Bio: Ronda Del Boccio is an award-winning author, photographer, artist, and speaker. She is the Queen of BLISS. She lives in rural Missouri with her gorgeous golden retriever guide dog and cat. Her short stories, poems, and articles appear in over two dozen anthologies across five continents. She has authored and co-authored a dozen books of fiction and nonfiction.
She has also won awards for her singing, teaching, cooking, art, photography, writing, and translation of a medieval cookbook. As you can tell, her interests are diverse. Anything she wants to do or experience, she makes happen.
Although she is “legally blind,” which she says means she’s “illegally sighted,” Ronda lives a full and active life. She travels, cooks, and tries new ventures. Nothing stops her!
Ronda is the Amazon #1 bestselling author of several books, including The Story of Impact, Trust Your Heart: Building Relationships that Build Your Business, Mindset Masters: Achieve Anything, Anytime, Anywhere, The Peace Seed: Personal and Global Transformation through Storytelling, and the paranormal/urban fantasy novel They All Died Smiling, amongst others.
Get free stories and event updates from her at MagicalStoriesByRonda.wordpress.com
Highlighted Book Title: The Peace Seed: Personal and Global Transformation through Storytelling
Cover:
Description: Have you ever felt a burning desire to be a peacebringer? Yet you may wonder what one small person can do? You are not alone. Every human being with a desire to make a big difference feels that way sometimes.
Within YOU is an innate seed of greatness. Just as the mightiest tree grows from the smallest seed, big changes begin with one tiny seed – YOU!
There is more to this journey than the book. I invite you to experience the activities in the special online journal environment and on the Peace Seed website, which call you to BE peace through human connection.
In this book, the online activities YOU:
Bridge the human divide forever
Instantly connect with anyone in the world
Keep your cultural and family heritage alive
Bring peace into any situation by listening and sharing stories
Please check out my affiliate links in this article. Any purchase you make using my links will help support Synova Ink Publishing. With your support, I will continue producing high-quality free content for more people like you. Thank you in advance!
I hate it when I put my heart and soul into clients, and they don’t follow through. As a new coach, this really hurt me, and I always thought there was something wrong. Maybe something was missing in my coaching program. So I would add more information. I would add more worksheets. I would add more tips and tricks. But over time, I realized the lack was not within me or my program. The lack was in the client. Something had stifled their ambition.
I have put so much into the Author Biz 101 course that I’ve had some people tell me there’s so much information it’s almost overwhelming. I know it’s not a lack in the course itself. So what could cause this?
That’s when I realized that ambition was a tricky character. While you’re all fired up with a new project, ambition comes easily. When life hits and other things come up, ambition starts to wane. That’s when I encourage my clients to look back at their purpose. Why did they want to write a book in the first place? Who did they want to touch with their writing?
I also found in some cases that the client was subconsciously sabotaging their own efforts. If it were a lack of self-esteem or a feeling of unworthiness, they would find things to self-sabotage their efforts. Then I started encouraging my clients to change their mindsets about what they deserve. If you feel called or led to write a book, I believe there’s a reason and a purpose for it. You are good enough. You are capable. And there are so many tools available. Writing a book has never been easier than it is right now.
I hate dealing with grammar Nazis and those with a limited mindset who discourage new writers from even starting. I had a new writer who was desperate for a critique. I gave him a good critique, but he wanted someone that was a little harsher, so I sent him to a grammar Nazi. I wish I hadn’t. This grammar Nazi put down his work, but he also told the new writer not to get published because there was no money in writing anymore. Unfortunately, this new writer was so insecure that he took this advice even against my own, and I have never heard from him since. It’s a terrible shame because it has been a long time since someone could move me with words as this man did. I only hope he will get the courage to step up and share his work with the world in the near future.
Dealing with people who do not know how to make money with their writing is one of the things I despise about author coaching. Thousands of indie authors make six figures a year or more with their writing. If I had to go back to traditional publishing, I would probably refuse because I make a hundred times more money publishing independently.
