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How to Succeed with a Self-Publishing Blueprint on Your Team

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by Barbara McNichol

For many authors, the hardest part about writing and publishing a book is knowing how to do it correctly. My colleague, author, and writer’s coach Teresa Funke has launched a tool that anyone who’s self-publishing a book will find full of essential information.

The Self-Publishing Blueprint was created by Teresa and her partners at Writing Blueprints.

Teresa’s all-in-one resource helps you cut through the confusion of self-publishing and save you from making costly mistakes.

This 9-unit online tool walks you through every aspect of producing, publishing, and promoting your book. It features detailed videos, checklists, and worksheets to help you choose the self-publishing path that’s perfect for your project.

Have a Self-publishing Expert at Your Fingertips

Here’s the best part: Once you buy this online tool, you own it, and can use it again and again as you produce new books. It’s like having an expert at your fingertips.

Please go here for an explanatory video and full details.

Use Bulleted Lists Effectively – Here’s How

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by Barbara McNichol

Business authors have great expertise to share with the world. Their most recent book often represents their seminal work.

That’s true for Robin Speculand’s Excellence in Execution. As part of Robin’s authorship team for more than 10 years, I’ve witnessed how he has brilliantly brought together myriad elements he’s developed to teach leaders how to implement strategies. Based on years of research and training, this new book delivers the H.O.W. (How Organizations Win) of strategy execution.

In nonfiction books especially, the value of clear, consistent writing comes through. With a little help from his editor, Robin has reinforced this in his current and previous award-winning books, his website, and throughout his Implementation Hub portal.

Across these platforms, two effective techniques can be adopted by all writers:

  1. Relying on bulleted lists to complement points made in prose
  2. Making sure all bulleted phrases follow a clear, consistent style

What’s a clear, consistent style? This bulleted list provides the answer:

  • Use bullets often. People skim more than they read word for word.
  • Keep the number of words to a minimum (i.e., take out unneeded adverbs and adjectives).
  • List the shortest line first and the longest last whenever possible so the bulleted list looks attractive on the page.
  • Start each bulleted phrase with the same part of speech (e.g., all nouns, all gerunds, all verbs, and so on, but never a mixture).

That last point is key. Consistently use the same part of speech to prevent the reader’s brain from flying in a variety of directions. In the following two lists from my WordShop, you’ll see how using the same part of speech makes the second one easier to follow than the first.

This first list—points for formatting a manuscript—has a mixed bag of bullet points:

  • Single (not double) space between sentences
  • Change any straight quotes to curly quotes
  • Ending period goes inside a quotation mark (U.S. style)
  • Subheads if appropriate
  • Bullet points indented 5 spaces

This second list uses the same part of speech to start each bullet:

  • Use a single (not double) space between sentences
  • Change any straight quotes to curly quotes
  • Put ending period inside a quotation mark (U.S. style)
  • Add subheads if appropriate
  • Indent bullet points 5 spaces

Challenge: Look at your own bulleted lists. If you haven’t started each point with a same part of speech, change them. When you do, your writing will gain clarity and consistency.

What NOT to Do When Writing Your First Draft for Your Book (or Blog)

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By Cathy Fyock

Why is it so hard to start a bigshort verbs project? Maybe it’s because it is so big that it seems daunting, or that it’s difficult to identify the best first step.

Starting your book can offer the same challenges: how do you get started in a productive and confident manner?

Here are six ideas about what NOT to do when tackling that first draft.

