Tag: income

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One Isn’t the Loneliest Number…(It’s the most dangerous!)

November 26, 2018– We’re talking about the business of writing again and this goes for authors too so listen up! One isn’t the loneliest number, it’s the most dangerous and here’s why; if you’re relying on one of anything, you’re about to have major problems.

The number one makes your business fragile, brittle, and wobbly. Here are some things that are bad when it comes to the number one:

  1. You only have one book.
  2. You only have one source of leads.
  3. You only have one major supplier.
  4. You only have one type of product.
  5. You only have one major customer.
  6. You only have one type of service.
  7. You only have one source of income.

Why is this so bad? Because having one of anything simply leads to ONE, SINGLE point of failure. This means that any small change in circumstances could devastate your business and your career. Don’t put yourself in this situation, start working on multiples. Multiple books, multiple income streams, multiple buyers and suppliers and products. This way, if one thing fails, you can pivot to the next thing. I run my business under the constant question of, “WHAT IF?” and this way of thinking has saved me more than once.

  • What if your largest customer leaves you for the competition or they don’t require your products/services anymore?
  • What if your main source of leads dries up?
  • What if your main marketing strategy stops working?
  • What if your supplier goes out of business?
  • What if you don’t have e-books and the bookstore you have your book in goes out of business?

What if, what if, what if? Some people may disagree with my way of thinking and say that I’m being pessimistic and looking at the glass as half empty. Think what you will but this strategy allows me to prepare for the worst and hope for the best; it also allows me to have a plan of action should the crap hit the fan. This way of thinking allows me to feel more in control and that I can handle anything that gets thrown my way because I constantly have a backup plan.

As an author and entrepreneur are you prepared for the worst? Things change constantly and change is the only constant. Be prepared and get to work with new books, new products, new strategies, and new contacts.

X LLB

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Why You Should Diversify…

October 22, 2018– As authors, sometimes we leave a lot of stones unturned especially while first starting out. It can be scary to make the leap from full-time whatever to full-time writer, it’s a massive leap of faith, financially, emotionally, mentally, and socially.

Here are three ways to generate income while still working on your next great Canadian/American/Wherever you’re from, novel.

  1. Editing services. Chances are if you’re a writer, you can edit pretty well especially if it’s someone else’s work. Editing our own stuff is the hard part. Check into your area to see how much others are charging for this service and price your services accordingly.
  2. Public Speaking. Yes, you need to charge for this because what you have to say is important. The list of topics to talk about is endless. As an author, you could speak about establishing a writing routine, how to outline a novel, how to make money on the side while writing, side hustling, as I like to call it, and of course, where ideas come from while writing. Everyone is an expert on something, and people will pay to hear your advice.
  3. Copy Writing. No, not copyright-ing, the other one. Writing copy is important for ALL businesses, and as a writer, you’re a fountain of words. Use your wordsmith skills to generate copy for companies and to fund your bank account. Look for real estate agents, restaurants, law offices, and wherever else you think your services could be used effectively.

Of course, this is not a complete list by any means, and there are a TON of other ideas to generate income. The only limit is your imagination, and as an author, we know that this is NOT in short supply! Find ways to get creative and make the income you need to keep writing! Here’s to your success! X LLB

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How Well Do You Do This?

August 27, 2018- You are a self-published author. I want to know how well you do this one thing. It’s something that some of us shy away from, it’s something that can be uncomfortable for most, but it’s something that is imperative to your success.

Some of you may be saying, “Of course I do this!” But, for others, death is more welcoming than completing this task.

What is that one something that is imperative to your success as a self-published author? It’s self-promotion! Here’s usually what happens:

  1. Author writes the book. Edits are done, cover designed, etc.
  2. They get someone to print it.
  3. Hundreds of copies of their book sit idle in their garage.

I’ve broken this down to the simplest point. Of course, there is much more that goes into the in-between of writing to print. So, let’s get to the meat of the conversation and talk about the hundreds of copies that just sit idle in the author’s garage and what to do about it! Self-promotion is the key to your success. If people don’t know about you and your book how the heck do you expect them to buy it? Your biggest problem is obscurity. Once people start to take notice in what you’re saying they’ll take notice of what you’re selling.

  1. You MUST create a marketing plan BEFORE your book comes out. Why? Because you need to know where you’re going to know when you’ll get there. Set goals, but develop a comprehensive marketing plan. Author platform is also crucial, but that’s a whole other blog post:)
  2. Self-Promote. Yep, I said it. Get used to talking about yourself, your book, and your work. Get ready to start promoting your book to everyone you come in contact with. Get ready to pound the pavement, have doors slammed in your face, and get ready to be told NO a thousand times. You have to develop a thick skin. There are a lot of haters out there and do you know why? Because they can’t do what you do.
  3. Believe in yourself and your work. You must believe that what you’ve written is valuable and that people want to know about it!  I remember reading the 10 X Rule by Grant Cardone, and one thing in the book stuck out in my mind, it went something like this: “I don’t want to push my product on people!” and Grant Cardone said, “It’s a shame you have a product you don’t believe in.” This hit me like a ton of bricks, and I NEVER hesitated again to approach someone with my books. Do you believe in your words? Do you believe in yourself? If not, don’t bother writing another word. If you don’t care, neither does anyone else. Stop, go get a different job, and chase another dream. Let me tell you something though, believing in yourself is the only way to make your dreams come true. It starts with that. The second thing is taking action. That’s it. It’s that simple.

So, how well do you self-promote? How much do you believe in yourself? How much action do you take?

X LLB

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