They’re still money to be made publishing traditionally, but quite frankly, it’s much easier and quicker to do it on your own. Unfortunately, this grammar Nazi didn’t know how to make money with his writing, and his limited mindset caused another writer to give up. I will never again send someone looking for a critique to a grammar Nazi. When I researched this man, he’s never published anything in his lifetime to make things even worse. He knew so much about grammar but nothing about making money.
What I love about Authur coaching:
I love it when I can inspire a writer to start a new book. I love the excitement. You can feel it in the air as they begin to talk about their new book. I love helping them form the thoughts of their imaginations and helping them bring them out to the world. I love to inspire and motivate and encourage.
I love the feeling I get when I watch a new writer publish their first book. It’s like watching your child receive an award at school. I’m thrilled to be a part of their journey. I enjoy signing their certificate when they complete my course. I love packaging up my golden ink pins to give away to my authors who complete this journey. Unfortunately, I don’t get to do that very often. So many people want to quit halfway through their book and never finish. That’s the part I hate.
So what’s the point? The point is I want to encourage you to finish the projects you start. When you finish a project, there’s a feeling of joy and satisfaction that comes across in a way that you can’t explain unless you complete your task. Writing a book can be hard, but it doesn’t have to be. I’m here to help, but you still have to finish.
What would you like to accomplish in your lifetime? Have you started on the journey only to be distracted by life? I encourage you to start again. Don’t quit. Follow through. You’ll never know how it feels until you finish it.
If you would like help with your book, check out my author coaching courses. I also have some one-on-one coaching options available through Patreon.
There are many strategies to make six figures as an author, but there are ten core principles that any successful writer must follow to achieve this type of success. Now, I will share them with you.
#1. Create a quality product
First and foremost, you get paid for bringing value to the marketplace.You do not get paid for books. You get paid for bringing value. So if you release a hundred cheap, low-quality books, you won’t make six figures. Everything You release must have a standard of excellence, especially if you are an independently published author. People tend to discount mistakes in a traditionally published book with little thought. But if they find an error in an indie book, they make a big deal of it. Why do we have this double standard? I don’t know? I know that it is a real problem, and you must watch this. Nobody’s perfect but make sure everything you publish is well written and edited to the best of your ability.
#2. Think of yourself as an entrepreneur
Most successful authors think of themselves as entrepreneurs. They don’t think of themselves as only a writer. They think of themselves as a business owner. I am an author, but I am also a speaker, a businesswoman, a podcaster, a YouTuber, a blogger, and a marketing junkie. I’m sure I could add more, but you get the point. I am officially an entrepreneur. I write books, yes, but my business is Synova Ink Publishing. As an entrepreneur, I have a written business plan for Synova Ink Publishing, and every so often, I will refer back to it. If I am not furthering my goals, I will find another path. The key is I think of myself as a business owner.
#3. Know your target audience
Every successful author out there knows their target audience. You can’t be everything to everyone. You’re not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. That’s okay. You must find the people interested in your type of work and market to them. Don’t advertise to the masses. You’ll waste a bunch of time and money and won’t see very many results. The point is to find your target audience and focus on them. Provide value to them and forget the rest.
#4. Have a marathon mindset
Successful Indie authors have a marathon mindset. They don’t just work on one book at a time and focus on that alone. They don’t put all their hopes and dreams into their first book and then never write another one. Every successful six-figure author out there has a series of books available.
#5. Building a mailing list
The money is in the list. You might think JK Rowling doesn’t have a mailing list. She might not, but there are millions of Harry Potter fans on a mailing list, and you can guarantee that her publishing house has them on a list. Now, if you are your own publishing house, you better have a list. Nowadays, traditionally published authors have to have their own list before reaching success. So go ahead and start building a list of email addresses. Start with your friends and family. I don’t care who it is. Start a list later on. You can narrow it down to your target audience. But start somewhere
#6. Think outside of the paperback
You need to think outside of the confines of a paperback book. There are ways to provide value to the marketplace as a writer beyond the paper. Of course, ebooks are available for those who like to read on their phones. There are audiobooks for those who prefer to listen in their cars. But there is even more available besides those three options. I’ll give you an example.