  1. Read every other book on the topic before you start. While it is important to know your topic and have solid research behind you, and it’s important to complete an analysis on other books on your subject, it may be counterproductive to peruse all the competitive literature on your topic. Assuming you know your topic, what your book should offer is a fresh approach, a new perspective, and a novel take on the subject matter. If you spend too much time in analyzing what others have said, you may be less likely to boldly state your unique stance. Do your homework, but don’t be so compulsive about research that you fail to begin or lose your fresh perspective.
  2. Just start writing. Writing without a road map is as productive as starting out on a vacation without any decision about where you’re going or what you want to accomplish. Every book project should begin with a thorough understanding of the purpose for your book as well as a clearly defined thesis statement. If you haven’t decided how you will use your book (as a calling card, as your curriculum for workshops, as a leave-behind after presentations to help with the call to action), you may write the wrong book. And, without a thesis statement, you’re writing about a topic, not focusing in on a perspective that is valued by your reader.
  3. Start with a blank page. Blank pages are hard. Most every author will agree. So don’t start there. Begin with your content outline, and begin fleshing it out. Then start jotting down content that you want to include: quotes, data, stories, examples, cases. Then go through and make notes of other writing you will repurpose for this book. Now, begin to write! See how much easier it is.
  4. Start with chapter one. Chapter one is usually the hardest chapter to write, since it introduce the reader to everything you’ll be saying in the book. Write the easiest chapter first, then the next easiest, then the next. Write the first and last chapters after all the other chapters are written, setting the stage and summarizing the action.
  5. Clean your office. Rearrange your desk. Find the perfect notebook. Rearrange your sock drawer. Productive procrastination is a tough habit to break, since you are so darned productive while you’re doing it. The only problem is that it is getting in the way of you accomplishing what is most important—your work on this project. So let the office get a little dusty, and let the paper stacks grow in piles around your desk. It’s time to focus on the one thing you want most to accomplish—the writing of your book!
  6. Edit as you go. Make everything perfect and keep going back to clean it up before getting it all sketched out. If you want to get this book written, stop editing and just write. Stopping to edit every few pages is akin to starting off on a trip wanting to keep the fuel tank on F. You will certainly have a full gas tank, but it’s going to take you a long time to reach your destination. And in addition, brain science tells us that writing and editing are two distinct brain functions, and editing while writing is multi-tasking—a feat which is daunting at best. Just focus on writing, and once you’ve got the bones in place, then begin to edit and tweak.

Starting a book or blog can be a huge task but can be made much easier when you avoid these major pitfalls!

Cathy Fyock, The Business Book Strategist, works with professionals and thought leaders who want to write their book as a business development strategy. She can be reached at cathy@cathyfyock.com.

Perhaps you see your own actions in this six points. What would you suggest NOT doing based on your experience? Humor appreciated!

 

 

The Gift of Speed Reading

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by Barbara McNichol

How can you optimize your reading speed to achieve success? What kind of freedom and confidence can speed reading deliver?

When I asked these questions, a solution appeared in the form of a Rev It Up Reading course and an entertaining 60-second video to explain the course.

Video Answers the Question WHY. Take a look here.

This video reinforces Rev It Up Reading’s key course features, including:
• self-paced, online convenience
• techniques for rapid reading improvement
• how it can help you read more in less time
• encouraging folks to engage with our free trial offer

My experience: I’ve been diving into this program and it’s already helped me “skim” through a nonfiction book I needed to read for a deadline. Yes, it takes practice (and I need plenty more of it), but I’m encouraged by how much faster I’ve been reading with the comprehension I need.

Give Speed Reading as a Gift—Special Offer

It’s graduation time for someone you care about!

You can purchase a practical gift for high school and college students/graduates to increase their success at this special time. Rev It Up Reading is offering gift certificates at only $99. PLUS anyone who purchases a gift certificate for someone else receives a $100 discount off the retail price. Here’s the link to all the details: Purchase a 90-Day Access to the online speed reading course.

Rev It Up Reading is an online course created by America’s #1 Speed Reading Expert, Abby Marks Beale, to help people become the best readers they can be. Go here for complete details.

Mixing Singular and Plural in a Sentence – Weigh In

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by Barbara McNichol

Grammatically speaking, disagreements show up in writing constantly. Some sources including Associated Press (AP) style guide give the green light to using one disagreement: the plural pronoun “they” with a singular noun. A recent AP statement noted:

They, them, their … In stories about people who identify as neither male nor female or ask not to be referred to as he/she/him/her: Use the person’s name in place of a pronoun, or otherwise reword the sentence, whenever possible. If they/them/their use is essential, explain in the text that the person prefers a gender-neutral pronoun. Be sure that the phrasing does not imply more than one person …:

Grammarians ask why would this be necessary? Doesn’t correctness matter above all else—especially when easy fixes are available?

