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Melinda Copp Articles

Written by: Melinda Copp

Four Secrets to Earning Income as an Author - Click To Read Article
Authors write books because they're passionate about the topic and the message they have to share with the world. But it's also nice to make a little money doing it. Your book can create a substantial stream of income for you, particularly when you use these four strategies for making your book successful.

Write a Book One Piece at a Time - Click To Read Article
Breaking down the task of writing your book into a series of smaller jobs and assigning a topic to each section is often a more effective way to begin than trying to figure out the whole book at once-it breaks the process into specific tasks.

How to Find Your Book Writing Rhythm - Click To Read Article
Writing a book often takes longer than anticipated because many writers don't have a process or ritual that helps them work efficiently. All experienced writers develop a rhythm to their work with practice and experience. They do things to become more efficient and productive. They understand how they work, when they work best, and the different phases of the writing process-and they accomplish more as a result.

Some Books Don't Work! How to Write a Book that Grows Your Business - Click To Read Article
You've probably heard all this before: writing a book is one of the most powerful marketing tools available to coaches, consultants, speakers, and professionals. But not all books work as well as they could.

Five Easy Ways to Improve Everything You Write - Click To Read Article
Whether you're working on a book or your next blog post, writing is a practice. It's not about being good or bad-it's about constantly seeking ways to improve, no matter where you are with your skills. Every time you write, it gets a little easier. But at the same time, diligent writers collect skills and tricks they can use to make their writing stronger and more compelling.

Back to Writing--How to Finish the Book You Started and Set Aside - Click To Read Article
Sometimes, for any number of reasons, even the most well-intentioned writers need to put book projects aside before they're complete. Maybe they need to get clear about what they really want to say. Maybe they have another big project they need to focus on. Or maybe they just don't know what to do next and they move onto something else. I know I've been in all those situations before. So what's the best thing you can do? Get back into it!

Finish that Book--How to See Your Book Through to 'The End' - Click To Read Article
One of the most common book writing challenges is getting started--taking action on your book idea and actually sitting down at the computer to write. This holds more aspiring authors back than anything else, and I spend a great deal of my time telling people where to start. But for every aspiring author who never starts writing their book, there's probably one that's been started and never finished.

When Writing a Nonfiction Book, Don't Put the Cart Before the Horse - Click To Read Article
What's the point of writing a book? Publishing it. In the end, that's what we're all after because writing is about sharing our ideas and knowledge. However, although publication is the ultimate goal, focusing too heavily on that--particularly when your book idea isn't fully formed, let alone written--can prevent you from ever getting it done.

Does the World Need Your Book? - Click To Read Article
If you're a coach, service professional, or consultant dedicated to making positive change in the world, then writing a book can do big things for your career. But that's not really what it's all about. Many of my clients have said, "If my book can help just help one person avoid this problem, I will have accomplished my mission." It's not just about growing your business, and it's not even really about spreading your message to bigger audiences.

Connect to Your Readers and Create Raving Book Fans - Click To Read Article
Imagine a crowd of people--your ideal clients and readers--reading your book and loving every word of it. Imagine them devouring every page, reading it again, telling everyone they know about how fabulous and life-changing it is, and then passing your book on to their friends and colleagues. This is what every author wants--a crowd of dedicated, raving fans who can't wait to work with them. And, believe it or not, every author can have it.

How Much Does it Really Cost to Write and Publish a Book? - Click To Read Article
When an aspiring author is thinking about writing and publishing their book, the question of cost inevitably comes up. All books are different, though, so asking how much it costs to publish a book is like asking how much a house or a car costs. The price depends on the book itself. With that said, I've done some research to put together the following list of expenses you should budget for when writing and publishing your book.

See the Trees in the Forest; Where to Start Writing Your Book - Click To Read Article
When you want to write a book, figuring out where to start is one of the most problematic obstacles. When I talk to aspiring authors, this is one of the most common challenges that comes up. And it can hold back even the most motivated people.

