Category: Publishing

Cocky-Blocked: How to Nuke Your Brand From Orbit

Call me cocky for even weighing in on this issue (at your own peril). But, seriously, folks. It’s rare to run across something so epically wrong AND foolish and…ironically, cocky. As an author branding expert, I’d be remiss NOT to say something about Cockygate (though I seriously hate having to). Cockygate. Yes, folks, it’s a …

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The Priority Parallax: Everything is Not as Important as It Appears

For most of my life, being ‘right’ was my single greatest priority. Years ago, I believed I knew everything. Okay, that’s a lie. More like a couple weeks ago I believed I knew everything. More lies. Dang it! Truth is, this morning I knew everything then got some caffeine and realized I was completely full …

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Outlasters: Dreamers are Born but Doers are Forged

It’s only human to want a drive-thru breakthrough, a dream in a box, the winning lotto ticket to life. Yet, I posit instant success is about as healthy as instant rice (and just as suspicious). To achieve anything remarkable, it’s critical to become an OUTLASTER (a term I learned from Craig Groeschel, who happens to have …

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Synopsis: Why All Writers Need One Even Though They Hate It

There is one word known to strike fear into the hearts of most writers. Synopsis. Many of us would rather perform brain surgery from space using a lemon zester and a squirrel than be forced to boil down our entire novel into one page. Yes one. But alas we need a synopsis for numerous reasons. First and …

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Fizzle or Sizzle? How Genre is Fundamental for Story Success

Genre is a word that makes a lot of new writers cringe. Many (mistakenly) believe any kind of boundaries will somehow impair or restrict creativity and crater imagination. This is why so many emerging authors (myself included) avoid learning about structure or how to plot until forced to…at gunpoint. Fine! Yes, I’m being melodramatic, but …

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