What Happens When You Believe in Yourself.

In the fall of 2020, I met Rae McDaniel. 

They are a licensed therapist, certified sex therapist, a transgender diversity and inclusion specialist, coach, educator, and entrepreneur. 

When I met them, Rae was unsure what publishing path they should take. 

Colleagues had written books for small publishers, but Rae wanted to go bigger. 

In our first conversation, they told me they were unsure their audience was big enough for a traditional book publisher. They also wondered if their book — on navigating gender transition with ease — would be pigeonholed into the LGBTQIA+ shelf and not reach the broad audience Rae knew it could reach.

Fast forward two and a half years later to today — May 29, 2023. 

Rae’s fantastic book GENDER MAGIC comes out tomorrow, and I would really appreciate it if you bought a copy for yourself, and read it. 

Now — you could do this just as a favor to me for all the wonderful free advice I’ve given you about your book and publishing in general but I have a few more important reasons too.

First — it’s a terrific book that shows what you can do with a framework or model that’s replicable. Rae had developed their Gender Freedom Model in private practice, first with individual therapy clients and then with a group coaching program. Having loads of case studies (which we made anonymous for the book) and a proven model gave us tons of material for the proposal and the book, and became the backbone of the editorial structure.

Second — GENDER MAGIC has so much awesome information to help you on your journey as an author yourself. I will share one small example. 

In the process of writing this book, Rae introduced me to ZPD — the zone of proximal development. Learning about this will help you understand why it’s impossible for you (or anyone else) to go from unknown to bestselling author quickly. Spoiler alert: It’s because your brain is not okay with that — literally. The chapter Rae wrote about how our brains work, based on tons of scientific evidence, is worth $29 all by itself. 

Third, books like this matter. The war against LGBTQIA+ people is far from over, with 

USA Today reporting that over 650 anti-LGBTQIA+ laws have been passed in 46 states — in 2023 alone. This is not something that we can ignore. 

I have many friends, family members, colleagues, and clients who identify within that acronym — and so do you. In fact, you’re reading an email and receiving advice from a queer-identifying woman right now. 

No matter how you identify, I promise you that this book will benefit you — and/but — since transgender and non-binary folk earn 32% less than cisgender folks at work, buying a few copies and donating them either to your local library and/or to a Little Free Library will help this book find the readers who can benefit from it.

And — because you’ve read all the way to the end — if you purchase 3 or more copies, email your receipt to hello@meghanstevensonbooks.com and we will hook you up with my Become a Bestseller workshop — for free. 

Thanks in advance for supporting authors like yourself.

You’re Wrong About . . .

Your big break.

Let me explain. A favorite podcast of mine is You’re Wrong About hosted by Sarah Marshall. In a recent two-part episode on Karen Carpenter (#1 and #2), Sarah — along with her producer Carolyn Kendrick — talked about something that I find super relevant to entrepreneurs and experts like you who want to be published authors.

Instead of one big break that pushes someone into the limelight, Sarah and Carolyn argued, there are usually 40 little breaks before that no one ever sees. That’s what happened to Karen Carpenter, what happened to megastars of the self-help and entrepreneurship world like Brené Brown and James Clear, and what could happen to you.

Brené Brown wrote three books before her breakthrough TED Talk in 2010 thrust her into the spotlight. James Clear wrote his newsletter on habits for six years before publishing his New York Times bestselling book. 

And there are probably dozens more examples I could share just from my career alone. 

But my favorite is Kathleen Peddicord. She started her own business, Live and Invest Overseas, in 2008 after working for more than two decades as Editor-in-Chief for the International Living Group. 

When Kathleen began marketing and promoting herself, she focused on sending helpful weekly emails and over time built up an email list of thousands. Next, she hosted large conferences for people who wanted to move and retire overseas. That caught the attention of a publisher — which led her to me. While at Penguin, I edited her first book, How to Retire Overseas, which was published in 2011. Since then, that book has gone on to become a consistent seller with more than 20,000 copies sold, creating the foundation for Kathleen to write another six books in the past decade. 

I hope you can see in these amazing stories that you don’t just get one big break — but instead, get to make choices that lead to these teeny tiny breaks that build upon each other. That’s how you become a bestselling author like Kathleen, James, or Brené. 

Or a superstar like Karen Carpenter.
Because most of the time, you’ve only just begun. (Sorry — couldn’t resist.)

