Self Publishing for Thought Leaders

The key distinction is between creative rest and destructive procrastination, since procrastination involves avoidance and guilt with no end point, while creative breaks involve intention and restoration with defined boundaries. Signs you are procrastinating include endlessly researching without writing, constantly rewriting the same chapter, and waiting for perfect inspiration. Signs you need a c...

Let’s walk through a complete high-level roadmap to self-publish your book from concept to KDP upload, with most steps applying even if you use a hybrid or traditional publisher. Before writing anything, identify four key components: why you are writing, what your focus is, what your message is, and who your target audience is. Your "why" might be becoming a known author, making money, using the b...

In this Book Blueprint episode, I welcome Bob Martin, a former mob lawyer turned mindfulness teacher and author. Bob shares his origin story of becoming a mob lawyer after hitting the Gambino family's southern branch with a 72-million-dollar racketeering case while working for Janet Reno in Miami. Johnny from the Gambino family walked into his office and offered to send clients since Bob beat thei...

I welcome Lisa Raby of Nerd Girl Industries to discuss getting books into bookstores beyond Amazon. Lisa explains why bookstores matter, including passive income opportunities, access to new reader communities, free promotion through author events, and bookstores ordering back catalogs. The myth that traditional or hybrid publishers automatically get books into more bookstores is false since publi...

In this essential episode, I welcome John DeDakis, former CNN Situation Room editor and author of six novels, to discuss his "weed whacking" service for shortening manuscripts.  John cautions that content over 100,000 words becomes a disincentive for readers with short attention spans and for traditional publishers concerned about production costs for unknown authors. Non-professional writers...

Here’s the 411 on why hiring the right editor makes all the difference; since choosing the wrong book editor lowers book quality, which I've witnessed with clients who hired two professional editors, yet their books showed little to no editing. The right editor must be well-practiced in your genre, never use AI for editing since traditional publishers, including the big five, pull contracts for an...

What You Need to Know About the New Amazon KDP Algorithm Did you know that Amazon KDP recently changed their book algorithm? Yes! KDP finally made changes which rewards quality content and genuine engagement over previous gaming systems, finally leveling the playing field for professional authors. The major shifts include greater emphasis on read-through rates and completion where ebooks people fi...

Ready to transform your expertise into a bestselling book that resonates and sells with your target readers? Your expertise and voice make your book unique even if similar topics exist, but expertise alone doesn't create a good book without the right strategy. I cover mining your expertise for book-worthy content including years of professional experience, repeated client questions, frameworks or...

I’ve got another Book Blueprint episode for you, today! Welcome Stephanie Jordan, author and speaker who retired from her 27-year cosmetology career and has written multiple books including The Narcissistic Bride of Christ and her upcoming Legacy Builders . Stephanie asks how to get people interested in your book. I explain the ideal approach is to start marketing three to six months before your p...

Melanie Trela Johnson, the visionary founder of Elite Online Publishing, has taken over 3000 authors to number one bestseller status and is herself an 18-time Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author. Melanie explains how Elite Online Publishing differs from traditional publishers by providing high-level service throughout the entire publishing journey, handling the publishing triathlo...

In this special Book Blueprint episode, I welcome Dave Letterfly-Notar, a five-time published author with three memoirs and two guidebooks who takes readers into the traveling circus world through his passion for horsemanship, adventure, and artwork. Dave started writing as catharsis 37 years ago, evolved into marketing essays for his art career, then, he was encouraged by professors who helped hi...

Here are the 22 crucial questions to ask before hiring a book editor, based on a thorough questionnaire a prospective client sent me that covers major considerations when vetting professional editors for your self-published book. The fundamental questions covered in this episode include: genre expertise, comparable books edited, and what excites editors about your manuscript, though many ghostwrit...

I recently had another podcaster in a coaching group ask me about how to break down the overwhelming process of writing a self-published book into manageable, smaller goals. The core problem: the thought of writing a book paralyzes aspiring authors because it's an undefined goal with no clear starting point, creating blank page paralysis compounded by comparing themselves to finished books with be...

