Although NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) started out as a way for fiction authors to finish the first draft of a novel in a month, it's also a great way for nonfiction authors to write a book, too. If you've been thinking about writing your book but you haven't been able to actually write it, this is a great time of year to get writing! In this episode, I'm sharing my top resources to help you make your NaNoWriMo a big success. I'll tell you the steps that you should take to get ready. Then, I'll help you calculate how much writing you need to do every day to meet your goal of writing your book in a month. Finally, I end with a few tips to help you write efficiently so you can finish your book by the end of November. Show notes coming soon!

Blogger to Author

NaNoWriMo for Nonfiction Authors

One of the major reasons why I have my podcast is to help my listeners avoid making the same mistakes I see so many others make with their self-published books. In this episode, I’m going to focus on one of the biggest mistakes that I think a business owner can make: writing the wrong book for your business. I’ve seen many authors (especially eBook authors) write a book that’s not really the best one to build their business strategically. I don’t want that to be you! So, in this episode, I’ll share a framework with you to help you find the best book (and book topic) for your business. I’m going to give you a series of questions that you should ask for yourself, your business, and your book to make sure that your book is going to have the maximum impact it can on your business. Follow this advice and you’ll understand how to write a book that really will help you grow your business. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/118

Are You Writing the Right Book for Your Business?

Many business owners are tempted to write a book because they see the potential for how that book can help them grow their business. But, sometimes they’re a little unsure exactly what that would look like, or exactly how a book is going to bring in more clients. They’re unsure of the ROI. That’s why I like to bring you stories from authors who have written and published books that really helped them take their businesses to the next level. That’s what I have for you in this episode. I am very thrilled and honored to be featuring an interview with business coach, expert, and #1 bestselling author Christine McAlister. Christine leveraged her self-published book, The Income Replacement Formula: Seven Simple Steps To Doing What You Love And Making Six Figures From Anywhere, to get more visibility, land more clients, and drastically increase her income, too. In our interview, we talk about her writing and publishing process and exactly how she used her book to grow her business and get more clients. You’ll also get some great tips for thinking strategically about your business-building book to make sure your book is successful. If you have a service-based business and you are either thinking about or are currently writing your book, you’re going to get a lot of great tips from this episode. And, I think it will really inspire you to see exactly how a book will help you get more clients and grow your business, which will motivate you to keep writing and actually publish your book. You’re going to get a lot out of this interview! Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/117

Get More Clients with a Self-Published Book with Christine McAlister

What’s the secret sauce to writing a great nonfiction book? Having a plan for a book that brings about a true transformation in your reader’s life. Readers of nonfiction books aren’t looking for fluff—they’re looking to improve their lives in one way or another. If you can help them make a positive change and get closer to a goal or a way they want to live their life, they’re going to love you (and your book) for it. But how do you create that book plan? Today, I’m letting you in on a secret. I’m sharing the core components of my Fast Author Framework™, the process I take all of my private strategy and ghostwriting clients through to create a plan and outline for their books. I’ll walk you through the three steps that you should take to plan and write a great nonfiction book that your readers will absolutely love. If you’re struggling to get clarity on what you should put in your book, or if you’ve started writing but you’re unsure if readers will like your book, this episode will help. Show notes and transcript: bloggertoauthor.com/116

The 3 Steps You Must Take to Write a Great Nonfiction Book

So many writers get inspired for an idea for a book, so they jump in and start writing. I’m all about working off of inspiration, and if you have something to say, by all means, get those words on the page! But, I do think that when it comes to writing a book, it’s smart to do some planning before you get too far into your project. This is particularly true if you’re writing a book that you plan to leverage to grow your business. Before you even start on the outline for your book, you should do some thinking and planning. Just like a plumber would never start installing pipes without seeing a blueprint for a house, you need to have the right vision for your book if you want it to be successful. And, you really need to do some careful planning if you want that book to build your business. In this episode, I’m telling you all about the number one thing you need to know about your business-building book. Specifically, I’m going to help you formulate the right vision for your book so it has the biggest impact on your business. Doing this work will help you write a better book, and it will help you make sure you’re not wasting your time writing the wrong book for your business. Show notes and transcript: bloggertoauthor.com/115

