The best authors write on diverse topics. You shouldn’t.

The best authors write on diverse topics. You shouldn’t.

Nonfiction authors tell me, “I want to be like Malcolm Gladwell.” So they look at Gladwell’s output and draw lessons from it. Here are are Gladwell’s books and their topics: The Tipping Point (2000) — the spread of ideasBlink (2005) — perceptionOutliers (2008) — what leads to successWhat the Dog Saw (2009) — essaysDavid and…

Author therapy

Author therapy

Authors worry. A lot. Will I get a publisher? How big an advance? What if I don’t get a publisher? Is this the right title? No really, is this the right title? Does my writing suck? Is my idea commonplace? Am I the right person to write this? Do I need a coauthor? Do I…

Your publisher doesn’t care

Your publisher doesn’t care

Face it. Your publisher doesn’t care about you. You have an incredible idea that will change the world. Your publisher doesn’t care. You can write with such deftness and skill that readers will be captivated. Your publisher doesn’t care. You’ve conducted three years of painstaking research. They don’t care. You have incredible ideas on how…

Charming clients; untariffed books; avoiding backsplash: Newsletter 9 April 2025
| |

Charming clients; untariffed books; avoiding backsplash: Newsletter 9 April 2025

Newsletter 89: Why charm, competence, and respect aren’t just good for business, but are a way of life. Plus Shopify won’t hire for what AI can do better; suing Trump to preserve libraries, Amazon recaps books with AI, plus three people to follow and three books to read. Charm, Competence, Respect How in heck was…

The 5 tiers of business book projects — which one fits you?

The 5 tiers of business book projects — which one fits you?

Business and nonfiction books span a vast universe, from million-selling juggernauts to dashed-off self-published quickies. If you are planning or writing a business book, you need to calibrate your level of ambition. It’s fine for the lead in the local production of “Our Town” to dream of being the star of a tentpole studio action…

Most business authors fail. Most successful thought leaders have books. How can both be true?

Most business authors fail. Most successful thought leaders have books. How can both be true?

Authors dream. Their dreams are fueled by watching their peers with books achieving choice speaking slots, huge following on social media, successful and growing consulting businesses, and the like. So they plan to write a book. Will they have the same level of success? It’s possible. But it’s far from certain. The bad news about…

Fractional author; AI on trial; trademark your name: Newsletter 2 April 2025
|

Fractional author; AI on trial; trademark your name: Newsletter 2 April 2025

Newsletter 88: Find the missing piece of your author self. Plus, business books jump the shark, AI threatens our humanity, three people to follow, and three books to read. What is a fractional author? There’s an huge pool of editorial talent now working freelance. Like many of those folks, I’ve filled varied roles working with…