Newsletter 132. Trust comes from a shared worldview. Plus, will AI replace analysts, the start of the Barbieverse, plus three people to follow, three books to read, and one wizard with all the answers for authors. How editorial professionals and clients learn to trust When the relationship between a freelance editor or ghostwriter and their…
We all know that coauthors — or authors and their ghostwriters — need a close relationship. Here’s are the qualities that make that relationship work, starting with trust. Trust is the foundation of an authoring collaboration Trust is the unshakable foundation of every book collaboration relationship. That is true regardless of whether you’re talking about…
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…
When I worked closely with Harley Manning and Kerry Bodine, the authors of the customer experience book Outside In, I learned how most customer experience problems are rooted deep within corporate systems. That’s what happened to me this week in an interaction with AT&T. The odyssey of dropping a line from AT&T My son, a…
How do you decide who to vote for? I see three ways people are deciding: policy, team loyalty, and trust. Just a reminder: these posts are for the group I call the deciders: conservatives, moderates, undecided, and third-party voters considering their choices in the 2020 US Presidential election. Choosing based on policy In a traditional…
Some people report that I am a sweet, nice, and supportive person. Others would say I am a pain in the ass who never backs down. Both are true. Here’s how that works. I don’t take much on faith. When my new doctor recently prescribed a medication, I had many, many questions. I was argumentative…
Every school in South Dakota must now display the motto “In God We Trust” in a prominent location. I have two problems with this: a God problem and a trust problem. South Dakota’s legislature passed the law, joining other states with similar rules including Kentucky. Now every student will be confronted with a statement about…
According to the Washington Post, Facebook is rating your trustworthiness on a zero-to-one scale. Not only that, they won’t tell you how they rate people. Here’s why that’s a necessary first step in squashing the spread of fake news. First, let’s get this out of the way. Facebook is biased. All social media and search…
Fear makes people hide their meaning with extra words. It backfires. We know you’re afraid. Adding words make people less likely to trust you. A friend forwarded me an excellent example: a 414-word missive about financial improprieties in the school district of Northborough/Southborough, Massachusetts. I know how this letter must have developed: a panicked set of people at the…