writing

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VIDEO: Have you asked “The Killing Question”… ?

Today on the first day of the last-ever “Your Bestseller – LIVE! Market Your Message to Bestseller Status” I directly addressed what I call “The Killing Question.” And this is not just relevant from last March (when this video was shot) but also today – as you’re navigating how your book impacts your reader.

Here’s this short (2 minute, 4 second) video – because I want you to write the book you’re called to write!


Here’s the transcript of the video so you can be sure to understand what I’m conveying to you.

Asking yourself THIS question can kill your book before you even start writing. Find out how to avoid The Killing Question. Click To Tweet

I help people to finally write their books and have them published. And when I get on the phone with somebody, it’s almost inevitable that I get this question:

Kim, have you read [insert name of the book here]? I want my book to be just like that.

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How Long Does it Take to Write a Book?

It’s a question I get asked regularly, especially when I’m speaking …

“How long does it take to write a book?”

I get it! You want to know how to plan your work load, your life, your biz, and your book’s launch.

Unfortunately this is one of those “it depends” answers.

A book is a project with a clear starting and ending point. (Idea to completed first draft). But the path between those two points can get… murky.

Think of it this way:
I want to vacuum my house. I have to get the vacuum and plug it in – regardless of how large my house is, I must do that step. (Call this the idea step!)

Then, I have to vacuum. But do I dust first? Is that really part of vacuuming? (This can be thinking about companion products to your book – like an opt-in gift.)

Why vacuuming the house is like writing a book. Click To Tweet

Is this the week where I do a quickie vacuum or when I really move furniture and get in all the cracks? (This can be the difference between a shorter book (20,000-30,000 words) or a longer book.)

How big is my house? Am I vacuuming every room or just the main areas? (Think about your book – are you trying to be the definitive guide or an introduction?)

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How Long Should Your Book Be?

It happens, sooner or later, with every “Finally Write Your Book VIP Mentorship” author…

How long should my book be?

And I have to take a deep breath. Because it’s one of those answers that all boils down to, “it depends.” (And we ALL hate those answers!)

And I know you want to write a book that has enough heft to it that people really think they are getting a lot of bang for their buck.

Let me ask you a different question, though.

Have you ever read a book that was clearly inflated with “filler”?

This was a trick many of my peers in University writing classes would do: write their paper then go back and insert a sentence BETWEEN every sentence. Bang! Instantly, the paper doubled in length. But these new sentences were just filler sentences and didn’t add any substance or depth to the paper. (It was VERY common for research papers when I was at the University!)

These papers might have started out well-researched and well-thought out, but they ended up flimsy and full of loose, extraneous writing.

Don’t forget: a college research paper HAS to be a certain number of pages, but your book does not! Nobody puts you in “book jail” if you don’t hit a certain number of words!

Your #book needs to deliver everything it promises and not promise what you can't deliver. Click To Tweet

When you’re writing your book, you want to give the reader enough information that she will put down the book feeling that she really understands what you’re talking about, her life has changed for the better because she read your book, and she has a clear idea of what she needs to do next to continue to change her life.

(On the flip-side you don’t want to put everything you know into a book, either!)

Trust me, there’s a fine line between clearly outlining the steps to your reader’s transformation and giving away the farm!

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3 Tips to {Consistently} Find Time to Write

Let me be 100% plain:

The act of WRITING your book, sitting down and putting pen to paper or fingers to keys, is NOT the first step in writing a book. It’s actually the fourth step. I’ve shared my proven 5-step system over and over so I’m not blowing smoke…

But once you’re at the writing stage, then you DO have to manage your time to make it a reality. Because all the ideas and outlining and Big Dreams in the world won’t make a difference if you don’t actually (and FINALLY) WRITE the book.

So that begs the question: how do you find time to write?

Here are three tips (steps) to make finding the time for your book work in your busy life:

1. Make a decision

This isn’t as easy as it seems! But the first thing you need to do is make the decision that your writing is important. Decide it’s worth your time, energy, creativity, and effort. Decide that it’s something you need to focus on – and that you are going to focus on it.

While it seems like “make a decision” is a once-and-done choice, it really isn’t. You have to keep deciding that your writing is important – every day if need be.

Sometimes the inability to make this decision comes back to one of the 5 Mental Monsters that KEEP You from Writing Your Book. Discover them here.

2. Set a timer for 15 minutes

I call this a mini-goal: you’re going to write for 15 minutes every day. EVERY.DAY. And then do it.

