Cinematherapy is self-care: It’s choosing watching movies that match your mood soothe the soul in troubled times, make you laugh or make you cry, and cure a Bad Hair Day, too. My new article in Spirituality & Health magazine offers some suggestions for Cinematherapy movies and streaming series, and you’ll find more recommendations at MyCinematherapy. USA Today dubbed Cinematherapy “a cultural phenomenon” as movie watchers latched on to the six-book Cinematherapy series by Nancy Peske and Bev West that taught them it’s okay to feel your feelings, behave badly now and again, and learn someth ..read more

Do you want to write a book but don’t know where to start? You might want to hire a ghostwriter to work with your ideas and shape them into a cohesive book. However, if you’re thinking, “I want someone to write my book for me” and assuming that you can’t do it yourself with some help, read on. A developmental editor (which is different from a line editor), a book writing coach, or a book publishing consultant might be a good choice for you. Here are four examples of when you might consider hiring a ghostwriter to write your book for you—or a developmental editor, book writing coach, or book pu ..read more

As you write your book or make plans to, keep in mind that you’ll be more satisfied with getting your book written and published if you attract readers who will buy your book. Thinking about marketing should start early on in your process. Here are 3 ways to make your book discoverable so you can get sales when your book is launched. Have a great hook for your book. Your hook might be a fresh take on an old topic. It could be that you’re writing about something that hasn’t been addressed in a book before. When I needed a book to help me as a parent understand, address, and accommodate my son ..read more

Recently, my clients Robert Danziger and Mary Gellens, two physicians, saw their book The Determined Patient published. Here are some insights you can glean from their experience conceptualizing, writing, and publishing the book (with my help—I am the coauthor). Refine Your Idea Guided by Comparable Books The Determined Patient: How to Be a Powerful Self-Advocate and Take Charge of Your Health began with the idea of a book promising “you can access the same information your doctor can” and was refined to being a self-advocacy book for patients so as to tap into the audience seek ..read more

To write a book proposal, start with an overview describing the book, why it fills a hole in the marketplace and is needed now, and why you’re the right person to write it. Describe the audience for the book and the benefits your book offers. When describing the audience for the book, you might offer some startling statistics to make the case that your book has a big audience. For example, in the book proposal for Raising a Sensory Smart Child, I wrote, “1 in 20 children has sensory processing disorder: That’s one in every classroom.” In general, statistics s ..read more

By Nancy Peske Hoping to get your book published? You may need to hire a freelance editor to help you achieve your goal. There are two types of freelance editors, and each has different credentials and skills. Know which type of editor you’d like to hire. First, recognize that if you get a book deal with a traditional publisher, your editor will do a moderate to minimal amount of editing of your completed manuscript. You don’t have to worry too much about copyediting, also known as light line editing, because the publisher will have in-house or freelance copyeditors who do that work. The publi ..read more

By Nancy Peske The comparative books list is a crucial element in a successful book proposal. It is your best tool for convincing an agent or an in-house acquisitions editor that your book will stand out in the marketplace and add something new while appealing to an established book-buying audience. How do I know this? Because as an in-house editorial assistant at HarperCollins Publishers several years ago, it was my job to check out the comparative books lists in book proposals my boss was considering to see if there was any way to strengthen them, which would make it easier for us ..read more

Not all freelance editors do the same type of work. If you are looking to hire an editor for your book, know there are some myths about what editors do. Let me bust those myths for you! MYTH #1: Any editor can help you with any type of book you’d like to publish. REALITY: Excellent editors may work in several genres, but for the most part, editors specialize. They can’t be experts on everything, and an editor with integrity will tell you flat out if she’s not the right person to help you with your book. She may be able to recommend a trusted colleague, but not always. MYTH ..read more

Are you trying to establish your brand as distinct from others? A book written by you can serve as a credibility card for your expertise in your field of interest. Branding yourself with a book can help set you apart from experts that do similar work. It gives you a chance to show people what’s different about you, your message, and your methods. To get started, or unstuck if you began writing but ran out of enthusiasm for your book, think about what sets you apart. What’s your story? How did you come to start your business or organization? How did you begin writing and speaking about the subj ..read more

Cinematherapy is self-care: It’s choosing watching movies that match your mood soothe the soul in troubled times, make you laugh or make you cry, and cure a Bad Hair Day, too. My new article in Spirituality & Health magazine offers some suggestions for Cinematherapy movies and streaming series, and you’ll find more recommendations at MyCinematherapy. USA Today dubbed Cinematherapy “a cultural phenomenon” as movie watchers latched on to the six-book Cinematherapy series by Nancy Peske and Bev West that taught them it’s okay to feel your feelings, behave badly now and again, and learn someth ..read more