3 Lessons For Your Book Journey — From Stevie Nicks

A few weeks ago, I had a chance to see Stevie Nicks on tour. 

Before the show, I would have said that I was a casual fan. I like her songs, but I wouldn’t have said I was a hardcore Stevie fan, or even a mega Fleetwood Mac fan.

Until after that show.

In 90 minutes, Stevie did three things that completely won me over in the way that great artists — musicians, writers, creators, and yes authors — can. 

And these three things, if you choose to master them, will help you achieve your goal of writing and publishing a bestselling book.

1. Stay connected with what inspires you.
   In 2022, Stevie told The New Yorker that “I don’t think that any real serious songwriter is ever going to have a problem staying connected to the dream world that allows us to write songs.” There’s a reason that you want to get your book out in the world — and the people I’ve seen become successful authors stay connected to that reason no matter how many years it takes. Stevie has been a musician for decades — and stays connected to the love she has for writing, performing, and sharing her poetry with fans.

2. Balance the hits with what’s important to you.
   At the show I attended, Stevie performed less popular songs that she loved. The crowd didn’t applaud as much or scream every lyric the way they did for “Dreams” or “Gypsy” but I can honestly say that I don’t think Stevie gave a fuck, and I think that’s awesome. When creating content, follow what I’m calling the “Stevie Rule” — give people the advice they want and what they need. (Which isn’t the same thing.)

3. Honor your helpers.
   Stevie gave two tributes in the show I attended, to fellow Fleetwood Mac member Christine McVie and to Tom Petty — both close personal friends. In addition to singing their songs, she explained what each of these people meant to her personally and professionally. Both publishing and entrepreneurship are small worlds, meaning that who you thank — and don’t — matters. Be kind, thoughtful, and reciprocal.

And last but not least — know that your perspective may change. 

Up until I saw Stevie perform live, I never really understood the song “Landslide.” But when I heard it that night, I instantly understood its meaning at this point in my life and now it’s a favorite song on my playlist for 2023. 

Our perspective changes as our journey changes — simple as that.

The Worst Goal When You Want To Write and Publish a Book.

I’ve been in publishing for nearly 20 years and I can say with absolute certainty and confidence that one goal creates the most heartbreak for authors I know.

Wanting to be a New York Times bestseller.

Here’s why. 

First, “the list” — as it’s known in publishing — is curated. Instead of being based on the bestselling books of the week, the people who work for The New York Times choose what’s on the list. 

Yep. It’s sorta rigged. 

In my career, I’ve worked on “bestselling” books that appeared on the list, even though I knew and everyone else knew that book hadn’t sold enough copies to be there. And I’ve also worked on books that sold more than enough that were mysteriously left off.

But that’s not all.

What I’ve seen is that when authors focus on The New York Times list or becoming a bestselling author or getting a particularly big advance, say — their perspective gets twisted. The goal becomes very all-or-nothing, boom-or-bust. Any “good” goals they meet along the way — like landing their dream literary agent or selling 5,000 books in the first week on sale — seem mediocre and paltry in comparison. Worse, the author is doing it to themselves by making an extraordinary accomplishment that only a small number of people and books achieve seem ordinary and reasonable when it’s actually not.

And last — becoming a bestselling author goes way beyond The New York Times. 

When I look at the most successful books I’ve published, two out of the three top sellers are what we call “backlist bestsellers” — books that never hit The New York Times bestseller list, that sold modestly at first and then sold consistently, month after month, year after year, decade after decade. These books succeeded because the advice in them was solid, the authors do great work and continue to grow their platform, and the problem that the book solved is perennial.

Becoming a bestselling author is possible — especially if you shift your focus from something out of your control (The New York Times) to what’s in your control (your content and platform).

You Don’t Need a Book To Be a Speaker.

Yep. I said it. 

Just because someone asks if you have a book doesn’t mean anything.

I know because I’ve been a speaker. I’ve also worked with entrepreneurs and experts who spoke for YEARS before writing down their thoughts into a published book. Many do keynote speeches and events before thousands of people . . . all without a book.

And yet — the idea proliferates that you need a book to be a speaker or to be a standout name in your industry or to attract an audience. 

But y’all — none of this is true. 

Here’s what is. Creating content is what will do all those things. But content doesn’t have to be — and often shouldn’t be — a book. There’s an exercise I do with people who think that a book will magically promote their business, explain the magic of what they do in the world, or land them on stages. 

