Do it anyway

Do it anyway

I can still make useful contributions to the world, and I’m not giving up. If it’s worth doing, do it anyway I was used to being able to do almost anything (at least, anything mental) as smartly as possible, more quickly, and more creatively than most people. I am not as good as I used…

Zero to thought leader; zombie Agatha Christie; Harvard U Press scandal: Newsletter 7 May 2025
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Zero to thought leader; zombie Agatha Christie; Harvard U Press scandal: Newsletter 7 May 2025

Newsletter 93. How to think before you write and lead. Plus, three questions for all writers, writing advice from a dead mystery writer, a university press in crisis, plus three people to follow and three books to read. Thought leadership from a standing start With the churn now taking place in corporate boardrooms, countless smart…

Lessons on posting falsehoods from the imaginary Ferrari dealership that dissed Steph Curry’s mother

Lessons on posting falsehoods from the imaginary Ferrari dealership that dissed Steph Curry’s mother

A LinkedIn connection of mine recently reposted a story about Sonya Curry, the mother of the extremely talented NBA player Steph Curry. I clicked through to the original post, which had been posted by a lawyer who runs a foundation and is a visiting fellow at a major university — let’s call her “Mary” (not…

The high road to writing; AI is normal; Wikipedia as propaganda: Newsletter 30 April 2025
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The high road to writing; AI is normal; Wikipedia as propaganda: Newsletter 30 April 2025

Newsletter 92. Why you should put in the most effort at the start of a writing project. Plus, AI as normal technology, five strategies for authors who are stuck, three people to follow, and three books to read. Climbing mount prose Any cyclist or runner will tell you this about hills: you can start by…

The Gartner Hype Cycle shows how risky it is to write books on technology trends

The Gartner Hype Cycle shows how risky it is to write books on technology trends

This is Gartner’s Hype Cycle, a representation of how new technologies inevitably become discovered, overhyped, trashed, and eventually adopted. It is also a diagram of why the odds are stacked against your book about technology. I recently showed this to Carolyn Monaco, a highly experienced consultant who helps authors to succeed as thought leaders. Although…

How “Dear Graduate” went from self-published to a traditional publishing deal

How “Dear Graduate” went from self-published to a traditional publishing deal

Is it possible to self-publish a book first, then solicit a traditional publisher? Sure, but only if your self-published book demonstrates a history of sales. If it doesn’t sell in a self-published format, you’ve proven to publishers that it’s not worthy of further investment. In Build a Better Business Book I wrote about authors that…