The #1 Thing You Must Know About Your Business-Building Book

More and more infopreneurs and thought leaders are writing and publishing books. (Yes, bloggers, this includes you, too.) And, they’re doing it for good reason: a book is a great way to expand your authority, credibility, and visibility. It’s also a tool for building a business. In a world where potential clients spend just a few seconds looking at most of your content, a book is a unique opportunity to build a longer, deeper relationship. Unfortunately, many of those authors and authors-to-be make some big mistakes when they’re creating their books. I see so many of them spending time writing a book that isn’t the best complement to their business. Ultimately, their books aren’t as successful as they could have been. And, those books wind up having a much smaller impact on the author’s business. In this episode, I want to share the biggest mistakes I see infopreneur and thought leader authors make with their books (and, more specifically, their self-published books). If you’re writing or thinking about writing a book to build your business, I encourage you to listen carefully. Avoiding these mistakes will help you create a better book that will help you take your business to the next level. Show notes and transcript: bloggertoauthor.com/114

The Biggest Mistakes Infopreneur Authors Make

I know many of you are working hard to build a coaching business. Your clients are getting great results, and you’re ready to reach a wider audience with your message. And, you want to help more people improve their lives or businesses through a mass-market product like a book. You can see how a book will help you build authority and visibility, but when you think about what you should actually put in your book, you get stuck. You’re not alone! In this episode, I’m excited to feature an interview with holistic health expert and coach Tess Hanke of Comet Creek Family Wellness. Tess has a successful business helping women overcome fatigue, weight gain and anxiety that accompany emotional exhaustion. Recently, she’s started to write a book that will help her grow her coaching business even more and help establish her as a holistic health expert to a wider audience. In the interview, you’ll hear us talk through how to plan out a book that will help you build your coaching business. You’ll get to dive into my Fast Author Framework™ and create a vision for your book, including what you should write about in your book. And, you’ll learn how to find the right voice to connect with readers and turn them into paying clients. If you’ve been dreaming of writing a book for your coaching business but you don’t know to get started, this episode is for you! Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/113

Write a Book to Build Your Coaching Business (On-Air Coaching Call with Tess Hanke)

Are you worried that your nonfiction book isn't any good? You’re not alone! One of the most frequently asked questions I get is, “How do I know if my book is any good?” I know that there’s a lot of fear that your book will be judged and that people won’t like it, especially if you’re self-publishing. But, luckily there are ways to make sure that readers really will like the book you’re putting out into the world. In this episode, I'll tell you what to look for to make sure your book really is good. I’m sharing my best tips based on what I see as a professional copy editor, which I hope will help you avoid the most common writing mistakes I see nonfiction authors make. (These tips also happen to cover some of the most common suggestions I make to my developmental and copy editing clients.) And, I’ll tell you how to get the feedback you need to make sure your book really IS good. Follow these tips and you’ll be well on your way to writing a book your readers will absolutely love. Show notes and transcript: bloggertoauthor.com/112

How Do You Know If Your Nonfiction Book Is "Good"?

Self-publishing can be a bit of an enigma when you’re just getting started as an author. In recent years, self-publishing has exploded in popularity, and a lot of preconceived notions about self-publishing have come along with that surge in popularity. You may have heard that your favorite expert self-published a book and you assume that if you just follow the same steps, you’ll have the same level of success. Or, Google or social media might lead you to some bad advice, which can negatively affect your book. In this episode of the podcast, I’m honored to feature an interview with self-publishing expert and hybrid press owner Alexa Bigwarfe. In our interview, Alexa shares what she sees as the most common and biggest misconceptions about self-publishing. We dispel these common myths so you can gain a more accurate understanding of self-publishing and what to expect if you self-publish your book. Whether you’re still trying to decide whether to traditionally publish or self-publish, or if you’re firmly team self-publish, I think you’re going to learn a lot from this episode. So, turn up the volume and enjoy this interview with Alexa. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/111