I grab a book from my shelf and I ask —

Does this book walk?

Does this book talk?

The answer is no, right?

Here’s some more questions for you to answer. 

Grab your own book and play along. I dare you.

Does this book identify your ideal client? Find them?

Does this book build your audience?

Does this book land you on stages?

The answer — in case you haven’t guessed it — is a resounding NO.

And lastly —

Does this book create the success you want?

Fuck no.

YOU DO.
Make no mistake — your content and more importantly, sharing it — is what walks, talks, identifies and finds your ideal clients, builds your audience, lands you on stages, and ultimately gets you the success you want — and the book deal of your dreams.

Because without that you simply have ink, paper, and some glue. 

Which does nothing for you.

Let Me Be a Cautionary Tale . . .

I’m writing this email to you on March 6, 2023. 

Today’s the day that I paid off a business loan that I took out in 2021 — for what I thought was my dream.

Spoiler alert — it wasn’t.

After a client inspired me to think bigger for myself, I decided to grow my business. 

Once I started advertising, marketing, and promoting my services, I got huge results. My social media and email began to grow consistently, and the clients I attracted were terrific. Some of the biggest book deals I’ve done in my career happened in 2020 and 2021.

But along the way, I had developed a bad habit that I see in my own clients, and among entrepreneurial women more generally.

I started to look to everyone else for what I should do next. 

Instead of turning inward and reminding myself of what I truly wanted out of my work — and my life — I decided that I wanted a million dollar business. I wanted to be like the women I admired, who are major players in online entrepreneurship.

I decided to host a live event. And by doing so, I went against my own instinct and experience. After attending writers’ conferences for years, I knew that what’s really needed to get a book deal is slow, consistent growth and developing ideas over time.

Not sitting in a room for two days being fire-hosed with information. 

But I went ahead anyway — because I wanted to be like the women I admired, and because I wanted to put on a big, flashy event and wear fancy clothes and hold a mic and fly in literary agents and drink Champagne with friends. 

I thought about all the benefits and the fun I would have, but not why I wanted to host the event or what I wanted the outcome to be for the people who came, other than to make me money. 

In the end, the event went well. Attendees told me they loved it, I got to spend time with literary agents that I love, and most of all — I learned so much about myself and my business.

Here are three important lessons I learned — so you don’t have to.

First, by focusing on what other people were doing, I lost sight of who I was and why I wanted to expand my business in the first place. 

Second, I was hella stubborn. I didn’t listen to my gut instinct or to the spreadsheet showing me that the event wasn’t going to serve my best interest. 

Third, impatience is a sneaky, sneaky B. I was in a rush to get where I wanted to be, and didn’t slow down to ask myself the hard but necessary questions about whether a live event was right for my business.

You may be wondering — Meghan, how the heck does this apply to me? 

I want to write a book, not run a live event. Well . . . . 

Do you know why you want to write a book?

Have you checked in with your intuition about becoming an author?

And are you pushing to make some arbitrary timeline with your audience growth, your overall author platform, or your book deal, or your book’s publication?

Because these are three issues I see all the time in the folks that want to work with us.

Is This Fear Holding You Back From Getting Your Book Deal?

In a recent call for my Author Platform Builders incubator, my client Nicole admitted to something really scary. 

She asked, “What if I’m never ready to publish a book?”

There were at least 15 people on this call.

In that moment, every face changed. 

I saw fear, sadness, and then anticipation — of what I would say in return.

Y’all, I do not like crushing dreams. It is my least favorite thing about the work I do. I would rather clean my husband’s bidet than have a tough conversation with a hopeful author. 

But I also like to be honest. I strive to be optimistic while also acknowledging reality. So, I will tell you what I told the Author Platform Builders that day.

Never being ready is a possibility. And being ready is a possibility.

It’s (mostly) up to you.

There’s a saying that I have heard mindset coaches and spiritual advisors use. 

We exist at choice. 

And I have found that to be abundantly true. Each of us makes millions of choices every single day. Should I eat eggs for breakfast or a bagel? Should I write this email for my audience or handle the emails in my inbox? Should I spend the next 30 minutes hanging out with my husband or doing work? 

Over time, those choices shape what and who we become.

But it’s also not entirely up to us. 

I believe there’s also a universal force at work in each of our lives that is constantly shifting to match the energy of what we do. This energy can co-create with us, giving us opportunities to interact with people and events and even material things that can help us move faster toward what we want. And because we’re in constant co-creation with this energy, it can also direct us away from goals and dreams — because not everything we want is what’s meant for us.

