CREATE A BOOK PITCH

We all know that to be a successful author we need to sell our books. Many times we need to sell them "one copy at a time." Other times, we are presented with opportunities to bring our book to the attention of agents, publishers, retailers and the media. In other words, we need to create the "elevator pitch." A description of our book that can be told in the time it takes an elevator to rise 5 stories.

Before writing your book pitch, take a close look at your book, then answer the following questions:

1. What is most interesting or unusual about your book?
2. What makes your book most memorable?
3. What are the three most important benefits that readers will receive from your book? (yes, "entertained," is a legit answer)
4. What differentiates your book from titles on the same or similar subjects?
5. What are the first responses you receive when you tell people about your book?
6. What causes people to stop, listen, or say, wow?
7. What questions do people ask when you tell them about your book?

Use the answers to these questions to fashion your book pitch and you can expect winning results.

BEST SELLING BOOK TITLES

During my workshops, I spend some time showing people the characteristics of a best selling book title and how they can use this information for their own books. Here's a few real-life examples of authors and their books who didn't attend my workshop:

Welcome to Your Facelift, by Helen Bransford (1997)

The Lull Before Dorking, Chiswick Press, (1871)

Build Your Own Hindenburg, by Alan Rose (1983)

I Was a Kamikazi, Ryuji Nagatsuka, (1973)

My Invisible Friend Explains the Bible, by J.G. Bogusz, (1971)

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: A Personal View, by Henry Janowitz, (1985)

Who's Who in Barbed Wire, Rabbit Ear Publishing, (1970)

Pooh Gets Stuck, by Isabel Gaines, (1998)

and the always entertaining,

Beyond Leaf Raking, by Peter Benson, (1993)

CREATING A BOOK - WHEN?

"Creating a book sounds like an onerous task and I just don't have the time to do it."

Sound familiar? Most people when asked will say that they would like to write a book, have an idea, want to make a difference in the world, have stories to tell, want to help others and on and on. Most people, when asked will tell you that they just don't have any spare time - too much work, too much to learn, kids to soccer, dance, grocery shopping, lawn mowing, house repairs - it just never stops.
Here's the thing - it never stops! There is always something else to do. The time does not magically appear to write a book, especially for someone trying to make a living today - it has to be found. Most people who have come to the realization that writing a book would be important in their life then have to deal with the whole aspect of time. They start to bargain and make deals with themselves. Much of this is misspent energy. Many try to work in the time during their day by promising to spend a few minutes here and a few minutes there, maybe they promise to spend Saturday mornings in 4 solid hours of writing, ditto for Sunday.
The reality is that this is very rarely successful - it's as rare as creating a NY Times bestseller first time out of the gate, by someone with no name recognition.
Most people don't want to hear this. Most people give up their dream when they hear this. Most people will never write the book they talk and dream about because they do not want to accept this.

GET UP AN HOUR EARLIER OR STAY UP AN HOUR LATER

Take your choice. 

See, I told you that you didn't want to hear this - but it's true. For the first time author, regardless of the occasional exception, this is the rule. For the average working person with responsibilities to a company and a family, this is the only solution that actually works. You really can create a book by committing an hour a day to its writing but pick your hour, your total, uninterrupted, written-in-stone, no exceptions, no excuses, no email, no kids, no phones, no pool, no pets, kitty-bar-the-door, everyday hour. It works, period! The only thing is that you need to do this for 21 straight days to create a habit. That includes weekends, holidays and sick days. It works! There is a money back guarantee for this tip.

CREATING A BOOK - WHY?

Why create a book? If you are a business person, salesperson, entrepreneur or stuck in a job you hate, why might writing a book bring you some benefits...and just what are those benefits? Writing a non-fiction book about your area of expertise or interest can benefit you and your business life in these ways:

1. increased credibility - competitors, peers and customers generally look upon people who have written a book about their mutual fields of interest, with a heightened sense of respect. You, as the author, are afforded this respect (some might call it envy) because you have taken the time to assemble information and create a book that explains, convinces, informs or instructs them.
2. no noise - when a person is reading your book, there are no interfering or competing points of view. You get the chance to tell your story without interruption. Even if they put your book down to go and make dinner for the kids, they come back later and finish reading what you have to say. You can use a book to make your points clearly, concisely and convincingly.
3. visibility - if you create a book that has good information and creates and gives value to its readers, then you are among the small minority of people in your field, any field, who has taken this step and it positions you among the thought leaders in your industry. You can and should expect requests for interviews as an acknowledged expert.
4. possibilities - creating a book opens up a world of possibilities in your particular field and well beyond. Opportunities to speak, invitations to sit on panel discussions, present workshops, provide seminars and coach others start to appear if your book is well received.
5. career opportunities - whether it is in the company you now work for, with a competitor or something you had never considered before, creating a book will give you a serious leg up in the employment world. Today, there is so much competition for every position that anything you can provide that sets you apart from other applicants can only benefit you. The fact that you have written a book clearly indicates a level of expertise that most companies are very eager to have on board.
6. business card - a book that is based on your business expertise is perhaps the most exclusive business card on the planet. There is even a company that recognizes this fact and designs and creates books in a small format for this very purpose. You can use it as a hand out to clients or even sell it at the back of the room during speeches and workshops. This is a small but highly effective marketing tool that gives incredible ROI.

