Now is the Time.

The publishing industry and booksellers are not immune from the credit crunch, but it is also being reflected in the different types of books being published.

Waterstone’s has seen a 200% increase in the sales of titles about keeping chickens. Growing your own vegetables and other thrifty how-to guides are also on the rise. Christmas books are expected to include everything from cooking frugal food to making your own presents.

US publishers are reporting an upsurge in book proposals about the crisis on Wall Street, whilst in the UK both financial journalists and some City bankers (with a little more time on their hands), are also pitching book ideas.

On the flip side, people need a little escapism. During the recession of the 80s thrillers, romance and even stories about the seriously rich and royalty did particularly well.

The fact is that even during tough times, most people still have enough money to buy books. Compared to other products they are affordable and not so much luxuries, but necessities. I consider them to be as fundamental as oxygen!

For anyone running their own business, it makes great commercial sense to have a book to sell.

A book provides potential clients with an opportunity to sample your expertise (most people can easily justify buying a book) and encourages them to explore other services you may be offering such as coaching, courses or consultancy. You can even add value to your service offering, by including a book as part of the package.

In the short and longer term a book can:

Distinguish you from your competitors

Help to market and promote your business

Generate passive income

Raise your profile and give you credibility

Increase your self-esteem

If you are writing a book, it is also highly likely that you are passionate about your subject matter. Whether your book is designed to inspire, motivate, educate or simply to make people laugh, then it is more relevant now than ever. You have a responsibility to get it out there for the greater good.

And talking of inspiring books, check out the following. You may have seen the heart-warming YouTube clip featuring two men reunited with their pet lion after they had left him in Africa with George Adamson of Born Free fame. It has been viewed by over 44 million people. Now Transworld has published an e-book entitled ‘A Lion Called Christian’ by John Rendall and Ace Bourke. A print edition will follow next year. Enjoy!

Are You Talking to Me?

Sometimes, when I ask a client who their book is aimed at, they say “It’s for everybody” or cite several groups of people. Now whilst this can sometimes be due to altruism, you do need to be crystal clear about who your book is for, otherwise it will appeal to no-one in particular and more importantly will alienate your target reader.

Non-fiction is one of the genres where it is easier to map your readership and here are some ways to do it.

First of all think about why you want to write the book. It is likely that you are a providing a solution to a particular problem or want to raise awareness of an issue about which you feel passionate. Perhaps your clients have even been urging you to write a book.

You then need to describe your target reader in as much detail as you can (mind mapping is one way to do this). Here are just some of the questions you should ask yourself:

Are they male or female?
How old are they?
What is their nationality?
What do they look like?
Where do they live?
What is their background?
What is their profession?
What do they do in their free time?
What are they struggling with?
What are their desires?
What are their values?

Building up a clear picture of your reader in your head will help you to stay focused and relevant in terms of style and subject matter.

Writing is a partnership between you and your reader. It is about maintaining your integrity as an author and what you have to say, whilst acknowledging and respecting your reader and what they are looking for.

If you are guiding your reader through a process that you have experienced, such as learning to meditate, remind yourself that you were a beginner once. This will help to ensure that you don’t take things for granted and include all necessary information however trivial it may seem. Adopting an understanding tone will also help to keep the reader engaged. They need to feel as though you are addressing them personally and that they are not alone.

Tis the good reader who makes the good book; a good head cannot read amiss: in every book he finds passages which seem confidences or asides hidden from all else and unmistakably meant for his ear.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Yaay!

On a recent trip to San Francisco, I was delighted to find so many thriving independent bookstores. Naturally I considered it my duty to contribute to their upkeep (to the subsequent detriment of my baggage allowance!).

Here is just one that I visited, not far from Golden Gate Park.

Are You All Booked Up?

Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore.
Henry Ward Beecher

I can never resist going into a bookstore and buy books the way some people buy shoes. Naturally I have to buy books, given what I do. For research purposes…well, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

I have to admit that I find bookstores very therapeutic places. If I’m ever in a strange town or feeling a bit out of sorts, I’ll go into one and the feeling of calm that washes over me is immediate. But, like anything in life, things are always changing and bookselling is no exception.