In traditional publishing, the reality is that you might fail. (Most do).

But you also may succeed — because you exist at choice and get to choose what you do (and don’t) on a daily basis. And what I’ve seen, over and over again — with both bestselling authors and those who walk away from their dreams of becoming an author — is that those choices turn you in the direction that you’re meant to go.

The Power of One Book.

I remember the very first how-to book I worked on.

Body Express Makeover by Michael George — a classic diet and fitness book written by a celebrity trainer promising total transformation.

At the time, I was in my early 20s, had struggled with my weight for years, and figured — why not try? After all, I knew the author. I could ask him questions. 

So I dug in. I ate according to his recommendations and started doing workouts in my graduate school dorm room, using canned vegetables as weights. I went for long walks in Central Park and Brooklyn, where I was living at the time.

And I transformed. I lost 20 pounds, but the effect was way more than that. I fell in love with fitness and the “high” I felt after working out. I started to question the habits that led to emotional eating and by doing so, began to question the limitations I had put on myself.

I also fell completely head over heels in love with how-to books. 

As a lifelong reader, I had always enjoyed fiction and the feeling I would get when an author or story resonated with me. But this was different.

The result of these three hundred pages was feeling empowered, braved, and changed.

Talk about a before and after, am I right?

Often when I talk to entrepreneurs and experts, their book is all about them.

The money they’ll get from a publisher.

What the book can do for their speaking, their profile, their audience.

But that’s not what I’m truly interested in. Instead, I want every book that we work on to change people. Make them feel inspired, empowered, ready to take on the world. 

So today, when you’re thinking about your book, ask yourself:

How can — and will — my book affect the person reading it?

Copyrights and Trademarks, Oh My!

I want to start this by saying: I’m not a lawyer. 

And this email is certainly not legal advice, though I did have a lawyer — who is also a literary agent — review what I’m about to say before sending this out.

I hear a lot of incorrect information about publishing — mostly well intended, sometimes outdated, and often the result of a virtual version of the game Telephone where small details get misinterpreted, passed along, misinterpreted, and passed on until I hear some wackadoodle shit. 

Today’s wackadoodle whack-a-mole concerns two legal protections we all have.

Copyright and trademark.

According to the U.S. Copyright Office, copyright is intellectual property that protects original work of authorship as soon as the author fixes the work in a tangible form of expression.

In other words — an idea that remains in your mind and not written down on paper?

Not protected under copyright law.

But an idea explained thoroughly in a document, posted on a blog, shared on social media, or sent in an email like this? 

As the creator or author, you automatically own that copyright.

It can be helpful to understand that copyright is dependent on creative expression. That’s why ideas and titles aren’t covered by copyright. Neither are lists or processes or systems or principles or even discoveries, short phrases, and slogans. However, this email? Protected by copyright so don’t go stealing it. Similarly, when I ghostwrite a book or collaborate on a book proposal — I actually sign over my copyright protection to the client. In addition to buying the deliverable (the manuscript or the proposal) they are also buying my creative expression.

In contrast, a trademark is related to your business. 

According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, you can trademark a word, a phrase, a symbol, a design, or a combination that identifies you as uniquely different from your competitors. Like copyright, you don’t have to register your trademark to own it, but applying for a trademark with the USPTO is the best way to protect it.

The tricky bit here is that you can’t stop people from using the exact same phrase or word even if you’ve formally trademarked it (because you only can prevent other folks from using it in connection with the same goods or services that you are using it with). And, trademarks need to be distinctive in order to be effective and defendable in court — or even get an official trademark in the first place.

As an entrepreneur and future author, what you need to remember about copyright and trademark is —

• It’s not necessary to formally register copyright in order to protect your copyrighted expression. 

• The publisher will handle filing copyright for your book.

• You should consider trademarking the name of your business, if you have one. 

Again — I’m not a lawyer. My intention with this email is to clarify — and encourage you to get real legal advice on copyright and trademark if you need it from an attorney. If you want a referral, hit reply and I’m happy to share the folks I work with.

Think You’re Ready for a Book Deal? Here’s What To Do Next.

The most important thing to know about me and my team is that we don’t write book proposals for folks who aren’t ready. 

93% of you reading this email aren’t ready. I know that because for the past few years, I’ve been keeping track of who applies to work with us and the conversations we have. 