So, these are some of the reasons a business person should create a book and here's how I can help. I know your time is valuable and scarce, but if you are serious about creating a book and need some assistance, I encourage you to look on the left hand side of this page at my book titled The One Hour Author: non-fiction book writing for busy people. It is available on Kindle, or you can download it to your computer and print it out or buy it for any other e-reader device, tablet or phone device. At only $9.99, it will be one of the most valuable investments you  make in your own business.

WRITERS GROUPS

I had an inquiry from an author the other day about two things: first he wanted to contact someone about editing his new novel and he was also looking to find a group of like-minded writers who would get together and critique each others work. Isn't it funny how things just "pop up" when we are thinking about them?
I had been thinking about the solitary life of a writer who spends countless hours with nothing but her thoughts and a keyboard when someone reached out to me with a lovely note. I had recently published My Secret Mother and a reader sent me a copy of a review she had posted which opened up a whole new world to me.
I have loved everything about books since the first moment I smelled them in my first visit to the public library and I find that I have spent most of my life gravitating to people and circumstances where books are a central theme. I love nothing more than hearing about a new book or author from someone who has read them and sharing my latest find with them.
The review of my own book had been posted on an online site called "Goodreads." Naturally, I clicked on the link to read this five star rating and then started looking around. Truth be told, I had heard about Goodreads before and I am sure I made a note of the address in a notebook somewhere but had not taken the time to search it out. All I can say is, "Wow!" This a book lovers dream come true (shhh, I was thinking about another phrase with the word "dream" in it for you erotica writers out there, but don't tell anyone). Most writers are, in the first place, readers. I know there are lots of book clubs around but maybe you don't belong to one. How about a book club with 5,000,000 members who are passionate about reading and sharing?
Anyway, needless to say, I joined, invited a few friends to join me and now I am inviting you to take a look - here's my profile page, set up your own, ask me to be a friend - I will - and then start looking for more contacts, book recommendations and ratings. I have found some great reads and some new authors (some of whom are now friends) and am having a fabulous time connecting with people just like you - book lovers.
To bring this all together, we all need feedback from people who are objective and knowledgeable whether we are budding authors or just interested readers. I was able to connect the young man from the first paragraph with a great local editor who also meets with a group of other writers. But, what a wonderful time to be alive for authors and readers when we can connect with people from around the world to discover new books, new writers and new opportunities to literally (pun intended) expand our horizons.

NEW RELEASE NOW AVAILABLE

THE ONE HOUR AUTHOR

non-fiction book writing for busy people

CREATING A BOOK , especially your first one is an experience full of joy, humility, excitement and no small amount of fear. I remember all of that and have based this new guide for aspiring authors on these facts. When I work with coaching clients, some of the same questions and challenges come up over and over again and I've been making notes. In my writing workshops, the audience members express many emotions, doubts and anxieties and look to the front of the room for answers and support...and I've been making notes.

TIPS ON WRITING A BOOK are my stock in trade and I have been doing that in workshops, coaching and blogging but there are many people who are not within reach of my voice. It only made sense to compile what I have learned from clients and workshop attendees and then toss in what I have gleaned from taking college courses, online seminars, reading dozens of books, hundreds of blogs and my own writing career and offer it in a compact format to more people.

MY PROGRAM FOR WRITING A BOOK is easy to understand, logical and uses a step-by-step approach that anyone, regardless of training, can utilize to create your own book. THE ONE HOUR AUTHOR is designed to give you the information needed, when you need it, including a few very revealing and instructional field trips, ideas on how to enhance your expert status, create a bestselling title and answer questions like, "What's your book about?"

IF YOU HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE AN AUTHOR but are not sure how and where to start, not sure if you are a good enough writer, not sure if you have something unique to say, not sure if you really are an expert in your field, then THE ONE HOUR AUTHOR has been created especially for you.

THE BOOK MENTOR BLOG repeats excerpts from the book from time to time and if you check through the archives, you will find many posts in that category. However, if you want all the information in one place, categorized, organized and detailed then you may want to check out the link on the left hand side of this page and see more information.

THE ONE HOUR AUTHOR is available on Amazon's Kindle format but you don't need a Kindle to read it. Whatever device you are reading this blog on will work if you download the free app from Kindle. You can utilize an I-Pad, Blackberry, PC, Mac or just about anything else and enjoy the convenience and cost savings of reading books on Kindle.

I CHARGE AS MUCH AS $1,000.00 per month for coaching and $300.00 for a half day workshop but you can access much of the same information with THE ONE HOUR AUTHOR for only pennies. 999 of them.