Dr. David Gruder, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of eight books and award-winning psychologist, shares his four secrets to never experiencing writer's block. David's unique writing gift came from childhood when his father, an accomplished technical writer, and his mother, a published poet, mercilessly edited his homework with input that drove him crazy but ultimately gifted him the rare ab...

In this game-changing episode, I sit down with Scott Carson, nationally recognized note investing authority, who built his email list to 50,000 subscribers using strategies any author can apply. Scott opens with a powerful American Marketing Association statistic showing email marketing delivers 4,400% ROI, earning $44 for every dollar spent. The critical insight: you only truly own three platform...

Want to know about the 30-minute document that saves you countless hours when writing, working with editors, and self-publishing? Then you want to know about (and create) a style guide for your self-published book. A style guide instructs professionals working on your book how you want your book written, specifying whether "donut" is spelled D-O-U-G-H-N-U-T instead of D-O-N-U-T (Dunkin' Donuts bra...

I’m revealing the five costliest mistakes I see new authors make when self-publishing. If you're using your book as a business card, you cannot afford amateur formatting giving bad first impressions to readers who immediately notice wrong fonts and layouts, especially if they read extensively in your genre. Let’s start with the number one mistake that cost my client thousands: formatting your book...

Lately, I’ve talked to several clients and found out they have made mistakes surrounding hiring a book editor—mistakes that cost them upwards of $10,000, so I created this informational episode so you don’t make those same costly mistakes! I share five critical facts every author must know about book editing. First, I address the blind spot reality where you cannot edit your own book effectively b...

I coach Tom Fox in this Book Blueprint episode. Tom has won 42 podcasting awards and has written 38 books through his transition into traditional nonfiction. When speaking with Tom, I explained Edelman studies and how these consistently show that professionals with books get more traction, exposure, and authority, separating them from competitors because prospects usually choose authors over non-a...

In this Book Blueprint episode, I coach AJ Tyler, author of "Immigrant Men" which hit number one in two Amazon categories and debut novel "Death and Short," through critical publishing challenges. AJ opens with a pressing issue facing newly published authors: floods of scam solicitations from fake reviewers and fraudulent marketing services. I advise verifying any unsolicited offers through nation...

In this crucial legal episode, I sit down with Gordon Firemark, intellectual property entertainment and media lawyer, to navigate the Wild West of AI in publishing. With 50 lawsuits currently underway against AI companies, most dealing with training on pre-existing copyrighted material, Gordon explains that Anthropic just agreed to a $1.5 billion settlement with a group of authors, noting if the t...

I sat down with Terry Whalin to debunk common misconceptions that trip up aspiring authors. Terry tackles the biggest misunderstanding among new authors, which is the belief that publishers will sell and promote your book for you. While publishers invest in marketing, they have hundreds of books published, meaning authors must take 100% responsibility. The person with the greatest investment in yo...

This is one of the biggest mistakes I see authors make repeatedly: skipping professional editing or relying solely on AI to edit their work. I cannot stress this enough—your book creates a first impression you cannot undo! An unprofessionally edited book at a business networking event is like wearing jeans and a t-shirt while everyone else wears business casual. Grammar mistakes, awkward phrasing,...

Nick Loper is my guest today. Nick is the owner and CEO of Side Hustle Nation. He’s on today to share proven strategies for using your book as a lead generator rather than a revenue source. Nick's philosophy is simple: most authors will find greater value using their book as a business card and authority builder. He demonstrates this at local vendor fairs where his stack of books carries more weig...

Today I’m with Lisa Jones, president and CEO of Financially Awaken, LLC, who hit Amazon's #1 bestseller list in just six days with her book Financial Seasons: Daily Inspiration About Finance and Our Emotions . What makes Lisa's story impressive is that she accomplished this without a huge social media following, publishing company backing, or extensive marketing team. Lisa shares the journey that...