Dr Johnson on Success

Samuel Johnson grew up poor and handicapped in 18^th Century. He was also brilliant and determined to be independent. Son of a bookseller, Johnson was a voracious reader.

While attending, young Samuel was mortified when a fellow student left a pair of shoes on the doorstep one night after noticing the condition of his tattered shoes. He dropped out of after a year, unable to pay his tuition.

Johnson started a teaching career. Lacking a degree, and with physical handicaps that made him a target for children’s disrespect, he was not successful.

So he turned to writing where his career finally blossomed. Johnson was a prolific writer, creating a dictionary, poems, sermons, books, and political essays. Today he is the second most frequently quoted person in the English-speaking world, second only to Shakespeare.

What does this story have to do with you?

At first glance, nothing.

Look a little deeper into his writings and you’ll find this quote:

“To be happy at home is the ultimate result of all ambition.”

Bam. Kind of hits you right between the eyes doesn’t it?

At this time of year when we are rushing around with holiday preparations, looking back at 2008 and beating ourselves up for all the things we did or did not do, those twelve words put it all into perspective.

Ponder this on a winter’s night:

• Are you happy at home?
• How can you mark and celebrate the richness of your home life?
• In what ways does your business support your home life or subtract from it?
• What are you going to do to enhance your happiness at home?

As you wind up 2008 and look ahead to 2009, use these words to create what really matters in your life and your business. Do the same for your readers.

“To be happy at home is the ultimate result of all ambition.”
Samuel Johnson

Raise your glass with me in celebration of all the little things that make home feel like home.

Salute!

Click Here for full newsletter.

Advocate for Your Readers

In my work as a publisher, I have the opportunity to read many manuscripts from new authors. Many are wonderful. Some unfortunately, are in need of a makeover.

Some books just feel ‘off’.  It’s hard to identify the problem, but they just don’t feel right.

After much study and comparison, I’ve identified a trend in the manuscripts that are not quite ready for publication. It’s a very subtle but important distinction.

The best books are written FOR a reader.
Unsuccessful books are written TO a reader.

If your book feels preachy, arrogant, or judgmental, your reader will not benefit from your words.
For example, if you have strong feelings about teen drinking and write a 250-page book on how sinful and terrible teenage drinking is, how many teens do you think will read it?

On the other hand, if you wrote a funny, compassionate book about the struggles teens encounter with peer pressure, including the pressure to drink alcohol, and gave them easy strategies they could use to avoid alcohol and drugs, your book would be much more attractive to your readers. It would be even better if you had a teen-aged co-author who could speak directly to his/her peers, using their language.

As your plan and write your book, use these questions to ensure that you are advocating for your reader in your book, instead of lecturing them:

• Who is my ideal reader?
• What problem does this book solve for my reader?
• What emotional impact does this problem cause for my reader?
• How can I demonstrate my understanding and compassion for my reader?
• Where can I praise my reader for seeking a new solution in this book?
• How can I encourage my reader that the solutions in the book will help?
• What stories can I tell that will show my reader that I understand this issue and demonstrate my own vulnerability?
• How can I make reading this book an enjoyable experience, even if it is about a difficult topic?

When you remember that as an author, you are an advocate for your readers, you will write a book that connects to the heads and the hearts of your audience.

‘For’ and ‘to’ are small words. Yet, they carry a powerful reminder for authors. I have them on a sticky note on my computer as a constant reminder.

Hope this article was helpful FOR you!


To read the full newsletter click here.

Get Your Geek On

If you have read Book Bites for a while, you know I  am a big nerdy, geek at heart. Yes, I  was the smart, bookish girl in high school who helped with homework and  excelled in the Speech club and Student Council. Yikes.

So  forgive my nerdy excitement about research.  Each time I ghostwrite a book, I have to spend hours researching the  topic, the author, and the ideal readers.  I’ve discovered that all that research helps me to write faster and  better.

Your book  will benefit from some research as well.  The more you know about the problems and challenges of your audience,  the more compelling your book will be.

For example,  imagine you are writing a book to help women returning to the workforce after  being home with children. You may know  the obvious problems these readers face: communicating like a Mom instead of a  professional, updating technology skills and managing office politics.

However,  if you did additional research, you would know these readers are also concerned  about:
 

   
• How to dress in today’s corporate environment- styles have certainly changed in 15 years
   
• Coping with co-workers and managers who are young enough to be your child
   
• Overcoming the subtle discrimination from women who’ve worked while they had children or sacrificed children for a career
 

When you  research, you discover the subtle facets of the issue, providing your readers  with information that leaves a lasting impact and makes them feel understood.
To  conduct research:
 

   
• Follow blogs related to your topic
   
• Use a search engine like Google or Yahoo to find the most popular websites for your target readers
   
• Read magazines targeted to your ideal reader
   
• Look at other books related to your topic, both the popular and unpopular ones
   
• Interview people with first-hand knowledge of your topic. Find these people at networking events, community or church groups, organizations like the PTA, Chamber of Commerce, or professional organizations, or on social networking sites like Facebook.
 

Give  research a try. It’s fun. Think Nancy Drew, Sherlock Holmes, and prize winning  journalists.
The more  deeply you know and understand your topic and your readers, the more powerful  your book. Soon you will unleash your inner geek and learn to love research  just as much as I do!

To read the full newsletter click here.