Ask a would-be author what's stopping them from starting, or completing, their manuscript and more often than not their answer will have something to do with TIME—as in, struggling to find the time to write a book, or at least enough of it to make true progress....

In recent posts, I’ve been sharing every step of my process for developing and getting clarity around a new book idea. My next group of posts will focus on getting ready to actually write the book. To write the book, you need to come up with a PLAN. In this post I’m...

Because there are so many potential obstacles to completing a nonfiction book — doubt, writer’s block, and getting lost along the way being three of the biggest—I do everything in my power to ensure I can push through whatever comes up and reach my goal. That’s the...

In a previous post, I shared my 9 essential tips for researching a nonfiction book idea, one of which was to survey your potential readers as a way of gaining specific insight on your subject matter. In today’s post, I want to expand on this idea of connecting with...

When I ask people writing a nonfiction book how their idea stands out from other similarly-themed books on the market, many reply that they haven’t explored competitive books too deeply, the thinking being that reading them might influence or muddle their own writing...

It’s not absolutely necessary to be a research junkie in order to write a nonfiction book, but it certainly helps. During my initial book dreaming and scheming phase, I typically spend a chunk of time in full-on research mode. If you’re someone who likes to write...

In today's post I'm featuring an interview with author Kayce Hughlett, the writer behind the soon-to-be-released, beautifully written novel, BLUE (September 10, BQB Publishing). I've loved watching Kayce's book writing journey, from when she wrote and self-published...

Most of the work I do before I begin the actual writing of a nonfiction book is geared around setting myself up for successfully completing it. As I've written about before, taking the time to get uber-clear on exactly what it is you're looking to do before you start...

When I'm in the early stages of developing a new nonfiction book idea, I always spend time envisioning exactly what I think/hope/believe my completed book will look like. I do this for three simple reasons: 1. It helps me get clearer on exactly what I'm hoping to...

You’ve got a nonfiction book idea. Maybe it’s simply a word. Maybe it’s a thesis statement. Maybe it’s a hazy vision. So, what now? If you’re what I refer to as a “cliff diver,” someone who likes to plunge right into a project as soon as an idea pops into their head,...

If you've been following my Writer Unplugged series, you know my work-in-progress—a personal memoir for the adult market—is out the door and my agent is busily working to find the right home for it. So, after months and months of writing, pushing through blocks,...

Last October (October 14, 2014 to be exact), I launched my Writer Unplugged series as a way to take you behind the scenes of my process of launching a book while trying to write another. My book, Doable: The Girls' Guide to Accomplishing Just About Anything, was to be...