Just by chance, the following all happened yesterday. A new scam? None of the people messaging me mention web sites for their promotional programs in their pitches. All have gmail addresses. None appear to be on LinkedIn. Several mention details from my book, including “The Iron Imperative.” But they don’t use the same language. The…
A literary agent is your business partner. They are not your friend, your confidant, or your editor. And the only part of your business they care about is revenue from your book. This is not a knock on agents. Agents are wonderful people and can be quite instrumental in helping you succeed. But because they…
A recent search on Amazon.com pulled up this version of my 2016 book Writing Without Bullshit. It’s pirated, of course. I bought a copy. It’s a poorly formatted paperbound 8 1/2 by 11 ripoff that appears to have most of the text of my book, including a copy of my index with the wrong page…
A copywriter is a person who gets paid to write words for someone else. If you like to write, it’s a fine way to make a living. But it’s not a job at the top of the pay scale. At least not normally. But in some situations it can be. If you aspire to get…
Stupid and manipulative strategies to drive traffic have always been part of the online world. Now that we have AI, they won’t go away. They’ll just be different. They’ll be based on bullshit. In the age of Google search, one way to get your site found is by consistently writing valuable information, the type that…
Newsletter 118: How to contribute to great ideas. Plus, blogs outlast social media, AI remembers and regurgitates, three people to follow, and three books to read. Breaking new ground together Have you ever wondered how consultants generate new content and new ideas? Let me tell you a story. If you are a consultant, workshop leader,…
We think in linear stories: first this, then that, then that. It’s logical. But it’s not how your book will succeed. A potential reader hearing about your book will give you a tiny sliver of attention. Your job is to expand that to the point where they are open to your ideas. That takes pyramidal…
My marketing looks like this: blog every day about writing and books, regularly interact with writers on LinkedIn and Facebook, publish books on writing, speak at industry events. That perfectly fits the definition of content marketing. My writing and editing business is doing great. But far less than 10% of it comes from leads generated…
When the U.S. goes to war, it takes extraordinary actions. Those actions may come into conflict with the rights of citizens and other residents, but there is an argument that they’re still necessary. Do you feel like we are at war? If so, with whom, and what’s the evidence? And does that war justify whatever…