The demise of independent booksellers, as they struggle to compete against the chains and deal with high rents is an ongoing issue. In France a group of booksellers has even fled the high rents of Paris' literary quarter, Saint-Germain-des-Pres, to La Charite-sur-Loire just two hours away, which is now known as the city of books.

Earlier this year Borders in the USA gave us a glimpse of the future, when it unveiled its new concept store in Michigan. In the newly-created in-store digital centre, customers can download music and audiobooks onto MP3 players, create digital photo albums, learn how to self-publish and research their ancestry. Another 14 are planned.

There has even been much debate recently about whether books, as we know them, will even exist in the future given the arrival of ebook readers (Amazon’s Kindle and Sony Reader).

Personally I shudder to imagine a world without diverse bookstores, let alone printed books and with that I would like to share some of my favourite bookshops with you:

In Blackwells in Oxford lies the Norrington Room which has books on over three miles of shelving (sigh!). It gained a place in the Guinness Book of Records for having the largest display of books for sale in one room anywhere in the world.

Just two minutes from Blackwells was QI (sob!). This bookshop was located within a circular room and the books were grouped thematically under categories such as ‘Power’ or ‘Sensational Beginnings’ so that you had a mixture of genres all sharing a shelf. Too cool for words!

Barnes & Noble on Union Square in New York is a veritable Aladdin’s cave with a café and strategically placed comfy chairs. It has a great stationery department too. One could literally go to ground for days, were it not for the weekly farmers market, where I first discovered the delights of maple syrup candy!

On the Left Bank near Notre Dame in Paris, is Shakespeare & Co. Rather rambling, with a gloriously higgledy-piggledy feel to it, there is usually a sweet black cat asleep in the window. In such an atmosphere serendipity surely beckons.

I’ve spent many a lunch hour in Nomad on London’s Fulham Road. Inspired by the independent bookstores on the West Coast of America, it has wooden floors, a delightful little coffee shop, an alcove with a sofa and a downstairs travel section.

Play On!

Our sense of playfulness can decline as we grow older, but it is essential to our overall wellbeing and creativity. In fact the most spiritual people have a light-hearted, joyful and childlike quality about them and are truly open to the wonder of life.

When you are playful in what you do, everything flows. This also applies to your writing. Playfulness opens up your creativity, makes you more spontaneous, helps banish your inner critic and often takes you down an unknown road, which is full of possibilities. It allows you to tell your real, authentic story, rather than the one you think you ought to be writing.

Here are some ways to rekindle that in your writing:

A great way to have some fun with words is with Mad Libs (a play on ad lib, from Latin ad libitum - as you wish) a word game where one player asks another for a list of words (nouns, adjectives, verbs etc) to substitute for blanks in a story. When the story is then read aloud it is usually a funny one. An American friend of mine introduced me to these many years ago at 3am during a sleepover party. I thought they were so cool and still do! Have a go and if you get hooked you can buy them on Amazon.

If you are struggling to start your book or to begin a new chapter, ask a close friend to write the first line or paragraph. The chances are that you’ll disagree with it or simply have a different idea; either way you’ll be up and running!

If you like a challenge when it comes to word games, then this Oxford Dictionary website has a veritable smorgasbord for you to try.

Words can educate, inspire and comfort, but very importantly they can also make us laugh. Check out Dr Seuss, Edward Lear or any other book that has really made you laugh out loud.

If you’re not in the mood for words, then how about pictures? I came across this delightful website some time ago on one of Dan Millman’s blog posts. It allows you to become a creative painter in the vein of Jackson Pollock. With each mouse click you’ll paint a different colour. Simply let go, have fun and see what you create. Enjoy!

Via Roma

The Via Roma on the Amalfi Coast that goes from Minori up to Ravello - the journey really is the destination!

Write Away!