Common Misconceptions About Self-Publishing with Alexa Bigwarfe

I know many of you listening are bloggers and content creators who are looking for a way to stand out in a crowded niche. I know firsthand how frustrating it is to spend hours every week producing amazing content for your audience but not seeing any real growth. That’s exactly where I was with my fitness blog before I self-published my first book. Today I’m excited to share an interview and on-air coaching call with Emily Dingmann. Emily is a nutritionist and food blogger who does amazing work, but lately she’s been thinking about self-publishing a cookbook to help take her blog and business to the next level. Writing a book has been on her to-do list, but she’s struggled to figure out what she should write her book about and how to produce it. In this coaching call, I walk Emily through the framework I use to help my clients choose the best topic for a book that will build their business. We talk about how she can use that book to grow different elements of her business, including a membership program that she runs. We also talk about the pros and cons of traditionally publishing vs. self-publishing cookbooks, how long her cookbook needs to be, and how to make sure readers will actually want to buy her cookbook. Even though Emily specifically plans to write a cookbook, there’s still a lot of great information in here for those of you who want to write a nonfiction book for your business that’s not a cookbook. And, if you’ve been struggling to figure out what you should write your book about, I think my discussion with Emily will help you start to plan out the best book topic to build your business. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/110 Get individualized help creating a plan and outline for your book (including finding the right topic) with a Book Mapping Session! You'll walk away with a detailed plan and book outline that will help you stay focused and write your book faster. Learn more here!

Writing the Best Cookbook for Your Food Blog or Business (On-Air Coaching Call with Emily Dingmann)

You’ve worked really hard to write an amazing book that’s going to completely wow your readers. Then, a really big question sneaks up on you…what are you going to call your book? How do you choose the right title that will instantly make readers want to buy your book and read it? Unfortunately, I see a lot of authors make some big mistakes when it comes to choosing a book title. They come up with a title that they think is amazing, but that title is actually more appealing to the author than it is to readers and shoppers. In these cases, the authors are usually able to sell copies to their immediate audience and fan base, but the book fails to appeal to a wider audience. That means their book is ultimately read by fewer people, and it has less of an impact than it might have if the author had chosen the right title. In this episode, I’ll walk you through the process that I use to help my clients choose a great title for their books. I’ll also tell you how you can figure out what titles will be most appealing so you can sell more books and reach more readers. You’ll learn a simple framework to help you choose the right title for your book, a title that will help your book reach a wider audience. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/109

What Should You Title Your Nonfiction Book?

My number one goal for the podcast is to make it easier for you to create an amazing, successful self-published book that helps you build your authority, credibility, and business. But, in order to write that book, you need to make sure it’s a book that people actually want to read. One way to do that is to talk with your audience and learn what they need help with. However, if you want your book to appeal to a wider audience, you’ll need to do a different kind of market research. If you have a great idea for a book, but you’re not sure if it will sell, this episode is for you. I’m going to tell you all about my favorite tool to see what books are actually selling…and how much money they’re really bringing in. This tool will also help you figure out what readers are looking for so you can write the book that they want to buy. And, it can help you properly position your book so you can make more sales, too. Curious to find out what that tool is? Let’s dive in!   Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/108

The One Tool You Need to Find a Profitable Nonfiction Book Topic

When it comes to writing and planning a book, many self-published authors skip an important step: doing the research that’s needed to make their book successful. But, spending a few hours doing a little basic research can really pay off—both figuratively and literally. Authors of high-quality books take the time to do their research and do it right. I know you want your book to be great, too. So, I want to help you learn more about the research you should be doing for your nonfiction book. In this episode, I’ll walk you through the three main types of research that I think you should do for your nonfiction book. The research I’ll describe has helped my clients create superior self-published books, and it’s the type of research all the pros do before diving into their books. Ideally, you’ll do this research before you start writing, but if you’re already working on your manuscript, I still recommend doing this research. It’s absolutely going to help you write a better, more successful book. Show notes and transcript: bloggertoauthor.com/107   This episode is sponsored by my “Your Best Book Plan” Strategy Sessions and my Book Mapping Sessions. Both include done-for-you market and topic research to make this part of the process fast and easy for you. (And, the “Your Best Book Plan” sessions are $50 off for a limited time.) Learn more about how these sessions can help you write a better book and sign up for a session at bloggertoauthor.com/services.

