Join the Nonfiction Writers Conference

The Nonfiction Writers Conference is the first and only online writer’s conference for nonfiction authors and they have packed the 2012 schedule with powerful content to help you write, publish, and promote your nonfiction books. They have a great line-up of speakers and topics for this year’s event!

The 2012 conference features 15 speakers over three days, and all sessions are virtual and conducted via teleseminar so that you can dial in with a phone or Skype (long distance rates may apply), and participate in Q&A with their speakers. Recordings and transcripts are also available for this exciting virtual conference.

Published on March 16, 2012 at 6:50 PM by Judy Cullins

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How to Overcome Writers Block with Snake Dancing

How do you solve writer’s block?

Writer’s block! Even columnist and author Dave Berry has it. He admits that at least 30 times a day when writing his humor column, he gets up from his computer to sip his Pepsi to divert his attention when he can’t think of what to write. One day when he reached for the cola, he instead found a coiled snake. He tried barbecue tongs to carry it away, but when it landed in his pool he kept the dance going trying to catch the thing.

As a writer you may think you are blocked because you believe your book or whatever you are writing won’t be significant enough, or since you aren’t famous, your book won’t sell. Or, like Dave, you can’t think of something great to say.

Published on March 10, 2012 at 7:03 PM by Judy Cullins

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Publish Online – Realize Your Book Dream with a Powerful System

If you haven’t realized the book success you wanted last year, here’s one way to join the 5% Club and create much bigger results.

Use the Power of Visualization

When you see, hear, and feel your book project already manifested through specific outcomes, you’ll be in the 5% Club of the top success group. It’s far easier to perceive specific outcomes as true when visualizing them as they already are true. Claim your book dream as true now in specific outcomes.

This outcome, “I see myself signing autographed copies” is far more powerful than “I will autograph copies when my book is done.” It’s always easier to look back on what led to your success than look down that long road ahead to a doubtful success because your goal is so far in the future.

Published on December 29, 2011 at 1:37 PM by Judy Cullins

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Ten Ways to Give Writing Feedback to Boost Your Success

Writing a book? Website? Promotional Materials?

Want to up level your already quality writing?

Whatever we write, we need to share it with our peers or professionals for feedback before we present it to our paying audience.

Getting writing feedback offers many benefits. Even though you know your topic well, you may have some old writing sins lurking in your copy. While a bit scary, if you can put your ego aside, you’ll get valuable ideas from others to make your writing more clear and inspiring. You will learn how to identify your writing strengths and weaknesses, and you will develop your own writing style and voice.

Published on December 5, 2011 at 1:20 PM by Judy Cullins

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How to Write a Book Outline with Mind Mapping

If you want to learn how to write a book outline, mind mapping is better than linear outlining because authors can use flexible thinking and creativity for their book outline. One can add and subtract a thought or phrase from a mind map easily. This is an excellent way to start, organize, and finish your book–fast!

What is Mind Mapping?

Mind mapping is a color-coded outline of main ideas, sub topics and details, printed on different colored branches connected to the center. In the center in a circle, you will list your main idea, such as your book or chapter title.

For “The One-Minute Sales Person”, Spencer’s mind map would have had seven different colored vertical branches coming from that center, so details can be put on connected horizontal branches. For most of us, mind maps are easier to read than the typical list outlines. For all of my 14 business books for authors and small businesses, I mind mapped each book title in one mind map of 20″ by 36″ and others of 8 1/2″ by 11″ of each chapter title and its related chapter titles. I taped them to my office walls where I could see them every day. Then, I could add on new points, and clarify other key words on the branches coming from the middle subject.

Published on November 2, 2011 at 8:51 PM by Judy Cullins

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eBook Review by D’vorah Lanksy

Write Your eBook or Other Short Book Fast by Judy Cullins

Reviewed by D’vorah Lansky, M.Ed. and Author of of the Amazon bestseller, Book Marketing Made Easy: Simple Strategies for Selling Your Nonfiction Book Online

“Inside a story brews, information you must share! Unique, needed information you knowwill benefit lives–hundreds and thousands lives.”
- Judy Cullins

Have you been wanting to write your first book, or your next book, but you don’t feel that you have the months or years to put into the project? Well, delay no longer because in Write Your eBook or Other Short Book Fast, author, Judy Cullins outlines fast, simple, effective tips that will have you celebrating the publication of your new book, in record time!

Published on October 28, 2011 at 3:03 PM by Judy Cullins

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Book Coach’s 8 Ways to Write Like a Pro

Sure you can write, but can you write crisp, compelling copy that blog readers, your website visitors, and book audiences will clamor for?

To sell well, your blog articles, reports, books, and copywriting need to pass the checklist below:

1.___ Make your book, blog title, or promotional headlines grab your reader by the collar.

If your titles and headlines are ho hum, your prospective audience will leave you instantly. Headlines and titles are far more important than the copy that follows. A clever title is great, but an even better title is clever and clear. Make sure your titles contain benefits to readers and important keywords to make Google happy too.

Published on October 20, 2011 at 8:44 PM by Judy Cullins

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A New Model for Becoming a Successful Writer in the Digital Age

by Michael Larsen

Michael Larsen is a long time top non-fiction agent and knows the game. He mentored me years ago.

Now is the best time ever to be a writer, and what follows is a new model for what it will take for you to build a successful writing career in the digital age. Every part of the model is essential. You need to use the whole model to succeed.

Passion

Writing begins with a boundless enthusiasm for words, ideas, writing, books, people, publishing, communicating about your work, and serving your readers.