It may not feel like it after the recent Bank Holiday weather, but the summer is approaching (so I’ve heard!) and if it has been difficult finding time to write, then you may want to consider booking a trip for that express purpose.

Here are some suggestions of how to make the most of a writing break:

Switch off
That means no Blackberry, no phone calls to clients and no wi-fi (which means no email or internet to distract you). In fact, the less outside stimulation you have the better. I once read an interview with film director Francis Ford Coppola, who said that if he wanted to come up with a new creative project he would have to give up TV for a year!

Go West
Maybe you have a favourite place that you find very inspiring; the author Wayne Dyer regularly writes on the Hawaiian island of Maui. Or, you could go somewhere new to engage your sense of wonder. Someone I know recently treated herself to ten days in the Hamptons in New York so she could get started on a long-standing idea for a book.

Nature and Nurture
It can be very replenishing to spend time in nature either in the mountains or by the sea. This can really feed your soul and the outer stillness helps to quiet the inner dialogue. As the mind calms down, you get a new perspective on things and the ideas start to flow.

Follow in Their Footsteps
Visit places where other writers have lived such as Concord, Massachusetts for Henry David Thoreau or go somewhere that has featured in an inspiring book such as the pyramids in Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist.

Get Out of Your Head
Moving your body is a great way to clear your mind. It allows you to empty yourself and surrender completely to a higher consciousness. Someone once told me that this is why the Sufis whirl and spin for hours on end.

Like Minds
Spending time in a writers and artists community, such as The MacDowell Colony in New Hampshire, USA can be a great way to get down to some serious writing. You can spend up to five weeks there (room and board are free) and at least 61 Pulitzer Prizes have been received by the 5,000 artists who have been in residence over the years!

Home Sweet Home
If you can’t go away, then you can have a writing day at home. Tell people you will be unavailable, turn off the TV, don’t answer the phone, send your partner or kids out for the day, keep the curtains drawn (if you like!) and get going.

Are You in Style?

When I was at the London Book Fair last week, I spoke to someone from an independent US publishing house. He said that in terms of the success of a book, if an author doesn’t already have a platform, then the quality of the writing has to carry it.

Whilst there are many factors that make up a good book such as passion for and knowledge of your subject, authenticity and originality, what ultimately takes all of these to a new level is a good writing style.

The French author, naturalist and mathematician, Buffon said in his ‘Discourse on Style’ that “Writing well consists of thinking, feeling and expressing well, of clarity of mind, soul and taste”. He also made his now famous comment “Le style c’est l’homme même” or as we would now add (or substitute!) “la femme”. In fact, he concluded that only a well-written work would attain immortality.

Your writing style reflects your personality and the essence that is you, but how do you find and develop it?

Well, to begin with pay attention to how you use words. Whilst you may write differently from how you speak, the two are related.

Are you fond of long words or do you prefer short phrases? Are you formal in your speech or more laid-back? How important is humour to you?

It is alleged that someone once approached the famous pianist Arthur Rubinstein in the street near New York’s Carnegie Hall and asked “Pardon me sir, but how do I get to Carnegie Hall?” To which Rubinstein replied “Practise, practise, practise!”

This advice also applies to writing, which is a craft, and the more you do it the better you will get.
Rewriting (perhaps many times) is also an essential part of the process. Read the words out loud to see if they flow and to ensure clarity. Check for variety in the sentence structure and choice of words and allow the tone to convey your personality.

It is said that Philip Pullman rewrote the first chapter of ‘Northern Lights’ no less than 19 times and the end result was clearly worth it.

Finally, you should read alot. Now I’m not suggesting that you imitate other authors, but it is helpful to be exposed to different styles in order to develop your own. Look at the books you enjoy and ask yourself why this is. Think about how the author uses language to convey their ideas and to inspire, inform or even entertain you.

Here is a brief selection of some of the authors I admire and their different styles.

Daniel Dolphin was a dreamer. He was convinced that there was more to life than fishing and sleeping, so he had decided to devote all his energies to discovering the true purpose of his life through his surfing and the wisdom of the sea. That was his dream.

