had the respect and admiration he craved. 

So, let’s take each one of these human needs and dive in deeper.

#1. Certainty:

Everyone needs to feel certain that they will be able to avoid pain and gain pleasure. They want to feel a sense of security and find it comforting. If a person is poverty-stricken and has no hope of finding food, they may steal it to feed themselves and their children. They avoided the pain of starvation and gained the pleasure of feeding their children. They may even not eat anything. I know this is a simplistic example but think about your characters now. 

Is the need for certainty met in your character’s life? Yes or no? How does this affect his or her behavior? 

#2. Variety:

After all that jazz about certainty, humans also need variety. If everything was exactly the same every day, humans go stir crazy. Although we need certainty, we must also have a good dose of variety to spice things up a bit.

What variety do you provide in your storyline? How does this help your character? Remember, variety isn’t always a positive thing. Sometimes it can come in the form of a bad situation. 

#3. Significance:

Everyone needs to feel special and appreciated for their uniqueness and importance. Like the other five human needs, this can come in the form of a negative or a positive. Tony gives an example of a street kid mugging a citizen. That thug may have never had anything in his life. He probably felt insignificant whether he would admit it or not. But, at that moment, when he was holding the gun at the victim’s head, he was significant. He was all-powerful, and this filled a psychological need, although in a very negative way. 

How is your character getting this need fulfilled? Are they achieving it negatively or positively?

#4. Connection/Love:

Although we need to feel unique and significant, humans aren’t happy if they don’t also feel connected and loved by others. Again, humans can get this need fulfilled in good ways and bad. Why do battered women go back to their abusers? A lot of the time, it’s because they need to feel connected, and they don’t have the ability or mindset to find that connection elsewhere. 

How is your character connected to others? Do they feel isolated and alone? If so, how does that affect their behavior?

#5. Growth:

Every human grows physically, but unfortunately, it seems many don’t grow emotionally. This problem is the cause of much of the office politics, drama, and chaos in the workplace. Everyone must grow emotionally and physically. When reading a book, we expect the character to be a different version of themselves at the end of the book. Notice I said different, not better. There was a reason for it. While we want the heroes to grow and become better, we simultaneously want to see the antagonist deteriorate. Although sometimes, the antagonist is so likable, we find ourselves rooting for the bad guy. In this case, we hope he or she finds help and becomes better through the process. 

#6. Contribution:

Every human has a deep desire to leave his or her mark on the world. We want to be significant and make the world a better place. Parents want to leave a better world for their children. People who give back to their community find a deeper meaning to life and seem to have a purpose and drive. What is your character doing to give back? How is he or she contributing to the betterment of society? If he isn’t, how does this affect him? Is he bitter? Is she depressed? 

Conclusion:

When writing, dive deeper, and answer each of these questions for all of your characters. If you do, you will find your writing will have more depth. You will have happier readers and more book sales. 

If you enjoy this content don’t forget to sign up for Synova’s Simply Biz Newsletter and get your copy of her Free Guide: Overcoming Writer’s Block.

Join Synova’s Newsletter here

If you’d like even more help with your writing business, Synova has recently launched a course for aspiring writer’s.

Empowering Aspiring Writer’s:

This course will focus on helping aspiring writers develop their craft and show them how to build a business from their writing.

For more information check out Synova’s store page HERE

For more free tips about writing check out Synova’s Simply Biz Facebook Group

JOIN SYNOVA’S SIMPLY BIZ FACEBOOK GROUP HERE

Why You need a writing coach

by synovacantrell

Why You Need A Writing Coach?

Sure you can write a book without any help, edit it, submit it, and get it published all by yourself. You don’t have to have a coach, a guide, or an accountability partner for this process, but I sure wish I had one when I started. 

What can a writing coach do for you?

  • Create a success plan for your career
  • Recommend launch strategies for your book
  • Act as an accountability partner through the writing process
  • Help with audience building, marketing, and website design
  • Mentorship programs for various aspects of the author business

Writing a book is a big job and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Although I teach people that you shouldn’t be intimidated by the process, on the other hand, you still need to take it seriously. 

I have been in the publishing industry for twelve years and have been writing professionally for even longer. Besides the years of on the job training, I have taken thousands of hours of seminars, classes, and workshops on the business of writing. Each year I read at least 100 books.