Your Book Won't Succeed Without It--Seriously - Click To Read Article
As writers, we tend to think about writing and what it takes to write a book. But what about reading a book? When you ask someone to read your book, you’re asking them to set aside other things they could be doing--reading something else, hanging out with their kids, or whatever--and spend ten or so hours with you and your thoughts. That’s a pretty serious request. So how serious do you take your writing?

It's More Than JUST a Book - Click To Read Article
When you think about writing your book, what's your motivation? These are questions I ask people all the time, and for many of them, the responses are pretty similar. "It will help me grow my business," or, "It will establish my expertise," or, "It will help me reach new audiences of potential clients." But underneath these reasons, deeper inside, is a much more powerful and personal motivation for writing a book.

Commitment; The Only Way to Get Your Book DONE! - Click To Read Article
Millions of people want to write a book. However, less than 10 percent of them actually accomplish that goal. The reason, I'm willing to bet, is that the other 90 percent of aspiring authors are not truly committed to the project, and so they never get it done. Are you committed to writing your book? Or merely interested?

How to Manage the Scary What-ifs of Publishing a Book - Click To Read Article
All aspiring authors look forward to publishing their book…until it actually goes to press. Then all these fears start showing up. What if no one likes the book? What if I never sell a copy? What if it comes from the printer riddled with errors? Tears, depression, horror-these are common reactions to such a profound moment in life, and even experienced authors feel queasy on publication day.

Five Reasons to Stop Procrastinating and Get Your Book Done - Click To Read Article
Sharing what you know in a book helps everyone. But if you have a business to run, a job to do, or a household to maintain, then putting off writing a book is easy-even if you really want to become a published author. If you've been procrastinating writing your book, consider these benefits of getting it done.

Authors: Blog Your Way to Friends, Followers, and Readers - Click To Read Article
Social media marketing without a blog is like a fish without water, or a dog without a bone. Without it, things just aren't right. Authors who want to use social media sites, like Twitter and Facebook, to market their books should use a blog as the centerpiece. To get your blog up and running, use these tips.

How to Write Better and Faster -- And Have More Fun Doing It! - Click To Read Article
Every writer has different habits, unique strengths, and mistakes they always make in their work. Knowing your own habits, flaws, mistakes, and strengths can help you compensate for your limitations, and work with your own natural strengths and rhythms. To get to know your writer-self a little better, consider these three areas of your work.

Do You Need to Hire a Ghostwriter to Write Your Book? - Click To Read Article
When a person with little or no writing experience decides they want to write a book, their first instinct is often to find someone with writing skills to do it for them. It sounds easy enough, right? You can't write, so you just get someone who can. However, a lot more goes into finding and working with a ghostwriter than most people think. This article covers the basics.

Seven Ways to Add Value to Your Self-Help or Business Book - Click To Read Article
When you’re working on a book, the question, "Will people actually want to buy this?" inevitably comes up. Although in most cases this is your inner critic trying to sideswipe your creative efforts, the question is valid. Will people actually see the value in the information you’re providing? To make your book more marketable, consider the following seven ways to add value to your book.

How to Develop the Writing Habit-Even if You Don’t Have Time to Write - Click To Read Article
Writing takes time, which isn't easy to find. Work, kids, housework all get in the way. But these simple steps can help you write more often and with better results.

Make Your Book Personal; Engage Readers with the Story of Your Experience - Click To Read Article
If you're writing a business, self-help, or other instructional book, then it may not seem important to share information about your personal experiences. The purpose of your book is to give people strategies and tips they can use, right? In reality, including your personal story, if you have one, not only makes it more powerful and personal, but it also makes the book unique because it comes directly from you.

How to Achieve the Appropriate Tone in Your Written Communications - Click To Read Article
Years ago, business writers wrote all their communications in a formal tone that sounded the same throughout the piece—passive verbs, jargon, and the editorial “we” were all characteristic of this business writing style. Only radical writers broke away from these established business writing principles.