Published on July 12, 2011 at 2:20 PM by Judy Cullins

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7 Ways Metaphor Magic Makes your Writing Sell

Surprise your target audience. Give them chocolate frosting!

Use metaphors in your book, blog, promo, and website.

One kind of writing coaching I offer is to create your promotional and web copy such as benefit statements and sales letters with metaphors. Your readers want to make that creative leap to your answers.

Here’s 7 Ways…

1) Start a Metaphor List. Keep it filed where you can find it easily and add to it. Every time you hear a good one, write it down. Use other people’s metaphors as a springboard for your own.

Published on June 6, 2011 at 3:04 PM by Judy Cullins

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Replace Writing Sins with Strong Sentences to Get More Readers

Most of us, even though we are professionals, carry old writing sins into business. And, many of us don’t realize how our slow styles prevent our readers from finishing a book or article.

Passive sentence construction includes using such linking verbs as ”is,” “was,” “have,” “begin,” and “appear.” These habits show easy, lazy writing that slow your reader down. Good for you, but not your audience. They also create longer, difficult-to-read sentences. Know that 15-17 words make up an average sentence. Shorter sentences get to the point and that help you get more devoted readers.

Check some of your sentences to see if you commit this writing sin. Include some short sentences for emphasis, even a fragment. Business people want to receive information fast and easy. And even fiction readers want action with compelling copy. Of course, you can write a few longer sentences, but make them clear.

Yesterday, a new business bookcoaching client presented great information in such a slow style that it lost me. Don’t lose your readers with unwieldy sentences. If they finish each chapter of your book, they are the ones who will recommend your book. What author doesn’t want their audience to read their book? You want them to finish and be your 24/7 sales team.

Easy Solution for Slow Sentences

Instead, start your sentences with the subject, then add an action verb for clear, concise, and compelling sentences. Your Word spell and grammar check give you passive percentages at the end. Aim for 2-4 %. If your sentences contain more than 4% passives, you need a professional book coach or editor to check your copy. This short post has 0% passives.

While it takes some effort to replace your old writing habits, this action pays off handsomely.

Special One Time Coaching Offer Good Until the Last Day of This Month

If you want to check and correct part of one of your chapters or an article of 2-3 pages, see Judy’s 1/2 hour special coaching offer, then email her your copy before you schedule!

Published on September 13, 2010 at 9:11 AM by Judy Cullins

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How to Write a Short Book to Promote your Coaching Service

When coaches contact me, one thing they say is “I’m not a writer.” They can’t see the end of the journey, because they believe they must write a long book, and shouldn’t it be with a publisher?

My Bookcoaching Strategies:

1. Think of the benefits of writing a short book.

• You will build credibility and be known as the expert in your field.
• You build your brand with the book title and chapter parts.
• You can generate leads with a short free eBook.
• You can finish a short book in 100 days or less.
• You can transform your readers into clients.
• You can brand your business and build worldwide visibility.
• You can share your mission, influence and educate your targeted audience
• You can create ongoing life-long revenue.
• You can repurpose your book into teleseminars and coaching packages.

Published on July 28, 2010 at 6:56 AM by Judy Cullins

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How to Write a Great Book Introduction in 5 Steps

Why write an introduction? Nobody reads it anyhow. And do you know why? Authors get windy and “I” centered in their long introductions. They think their readers will love their journey. Maybe, but maybe boring.

Instead, your buyers want to know what you can do for them. Your introduction is the 3rd “Essential Hot Selling Point” to write before you finish or publish your eBook or Print book. So, in your new half to one-page book introduction include these five points, excerpted from my Write your eBook or Other Short Book – Fast! – the book that solves chapter, book business, and pre-marketing challenges for the emerging author.

Published on June 23, 2010 at 9:37 AM by Judy Cullins

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Your Book’s Benefits and Features – Do You Know the Difference?

New and experienced book authors know their topic and their story. Yet, 99% make the mistake of talking too much about their book’s features on their website or in their emails, and not nearly enough about their book’s benefits. This approach gives disappointing results.

Remember, features describe what’s in the book, such as your how to exercises or quotes so many people love. Benefits describe the results your reader will get from finishing your book, for example, your promise of getting healthier, happier, or richer.

IT’S NOT THE BOOK–IT’S THE HOOK. It’s not the beautiful website; it’s the sales piece for each book, product or service that lists the benefits of reading your book.

Published on June 7, 2010 at 8:47 AM by Judy Cullins

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Write for the Ones Who Buy Your Book – Your Readers!

Write your book for your reader. That’s who decides whether it sells or not. Rather than lecture or tell all you know from your research or your story, think what does my reader need now? How can I make my chapter more enjoyable and easy to read?

Our first draft may tell and not have a clear focus, but after that we authors can make our books so much better. Better enough that the reader will finish each chapter, hungry for the next, and the next, until he or she finishes. Then comes the great “word of mouth” promotion. It’s 24/7 and free for us. A big message to the emerging author as well as the pro.

Remember To…

When you ask and answer questions for your non-fiction chapter middle, you will be clear and natural. When you do a similar exercise for fiction, each chapter will brim with exciting details your reader wants to know about. That includes answering questions on who, what, what, why and how.

Know some great book writing tells that help authors sell more copies and engage their readers? Please share below!

Published on January 21, 2010 at 10:50 AM by Judy Cullins

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(C) 2012 Judy Cullins. Skills Unlimited Publishing.