I used to write about cold cases that needed more publicity for those of you who have just started following me. I worked with the victim’s family members to raise awareness about their case, hoping to bring in leads for law enforcement. So how did I do this? I realized that every cold case needed several things. I highlighted the story by writing an article for my blog.
Then I made a series of YouTube videos about the case for my channel. I also had a podcast where I reviewed the cases and sometimes interviewed the victim’s family members. I also put their story in one of my case files books at the end of the year. So how did this help raise awareness about the story?
Instead of the story being in one place, we ended up with a blog post, YouTube video, a podcast episode, a paperback book, an ebook, and an audiobook. So, I had taken the same story and recreated it six times. How many more people have I reached by saying the same thing six different ways? Think about this in your business. How many more people will see your story if you share it in different ways?
#7. Keep learning
William S. Burroughs once said, “when you stop growing, you start dying.” The more you learn and know, the more your business can grow and help more people. Trends are constantly changing, so you must keep learning about your industry. Now the trends in the fantasy industry aren’t the same for True Crime writers, and they are definitely different in the coaching industry. I don’t study the trends for Fantasy writers except for on the occasion when I am coaching a fantasy writer. I do constantly study marketing, personal development, and business.
#8. Avoid burnout
I struggle with this. I will be honest with you. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the process that you forget yourself. Focus on organizing your projects and schedule in time for yourself. Learn to say no to projects and people that don’t serve your highest goals. It’s hard, but if you don’t take care of that beautiful brain of yours, you won’t be able to write.
Find something bigger than yourself
When I started writing, I started writing things that I enjoyed. I quickly learned that this was not enough to keep me focused for the long run. Remember, we’re on a marathon here. Once I found my purpose, I got a drive within me to keep me going. When you’re working for something bigger than yourself, and you’re trying to make the world a better place, it pulls you through the hard times. It helps keep you focused and moving when you’re tired, when you’re sick, and when you feel like giving up. Find a purpose outside of yourself for your business.
#10. Networking
No man is an island. We’ve all heard that saying, but we tend to be more reclusive as writers. We’re more comfortable in our own space, typing away hiding in our imagination. Unfortunately, that is not conducive to good business practice. Networking is vital when it comes to building a business. Find chances to network both online and in person. Don’t forget to cross-promote those writers in your genre too. By cross-promoting them, you actually open up their audience to you.
You’ve probably heard that you should be journaling, but who has time and what’s the big deal? If you want to be a professional writer and you don’t keep a journal, I highly suggest you start, and I will tell you why.
Tony Robbins has a saying that I absolutely love. He says, “success leaves clues.” If you study the most successful business people, writers, speakers, etc., 99% of them keep a journal. So if you want to be successful, it would make sense to do what successful people do, right? So why don’t we keep journals?
I think when we say journal, people get a mental image of the preteen girl and her little pink, glitter-covered diary. When I speak of journaling, I am not talking about the scribblings of a prepubescent girl. I’m talking about serious journaling for entrepreneurs and writers.
It’s a well-known fact that journaling can help you during times of crisis and trauma. It helps remind you of good times when things have turned bad. Mental health professionals recommend journaling to their patients and see massive results. It only takes 15 minutes a day to change your life. Still, for the most part, the majority of people don’t journal.
Today I want to tell you how journaling can help you become a better writer.
1. Helps Focus Your Thoughts:
Writing in a journal helps you focus your thoughts. A lot of times, people get overwhelmed at the thought of trying to write a book, and they can’t overcome it, and the book never gets written. If you take 15 minutes a day to write in a journal, you’ll find your ideas Will flow easier, and you won’t struggle with writer’s block as much.
