A number of prominent authors, including Benjamin Dreyer and Gregory Maguire, recently published an open letter to the publishing industry. (Read the full version here.) I appreciate the sentiment. But a number of the recommendations are, in my view, unrealistic. AI has already been embedded into writing processes, ranging from the grammar tools in Microsoft…
Your ghostwriter is going to do a lot more for you than you originally thought. They’re going to critically assess your idea, then work with you until it’s strong enough to live in the world. They’re going to calm you down and boost your spirits. They’re going to untangle your twisted logic and make it…
Writing a book is a lot of work. The hard parts aren’t worth doing unless you enjoy the fun parts. Which parts are fun? Here’s a list of my favorite parts. Of course it may be different for you. It’s not just about your fun, you know Books written in tedium are tedious to read….
Writing is never finished. Only abandoned. While there’s controversy about who said that first, it’s absolutely true. Books go to the publisher at the deadline, and always with authors regretting they don’t have more time to work on them. The key to ensuring that what you turn in is the best it can be is…
People working with me sometimes experience sticker shock. It’s the same story with many accomplished ghostwriters and editors. Here are some of my typical price points for nonfiction books: The price can vary based on a lot of factors, but that’s a pretty good idea of the ballpark. I’ve written in the past why I’m…
Last week I woke up at 4:00 am with a brilliant idea of what to write for the opening of a book proposal for a client. Every sentence was clear in my mind — at least to the extent that one can have clarity of mind at four in the morning. Was it worth getting…
Newsletter 99: The incredible benefits of creating a book with a wicked smart thinking partner. Plus, AI learns from really old books, authors make TikToks of scrawling edits, three people to follow and three books to read. What I learned from my intellectual soulmates I’ve written nine books and am working on another. Only two…
You’re an author who wants to change the world. Just like every other author. Writing a book is a big effort. You think it’s worth it because you want to change the world. And I’m sure you’re right. Whatever the world is that you want to change — the world of partisan politics, the world…
Reviewers are a pain in the butt. I’m not talking about people who write reviews of your book on Amazon or Goodreads. I’m talking about people who offer their opinions as part of your book creation process. Unless you know who they are and manage them proactively, they will create angst and chaos. To avoid…