Reach Your Reader: How to Make Your Letters a Success - Click To Read Article
Letters—and even e-mails—are person-to-person communications; they are usually written by one person and read by one person. They have the power to win you’re your reader like no other marketing material can. However, there is no such thing as a routine letter. As soon as you start to regard external correspondence as just a task that needs to get done, your letters may lose their personal touch and competitive edge.

Want to Write Better? Strengthen Your Writing with Three Self-Editing Tips - Click To Read Article
The English language, like mathematics, has rules that make your message clear and understandable. In today’s era of e-mail and text communications, some may feel the rules of communication are largely unimportant as long as one gets the message across. But we know from verbal communication that how one says something is often as important, maybe even more important, than the actual words being said.

How to Develop Your Best-Selling Book Idea - Click To Read Article
Everyone has at least one book in them-I firmly believe that. But bookstore shelves are packed with titles, all competing for readers’ attention. So how can you tell if your book idea is ready for the competitive publishing business?

Five Tips for Marketing Your Book on Facebook - Click To Read Article
Millions of people visit Facebook every day, making it one of the best viral marketing opportunities for authors online. It’s easy to set up and maintain pages specifically for your book, you can find lots of traffic for your blog or web site, and it’s free, at least for now. Consider these five tips to establish your book’s Facebook presence.

Promote Your Book on Twitter in 10 Minutes a Day - Click To Read Article
If you're marketing your books online, then you've probably heard of Twitter. It was all the rage last year in social media, and millions of people have joined this micro-blogging community. With so many users, it's a great place to find book readers. These tips will help you get the word out about your book without tweeting your day away.

Chapter by Chapter: Ten Self-Editing Questions Every Writer Needs to Consider - Click To Read Article
Congratulations, you've finished your first draft! Take a day or two to celebrate your accomplishment. Then, get back to work-you have a manuscript to edit. Every writer needs an editor, but all writers can use the following ten self-editing questions to think critically and objectively about their own work.

Ghosting On the Job; How to Capture Someone Else’s Style in Writing - Click To Read Article
When you take a job at a company, whether you’re hired as a writer or not, being asked to write a memo or some other kind of document for someone that you work with is pretty common. Perhaps the person who's asked you to do the writing is busy or perhaps you know a bit more about the subject than they do—either way, ghostwriting requires being able to capture the “author’s” personal style on the page.

Just Starting to Write? How to Get Help and Improve Your Writing Skills - Click To Read Article
The other day I was talking to a woman who was frustrated by the fact that she'd given her friend the first three chapters of her book to read and offer feedback, and weeks later her friend still hadn't read the pages. This was the woman's first book and she hadn't written anything since high school.

When and How to Copyright Your Book - Click To Read Article
Copyrighting your book is an important step in the process of becoming an author because it helps protect against people taking or using your work without permission. But how do you get a copyright? And when should you file for one? If you’re unsure about how to protect your work, consider the following suggestions.

Writing a Book and Feeling Stuck? How to Break Through Three Common Challenges - Click To Read Article
It may come before you even write a word, or it may come well into your draft, but when it does, your progress completely stalls. Many aspiring authors have felt stuck at one point or another. And this feeling can prevent even the most motivated writer from completing their work-in-progress. The good news is there are ways around this terrible stuck feeling.

Is Your New Year’s Resolution to Write a Book? - Click To Read Article
Every New Year’s, thousands of aspiring business and self-help authors resolve to make this the year they get their book done. I’ve heard that 80 percent of people want to write a book-that’s a lot of people.

5 Simple Self-Editing Tips - Click To Read Article
Okay, you’re finished with your first draft. Congratulations-that in itself is a big accomplishment. However, don’t celebrate for too long because all first drafts need a good clean-up before they’re ready for the reading world.

How to Find an Endless Supply of Article Ideas - Click To Read Article
Have you ever sat down at your computer, ready to write your next marketing article, and then wasted thirty minutes or more trying to come up with something to write about? If so, then you know a few uninspired days can make article marketing seem like a huge burden, taking up way too much of your time.