2. Keep Track Of Ideas:
I also use my journal to keep track of the new ideas that pop into my head. If you have followed me for a while, you know that I have a tendency towards ADHD, and my mind goes a million places at a time. I will get great ideas while I’m in the middle of an important assignment for my business. I would follow these ideas down the rabbit hole and never follow through and finish the first project. I found that by journaling my ideas, I can keep them in a safe place but not get distracted by them. I will go back through my journals periodically and implement the ideas that I have stored there.
I also like to keep my gratitude journal entries in my notebook. Some people will separate their gratitude journals, their food journals, their idea, journals, etc. I placed them all in one. If it helps you to separate them all out, then I encourage you to do so. The idea is to store the information in a safe place.
I use hard-bound journals, and I found a company that has beautiful ones. They’re usually gold, foiled, and gorgeous. I know all of you guys out there may not like those, so you can find ones that are more “Butch,” I’m sure. I call mine my “golden book of ideas.” I keep it with me everywhere I go.
Journaling also helps writers flesh out their characters. It helps you build your backstory without boring the readers. Too many writers discover their characters along with the reader. Unfortunately, this leads to the bad habit of information dumping. I always tell people to start their books with excitement and chaos. Then you can sprinkle in the backstory later on. If you don’t know your character well enough, you will dump all of this information onto your reader. Journaling helps you flesh out all of those details so you can write a well-rounded character without boring the reader with unnecessary backstory.
4. Improves Communication Skills:
Studies show daily journaling improves your communication skills. As a writer, improving your communication skills should be a top priority. It also helps you work through emotions and be more mindful.
5. Reduces Anxiety:
Mental health professionals encourage their patients to use journaling to help reduce anxiety about upcoming events in their lives. When you write in a journal, it also decreases your anxiety about writing a book. I know that sounds strange because you’re still writing the book. People get overwhelmed at the thought of writing a book but think of it this way. What if you wrote for 15 minutes a day about the topic you would like to see in a book?
If you wrote for 15 minutes a day every day for a year, you would have a book written already! Sure, It would need to be formatted into book form and edited properly, but you have written a book. It literally takes the pressure off to simply write in your notebook versus the thought of writing a book.
Conclusion:
These are just a few of the reasons why you should be journaling as a writer. If those aren’t enough for you, Google it, and I guarantee you you’ll find enough reasons to start writing your own journal. I will give you a link to the company that I buy my journals from, I am an affiliate of Amazon, so I will receive a small commission. Commission. But I would not recommend them if I didn’t use them myself.
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 don’t normally cover basic writing techniques and grammar topics. I am an author business coach. I work as a business strategist for authors to teach them how to make money with their writing. Although sometimes I get some specific questions about basic writing techniques so I thought I would go over the basics of writing dialogue.
Your dialogue can either make or break your book.
The purpose of dialogue:
Helps develop your characters
Moves the plot along
Establishes the mood
Dialogue is NOT for:
Filling word counts
Dumping backstory
Creating needless small talk
Describing the setting in obsessive detail
Well-written dialogue can push your reader on to the next chapter or it can cause them to close the book forever. Too many authors want to fill in the backstory with their dialogue and all this does is bore the reader with a bunch of useless details. Most of the time the reader will close the book and never finish it. To make matters worse, they won’t become a superfan and buy all of your subsequent books.
How do you use dialogue to entice your readers into buying your next book or your whole new series?
Here are 7 tips to write better dialogue.
First of all, keep it brief. Is the message you’re trying to convey need dialogue? Or, can you write it without it? No one likes to read three pages of dialogue.
Avoid small talk. If you think about it how many times do you talk for hours on end about the weather, the color of the person’s eyes, or your hairstyle? Now I know some girls will talk about their new haircut, but in general does your character need to ramble on for four pages about their new outfit? Or are the details you are including important to you but not necessarily important to the reader?
Forget The fluff! While it’s fun to include all of the details as an author you must remember the story must entice your reader. Your reader’s opinion is more important than your own. That is a hard pill to swallow for many new authors I meet. They want to write what they love and they don’t care what the reader thinks. That is a fine concept to have if you’re just writing as a hobby, but if you want to make an income as a writer you’re going to have to write what the reader wants to read.
