Have you ever wanted to become better at giving a speech, webinar or keynote while quelling your nerves? Then this review of new book ‘Public Speaking: From Stage Fright to Spotlight’ will interest you. Anne McKeown is an accomplished life coach and yes, public speaker.  We first need motivation to change, so Anne provides us... The post Public Speaking: A Book Review appeared first on Jennifer Lancaster | Writer and Editor ..read more

Today’s post is a little different. I want to talk about cultivating the right mindset, as fear and inaction affects book writers. In my forthcoming book ‘20 Most-Asked Questions on Prosperity’, I give readers some positive framework examples and ideas to re-set their ways of thinking. To get back on track to my own goals,... The post The Key to a Positive Mindset for Writers appeared first on Jennifer Lancaster | Writer and Editor ..read more

Well written, in the style of narrative nonfiction, Gorilla Tactics (How to Save a Species) starts off with the author’s experience of trying to save Mountain Gorillas (not physically but through awareness) but being caught up in a horrifying war in Rwanda. (Early galley review.) After all, only a few hundred mountain gorillas remain in... The post Gorilla Tactics by Greg Cummings – Review appeared first on Jennifer Lancaster | Writer and Editor ..read more

Rejoining Medium.com, I found an article on How to Overcome Creative Blocks by LC Lynch, some of which hails from Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic. Without fail, each was a concern I’ve either heard from book writers or ones I’ve had myself. So, let’s discuss popular writing fears and how to overcome writer’s block. Block to Creating anything 1:  I’m not talented enough or worthy Yep, had this one. It’s apparent that newer writers think our writing is bland and not really singing its special song. We fear criticism, and some clam up if an early reader is too harsh. But with... The post ..read more

Indie author, you thought you were in the clear because you chose your own editors and designers and uploaded your books and didn’t get caught in hybrid or vanity publisher fees. Or maybe you did. Either way, there are more sharks waiting for you: it’s called Pay-to-Play Media and Marketing. Pay-to-play means hiring a company or individual to ‘guarantee’ your brand a mention in a publication, for a fee. There are all kinds: paid reviews, paid upfront (higher than $99) book awards, book fair stands, video trailers, ‘blog reviews’, pay-to-play magazine articles, book ad setup, and even high mark ..read more

Sometime in the 1990s I went to see a band called TISM and had a rockin’ good time. This is Serious Mum is an anonymous alternative rock band, which riffs on social themes and has an anarchistic bent. (TISM Insta). Now what the actual has this got to do with book creation, you might ask?  Three things: Bring the energy to your Category of One Now let’s bring that kind of vibe to these thoughts on riding trend waves and […] The post Engage the World in Your Book Creation to Get Traction appeared first on Jennifer Lancaster | Writer and Editor ..read more

You may have heard of doing work to ensure better ‘organic’ traffic on Google, i.e. natural, unpaid traffic. There are certainly many benefits for book authors to capitalise on SEO for their book or author website. (Though this article is not about search engine optimisation). People will generally find your website through a combination of their remembering your author name and/or book title. An especially rare keyword might also work. Google isn’t the only source of free visitors; there is […] The post The Benefits of Organic Traffic for Authors appeared first on Jennifer Lancaster | Writer ..read more

This question underlies everything I do when creating books: how do I write a book that resonates with my market? Always think about a potential market first. Also, consider the barriers and pitfalls that may stop you. (To help yoy, this 1,700 word guide is written by me, Jennifer, an author, author coach and editor). Table of Contents for this Book Writing Guide How long should it take to write a book? How to come up with a good topic […] The post How Do I Write a Book? Your Book Writing Helper appeared first on Jennifer Lancaster | Writer and Editor ..read more

Last week I bought a Kindle book about mastering your own Public Relations. Firstly, if you use a title along those lines, you will attract people wanting to DIY their brand publicity/PR and expecting some handy tips. Let’s see where the use of ChatGPT all went wrong. There were some real entrepreneur stories of success in the eBook, and these were the ideas I wanted to be taken deeper into. When the author used some survey results, the arguments were […] The post If You Use ChatGPT for Book Writing, a Word to the Wise appeared first on Jennifer Lancaster | Writer and Editor ..read more

Sometimes we need a little help to make a new habit. When writing a book, the practice of “writing and researching” needs to become habitual. That’s why reminder apps are so useful. On Google Workspace Marketplace, you’ll find “Intelligent Apps”. When I saw them all, and this Calendar AI assistant, I was “mind blown”. Of Reclaim.AI, one user said, “Overall I think a lot of people dread the idea of mapping out their goals, passions and more menial time obligations, […] The post AI and Systems to Improve Our Writing Habits appeared first on Jennifer Lancaster | Writer and Editor ..read more