7 Ways Pumpkin Carving Is Like Writing a Book

7 Ways Pumpkin Carving Is Like Writing a Book – Every autumn, I envision the cute costumes I could whip up in a jiffy without breaking the bank. The striking family photo taken of us in our coordinating outfits in the perfect pumpkin patch. And of course, displaying two award-worthy carved pumpkins (one for each child) at the entrance to our home.

Then I awake from my daydream.

The sad fact is that I’m not creative and I‘m certainly not crafty. I can’t sew on a button, let alone create an entire outfit, so I end up spending a small fortune on overpriced store-bought costumes that won’t fit again next year.

My family, apparently, cannot color coordinate nor smile simultaneously for a group photo no matter how many times we try in the fake farm setting next to the main road in the center of town.

And when it comes to carving pumpkins, well, let’s just say that it’s an adventure in humility.

“Pick something simple,” I instructed my youngest son.

Away to the Internet he went and a few minutes later, he happily supplied me with a printed image of Nintendo’s character, Kirby.

How hard can it be? I thought. It’s just a circular blob with eyes.

“Okay,” I agreed. “Let’s do it.”

From that moment forward, the steps involved in carving that pumpkin reminded me of the steps we authors have to go through every time we write a book.Read More

Piecing Together the Content Puzzle: How to Write Your Nonfiction Book

Writing a book is similar to completing a puzzle. I love puzzles, and growing up, I believed everyone else did, too. After all, everyone in my family looked forward to our annual holiday gatherings, where we often caught up on family news while piecing together a puzzle in the sitting room. But I have since come to realize that many people find puzzles boring, overwhelming or downright frustrating.

The same is true when piecing together the content of a book. I’ve written several books, and I enjoy the challenge of figuring out which piece of information belongs where. But what comes naturally to me, doesn’t necessarily come easily to others.

This was revealed to me recently in a survey I conducted among my subscribers. I assumed that they were struggling with the writing process itself. As it turned out, their biggest challenge was organizing their existing written content.

So, to help those of you who have books stagnating on your desktop because you’re bored or overwhelmed with the process of organizing your content, I’ve put together the following tips:Read More

3 Reasons to Keep Your Reader in Mind

Who is your audience? It’s a simple enough question. And your answer may appear simple as well: “my readers.”  But that’s not specific enough. You’re not writing for “everyone;” you’re writing for the people who are seeking the information you have to share.  Thus, regardless of genre, you need to concentrate on your target audience.

Yes, even memoir or autobiography writers need to visualize their ideal reader throughout the process. You might be thinking, “It’s the story of my life! Why should I consider the reader?” Because although your story is about you and your experiences, it must relate in some manner to your audience. If they don’t connect with your content – emotionally or intellectually – then they will quickly lose interest and never finish the book, let alone recommend it to others.

To keep your audience engaged, consider the following three points:Read More

5 Ways to Push Past Your Fears and Write Your Story

You know there’s a story inside of you. A meaningful story, not just a fluff piece. Something that will inform, inspire and intrigue others. But every time you try to put it down on paper, you come up empty.

It seems that no one else has this problem. New authors crop up every day, causing you to wonder what it is that they know that you don’t. How were they able to take their ordinary life and turn it into something people are eager to read?
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7 Ways to Write Compelling Content

Whether you’re a professional blogger, copywriter or ghostwriter, you’re getting paid to compose well-written articles and books that garner likes, shares and ultimately, sales. If you’re an entrepreneur with an important message to share or an individual writing an autobiography, then you want to ensure that your readers enjoy and benefit from your message and story.

So how can you create a stand-out piece of work that’s not dry, boring or confusing? Follow these seven techniques:

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