I know most of you aren’t ready because you talk about yourselves instead of your readers.

I know most of you aren’t ready because it’s clear from a two-minute Google search that your audience isn’t big enough (yet).

And I know most of you aren’t ready because you are asking the wrong questions. 

But here’s the thing. 

While most of you aren’t ready to work on your book proposal, you ARE ready to spend time working toward your book deal and becoming a bestselling author. 

Here’s a few options that you are ready for, right now — 

1. Take my new assessment to see what your next best step is 

2. Watch my Become a Bestseller workshop to learn how book publishing works and what your options are (with me and others)

3. Sign up for a 1-on-1 consultation with me 

You might not be ready now, but you can get ready today.

I Have a Question for You!

Last year, I talked with over 200 people about their book idea and the chance to work with me. 

And what I hear over and over again — after offering lots of context and useful information — is:

I’d like to try doing it myself first. 

Whether we’ve been chatting about building an audience and author platform or figuring out what your book should be about and who it’s ultimately for — a lot of people, perhaps even you, want to try DIY before hiring me and my team.

I understand because sometimes, DIY is great. My husband recently fixed the heaters in our house by googling the model number and learning how to recalibrate the thermostat. 

But — like the folks who want to delay hiring me until they are “ready” — his DIY work is a temporary fix. The heaters are still finicky, the one in my office is broken, and we need a real electrician to fix the problem. 

So — I have a question if you’re someone who reads these emails and thinks . . . 

I love what she’s saying but can’t I do that on my own? 

How is that going for you?

How to Make Your Book Idea Unstealable

Have you heard that “publishers will steal your ideas”?

Or “you need to get your book out NOW before someone else steals the idea”?

Then . . . you’ve probably heard some pretty effective (and in my opinion, manipulative) marketing from the world of self-publishing. 

And though most of this is bullshit — as I’ve said before, publishers won’t steal your ideas — there is a chance that someone else will publish the book you’ve been dreaming of. 

But it’s not for the reasons you might think. 

Most of the time, would-be authors don’t steal their friends’ ideas or violate NDAs. 

Instead — they simply act first. This scenario is way less sexy — and way more common.

Here’s an example. Let’s say Amy and Beth are both experts in Stuff (and are both totally made up). Amy has a brilliant new idea about Stuff that would be perfect for a how-to book. And so does Beth. They both read these emails every week too!

Beth dreams of the day she’ll hit the bestseller list. She writes a Table of Contents, but feels a little stuck because she needs to spend most of her time focused on client work that pays. She starts an email list, but only sends a few emails before letting it wind down. After all, there’s only a handful of followers, and she’s got a life outside work and is so busy and . . . 

Meanwhile Amy has taken the time to research her options. She decides that she wants to hit the bestseller list and learn everything she can. That’s why she reads this email every week, and starts taking small steps to build her audience. She starts an email list, and updates her social media regularly. She begins to tell clients and colleagues about growing her business and presence online, and many support her. She signs up for conferences about growing her business where she can hopefully tell more people about Stuff. Based on what she hears back — she invests Stuff 2.0 which resonates with clients and becomes even more unique in the space.

So — who do you think will succeed at becoming a bestselling author — Amy or Beth?

My money would be on Amy, mostly because I agree with Elizabeth Gilbert (a bestselling author herself) about how creativity works.

In Big Magic, Gilbert shares that the muses of inspiration and creativity will go to many people until it finds someone that will take action. In the made-up case of Beth and Amy, both received the same inspiration. 

But only Amy really took action — and by doing so, crafted an even more unique idea. 

Those two steps are how you make your idea unstealable. You obey your inspiration, and by doing so, make it so that you are the only person who can deliver that content. 

How you do that is up to you, but we can help. 

Follow your inspiration and learn how to become a bestselling author right now.

Timing Doesn’t Matter As Much As You Think It Does

From November to February, unionized workers at HarperCollins were on strike.

This is a big deal in publishing, where salaries have been low for decades and there’s only one union in the entire industry. But it’s an even bigger deal to my clients who have finished their proposal and gotten a literary agent — because their book deal was delayed. 

Whether they would get a deal, how much money it would be, how many publishers would be interested, what the meetings with editors would be like, what feedback they would receive . . . was all put on hold for months in hopes that literary agents wouldn’t have to cross a picket line.

Luckily, my clients understood something about publishing that many authors don’t.

