Authors Dot Ink Cate Butler Ross

Monika Anna is an astrologer, coach and author of The Astro-Luna Journal.

In today's episode she talks about how astrology opened up a world of understanding to her,  and how she now uses the ancient wisdom of the stars alongside her contemporary knowledge of psychology, to help her clients enhance the opportunities found in their every day lives.

You can buy Monika's book direct in the UK HERE
The book is also available through Amazon, Waterstones, WHSmith and Forbidden Planet
In the US you can buy through Barnes and Noble HERE

To find out more about Cate's work and The Luminous go to https://theluminous.media/ 
To sign up for updates on Cate's group book writing program go to https://theluminous.media/soulworks/

To buy Cate's Book, Soul Story: How to Tell Stories that Call in Your Soul Tribe go to https://theluminous.media/ssbook

You want to write a book to raise your profile, to funnel new leads into your business, grow your credibility and to reach more people with your soulwork.  And also because being an author is a huge dream of yours.

But the whole getting a publishing deal thing is SUCH a competitive process, with so many gatekeepers and delays, that you keep on putting it off. Why on earth invest time in writing a book now that might take years to get a deal.

You've thought about self publishing but,  isn't that vanity publishing? Will any take you seriously. And can a self-published book really compete on the same playing field as the bestselling authors in your niche?

Erm... yes. You absolutely can publish your own successful and bestselling book that does all the things you want it to do. In fact, if you're a business owner with an audience and an existing market, self publishing is a savvy strategy.

So what does professionally self publishing your book actually look like, and how can you make sure you don't fall down the common pitfalls many self published authors make?

That's what we're talking about in this episode.

Press play to find out:
- The difference between a bestselling and successful book (they are not necessarily always the same thing)

-Why many successful authors choose self publishing first (and many trad authors are going indie)

- The true measure of success of a book (and it's not always just numbers of copies sold)

- The difference between DIY and professional self-publishing - what are your options?

- What the self-publishing process actually looks like

- What DIY and what to outsource

- Some of the best self-publishing resources to support you

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MY GROUP BOOK WRITING PROGRAM THE SOUL WORKS ATELIER GO HERE

Here are links to some of the tools I talk about on the show:

https://reedsy.com/
https://prowritingaid.com/
https://vellum.pub/
https://draft2digital.com/

A bit of a new format this week, with a bit more of a magazine round-up style of what I've been diving deeper into this week in terms of content, self-publishing and marketing.

In today's episode I'm diving on into two really interesting topics:

Following on from last week's episode 60, where we explored whether you can be a successful and bestselling non-fiction author without a book deal, I'm looking deeper into a recent report by the Alliance of Independent Author on self-published author incomes, and asking why is that indie authors are making more money than their traditionally published counterparts? Some of the reasons will hopefully feel familiar!

I'm also deep in producing the marketing and publicity module of my  book writing program The Soul Works Atelier which got me thinking about what an over-stretched and underpaid  journalist is looking for when you pitch them to get featured.

I also mention the Episode 60 (not 61!) on Can you write a bestselling and successful book without a book deal? You can listen to that episode HERE

Buy my book Soul Story: How to Tell Stories that Call in Your Soul Tribe HERE

Find out more about my Group Book Writing Program The Soul Works Atelier HERE

Check out the Alliance of Independent Authors Incomes Survey HERE

Daniella Blechner is an award-winning author and founder of Conscious Dreams Publishing, through which she's published 170 books and mentored over 200 authors and aspiring authors with their non-fiction and fiction stories.

Danni's journey into indie publishing began 8 years ago, when she tried to get her first book, Mr Wrong, published. But failing to get a book deal, she decided she would publisher her her book herself.  Danni went on to successfully publish Mr Wrong under her own publishing house, Conscious Dreams Publishing, for which she garnered national press coverage. Passionate about helping others side-step industry gatekeepers and get their words out into the world, Danni went on to help other aspiring authors follow in her footsteps.

We talked about:

- Danni's passion for helping diverse and unique voices get their stories heard
- Danni's top tips for getting your book featured in the press
- How she finds time for her own writing in between being both an entrepreneur and working part time as an English teacher.
- Why you don't need a traditional publishing deal to validate your work


You can find out more about Danni and Conscious Dreams Publishing at www.consciousdreamspublishing.com.

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LEARN WITH THE LUMINOUS

To find out more about Cate's 9-month group book coaching program go to www.theluminous.media/soulworks

Check out Cate's latest offers at www.theluminous.media/quick-links 

You want to write be an author because you know it's a great way to position yourself as an expert, call in new opportunities and attract more clients and customers - but what should your book be about, and if you've got lots of books you could write, which one should you write first?

It's such a big decision, and can be the difference between all that time (and possibly money) spent writing your book having incredible ROI or seemingly being a bit of a waste of time...

So in this episode I’m going to share with you the 2 questions you need to ask  in order to work out what is the best topic to choose for your book!

LINKS & REFERENCES

To find out more about my group book coaching program The Soul Works Atelier go to www.theluminous.media/soulworks

Sign up for my FREE MASTERCLASS: AUTHOR YOUR SUCCESS: Writing & publishing a book that will help you grow your brand HERE

KEY POINTS
[00:07:26] Choosing which book to write (or which to write first) can be challenging for a coach, creative or entrepreneur with so many things to teach. This is how I chose the topic of my first book, Soul Story.
[00:10:50] Choosing the right book topic is crucial for a strong premise and focused writing. It can take time to decide and is essential for writing success.
[00:14:18] Choosing your goal: If it's revenue, planners and journals are good for repeat purchases, and some authors have their own journals and planners. Another option is to plan to write a series like "Chicken Soup for the Soul" have also done this. But more commonly coaches, creatives and entrepreneurs are going to be writing a book with a goal of driving traffic to other services or products.
[00:16:19] Writing to market means creating content for a specific target audience. Authors write books for a dedicated readership and create content to fill gaps in the market. 
[00:21:33] A book is the most powerful tool in helping to decide if someone's services are right, based on knowing, liking, and trusting them. To determine the right topic for a book, two questions should be asked.
[00:27:11] Upcoming free masterclass for authors, landing page to be announced and new cohort for book writing program starting in September.

If you want to turn your knowledge into a book, but keep putting it off and thinking: "Who am I to Write a Book?" this episode is going out to you.

You are not alone. So many aspiring authors feel doubtful about whether they're up to writing a book they can feel proud of. Team that with taking a self-publishing route, and the lack of official endorsement or permission is enough to keep that book, your soul works, forever hidden under the proverbial bed.

I know exactly what that feels like. And the struggle to overcome self-doubt and fear in order to do the thing I really want to be doing. But I also know what it feels like to be a published author. To have my words out there finally serving.  And with hindsight, there is the one piece of advice you need to hear, to stop you THINKING about writing your book, and finally actually getting it written and out into the world where it can finally start working it's magic.

Press Play to see things differently.

LINKS & REFERENCES

Check out Cate's latest offers and freebies HERE
Sign up to Cate's Newsletter HERE