We rarely record meetings we have in person with others. But based on my experience, lots of people record their online meetings by default. This is dumb. Please stop. Please don’t record your meeting with me I am very precise when I communicate in writing. Whether it’s an email or any other textual communication, you…
We’re not in a recession yet, but the signs are all there. If you’re a nonfiction author, it’s prudent to prepare. Authors typically make money from speaking, workshops, and consulting — all types of work that may become harder to secure in a recession. What you should do now depends on how secure you are…
Newsletter 84. Why well-told case study stories are here to stay, another Gathering of the Ghosts, a section 230 podcast, plus three people to follow and three books to read. About those case study stories . . . “Tell me a story, Daddy . . .” My kids are well into their twenties now, but…
The relationship between an author and their collaborator — editor or ghostwriter — can be challenging at first. The author is putting their creative vision in the hands of a stranger who is unfamiliar with their content and then asking for criticism. This is a very vulnerable position to be in. There’s risk for the…
Professional research organizations often invest tens of thousands of dollars in their survey apparatus, maintaining expensive assets like research panels (groups recruited to answer multiple surveys) and teams of analytical professionals. But you don’t have to go big to create something useful. Anybody with a SurveyMonkey subscription can conduct a research survey quickly and cheaply…
Rafael Devers is already great at what he does at age 28. He’s got a sweet gig as a third baseman with the Boston Red Sox. Now they are likely to be asking him to do something different, and he’s already refusing. I feel for the guy. Maybe you do, too. If you’re doing something…
Why is it so taxing, and why does it take so long, to write a nonfiction book? Here’s one way to think about it. A typical book might be 50,000 words long. You must decide which words to use — and those are not easy choices. That’s 50,000 decisions right there. Of course, not everything…
These are the rules for working with writers and editors in a way that demonstrates good manners. If you follow these rules, everything will be efficient and run smoothly. If you do not, professional writers and editors will curse you and your descendants. (Yes, I’m writing this today because I’m annoyed at some people.) The…
An editor has a challenge. They must know everything about writing and, essentially, nothing about anything else. The power of remaining naïve Of course, I’m exaggerating. Editors tend to know a little bit about a lot of things, because they have to read so many things in detail. And editors in a specific genre need…