In The Dolphin, Sergio Bambaren, uses simple language and has a gentle narrative style evoking the motion of the waves.

Ralph Lauren generates a huge portion of its sales from seconds and job lots sold at the many Polo factory stores around the country. There are so many of these stores (and the demand is so high) that many of the items sold aren’t seconds at all. They’re designed and produced for the factory stores. People tell themselves a story about finding a bargain, they build up the expectation by driving thirty miles out of their way (while on vacation, no less) and then are delighted to spend $40 for a $400 jacket that was never intended to be sold for $400 and probably cost $4 to make.

Whoever said business books are dry? In All Marketers are Liars, Seth Godin’s irreverent style is highly entertaining and informative.

I certainly remember my mother saying to me, “Struggle enobles the soul”. But who says this is true? Look at nature. It expends a certain effort in sustaining itself, but does not struggle. Does the tiger in the forest get up in the morning and say “I’ll struggle like crazy today and hopefully by suppertime I’ll get something to eat?” No way. It just rises, has a little sniff under its tiger armpits or does whatever tigers do at breakfast time, and heads out. At noon, there on the path is lunch, provided courtesy of the Great Spirit. Okay, the last 30 yards involves the tiger in a bit of rushing about. But that can hardly be construed as struggle.

Stuart Wilde’s personality really comes across in this paragraph from Life was Never Meant to Be a Struggle. His tone is jocular and the example of the tiger is memorable.

When your creative expressions match the needs of your fellow humans, then wealth will spontaneously flow from the unmanifest into the manifest, from the world of the spirit to the world of form. You will begin to experience your life as a miraculous expression of divinity – not just occasionally, but all the time. And you will know true joy and the true meaning of success – the ecstasy and exultation of your own spirit.

Deepak Chopra’s The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success is very eloquently written and contributes to the wisdom he imparts.

When I reached the curb, I stopped. My neck tingled: I felt that he was watching me. I glanced back. No more than fifteen seconds had passed. But there he was, standing on the roof, his arms crossed, looking up at the starry sky. I gaped at the empty chair still leaning back against the wall, then up again. It was impossible! If he had been changing a wheel on a carriage made from a giant pumpkin drawn by huge mice, the effect couldn’t have been any more startling.

Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman is a very compelling narrative. The use of very short phrases at the start of the paragraph helps to draw us in.

Callings are vehicles that help us let out our real shelves out; callings speed up the process. You can find your calling, or you can find your people, or you can find an environment that nurtures you – they all lead to the same place. Many people get there without ever finding their calling. Head in that direction. Seek, adjust. Seek, learn. We grow into our true selves, our whole selves, overcoming our fears and the limits that once trapped us. So many good things happened to me on the way to pursuing my dream. Writing a little every day taught me to pay attention and not sleepwalk through life – it made this a richer experience.

What Should I Do with My Life by Po Bronson is without doubt one of my favourite books. I find his style both intimate and inspirational.

Escape and Re-engage

I was listening to BBC Radio 4's Front Row this evening, which included an interview with the author Lloyd Jones (who had a lovely New Zealand accent). It centered around his book 'Mister Pip', which tells the story of a schoolgirl in Papua New Guinea who takes refuge in the world of Charles Dicken's 'Great Expectations' during a time of civil war.

Lloyd Jones talked about the power that literature has to take us somewhere else and provide us with extraordinary imaginative experiences - in short to change our lives. He added that it is usually self-help books which are considered life-changing! My feeling is that all books can be life-changing. In terms of literature it is sometimes more unexpected, as you pick up a novel for a different reason perhaps.

He also made the interesting comment that whilst literature allows us to escape, we do this only to re-engage. In other words the books help us to relate to what is going on in our own lives. This begs the question, do self-help books ever allow us to escape. I guess that escape isn't on your mind when you pick up that type of book, but in some ways, you escape into a different aspect of yourself, rather than into an imaginary world.

Either way, books do take us on a journey, and where would we be without them!

If you would like to hear the entire interview with Lloyd Jones, click here and enjoy!