Writing Articles; STILL One of the Best Ways to Invest In Your Success - Click To Read Article
Have you ever heard the phrase, “content rich”? Well, when writing your way to wealth, writing an article that showcases your expertise is like investing in a sure thing. Writers (both online and off) have used articles to get traffic on the web, entice prospects to call, and sell their books and products. But with Twitter, LinkedIn, and other fun places to market your services online, is writing articles still a worthwhile strategy? Absolutely.

Self-Editing Success; How to Edit Your Own Writing - Click To Read Article
Writing and editing are two different processes. Writing requires creativity; editing requires analysis. The writing process should be free and experimental; the editing process should be systematic and critical.

The Finishing Touch: How to Craft Titles that Sell - Click To Read Article
When you’re perusing the shelves at your local bookstore, what’s the first thing you notice about almost every book you pick up? The title!

How to Write Articles that Attract Ideal Clients - Click To Read Article
Writing and publishing articles, as long as they relate to your area of expertise, will always result in traffic to your web site. However, not all those visitors will become clients, or even prospects. Why? Because oftentimes they don't find what they're looking for. But this can be avoided.

How to Grow Your Following of Ideal Clients and Readers - Click To Read Article
Imagine having a following of people anticipating the release of your book, awaiting your next seminar, or planning on working with you in the future. And imagine these people are your ideal clients, having self-selected themselves to receive your marketing messages. These are the people you write for, the people you want to build relationships with, and the people who your information can help.

Two Sentences that Make or Break Your Article Marketing Success: How to Write a Resource Box that Attracts Ideal Clients - Click To Read Article
After composing a brilliant marketing article that showcases your expertise and gives your ideal readers information they love, you’d think your article marketing work was done. But wait! The resource box-those two or three sentences tagged onto the end of all your articles. Think you can just slap something together, drop in a link to your web site, and send the article off? Think again.

Magnetic Marketing Copy; Writing from a Position of Partnership - Click To Read Article
Do you ever feel sleazy or inauthentic when you write marketing or sales copy? Like you’re pushing people, rather than pulling them in? I know I have.

Writers Master the Art of Brevity and Satisfy Readers - Click To Read Article
Time is precious, and readers need a reason to keep reading—it’s a fact of life these days when information is available almost instantaneously. Especially in the Internet, you must get to the point right away, as studies have shown that on average you've only got nine seconds to make an impression and hook a reader before he or she clicks away. Readers want to know why they should bother reading the documents you produce, and they don’t want to wade through dense, unclear prose, which is why writers can make their work more successful by learning the art of brevity.

Writers: Do You Procrastinate? Make it a Priority to Write Your Book - Click To Read Article
So you’ve taken the plunge and started writing a book? Congratulations on taking the first step. But now you have to find ways to keep yourself motivated to keep going. If you’re like most people that are trying to write a book, you started off strong and very excited and motivated to write—you couldn’t wait to sit down and start plugging away. You finished the outline and maybe even got through the first chapter without a problem. Then life happened.

When and How to Get Feedback on Your Book-in-Progress - Click To Read Article
If you’re writing a book, eventually you need to get feedback on your writing skills, the material itself, and whether or not your goals were accomplished in the manuscript. After all, the goal of writing a book is to communicate with readers, and if no one has read your book at press time, you’ll never know whether your message is perceived the way you intend it to be perceived. You can read it yourself over and over again, but you won’t be able to get a sense of how others interpret your book without letting someone else read it.

Where to Start Writing Your Book - Click To Read Article
Writing a book is such a big project that many aspiring authors have no idea where to start. If you’ve been thinking about writing a book, you can use the following three steps to turn your thoughts into action!

Start Marketing Your Book Today-Whether You've Finished It or Not! - Click To Read Article
Although everyone thinks about book marketing AFTER they've published a book, smart authors start before they even go to press. Especially as a first-time author, if you start marketing your book at least six months before it's done, then you can build an audience of readers who are ready to buy as soon as the book becomes available.