Give each one of your characters a specific voice. Everyone speaks differently and so should your characters. Contrary to what your eighth-grade English teacher taught you every line of your dialogue does not need to be grammatically correct. I know that goes against the grain for all of those grammar Nazis out there but you must think about your reader.
Is there a specific word or phrase they use often? Do they use slang excessively? Make sure your characters have their own unique style of speaking and you’ll find your readers are more interested in what they have to say. The important thing is to be consistent. If you have one character who uses slang at the beginning of the book make sure this character is still using slang by the end of it.
Show don’t tell. I know you’re probably tired of hearing this, but don’t give away everything in your dialogue. No one in life says exactly what they feel and everything that they feel at every moment in time. Is your character spewing out too much information? Is your dialogue too in-depth? Don’t give away the plotline with every piece of dialogue or you’ll lose the reader’s interest.
Minimize dialogue tags. Although your English teacher will cringe I encourage you to take out the dialogue tags whenever possible. If you read some of the best-sellers of the day you will find that they are very clear on who is speaking but they do not use he said, she said, etc. Can you go and take out the dialogue tags and the paragraphs still make sense? If so take them out.
Read your dialogue out loud. If you take the time to read your dialogue out loud you will recognize the parts of speech that are clumsy. You will recognize overused words and you will get tired of saying he said, she said, etc. Use actions and body language in place of dialogue tags whenever possible.
Let me give you an example. If a woman is in the library and she leans across the table and presses her lips towards the person’s ear, we know that she is going to whisper. You do not need to close out her dialogue with “she whispered.”
Here’s an example from Joel Quinn’s book F*ck the Details: Fewer Words. Sharper Stories. (If you don’t let the title offend you, he has a lot of good writing advice in this book.)
I’m sure you do, she said sarcastically.
Vs
She rolled her eyes I’m sure you do
The second example shows us that she is speaking sarcastically by her body language and the author does not have to use the words she said sarcastically. Look through your writing and find ways that you can rewrite these dialogue tags or remove them.
If you should like to get a copy of this book, check out my affiliate link below.
Thank you for using my affiliate links. Every time they are used, Synova Ink Publishing receives a small commission. This helps me continue to provide you with more free content.
Keep in mind that every line of dialogue must serve a purpose. If it does not move the story forward develop your character or establish the mood then perhaps it needs to be removed.
Don’t forget to sign up for your FREE Author Coaching Newsletter using the link below:
If you’d like more information on how to make your writing career more profitable, check out Synova’s Simply Biz Author Coaching Service at www.synovaink.com
Everyone has a little brain fog on occasion. But, if you’re regularly suffering from a serious case of brain fog, there are steps you can take. Brain fog can be frustrating and greatly limit your ability to finish your writing projects.
There are steps you can take to reduce or even eliminate the problem. Try these tips and see just how clear-headed you can actually be. *First you must determine if it’s a medical issue or a creative-flow issue.* In other words, are you suffering from brain fog because of a medical issue such as Fibromyalgia, or are you stuck in your writing project because of writer’s block? Some of your habits could also be creating a foggy feeling when you sit down to write.
Practice these techniques to maximize your mental clarity and boost your productivity:
1. Exercise your mind, body, and imagination. Your brain and your body need a workout each day. Have you ever noticed that you feel better and think more clearly after a moderate bout of exercise? Plan some mental and physical exercise into your daily schedule. And, don’t forget to plan some creative exercise in your routine….reading! All of the best writers are also avid readers. By reading in your genre you will spark your creativity and plow through the mental fog.
Mental exercise can be as simple as working on a few brain puzzles or math problems. Or, read a good book!
Physical exercise doesn’t have to be demanding, but it can be helpful to push yourself enough that you’re breathing hard.
