Category Archives for "Writing"

7 Mistakes the Entrepreneur Makes as a First-Time Author

Common wisdom tells us that “Everybody has a book in them”, and the stats back this up. More than 80% of people say they hope to become a first-time author.  Entrepreneurs are no exception. At Grammar Factory, we recently surveyed business owners. We found that even among this time-starved group, nearly 70% want to write a […]

Should you hire a ghost writer to write your book?

You want to write a book. In fact, you’ve been wanting to write a book for years now, but you just haven’t been able to make it happen.Business has been crazy, the family keeps growing and changing and every time you think you might be able to put some time aside, something comes up. You’re […]

How to write a great introduction: the structure that works every time

So many writers focus on the body of their book – the key points they’ll use to express their argument, which case studies would work, which experts to quote, etc. – that they forget about their introduction. In fact, I even had one client say something along the lines of “isn’t the introduction just fluff?” […]

Looking for a ghost writer? 5 questions to find the right match for your book

So you want to publish a book, but you don’t want to write it yourself… then it’s time to start looking for a ghost writer.What is a ghost writer? A ghost writer is a professional writer who will write your book for you, while still allowing you to take credit as the official author of the book. […]

Four ways to structure your nonfiction book

There are many ways to go about writing a nonfiction book. Some writers take years to finish their books. Some take months. Some take weeks. Some can even finish their book in a few days.So what’s the secret to writing well and writing quickly? Structure.Simply, if you have a clear structure, not only will your readers love […]

How to get influencers to endorse your book (aka: getting forewords and testimonials)

Have you ever noticed how successful books always seem to have quotes on the front cover? They’re usually written by someone influential and rave about how great the book is, how knowledgeable the author is, and how everyone and their cat should get a copy.Wouldn’t you love to have the influencers in your industry saying […]

How to incorporate great interviews into your book

You have a great idea for a book – it’s about your area of expertise, you’re passionate about your subject, and you’re already thinking about the cover and marketing. Best of all, you have a large network you can contact for interviews. This is going to be awesome – with your happy clients and your […]

So you’ve done a mind map… how much detail do you actually need?

If you’ve read Book Blueprint or have seen me speak, you’ll know that I’m a big fan of mind mapping to gain clarity on your book idea.But how much information do you need in a mind map? How do you know if you’ve done it right? And, if you’re using it as a way to test […]

What goes on your copyright (or imprint) page?

Open up any professionally published book. On page 1 you’ll see the title. On the flipside, you’ll see a bunch of scary legal information – copyright symbols, disclaimers, ISBNs, Dewey numbers, publisher details and more. This is your book’s copyright page, or imprint page.If your book is being published by a traditional publisher, or if […]

How to rapidly generate 20+ ideas your audience can’t wait to read

I’d just gotten the biggest guest posting opportunity of my career – the chance to write for a site with more than 500,000 engaged subscribers.Everything was at stake. A great post would take my business to an entirely new level. A bad one would make it tough to ever get that kind of opportunity again.There […]

Why didn’t I write a book sooner? The biggest stumbling block on every entrepreneur’s self-publishing journey

One of the most valuable questions for any business owner is, ‘what can you do that will make the biggest difference in your business, right now?’In my case, I knew it was writing a book. Having worked with over 100 entrepreneurs, I’d seen the difference that writing a book made to their businesses – some became […]

Think content is king? Think again

Content is important – no argument here. After all, it doesn’t matter how much style you have if there’s no substance. However, for your content to have any impact, it needs to be delivered in an easily-digestible form. You create this with your structure.Why structure is so importantWhile many people think an editor focuses on […]