Have you ever picked up a book and after a few pages, put it down saying, “This isn’t for me.” Have you ever listened to a speaker and found yourself turning away, thinking, “This guy doesn’t get it.” Or have you met with someone offering professional services—perhaps a consultant or coach—and walked away, saying, “We just aren’t on the same …
Excerpted from Cathy Fyock’s Presentation for the HRD World Congress, Mumbai, February 2017 Why are stories so powerful? I’ll answer that question by telling a story. In this tale we meet a student who is being taught by his teacher through stories. One day the student asks, “Teacher, why do you always instruct about truth by telling stories?” The teacher …
You’re going to use your “About the Author” information in many places. You’ll use an abbreviated version on your book jacket or cover, and you’ll likely have a longer version within the book. You’ll include a bio on your one-sheet for promoting your book and speaking; you’ll include a bio on your website; you’ll need an introduction for speaking, and …
There will be times in your writing where you’ll be . . . a little stuck. Maybe your outline is perfectly fine, but there’s a little catch in it somewhere and you just can’t express the idea correctly. You’re sitting there, mouth half-open, and you’re staring at the screen, waiting for your fingers to move. And they’re not moving. This …
Seasonal blogs can have a role in your Blog2Book; after all, the target of 52 posts means one per week, and it could make sense to split up the book by “season” or theme. This is an especially good idea if you want readers to use your book as a tool they will pick up and think about each week, …
I often give aspiring authors a button when I meet them for the first time. When I give it to them, I explain that it’s a magic button. Some laugh or smile nervously when I say that. “It really is a magic button,” I tell them, “but only when you wear it.” The button says Ask Me About My Book! …
The rule about creating a good blog post is that there are few rules. But, while there are few rules, I’ve noticed that there are some common themes or characteristics of good blog posts. They are well written. They have a good flow. They are logical in their construction. They are edited by someone other than the author, since we …
I have never been a particularly gifted writer. It doesn’t come easily or naturally to me. In fact, I never had a teacher tell me, “You know, Cathy, you should think about a career in writing.” But here I am, a book coach writing blogs and books. I’ve often said, “I don’t like writing, but I do like what having …
What would being an author mean for your business? Many nonfiction authors who write books about their areas of expertise discuss the intangibles of having more credibility or visibility, a larger footprint in the marketplace, or being seen as a thought-leader. If you had to quantify the benefits, what would that dollar figure be for your business? I was discussing …
Sometimes I feel like a petulant child when I sit down to write. “I don’t want to write,” the child complains. “I want to play games and have fun.” I’ve tried to discipline the child and tell her that this is for her own good, that she needs to buckle down and get her work done, but she protests even …