I will be the first one to tell you that no, you don’t have to have a coach to be a writer, but why not use my knowledge to give yourself a headstart in the industry?

Schedule your free 30-minute coaching session today.

https://calendly.com/synovaink/30min

If you enjoy this content don’t forget to sign up for Synova’s Simply Biz Newsletter and get your copy of her Free Guide: Overcoming Writer’s Block.

Join Synova’s Newsletter here

If you’d like even more help with your writing business, Synova has recently launched a course for aspiring writer’s.

Empowering Aspiring Writer’s:

This course will focus on helping aspiring writers develop their craft and show them how to build a business from their writing.

For more information check out Synova’s store page HERE

For more free tips about writing check out Synova’s Simply Biz Facebook Group

JOIN SYNOVA’S SIMPLY BIZ FACEBOOK GROUP HERE

What is a Story Arc?

by synovacantrell

Simply put, a story arc is the transformation of a character from one state to another. It’s the growth process of the hero, the empowerment of an underdog, or the digression of an antagonist. A single book has a small growth journey for the main character, but the best place to witness a story arc is in a long-running television series. To keep the viewers interested, these characters will transform over time. 

Watch any soap opera and you will see a great example of a story arc. You most likely won’t see a great storyline, but the arc is definitely there. I apologize to all of you daytime television lovers out there, but on the grand scheme of things, no book series would last twenty years by constantly adding more drama between such plastic and unrealistic characters. 

How many of your favorite characters started out as a bad guy, but throughout the series of events, he slowly transforms into a likable person? This is a good example of a story arc. 

All writers need to keep this basic arc in mind when writing fiction stories, or even nonfiction in some cases. If you are writing your life story, then this will be your journey to awareness. Ask yourself the following questions whether you are writing your life story or you’re writing fiction.

  1. What are the hero’s characteristics, circumstances, and values to begin with?
  2. What happens to the hero during this story and how does it change and mold the character?
  3. At the end of your book, how has the hero changed? 

When writing a series of books the story arc becomes more prevalent. You don’t want one character to grow tremendously in book one and then start over in book two. Start the growth journey from the character’s current position. 

If you enjoy this content don’t forget to sign up for Synova’s Simply Biz Newsletter and get your copy of her Free Guide: Overcoming Writer’s Block.

Join Synova’s Newsletter here

If you’d like even more help with your writing business, Synova has recently launched a course for aspiring writer’s.

Empowering Aspiring Writer’s:

This course will focus on helping aspiring writers develop their craft and show them how to build a business from their writing.

For more information check out Synova’s store page HERE

For more free tips about writing check out Synova’s Simply Biz Facebook Group

JOIN SYNOVA’S SIMPLY BIZ FACEBOOK GROUP HERE

Dictation Demystified

by synovacantrell

Do you cringe when you hear the word “dictation?” There’s no need to be intimidated by the word or the process. When someone says the word “narrate,” does that set off alarm bells? I doubt it. There’s a really simple reason behind this example. 

“When you change the way you look at the world, the world you look at will change.” 

– Wayne Dyer

The perception around dictation is more intense for some people so they find themselves becoming intimidated by the concept. Instead, I suggest you look at it as narrating. 

Tips For Narrating (Dictating) Your Next Book:

  1. Outline your book first by making a list of topics you would like to cover. Then choose one topic to “talk” about. 
  2. Label this recording with the topic title. This will make it easier for you when you to to arrange your recordings into a readable book.
  3. Google Docs and MS Word both offer a talk-to-text option. This is a simple and free way to get your thoughts down on paper.
  4. **Do Not Watch The Screen As You Dictate!** The whole point of this exercise is to get your thoughts down, not to edit as you go. If you watch the screen, you will find yourself stumbling around in your speech and trying to edit as you go. Instead, hit record and start talking. Edit later!
  5. If you don’t want to use talk-to-text options you can record your story and send it to a transcriptionist to type it up for you. Again, don’t worry about editing here. 
  6. After all of this is said and done, now you can send it to an editor who will work on your punctuation, grammar and sentence syntax.

If you are struggling to try to find time to sit at the computer and write your book, then perhaps narration is the best option for you. I know it has made a drastic change in my writing projects. 

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