Speakers, Coaches, and Experts: Write to Sell During a Recession - Click To Read Article
Money is tight, but that doesn’t mean people don’t need you and your solutions. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that the people in your market need the guidance and insight you provide now more than ever. But in a recession, it takes a little more encouragement to get people to help themselves by buying your products and services. In other words, you may need to fine-tune your marketing.

Six Tips for Getting More Media Attention with Your Press Releases - Click To Read Article
A press release is a great method for informing the public about your business, whether you are just opening, expanding, or have other important news. An effective press release will catch the attention of readers and spread the word about your business. As with any other type of business writing, there are certain things you should do and certain things you should avoid when writing your press release to make the best impression and effectively convey your message.

Simple Ways to Improve Your Creative Writing - Click To Read Article
Creative writing can be a rewarding pastime. Many people turn to the pen to unwind after a stressful day. Some creative pieces can even be sold, turning a pastime into a source of additional income. However, many pieces that get written never see the publisher's desk. Why? Because although creative writing is a hobby for many people, they need to produce professional-level work if they want to get published.

Persuasive Writing: How to Harness the Power of the Story - Click To Read Article
Most people love stories for entertainment-we go to the movies to watch stories, we read novels before bed, and we share our own stories with friends. But aside from the entertainment value, storytelling is a powerful marketing and selling technique that you can use for business-related writing projects. And by understanding how stories work, you can engage your readers and teach them with examples that illustrate your ideas.

Overcome Writer's Block: How to Cure this Common Ailment - Click To Read Article
Every writer at one time or another suffers from writer's block. It's that painful inability to get your thoughts down on paper and it comes after all different kinds of writers. Unlike other ailments, writer's block is not cured by taking two aspirins and going to bed. On the contrary, that approach can often only aggravate the condition, since pressure mounts and panic increases as the task is delayed.

Multiply Your Speaking and Consulting Income with Content - Click To Read Article
One of the best ways to multiply your earnings from speaking engagements is to fill the table in the back of the room with books, workbooks, manuals, DVDs, CDs, and other information products. Because after exciting the audience with your speech, many people will want more (and be willing to pay hundreds of dollars for it). So how can you create a catalog of information products fast?

Marketing Your Writing: The Basics of Selling Your Book - Click To Read Article
Marketing is important for all writers who hope to sell their work—whether that means books or articles or writing skills. I used to work for a book publishing company, and for several months I was in charge of marketing my boss’s book. It was a writing reference book, actually, and although I had no idea what I was doing when I took over the project, I learned fast and had a lot of fun doing it.

Memoir: How to Write about What Troubles You the Most - Click To Read Article
Everyone has a story to tell, and unfortunately those stories aren’t always pleasant. What makes memoirs and other personal stories of recovery and triumph so appealing is that struggle is universal. And writing about it is one way—a great way—to make sense out of what troubles you the most.

Make Writing a Priority, Not a Pain - Click To Read Article
Whether you're working on a book or an article marketing campaign, writing is like exercise. And if you want it to really work for your business, then you need to make writing a priority, just like going to the gym or your yoga class.

How to Use Social Media to Market Your Book - Click To Read Article
Social media web sites, such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and even MySpace, can be perfect places to market a book. If you are already connected to the online networking and media world, stay there, and start promoting your work. If you are not connected, consider adding a few of the following strategies to your marketing tool kit.

How to Use Written Reports to Grow Your Business - Click To Read Article
Giving something away for f-r-e-e is one of the best ways to attract attention. People just can't resist it. And for this reason, giveaway reports are an essential marketing tool for businesses that want to generate prequalified leads online. In other words, if you're trying to build a list of people you can market to by e-mail, you need to write a lead generation special report.