Research You Should Do Before Starting Your Nonfiction Book

I’m really excited for this episode because it’s my very first on-air coaching call I’m hosting on the Blogger to Author Podcast. I know that a lot of you have specific questions about your books, especially if you’re trying to plan out your book from scratch. Many of you have downloaded my free “5-Step Guide to Creating Your First Book” or my free “Health & Wellness Book Planner,” but you’re still feeling stuck. So, I’m putting together these on-air coaching calls with prospective authors who are feeling a little stuck, too, and I hope that listening to me work with them one-on-one will help you find your path forward as well. In today’s call, I’m chatting with Suzi Fevens of Confessions of a Fitness Instructor. Suzi loves to write and she’s been thinking about writing a book for a while, but she was struggling to come up with a good idea for a book topic. And, she was unsure of what she should put in her book. In this on-air coaching call, I walk her through the book planning process in my Fast Author Framework™ to help her come up with a great idea for a book that will serve her people and help her build her business. If you’re having trouble figuring out what you should write your book about, I hope you’ll find this coaching call helpful! And, even if you already have a topic picked out and you have your plan written, I still think you’re going to get some valuable tips to improve the content in your book. Either way, definitely make sure you listen to my on-air coaching call with Suzi. Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/106   If you need help planning out your book, including choosing the right topic that will mesh perfectly with your business or deciding what should go into your book, consider signing up for one of my Book Mapping Sessions. We’ll meet for 75 minutes and I’ll walk you through the planning section of my Fast Author Framework.™ The Book Mapping Session is perfect for any nonfiction author who is struggling to come up with a plan or outline for their book. You'll receive an exclusive set of worksheets to go through before our call to make sure you get a ton of value out of the call. Based on your answers from the worksheets, I'll also do a little market research to help us make sure that you'll be writing a great book that's competitive in your market. Then, we'll have a one-on-one video conference (75 minutes) will help you create a detailed outline for your nonfiction book.  You'll walk away from the call with a detailed outline that will make your book writing time much easier and more focused, saving you a ton of time during the planning and writing processes.

What Should You Put in Your Nonfiction Book? (On-Air Coaching Call with Suzi Fevens)

You’ve got a great idea for a book. Maybe you’ve even started to outline or write your book. Then the fear starts to creep in. Just how much do you need to write to finish your book? How do you know when you’re “done” or if you need to write more? One of the most frequently asked questions I get is “How long should my book be?” I understand how frustrating it is to not know exactly how much you need to write. And, I get that you want to finish your book sooner than later, and you don’t want to have to be writing longer than you have to. So, I’m creating this episode to help. Here, you’ll learn the generic answer I give whenever I’m asked how long someone’s book should be. Then, I’ll share the framework I use to help decide what needs to go in your book to help you get a better idea of what your book needs to include to be “long enough.” Finally, I’ll give you some general ranges of the length of the average book in several different nonfiction genres so you can compare your book to industry averages. And, I’ll wrap up with some action steps to help you figure out how long your book needs to be. Show notes and transcript: bloggertoauthor.com/105   Still getting stuck with what needs to go in your book? I can help. I’ve created a brand new “Your Best Book Plan” Strategy Session to help you make sure that you’re including all of the right information in your book (and excluding all of the wrong information). First, I'll send you a questionnaire to learn more about your book, what you have outlined, and your ideal reader. Then, I'll do some market research for you and combine that with my experience as a developmental editor to help you review, organize, and improve your book outline and plan. Finally, we'll meet on a video call to work together to create a plan for your best book. Best of all, I’m offering $50 off for the first 10 clients who sign up for a “Your Best Book Plan” Strategy Session. Learn more and sign up here.

How Long Should My Nonfiction Book Be?

The Blogger to Author Podcast helps content creators plan, write, and publish books that help them build authority, credibility, and their businesses.