2. Deal with stress. Stress is distracting. Stress also results in abnormal levels of hormones and neurotransmitters that can affect your thinking. Stress is hard on your body and your brain. Lower your stress levels if you want to do your best thinking. Plan quiet time into your daily routine. It’s the best thing you can do for your mental health. 3. Get a checkup. See your doctor if you’re having issues with brain fog and nothing else seems to be working. It might be that you have an underlying medical condition that’s contributing to your brain fog. You might also be taking medication that’s creating challenges for you. 4. Eat healthy food. Unhealthy food can leave you with brain fog. Also, there are foods that are often considered to be healthy that just might not sit well with your system. It’s important to notice how you feel after eating different foods and use that information to your benefit. Experiment and see what you discover.
Remember you are what you eat…literally. Your body is reproducing your muscles and tissues based on the nutrients you feed it. So are you building the body you want or the body you hate?
It’s easier to write when you can think clearly and have taken care of yourself.
Joanna Penn has a great book called The Healthy Writer. In it, she gives tips and tricks on how to keep yourself fit and strong even though most writers spend hours sitting at a desk.Here’s my affiliate link if you’d like to get your own copy. Get Your Copy Here:
5. Sleep the right number of hours for you. If you’ve ever missed out on a few hours of sleep, you know how compromised your ability to think clearly can be. A lack of sleep is a major cause of brain fog. Interestingly, many people also suffer from brain fog if they sleep too long. An hour or more of sleep beyond what you require can greatly reduce your alertness. It’s not easy to reach 100% alertness if you sleep too long.Even if you think you do just fine with 5-6 hours of sleep, try sleeping longer and see if it helps.
6. Avoid stimulants and depressants. Too much caffeine can leave your brain racing. The same goes for other stimulants as well. Stimulants can also interfere with your sleep.Obviously, depressants can leave you feeling groggy and cloud your thinking. It’s best to avoid both if you want to minimize brain fog.
7. Drink some water.One of the early signs of dehydration is brain fog. If you just can’t seem to concentrate or think clearly, have a glass of water and see if that helps. A tall glass of water every few hours isn’t a bad idea.
If you find your brain fog is actually masking Writer’s Block check out my articles and videos on tips to overcome this common problem. Writer’s block doesn’t have to stop your progress if you have a plan in place to combat it. Happy Writing!
Don’t forget to sign up for your FREE Author Coaching Newsletter using the link below:
If you’d like more information on how to make your writing career more profitable, check out Synova’s Simply Biz Author Coaching Service at www.synovaink.com
Whether you are planning to publish traditionally or independently, you must edit your work. Some writers hire an editor to look over every social media post, book, and article they write. But what if you don’t have a full-time editor on your staff? Here are a few tips to help you clean up your work before you submit it.
Read it aloud:
Try reading your piece out loud, and then you will notice places where you may stammer or trip over incorrect grammar or word choice. While this is a helpful tool to check your work, it isn’t perfect. Since you are the author, sometimes our minds read what we meant to say instead of reading it verbatim. If you can get someone else to read it out loud, it works even better.
Avoid Cliches:
We’ve all heard them, and it makes your work a little sloppy if you cannot come up with your own word choice.
Avoid being too clever:
While we all know we shouldn’t use cliches, sometimes authors try to be too clever with their word choices, and the readers are left to stumble through. As an author, we must remember that the reader has a thousand distractions at any given moment. While you are busy trying to sound smart, the reader has to decide if he or she wants to keep reading.
Don’t edit as you write:
If you try to edit as you write your first draft, you’ll find it nearly impossible to complete. Instead, let the words flow as they come to you. Then set the piece aside and let it cool for a bit before you jump right in and start editing.
Print it out:
If you’re a child of the ’80s, you might find it easier to edit your work if you have a printed copy in front of you. While this works for a lot of people, it is only a suggestion. The important thing is to find what works for you.