How to Plan Your Next Writing Project - Click To Read Article
Like any endeavor in life or business, in writing, a good end result is often attributed to a good starting plan. Just to sit down and to start to write can be effective as a jumping off point to figure out what your ideas are. But once you’ve put your main ideas into words, take some time to plan how those ideas relate to your main point and how the relate to each other. This process will help to ensure the composition flows from one sentence, one paragraph, or one chapter to the next.

How to Grow Your Business by Writing and Publishing - Click To Read Article
Writing for print and online publication can generate new business leads, drive traffic to your site, build relationships with your clients and prospects, and attract an audience. If you need to grow your business, consider the following ways to get your byline out there.

How to Motivate Your Readers to Work with You - Click To Read Article
When you sit down to write your marketing copy—whether for a web site, article, or report—your ultimate goal is getting your readers to buy your products or services. But you can’t just type, “Hire me,” and expect people to come calling. You have to convince them that you’re better than everyone else and that you can help them solve their biggest problems. You have to persuade them. And you have to motivate them to take action.

How to Find the Right Words Every Time - Click To Read Article
Creating images in a reader’s mind is what writing is all about. But oftentimes, finding the right words to express the meaning we want our readers to gain can be tricky. Writers toil over their words and nothing seems quite right. And this problem can have several different causes.

How to Find a Writing Process that Works For You - Click To Read Article
Writing projects often take longer than anticipated and that's simply because many writers don't have a process that helps them work efficiently. All experienced writers develop a rhythm to their work with practice and experience. They understand how they work, when they work best, and the different phases of the writing process—and they accomplish more as a result.

How to Develop Your Book’s Structure - Click To Read Article
A man came to me last week because he needed help writing his book. He told me that he’s had this project on his to-do list for years, but he just couldn’t seem to get started. He’s literally been staring at the task—start writing my book—almost every day, and when he came to me, he still hadn’t done it.

How to Design Your Book to Grow Your Business (and Your Income) - Click To Read Article
Many savvy business owners know that a book can be the ultimate marketing tool. Writing a book on a topic related to your business establishes expertise, expands your marketing influence, and generates new leads—all while bringing in income from book sales.

Get Published: Three Secrets of the New York Publishing World - Click To Read Article
Every writer dreams of attracting a lucrative contract from a major New York publishing company. And although not everyone achieves that dream, many writers do. But they have to rise above everyone else and prove they have what it takes to write and sell a profitable book.

Four Steps to Ensure Accuracy in Your Written Communications - Click To Read Article
Think of written materials like a shop window—the transparency a well-put-together document affords a company is most likely the best advertisement they can get. However, any mistakes that are not caught and get into print or published online reflect badly on not only the writer, but on the entire organization or publication as well. When a document has inaccuracies, readers tend to distrust everything, including the statistics, opinions, and facts.

Five Tips to Set and Achieve Your Writing Goals - Click To Read Article
If you want to write a book, or tackle any other important writing project, then setting clear, powerful goals can put you on the path to success. No matter what you hope to accomplish, the following five tips can help you get there.

Five Keys to Book Writing Success - Click To Read Article
Writing a book isn’t hard, but you have to make a commitment and put in the work to actually make your dream of becoming an author a reality. If you’ve been searching through web sites and books for a writing strategy that ensures success, then look no further. Use the following five tips to get your book done!

Creative Techniques that Make Business Writing Stand Out - Click To Read Article
When most writers think about marketing materials, press releases, and how-to writing projects, they assume creativity is a waste of time and energy. Why not give it to them straight—right? But business writing doesn’t have to all business. Business writers can borrow several techniques from their creative writing counterparts to make their marketing materials fresh and unique.

Are You Writing Your Book for the Wrong Reasons? - Click To Read Article
Have you been struggling to finish your book? If you’ve been working on the project for what seems like forever, and made little or no progress, you might need to reconsider your motive for taking on the project in the first place.

8 Ways to Make More Money by Writing and Publishing - Click To Read Article
Writing for print and online publication can generate new business leads, drive traffic to your site, build relationships with your clients and prospects, and attract an audience. If you need to grow your business, consider the following ways to get your byline out there.





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