Timing for your book? Doesn’t matter all that much.

Outside of global events (like the first few months of the pandemic, or the financial crisis in 2008) the success of the how-to books that my team and I work on — and that y’all are writing — is not tied to a specific time of year, or even to a season. If you’re reading this, you’re not writing a Christmas book or a tell-all about a political candidate running in an election that year. 

Instead, the books we work on solve a problem that is relatively timeless.

People always want to make more money, parent their children in a healthier way, improve their lives, lose weight, and generally be better people. (Or at least the people who write and read the books that my team and I work on.)

That’s why I say a good book will sell every day — to literary agents, to a publisher, and to readers too. But what IS timely is building your audience by writing emails, crafting articles, posting on social media . . . because for every day you don’t do that work, you delay your book by at least a day. 

If not months or years more. 

Let me put your worries to rest. 

You can use whatever is going on right now to your advantage — in emails, in social posts, in working with your clients and growing your audience. And know that if you truly have a solution that is revolutionary and worthy of a bestselling book — the publishing world and most importantly, your readers — will wait for it.

Think You're Not Ready to Work on Your Book? Read This.

I have to get real with y’all for a second. 

I’m really glad that most of you realize that you’re not ready to write a book proposal yet. 

Thank you for reading these posts carefully and paying attention. You have no idea how flattered I am that thousands of you read what I have to say and find value in it.

But y’all — some of you are missing the point.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve received DMs and emails that say things like — 

I’m planning to . . . then I will reach out for your help.

I’m already looking forward to working together when my audience is built. 

But here’s the issue.

I don’t know when you’ll be ready — do you?

Instead, you can learn from me and work with me RIGHT NOW. 

It’s as simple as answering a few questions. When you do, here’s what will happen:

1. I will personally review your answers. (Win!)

2. You will get to meet with me to have all your questions about publishing answered. (Win!)

3. We will make our recommendation of what your next move should be, based on my experience and the dreams you have for your book.

4. You will be ready to take action knowing that you’re doing the right thing.

2,000 Hours Worth of Work

According to industry insider Publishers Marketplace, that’s how much work an author and publisher puts into every book. I would add an additional 100 hours to complete a proposal, and thousands more for building the audience. So let’s say . . . 5,000 hours.

Why would anyone spend 5,000 hours on a project?

Because it makes a difference. Because it’s a dream. Because it helps people.

And because — as a literary agent told me on the phone —

If it doesn’t help people why do it?

A Lesson In Legacy . . . From Nick Lachey

I have been accused of having terrible taste in music.

In addition to liking the ’80s version of Starship with a straight face, I also listen to country music, everything Taylor Swift creates, what I call ice-skating rock (think hair band ballads, REO Speedwagon, and 38 Special) and yes — boy bands.

And my favorite boy band? 

Not New Kids on the Block, though “Step by Step” is a JAM. Not the Backstreet Boys (though I do love them and cherish a promotional tape I got when they first came out that I mailed away for . . . from Bop magazine). And not *NSYNC, though I still remember the “Bye Bye Bye” choreography from the video because of Total Request Live on MTV.

Instead — my favorite is 98 Degrees. Back in the day, I was convinced they would be THE band. But it didn’t turn out that way. 

Instead, what happened was Nick Lachey. 

From Newlyweds to The Masked Singer, Nick has been consistently working. Two decades after his initial dream came true, he’s still influential. He’s still a celebrity. He is still out in the world doing his thing. 

And I bet what he’s up to now wasn’t in his master plan. 

Growing up in Ohio, Nick Lachey could not have predicted that he would host and produce Netflix reality shows. Instead, what he chose to do is take action on his dreams in the moment, and see what happened. Which was selling 10 million albums, creating a charitable foundation, living in Hawaii with his family, and still being relevant 20 years after he first showed up on magazine covers and TV screens. 

Working with entrepreneurs — who are all dreamers —  I see how plans can derail, often.

And I also get to see how taking consistent action leads to not only your dreams coming true but new dreams opening up. You can’t predict what will happen — but you can take action.

Like Nick Lachey.

Do You Know Where Your Readers Are?

Every quarter, I host planning calls with my Author Platform Builders, a group of entrepreneurs focused on growing their audience, influence, and reach with the intent to get a traditional book deal. 

On this particular call, my client Mike — who is new to the group — shared his excitement about starting an email list (yay!) and beginning to post on social media (also yay!). The end goal, he shared, was to start building his brand and audience.

