The rule about creating a good blog post is that there are few rules. But, while there are few rules, I’ve noticed that there are some common themes or characteristics of good blog posts. They are well written. They have a good flow. They are logical in their construction. They are edited by someone other than the author, since we …
Once is Not Enough: Or the Art of Repurposing Your Writing
I have never been a particularly gifted writer. It doesn’t come easily or naturally to me. In fact, I never had a teacher tell me, “You know, Cathy, you should think about a career in writing.” But here I am, a book coach writing blogs and books. I’ve often said, “I don’t like writing, but I do like what having …
Quantifying the Benefits of Authorship
What would being an author mean for your business? Many nonfiction authors who write books about their areas of expertise discuss the intangibles of having more credibility or visibility, a larger footprint in the marketplace, or being seen as a thought-leader. If you had to quantify the benefits, what would that dollar figure be for your business? I was discussing …
Choose To Write
Sometimes I feel like a petulant child when I sit down to write. “I don’t want to write,” the child complains. “I want to play games and have fun.” I’ve tried to discipline the child and tell her that this is for her own good, that she needs to buckle down and get her work done, but she protests even …
The Cumulative Effect: Easy to Do; Easy Not to Do
A couple of weeks ago I attended a program in which Dr. Brad Shuck, a professor with the University of Louisville and a thought-leader in employee engagement, discussed how the cumulative effect could impact organizational culture. What intrigued me was his idea that many of the contributors to employee engagement were little things that managers could do, that, when done …
It’s Time to Think about Time by Michael Harper, WorkShop
Let’s face it, though, we’ve all sat through time management seminars (led by ridiculously organized people) and you’ve probably read our fair share of articles on this topic. Instead of listing the same old list of time management ideas, we thought we’d pass along a few creative ideas that may be new to you: Keep a List of 10-Minute Tasks–We …
Author as Tribal Leader
What if you were to think about your “targeted reader” or “target client” as a member of your tribe? This is the framework that Seth Godin suggests in his excellent book, Tribes. What’s the difference in a targeted reader and a tribal member? Targeted Reader Me: Them Head One Way Not connected/siloed Spectator Consumer Tribal Member We Heart Two …
Don’t Be Original: Steal Like an Artist – a review
Over my long vacation, I had the pleasure of reading 11 books, 7 of them nonfiction, and most all of them of interest to authors and thought leaders. My next several posts will provide reviews of the best of these books. There is nothing new under the sun, states Ecclesiastes. And Austin Kleon seconds that motion is his excellent book …
Keeping New Year’s Promises
If “write my book” or “get my book published” appears on your 2016 New Year’s Resolutions, you know how important a goal it is for your business and career. So how do you ensure that it gets checked off the bucket list and your launch party is a reality? Here are five simple ideas for helping turn your dream into …
20 Things You Can Do NOW To Promote Your Book
Maybe you’ve just started on your book. Maybe you’re almost done. Wherever you are in the process, it’s not too late to begin to promote your book NOW. Here are twenty simple things you can do before your book is launched. Begin your action planning NOW! Get the cover art completed for the book and add the picture to your …