When I started my own freelance business in 2012, my goals were simple. Help people. Be less broke. I started with a janky computer in a studio apartment that was definitely too small for two cats. …

When I met Natalie Nixon, she had already written two books — an academic book on design thinking and a book on creativity with a small but reputable publisher. And she was ready to get a real deal — with a household-name publisher, preferably for six-figures. …

Today, I’m dropping the simplest advice I can give you into your inbox. There are five basic things entrepreneurs and experts need to know before trying to get a book deal. The audience. Specifically, the demographics and psychographics of your reader. Who are these people, what is their problem, why…

In the past few weeks, I’ve seen ad after ad for scary movies and shows. And though the only horror movies I like are the Scream franchise, I wanted to share some of my own scary stories with y’all this week. So here are a couple publishing industry horror stories…

The traditional publishing route takes too long. I want to publish my book now. If this sounds like you, read this post carefully because I’m going to share two case studies from two people who said that to me. The first story is from someone who chose not to work…

I thought I had bought the “right” coffeemaker. The best according to Wirecutter and Good Housekeeping and some other sites. At first, I was excited to have made such a worthy investment in myself. After years of cheap machines, I had been able to invest in a quality coffee maker…

I love country music. I have a near-encyclopedic knowledge of the artists and their hits that were all over the radio during the 1990s and 2000s. …

Over the past year or so I’ve seen an explosion of people teaching how to get a book deal. And while I’m all about entrepreneurship in any form I must tell you what I know as an industry insider about group programs, retreats, and coaching that promises to help you…

Write. So simple and yet . . . so many people who want to be authors don’t make writing a part of their daily life. Within Author Platform Builders — my group of aspiring authors who need to grow their audience before developing their book — it’s become a bit…