Book writing
Author Spotlight interview with Sarah Chapman
Many people feel that you have to say something new when you write a book. I don’t agree with this. Because we all have a different approach, unique stories and the ability to engage our audience in different ways. BUT you do need to find a hook that wows your audience. When Sarah Chapman signed…
Read MoreAuthor Spotlight interview with Dr Carol Samuel
The start of the pandemic last year prompted many people to decide to write a book and today’s featured author is one of these. After her book had sat in her head for the best part of 10 years, Dr Carol Samuel made the decision to write her book, The Tenacious Student. At the same…
Read MoreAuthor Spotlight interview with Jim James
Every author goes on their unique journey writing a book. We love to find out what’s worked, what hasn’t and what could have worked better. A few weeks ago, I shared some of the stories from authors who have recently been published. And my colleague, Sheryl Andrews, recently interviewed Jim James for the Author Spotlight…
Read More10 ways to increase your writing motivation
Writing motivation… You start your writing with excitement and enthusiasm. And then life gets in the way. A book isn’t a quick win like a blog or an email, so how can you maintain your focus and increase your motivation and mojo when it drops? I was recently asked for my tips on writing motivation…
Read MoreCase study – Zana Goic Petricevic
As I write this email, I’ve just come off Zana Goic Petricevic’s online book launch with dozens of people from all around the world being called forth to step into their boldness. Immediately an Amazon bestseller in the US, the book has already stimulated insightful conversations and encouraged readers to take risks and rewrite their…
Read MorePlanner or pantser?
There are two types of writers. Planner or pantser. The planner only starts to write when they have a clear outline. They get clear on the topic and themes, map out the chapters and know their ultimate end goal. They give thought and consideration to what they’re going to write, so that they know what’s…
Read MoreThe messy middle
Last week I wrote a book. It was only supposed to be a short book, but as the days moved on, it got bigger and bigger. And by Friday, it was over 14,000 words. OK, it’s not a complete book yet, although it’s getting there… It went well for the first few days. I purposely…
Read MoreLessons from The Hotel Inspector
I recently watched The Hotel Inspector. The hotelier, Alex Polizzi, goes around struggling hospitality establishments to turn around their fortunes and tells them what they could do better. It made me laugh out loud when she made this exasperated comment to the couple running their lodge. “Did you read the f*****g brief…?” Now Alex Polizzi is a pretty straight-talking…
Read MoreWriting space: Where to write and why it’s important
I was recently talking to a friend who was struggling to write. When we unpacked the reasons why, she realised that before the pandemic she was stimulated by long train journeys. And being in the office all the time was stunting her creativity. Over the last 18 months, you’ve probably spent a lot of your day at…
Read MoreThe 8 rules of writing
Whenever I have a session with my Smart Author – Fast Track groups, I always start by asking them to each share their successes since the last call. I ask questions like… What has gone well? What is working? What successes have you had? Because even if you’ve had the worst week in the world, there will be…
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