Consider these noun/pronoun disagreements and the ways to correct them:

Noun/pronoun use that doesn’t agree:

“We want the school board to do their job.”

Revised to create agreement:

“We want the school board to do its job.”
“We want school board members to do their jobs.”

Noun/pronoun use that doesn’t agree:

“Your reader can peruse your book at their leisure.”

Revised to make them agree:

“Your readers can peruse your book at their leisure.”
“Your reader can peruse your book at his or her leisure.”

To keep agreements in place, apply these suggestions:

  • State the person’s name or write “This person ….” instead of a pronoun.
  • If the gender is unknown, using “his or her” or “he or she” or “s/he” works fine.
  • Change singular to plural in a sentence. However, if plural doesn’t cut it, alternate the use of “he” and “she” in a section when the subject changes. In a book I recently edited about raising a baby, the author applied this technique beautifully.

Do you agree or disagree with my conclusions? Please weigh in. Given our changing language, would you side with AP’s suggestion or my advice to put accuracy first in your writing? Share your opinion below.

Bonus: Request an explanatory Pronoun Use Chart so you can see at a glance which pronouns to use where in a sentence.

Know the Language of Graduates

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By Kathleen Watson (used with permission)

Spring brings graduations, along with confusion about use and misuse of related terms. Let’s clear up a few.

Do you say: “Seth graduated Harvard University last week.”

What about: “Becca will graduate Clemmons High School in May.”

Neither is correct. Why?

Because Seth is not graduating Harvard; he is not causing Harvard to graduate.

Nor is Becca graduating the school named Clemmons.

Harvard University and Clemmons High School are conferring graduation status by awarding a degree to Seth and a diploma to Becca.

The correct way to express these accomplishments is:

Seth is graduating from Harvard University.
Beth is graduating from Clemmons High School.

Graduating with honor
There are three levels of graduating with honor (cum pronounced koom; laude pronounced loudy):

Cum laude: Graduating with honor (grade point average of 3.5–3.7)
Magna cum laude: Graduating with great honor (grade point average 3.8–3.9)
Summa cum laude: Graduating with highest praise (grade point average of 4.0+)

Post graduation
Moving on, once Seth graduates, he will become a Harvard alumnus.
When Becca graduates, she will become a Clemmons alumna.

Alumnus refers to one male graduate.
Alumna refers to one female graduate.
Alumni is the plural of alumnus, but it also can refer to a group of mixed-gender graduates.
Alumnae is the plural of alumna, referring to a group of female graduates.

A shortcut and easy way to avoid errors when using these Latin terms is to use alum for a graduate of any gender and alums for any group of graduates. However, I recommend using these generic terms only in informal contexts.

Post retirement
A retired university professor is referred to as a professor emeritus.
A retired female university professor often is referred to as a professor emerita.

However, not every retired professor is granted this honorific; the educational institution from which a professor retires decides to whom it grants this honor.

Nor does everyone agree that it is necessary to distinguish a male from a female when it comes to retirees from academia. Professor is a gender-neutral term, so some claim that emeritus is appropriate for any gender.

If you’re graduating this spring, sincere congratulations! If you’re attending a graduation, best wishes to you and yours. I’m sure your support has been vital to the success of your friend or family member.

And please don’t say or write that a graduate “received” a degree. Honor the accomplishment with the appropriate verb: Graduates “earn” a degree.

Kathleen calls herself the Ruthless Editor. She has created Grammar for People Who Hate Rules to help people write and speak with authority and confidence. Kathleen can be reached at kathy@ruthlesseditor.com.

Tap into the Power of “3”

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by Barbara McNichol

Our society loves “3”; we remember things in “3s”; we’ve learned it from kindergarten when we were told to hop, skip, jump and stop, look, and listen.

