Hello Reader, It's that time of year, when we look back at 2024 to remember our victories, learn lessons from our failures, and prepare for the year ahead. "Look back to learn how to look forward." - Joe Girard Every year, I look back by doing an Annual Review. This consists of answering these 4 questions: What went well last year? What could have gone better? What are the most important lessons I have learned? Who will I be next year? For ten years I have published an Annual Review on my...
13 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, ChatGPT has me much less enthusiastic about writing and publishing. In the nearly two years since consumer-facing AI chatbot apps have been made available, as a writer, I have found my own interest in writing has been diminishing. I find it harder to send newsletters, write my next book, and post on social media, because I have two choices: Continue writing by hand (which I love to do) and take more time about it than others do, or Use AI to spend more time editing bland copy,...
2 months ago • 4 min read
Hello Reader, When a public speaker wants to charge professional rates, they need professional marketing collateral. In addition to a /speaking page on yourname.com, every professional speaker needs to have: 3-minute video demo reel Multi-page PDF Speaker Kit Media Kit with headshots, bio, and introduction Since I help people tell better stories using digital media, creating speaker collateral is something I often do for my clients. Authors, coaches, and speakers are the kinds of...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, In 24 hours, I'll be going live with the Authorverse community to teach my newest workshop, '5 Business Models Behind Books.' Here are the 5 books I will be using to illustrate the 5 business models: (Yes, I am using my own book as an example. Teacher's prerogative. 😁) In working with so many experts and entrepreneurs over the past decade, I have been on the back-end of many businesses that rely on a published book as the cornerstone of their positioning. The 5 business models I...
4 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, How do authors build a thriving business around their published work? Spoiler alert: it's not by selling more books. In my work over the past decade with authors, coaches, and speakers, I have been behind-the-scenes of multiple 6- and 7-figure businesses. I've seen how their businesses are structured, developed the commercial offers they make to their audience, and learned firsthand what's working, and what's a waste of time. Next week, I'm teaching a free workshop for the...
5 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, In every story, there are three characters: the hero, the villain, and the victim. A century ago, American film was born out of the vaudeville scene. The main storytelling medium at the time was melodrama, when the characters were almost comically basic. Think of the mustachio-twirling villain, tying a damsel in distress to the train tracks, being thwarted by a gun-toting hero, and you have all the basics you need to tell a compelling story: setting, conflict, and characters....
5 months ago • 5 min read
Hello Reader, What's the secret to getting more done? Is it: Working harder, or Working smarter? If you've ever hit burnout before, I'm sure you know the right answer. Sometimes the answer isn't in doing more, but in having less to do. One of the best ways you can do less, but still get everything done, is delegation. Delegation magnifies your effort exponentially. There is a limitation how much work you can personally do. By delegating to others, you gain their abilities, their perspective,...
5 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, Picture this: Your 3-hour Zoom workshop just started, and your computer freezes! 😬 What do you do? The show must go on! In last week's Magnetic Messages Masterclass, my computer froze precisely at 10:01 am. (My suspicion, for other event hosts, is: I was sharing a Zoom whiteboard in a browser window, and annotating with a couple of people, when a dozen people arrived all at once. Adding them to the meeting, and having to handle screensharing AND adding people to the Annotation...
6 months ago • 3 min read
Hello Reader, How do you handle writer's block? You decide to write, and you sit down to gather your thoughts, and...nothing happens. The blank page is taunting you. Daring you to keep silent. What I've found helpful is to start with copywriting exercises. A simple prompt that gives you a border to your canvas. This is good for getting you going - but often, when it's time to write, there's a specific function we are looking to fulfill. There's an article to write, or a brochure to create, or...
7 months ago • 1 min read