The 10 Biggest Mistakes Writers Make While Writing Book Proposals
I have been writing book proposals for a LONG time, and while many things in publishing have changed and evolved over the years, one thing that has not is what makes a book proposal inherently sellable. As a writing coach, one of my favorite gigs is reviewing book... read more
Working With a Copyeditor on Your Manuscript
One of the questions I get the most from writers nearing completion of a major writing project is “Should I hire a copyeditor? And if so, how exactly do I DO that?” In today’s post, I’m going unpack the world of copyediting, and cover a) exactly what copyediting... read more
Tips for Using Beta Readers for Your Writing Project
In this post I want to talk about readers, specifically “beta readers” or pre-readers who are willing to read your writing with an eye towards providing useful feedback that can make your project stronger. For many writers, the thought of sharing writing that is... read more
10 Best Practices for Revising a Manuscript
Have you written a sh*tty first draft of your big, beautiful writing project? Congratulations! Now the real fun (work?) begins: REVISING. Revising is where all that material you dumped from your brain onto the page is shaped and molded into something that truly... read more
Getting Past Writer’s Block
Ask any writer if they’ve ever suffered from an acute case of writer’s block and the answer will likely be a resounding YES. Pesky, frustrating, even debilitating, writer’s block feels like the words just won’t come, perhaps ever again. But... read more
End-of-Year Round-Up: Publishing Highlights from My Writing Community
I absolutely LOVE helping writers bring their writing projects to fruition and I’ve been lucky enough to work with simply awe-inspiring, uber motivated clients, both through one-on-one coaching and through my online courses. I’m blown away by the big... read more
The Art of the Shitty First Draft: Why and How to Write It
At some point along every writer’s journey they are exposed to the method by why which most writers begin crafting their masterpieces. That’s right…I’m talking about the shitty first draft. The SFD isn’t a new concept and it’s not just something new writers grapple... read more
Book Writing Stalled? Here are 15 Ways to Get Back on Track
Have you fleshed out an outline for your nonfiction book? Carved out your ideal writing spot? Set a regular time in your calendar for writing sessions? Have you wrapped up your research? Examined the competitive landscape? Gotten uber clear on your vision for your... read more
Writing a Book Outline: My 5-Step Process
For the past few months, I’ve been walking you through my pre-writing process for tackling the writing of any new nonfiction book, including everything from getting uber-clear on what the finished book will be, becoming familiar with competitive titles, figuring out... read more
8 Accountability Strategies for Writing Your Book
I’m a huge fan of accountability. And for writers, especially writers who struggle to begin their book or those who peter out before they finish what they started, a little accountability goes a long way. Accountability is about being responsible, to yourself,... read more
9 Things You Need to Know About Writing Book Proposals
When people say to me they’re writing a nonfiction book they want to traditionally publish, I often tell them to stop writing. Seriously. Stop writing the book. Because neither agents nor publishers will accept a completed manuscript for consideration. No matter how... read more