Value your differences, stripes and all!

Now that the weather is getting better, I feel like being outdoors more. I find it very replenishing to spend time in nature and it also allows me to indulge my interest in photography. I particularly enjoy landscape and architectural photography, but I also have a taste for the mysterious and the quirky. I took the above photograph on the North Downs in Surrey.

Now they may look like big furry Liquorice Allsorts, but they are in fact belted cows and you don’t see them very often. I think they are great and a wonderful reminder that nature can surprise us in so many ways.

They also remind me of the need to value our differences. Sometimes in life it can feel easier to follow the herd (no pun intended!), but we contribute the most in life when we are true to ourselves and trust in our own uniqueness. It also makes life so much more interesting!

Are You Ready to Find the Gold?

When I’m doing my one minute elevator pitch at networking events I often start by saying “In the words of Carl Jung, I help people to go into the dark to find the gold” before going on to explain what exactly a writers’ coach does.

However, going into the dark can be a challenging, not to mention downright scary experience and this is when resistance can kick in.

One of the most common things first time writers say is that they are afraid they have nothing new to say that hasn’t already been said. Well, the truth is that everything has been said…but not by you.

If you are ready to release the treasure within you, then read on…

The film director, M. Night Shyamalan, once said “Knowing your own voice is the most important thing. Knowing who you are, and then telling your story, about ‘guy gets girl’ or ‘alien invasion’ or whatever, becomes your own.”

The fact is that no-one has had exactly the same experiences as you or responds to the world in the way that you do. When you recognise and acknowledge that you will have the courage to allow your authenticity to shine through. Authenticity engenders trust and even though there may be many different voices out there, people will gravitate to the ones who resonate with them the most.

When you find your own voice, you will also know what it is you are passionate about. Most successful authors are on a mission and want to share something with the world. It is said that you know you want to write when you have this impulse that simply won’t let you alone – rather like someone tugging at your sleeve. Fears and insecurities notwithstanding, you just have to do it. Passion is a powerful force and will drive you forward.

Blend Out. I wish I’d thought of this advertising slogan – it really says it all! Just as no two fingerprints are alike, there never has been and never will be anyone quite like you on the planet. When we start out in life, the temptation can be to follow the herd, but as we get older and become more self-aware we begin to value our differences. And so will others.

Perhaps you are still having doubts and thinking “But who am I to write a book?” I would say “Who are you not to?” I firmly believe that books can make a difference in the world and you have a responsibility to share your inspiration and expertise.

The advantage of books is their portability and their ability to endure. You may never know just who your book may educate, inspire or comfort. In short when someone reads what you have written they may feel heartened that someone else feels as they do about something or is able to show them the way. It is about making the personal become universal.

“The best moments in reading are when you come across something – a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things – which you had thought special and particular to you. Now here it is, set down by someone else, a person you have never met. And it is as if a hand has come out and taken yours”.
Alan Bennett, The History Boys

It is also, important to just let go and allow things to flow. I once heard a story about a baseball player, who in the middle of an innings, realised that the game was in fact being played out through him. We are all creative beings and our talents and passions want to be expressed. They may have lain dormant for a long time, but they will out in the end. Don’t be afraid of them, just let them come through.

And just remember, it’s not about what’s new (or not!), it’s about you!

What's in a title?

Coming up with a title for your book can feel like the hardest part and you may decide to leave it until the very end or have a working title which changes as the book progresses.

The title is very important as it is one of the first things to engage a potential reader (apart from the cover design) and should reflect the essence of the book, whilst awakening curiosity and interest. However, when writing your first book, the chances are that you won’t have the luxury of being well-known, so the title will need to go that extra mile for you.

Most non-fiction books have both a title and subtitle and rather like dancing partners the two should move together in harmony – one leading and the other following. The title should entice and engage, whilst the subtitle gets to the heart of things.

Rules of the Red Rubber Ball
Find and Sustain Your Life’s Work
Kevin Carroll

My curiosity was immediately aroused by this rather funky title, which didn’t give much away, particularly since the subtitle isn’t featured on the cover, but on the first page. Unusual but effective.

