People think AI ethics for authors is complex. It shouldn’t be. There are subtleties, of course, but there are four basic principles to follow. All of this is the same whether you’re an AI enthusiast or an AI hater. If you agree, then make sure anyone you collaborate with agrees as well — publishers, coauthors,…
The news for nonfiction authors is bleak. Sales are down 8.4% year over year. Based on my recent experience with many authors pitching publishers, it’s harder than ever to get a book contract; even great book ideas are seeing rejections or meager advances. Of course, the real objective isn’t to get a deal, it’s to…
Last weekend, the two people I live with were sick. I wasn’t, but despite taking precautions to avoid infecting each other, it was pretty clear what was coming. Sure enough, I got sick on Monday and tested positive for flu. It’s sweeping the country. I suppose this is what I get for trying so hard…
Newsletter 130. I, Robot. Plus why spiking that “60 Minutes” story backfired, what people do when they should be reading books, three people to follow and three books to read. Why I turned myself into a chatbot My mission is simple: I’ve wanted to write a book since I first learned to read. Helping others…
I talk to authors about writer’s block all the time. It’s a common problem, but the causes are deep and psychological. Both practical solutions and emotional support can be helpful. I’ve written extensively about writer’s block. That’s what makes it a good test case. Could a chatbot trained on all that content provide the right…
It makes perfect sense to aim at the largest possible audience for your nonfiction book. Why create a book that’s designed for digital marketers when you could aim for all marketers — or maybe all executives? Hey, there must be millions of folks like that! Unfortunately, aiming at the largest possible audience is a dumb…
2026 is your year to write a nonfiction book. George, Ed, Trevor, Blake, Mikhail, Alice, and Deborah have already pledged to get started (see yesterday’s post). Let’s see if I can help them, and you, to get off on the right foot. The biggest challenge new authors have is: Where do I start? What do…
One question: will you resolve to writing a nonfiction book in 2026? It’s pretty simple. If you do, go ahead and add your name in the comments on this post. You’re not alone. I’ll help. In fact, I’ll go further. I promise to answer all your questions about writing a book, getting it published, and…
It always pays to look back at your work for the year and see what you’ve learned, how you’ve grown, and what you like doing most. As a freelancer who carefully tracks my business, I’m in an ideal position to do a retrospective. I hope you can learn a bit from my own reflections on…