Which is great . . . until Mike said that he didn’t know exactly who he was writing to.

Because, like many of the people I work with, Mike serves a few different types of folks. 

As faculty at a major university, he shares his expertise with classes of students. 

He also works as an executive coach with individual corporate leaders. 

And he sees how his advice could help people who are established in their career but want to grow into leadership and managerial roles.

Mike is experiencing two common problems I see a lot with entrepreneurs who have a great idea for a book — that you are trying to reach different kinds of readers who have distinct problems and needs and that those readers are not the clients you currently serve. 

Which makes building an audience and author platform tricky — but not impossible.

Mike’s next step is to find his readers. Do you know where yours are?

Read This If You Don’t Think You’re Ready (Yet)

Okay y’all. I need to tell you something URGENT. 

STOP PUTTING OFF YOUR DREAMS.

Every week, I get a message from one of you that says something like, 

I will reach out to you when . .  . 

I’m really busy now but when . . . . 

When I'm ready, I am going to reach out to you . . . .

But here’s the deal. For many folks, WHEN never happens. 

There’s always something new that is getting in the way. The course you bought. The quarterly project you already decided on. Not enough clients. Too many clients. 

Or perhaps you’re under the impression that you have to hit some milestone in order to work with me. But the truth is — you don’t. You are ready now. Not when. 

And if you are truly not ready — my team and I will tell you. 

And we’ll tell you what to do to get ready. All you have to do is answer a few questions.

So, if you know that you’ve put off taking action, here’s the message you have been waiting for.

This is the moment WHEN.

So You Want To Be a Thought Leader . . .

The phrase I hear most often from entrepreneurs who want to write and traditionally publish a book is “thought leader.” 

It’s right up there in the top 5 with words and phrases like: 

Oprah
TED Talk
Brené Brown
Speaking
New York Times bestseller 

Since you opened this email, I’m guessing that you, too, want to be a thought leader. Or are curious about what that means. And I’m going to tell you.

The joke about thought leadership is that you can’t call yourself a thought leader, just like you can’t give yourself a nickname. To me, thought leadership is about influence. 

It’s not about the number of followers you have, or how much revenue you make. Instead, it’s about whether you can influence and change how people think about their life, their work, or their circumstances. 

And to be clear, that’s a big ask. There’s a reason those top 5 words and phrases are considered a big deal. There’s a reason not everyone gets to share a stage with Oprah, be on a podcast with Brené Brown, give a TED talk, demand top dollar as a speaker, or become a New York Times bestseller. 

In order to be a thought leader, you have to stand out. You need to say something fresh, new, intriguing. You have to be clear on your messaging, and the words you say and the advice you offer have to create a demonstrable impact.

Not all of my clients are thought leaders. But for those who want to be, there is a proven path. 

This Email Is For Introverts and Writers.

There’s a stereotype of a “writer” that I have hated since college. 

I bet you know it. 

A quiet, introspective person who spends most of their time in a room with a desk, perhaps a typewriter, perhaps a computer, perhaps a stack of legal pads. Picture a Colin Firth in Love Actually vibe, but usually less handsome and romantic. Maybe with some cigarettes, or a trench coat that’s worn on long, contemplative walks in the rain.*

And while that can work to write a book, that sit-alone-and-ponder approach does not work for publishing your book. 

Much less getting anyone to read it.

The reason I detest that stereotype of a writer — as inherently shy, introverted, even a little reclusive — is because it is both incredibly limiting and simply not true. I am a writer, of books and emails and content and all sorts of things, and I am an extrovert. I know plenty of introverted entrepreneurs who have learned to become comfortable — albeit for short amounts of time — in front of an audience, on social media, and yes, promoting and selling their books and offers. 

The truth is, you can be whoever you want and whatever you want regardless of whether you are introverted, extroverted, or ambiverted. You don’t have to fit the typical definition of what a “writer” is, an “entrepreneur” is, or a “leader” is. You are a grown-up, I’m guessing, and that means you get to do what you want.

You are reading this email because you want to become a published author. 

Which requires you to change and grow. So — I encourage you to reconsider your definition of yourself. I want you to ask — who is the author inside of you? 

Because I really want to meet them.

*I blame Ernest Hemingway for this stereotype, as well as the dudes on every college campus who take a creative writing course every semester, wear long coats in every season, and smoke clove cigarettes. The guy on my campus was named Kevin.*