So, be different. Don’t be afraid to go for a title that is out of the ordinary. In these days of information overload, it can be the unusual things which capture your attention.

How to Run Your Business Like a Girl
Successful Strategies from Entrepreneurial Women Who Made It Happen
Elizabeth Cogswell Baskin

I bought this book shortly before starting my own business and it was the words ‘like a girl’ that attracted me to it. Enough said!

In other words, connect with your audience. If your book is aimed at a very specific target audience then let them know it on the front cover!

One Small Step Can Change Your Life
The Kaizen Way
Robert Maurer, Ph.D.

I’d heard of the Japanese principles of Kaizen, but it was the idea of achieving success in a way that is actually manageable that I found appealing.

In short, small is beautiful. Some book titles state that you can change your life in a weekend (as if!) or imply that it contains everything there is to know on a particular subject e.g. “The complete book of…” (Does this mean that others are incomplete?!). You may find that sometimes less is definitely more.

What Should I Do with My Life?
The True Story of People Who Answered the Ultimate Questions
Po Bronson

I was struggling with this very question when I saw an advert for this book in a tube station! It is a subject very dear to my heart and the book has become one of my absolute favourites.

The direct approach works. A title doesn’t always need to be cryptic to be engaging. Sometimes you can just tell it like it is and it will hit home.

I should add that all of the above have great cover designs, which enhanced my initial interest. ‘Rules of the Red Rubber Ball’ even has a circle of red rubber embedded in the cardboard front cover, which delighted me no end.

Have a think about book titles that you have found memorable, funny or engaging or go into your local bookstore and see what takes your fancy and why…

Blow away the cobwebs...

I was cursing my mouse this morning for not working properly, until I opened it up and found about three months worth of dust inside the poor thing. It is now running like a dream!

It's just as important to clear out the mental cobwebs and I've recently discovered a great way of doing this - netwalking.

Led by the very inspiring Elizabeth Cairns of Amovita, netwalking is a great way to interact with other self-employees and swap tips and advice on everything from SEO to how to pitch your business in one-minute. The bonus is that it all takes place in the fresh air and beautiful surroundings of Richmond Park. If you like the sound of this, then it out at: http://www.amovita.co.uk/netwalking.htm - not only is it invigorating, but you can still say you're working!!

Your life history in six words

Just heard something really cool on BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Smith Magazine, a US-publication, asked readers to submit their life story in six words. The results have been made into a book 'Not Quite What I Was Planning' and the magazine is now looking for submissions for its next six-word memoir book.

Here are two I heard on the programme this morning...

"Found true love, married someone else"

"Wasn't born a redhead, fixed that"

Check it out at www.smithmag.net/

The road ahead

Driving to the gym early this morning it was dark and misty. It felt a little disconcerting until it occurred to me that I didn't need to see the entire road ahead. It's an old cliché that the journey is the destination, but it reminded me to focus on what is directly infront of me rather than constantly worrying about the outcome or what may or may not be around the next corner.

One good thing

Not so much as a hint of sunshine in sight anywhere today (sigh!). But, even if it feels like you are having a bad day, there is usually something good to be found, even if it is just one small thing. Sounds simple, but it is very easy to focus on the doom and gloom to the exclusion of everything else.

This is just one of the many interesting things that I took away from the Alternatives Coaching Circle I attended last night. It was led by Nina Grunfeld, founder of Life Clubs, and when she asked us all to share something good that had happened that day, she alluded to the poem Dust of Snow by Robert Frost.

If you would like to read the entire poem, then Google it and may you be uplifted!

Errrr...procrastination

I'm shocked to discover that it has been, ahem, 'a little while' since my last blog post. I wish I had a good reason for this, but I don't, so I'm putting it down to procrastination. Great word that and it sounds alot better than indolence. Plus I've just discovered a hilarious quote on the subject:

"Procrastination: A hardening of the oughteries." Anon

Enjoy and watch out for more blog posts... promise!