Can you write for longer than 15 minutes? Of course!

But you can’t write for less. No matter how busy or hectic your day is, you can ALWAYS find 15 minutes. Seriously! And any day when 15 minutes is all you have (time, energy, creativity, being sick or tired or WHATEVER) you know you’re still moving your book forward.

On those days when you’re in the zone and you have both time and excitement – feel free to write for as long as you want to! But writing every day for 15 minutes adds up. And it adds up quicker than you might think.

3. Forgive – then get back on the wagon

There will be days when you can’t do step 1 or 2. There will be days when life sucks and for whatever reason (or excuse) you’re not writing.

Forgive yourself.

Then get back on the wagon.

Beating yourself up over a missed writing session doesn’t put words on the paper. Thinking that you’ll “make up the time” tomorrow really doesn’t cut it either – because when you’re facing down an hour or more of missed “15 minute” sessions, you’re feeling the pressure of the clock.

So, the easiest thing to do is forgive yourself and then get back onto the wagon.

Remember, that I NEVER give people the advice to “just write your book” as if that were Step 1 in the whole process. It isn’t and it’s a sure-fire way to make you crazy, stress you out, and make your book feel overwhelming.

If you’re ready to write your book the easy way, then join the Book Gameplan Membership HERE.

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Sooner or Later… You’ve Gotta WRITE

I can’t write your book for you.

There, I said it. Whew!

Occasionally, I still get people who want to hire me to ghostwrite their book for them. I even get people who aren’t turned off by the $30K starting price.

But where they inevitably freak out is learning that even with MY fingers on the keys, they are still responsible for writing the book.

That means that the client (author) still has a lot of work involved. It’s still THEIR vision – their stories, their message, and they have to decide if I’m capturing their voice… or not.

Hiring a true ghostwriter, no matter how skilled, isn’t book-by-abdication. You (the author) still has to be MASSIVELY involved.

Here’s the other side of “I can’t write your book for you.”

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Three Low-Cost Writing Tools for 2020

Can I give you an {uncomfortable} truth?

It’s time for you to invest in your writing.

I don’t mean yet another “nice” notebook, or a “fancy” pen. It’s time for you to invest in your learning and progression as an author.

Because, my friend, all the “free” tools, trainings, webinars, and Masterclasses will only take you so far. And as somebody who GIVES you a lot of that free content, I know that the content is pretty stellar. AND I also know that my paid stuff is even better.

So I’m bringing you three paid resources that you need to get – and then getting started in 2020 with your writing.

1. The Book Gameplan Membership

You want to write a book that means something – that shares your heart and message. A book that is engaging and life changing.

But everything you’ve done so far is… hard. You’ve tried all the “gimmicks” on how to write a book and they just aren’t what you’re looking for to write a message-driven book that is something you’re proud of.

In The Book Gameplan Membership, I’ve broken down my proven system so that you can FINALLY write your book. You’ll be guided through the process step-by-step so you can actually write the book that’s on your heart.

And it’s only $97 a month!

Become A Member >>> Book Gameplan Membership

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Must-Have Resources for 2020

Today is the 53rd Tuesday of 2019! So to celebrate the last article of the year, I wanted to give you my top posts from the last SEVEN years.

As we progress from 2013 through 2019, I invite you to notice how my writing skills, voice, and style have changed and grown. It goes to show that no matter how much you write, writing more means you’ll write better!

2013

Should I Respond to an Amazon Review?
You’ve received a glowing review… or one that makes everything you’ve ever heard about Internet trolls seem tame. Do you respond? Find out >>> https://wp.me/p5dufQ-9y

Why You Should Keep A Business Journal
It’s the end of 2019, and I’ve been keeping business journals since 2003. To date, for this business (which is called On The Beach Publishing in the article) I’m on journal #22! Learn more about why (and how) to keep a business journal >>> https://wp.me/p5dufQ-af

 

2014

The Best Feeling
Discover what it feels like to hold your book in your hands for the very first time! Especially for you if you’re needing a boost to keep going – this is what the finish line feels like. Find out >>> https://wp.me/p5dufQ-az

5 Tips to Writing Back Jacket Copy
I still share this article with my authors today! When you’re ready to write the book’s description, you need to remember one thing: It’s Marketing Copy! Discover the other fours tips here >>> https://wp.me/p5dufQ-jL

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