Businesses gravitate toward “3” when they create marketing taglines. Look at these examples:

  • Reduce, reuse, recycle (recycle guide)
  • Buy it. Sell it. Love it. (eBay)
  • Grace, space, pace. (Jaguar)

How can you improve your writing by tapping into the power of “3”? Consider this example from a newsletter. The rewrite flows better because of the three-part rhythm brought into play.

Before:

You are free to choose, create and live the life you want if you are willing to investigate, make changes, update your protective strategies, be honest with yourself, and invest in what it takes to continue growing. (37 words)

After:

You are free to choose, create, and live the life you want. (12 words)

That works if you are willing to investigate, update your strategies with honesty, and invest in continuing to grow. (20 words)

Also notice how the long-winded sentence was broken into two shorter sentences with breathing space between. Ah, much easier for readers to follow.

How can you tap into the power of “3” in your writing? Share your examples.

Plant Word Pictures in Their Minds

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by Dee Dukehart (used with permission)

Spring’s the time for planting, nourishing and growing, and not just plants and vegetables.

When you present your ideas, knowledge, directions, or how to’s, plant your points into the readers’ minds with word pictures, and continue to nourish the points along the way. When you want to grow their learning, their future, and their well-being, use action verbs and descriptive information.

Describe your points with action verbs: verbs you can “see”: e.g., produce, generate, write, sell, achieve, deliver, etc.  When possible, rid your spoken and written words of auxiliary verbs: e.g., is, was, has, had, have, etc. Use a strong, action verb in their place if you can.

Examples:

  • We had an increase in sales last quarter. OR Our sales increased by 14 percent last quarter.
  • It was a great day for our team. OR We signed three new contracts today!

Which one gets you to “see” the action? Of course the second sentence.

How to Plant Word Pictures

Meetings get bogged down in minutia: a “quick” meeting can sometimes lag into hours. Make your meetings and presentations memorable with points that are worthy of everyone’s time.  What seeds of information are you cultivating for them to reap personal and professional benefits?

What do you remember from last week’s meetings?  What do you remember from a sales call?  What do you remember from any training?  When you want listeners to remember your points, plant word pictures in their minds.

How? Rid your writing of vague expressions such as these:

1)      Better

2)     Satisfactory

3)     Understand

4)     Good

5)     Improves

6)     Soon

What pictures do you conjure up in your mind when you read those words? Can you “see” the concept of better? Understand? Soon? No. Information needs to show “color” like your garden, so nourish and feed it so you can “see” the knowledge blossom.

Consider These Variations

1)      Instead of “better” use a statistic. “Your production escalates by x percent within a year when you use these tools.”

2)     Your sales numbers were “satisfactory.”  Instead:  “Your sales numbers exceeded our goal by 65 widgets; let’s get to 100 by fourth quarter.”

3)     “Understand?”  Everyone understands differently.  Instead: “You will recognize/identify your new time management skills by the extra hour in your day.”

4)     “Improves.”  By how much?  By how many? By when? Instead: “Accomplish your goals in six fewer steps with this process.”

5)     “Soon.”  What date?  What time? What quarter? Instead: “Get your initial draft to me by the end of the week. We expect to see our new product on the shelves in 45 days.”

Strive to plant a picture in your readers’ minds, then nourish your points with review and repetition.  Your ideas, knowledge, products or services, and how-to’s will grow more fruit.

Here’s to your great harvest seasons of information.

Dee Dukehart is a marketing communications trainer who can be reached at 303-549-0045 or Dee@DeeDukehart.com

Words Matter: Give Them the Respect They Deserve

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by Barbara McNichol

Have you heard that gestures, tone of voice, and facial expressions carry significantly more weight in communication than words? Being a wordsmith, I never bought into this belief, and I’m grateful and relieved it’s been busted. Words matter!

This video demonstrates why the oft-referenced Mehrabian study needs to be examined more accurately. A fun production to watch!

Conclusion: Of course, words matter–a lot. Learning how to use them effectively should never stop!

Share your thoughts about what makes communication successful below.

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