Start in the chaos:
You always want to start your book with a powerful hook to hold the reader’s interest. For fiction writers, I suggest you start in the chaos and then fill in the back story later on in the book. Non-fiction writers need to find a way to hook the readers in their first paragraph. To give you an example from my career, I will tell you how I started Unorganized Crime. This book was about an ex-gangster from Chicago. Instead of starting the book when he was born and letting it read like a textbook, I chose to start the story when Sidney was 17-years-old and breaking out of prison. I then went back and added bits of his childhood throughout the book.
Point of View:
Should you use only one? Should you use more than one? The answer will depend on who you ask. I suggest if you choose to use more than one point of view to at least keep each chapter in one POV. If you switch back and forth too much, it frustrates the reader, and a frustrated reader will not finish your book.
Don’t be afraid to cut out your favorite part:
When editing your work, you must be willing to cut your favorite character for the good of the story if need be.
Once you have your manuscript as clean as possible, then it’s time to consider finding an editing app and a professional editor to finish the job. I personally use Grammarly.com to clean up my work before sending it off to my editor.
Subscribe to Synova’s Simply Biz Author Coaching Newsletter and get Synova’s Simple Guide To Overcoming Writer’s Block
Have you always wanted to write a book, but it seems overwhelming and impossible?
Get Your Book Done Now is a step-by-step guide to help you achieve your dreams of becoming a published author. This course guides you from idea to publication. Synova starts with the limiting beliefs that hold you back from success and follows through with motivation and business plans to propel the aspiring writer from insecurities to confidence.
Synova’s Get Your Book Done Now course will give you the confidence you need to become a best-selling author!
Now you can get your book written with the help of Synova’s Simply Biz Coaching Service. Synova has personally designed this course to lead you through the pitfalls of the publishing world.
What’s included:
Synova starts at the heart of the problem; your mindset. If you do not have a success mindset in place all the schemes, business plans, and marketing in the world won’t help you.
Synova dives into the purpose of your writing. Why do you want to write and who do you want to write for?
That leads right to finding your target audience and having them in mind WHILE you write your book.
How to research your book (YES, Fiction books require some research too!)
Introduction into how to set up an author platform so when your book is ready, your marketing trampoline will be too.
Editing tips
Publishing options: Traditional and Indie Publishing
Intro into author marketing
Basic PACKAGE INCLUDES:
8 course modules, videos, worksheets, and mp3 downloads
FREE download of Synova’s ebook: How To Sell More Books without Driving Everyone Insane! (This offer expires 2/14/2021)
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.
How many times have you been told that you’re a failure, and you’ll never amount to anything? How many times have you been told you will never be a successful author? How many negative things have you told yourself? Well, stop believing it!
Some of the greatest, most influential writers of all time have suffered rejection. Here are a few examples for you to look at when you get discouraged about your writing.
Animal Farm, by George Orwell, received this scathing review from a publisher. “It is impossible to sell animal stories in the U.S.A.” This book went on to be named one of the 100 best English-language novels by Time Magazine. It was number 31 on the Modern Library list of the Best 20th Century Novels. It won a Retrospective Hugo Award and is included as one of the Great Books of the Western World.
The Diary of Anne Frank, by Anne Frank, was given this horrible review. “The girl doesn’t, it seems to me, have a special perception or feeling which would lift that book above the curiosity level.” Frank could have taken that review personally, but she pressed on until she found a publication that would publish her award-winning book.
If you have found yourself dealing with critics in any area of your life, then take heart. Usually, critics only attack those with which they can’t compete. You can write your book and be a great success if you choose to. It’s up to you. You can choose to become the next author millionaire, or you can let the comments of the narrow-minded critics stop you from achieving your dreams.
“You can have excuses or results, not both” – Arnold Schwarzenegger.
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Can a local writer build a big enough audience to attract Hollywood? I did.
Can you publish independently and build a large platform that attracts the attention of a traditional publishing house? I did.
Can an indie author make six figures a year? Yes!
This go-to guide will show you how I built a business so large that a publishing house came to me and offered to buy reprint rights to three of my books. I got the chance to tell them “no” for one of the books. I made too much money.
Have you ever been able to send a rejection letter to a publishing house? It’s a lot of fun. Trust me.
