81% of consumers research online before purchasing online or in the store. – Paul Mallory 1 It’s true. Most clients don’t instantly buy our products and services. The book-buying experience is no exception. Before your potential clients or customers fork over their money, they’ll do some vetting. And that’s where the book buyer’s journey comes in. Understanding how your potential readers move from one stage of the journey to another will help you shape your content marketing strategy, sell more books, and attract your ideal reader or client. What is the Buyer’s Journey? The buyer’s jour ..read more

I have a confession. Many years ago, I was working on a vital document. Needing to move some words around, I highlighted the text in question, clicked on “copy,” and was ready to click on “paste” when my phone rang. I immediately picked up the phone and said, “Edit, paste.” The co-worker sitting next to me burst into roaring laughter. I snickered a little, with the customer still on the phone, but managed to get it together quickly. I apologized, explained my little faux pas, and got a laugh out of her, too. So, what’s my confession? I have never been able to multitask. I have never been able ..read more

Self-publishing a professional nonfiction book involves many vital details. Among these includes deciding on an ISBN for your print versions. So, I wasn’t surprised when I received the following question from an independent author in my Nonfiction Book Accelerator Facebook Community: “Should I buy my own ISBN or use a free one from Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) or IngramSpark?”   This article answers that question. I’m going to share the Cliff’s Notes version. However, for an in-depth look at ISBNs or the other elements of a professional nonfiction book, I have a mini-course ..read more

Your title matters. As a marketing asset, your title is only second to your book cover. It’s a big deal. Whether your ideal reader is shopping at a brick-and-mortar store or online, your book title is a crucial marking piece that influences the buyer’s journey. It can either boost or kill your book sales. How Your Nonfiction Book Title Influences Your Reader Think about how a reader shops for books. He either walks into a bookstore or logs onto an online shop like Amazon. As he browses for books, he glances at the book covers. If yours catches his eye, he either picks up the physical book or ..read more

Most aspiring authors never finish their book. The vast majority of aspiring authors fail. Not because they’re bad writers. Not because they don’t have a large following. And not because they’re not trying. They fail because their book never sees the light of day. Most aspiring authors never write or publish the book they’ve always dreamed about, and they get stuck in their first draft.  If you’re yearning to write your first nonfiction book, it doesn’t have to be that way for you. In this article, I share 20 tips you can apply to write your first draft straight through. &nb ..read more

“Brilliant ideas must be worked for and worked after!” – Geraint A. Wiggins & Joydeep Bhattacharya1 The first time we outline a nonfiction book, we can overcomplicate things. I know I did. I had already written a lot of material in the past: press releases, public policy documents, manuals, environmental scans, competitive analyses for advertising clients, academic papers, and more. Yet somehow, I believed that outlining my first nonfiction book was a daunting task. I was so worried about the potential for failure that something I had already done hundreds of times, albeit for different ..read more

“With an estimated 68% to 83% of market share in e-book distribution,1 neglecting Amazon in nonfiction book research is not a option.”  – Sylvia Melena You selected the perfect nonfiction book topic. You brainstormed ideas of what to include in your chapters. But deep down inside, you feel like something’s missing. You know there should be more. What else can you include? Where can you get more ideas? And how can you ensure your content is competitive and resonates? There are many places you can glean ideas and market information. In this article, I share the best one: the Amazon marke ..read more

Studies suggest that planning has a positive influence on overall writing in terms of content and text organization.1 – Yue Xie and Xiaoxuan Lv It’s no secret. Planning is the hallmark of successful writers, and outlining is one of their key instruments. But What is a Book Outline? The nonfiction book outline is a roadmap for your writing. It helps you organize your thoughts and ideas, so you can write a book that delivers results as quickly and efficiently as possible. Some people confuse the book outline with book structure. Both help you with organization and logical flow, but there’s a ..read more

“How long should my nonfiction book be?” I get this question a lot from first-time nonfiction book authors.  But here’s the deal. People buy your book hungry for a solution to their problem. They don’t care about your word count.  So, How Long Should Your Nonfiction Book Be? Long enough to solve your ideal reader’s problem or meet his needs. No more. No less. That’s my bottom-line answer for self-published books. But I know that when we venture into new territory, we want to follow a proven pattern that works.  Nonfiction Book Word Count Goals With this in mind, here are some r ..read more

It’s unfortunate. Many book authors struggle to sell their books and make an impact because their writing completely misses the mark. I’m not talking about writing style or grammar, although they’re certainly important. I’m talking about writing that doesn’t resonate, writing that doesn’t move the ideal reader’s heart and mind. But who is your ideal reader? That’s what I answer in this article. Your Ideal Book Buyer v. Your Ideal Reader There’s a vital distinction between your Ideal Book Buyer and your Ideal Reader. Understanding this distinction will help you sell more books and craft a mag ..read more