Breakthrough Author Magazine November 2022

Publisher’s Corner

Juliet Clark is a six- time author, speaker and podcaster who has spent the last twenty years helping authors, coaches, speakers, and small businesses all over the world build expert audiences.

She started out as a mystery novelist and is best known or her books Gypsy, Granny Heist, and Dead by Dawn, and Pitchslapped. At age 46, she received a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and is an avid hiker and golfer.

It’s November and Thanksgiving is in the air. What are you grateful for?

This month, we focus on tech. Tech is making the book world easier. Book developer Jared Rosen writes about using AI (Artificial Intelligence) to write your book. Computers are getting smarter all the time and can make writing your book smarter as well.

Mark Herschberg introduces his new app for authors called Brain Bump. Have you ever read a book and sworn to implement some of the new ideas? Brain Bump allows you to access those book ideas on the spot. It is also a great way to promote your book and your content.

Also this month, the Mediacasters Julie Lokun and Corinna Bellizi talk about using Pinterest ads to bring visibility to your books. Pinterest has a predominately female audience. Women are the major purchasers in most households. The ladies talk about the residual effect of ads vs. some of the other platforms.

Get ready to dive into some new tech!

Love and Gratitude, Juliet

No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise for the writer, no surprise in the reader.”

~Robert Frost

Writing A Soulful Book with Artificial Intelligence

Technology has transformed most of the arts. The trick is to not fear technology and, at the same time, embrace it with discretion.

Most likely you have a device that fits in your pocket called a smart phone that make the boundaries of creativity seem unlimited. You can be a photographer, a filmmaker, or a journalist with the touch of your fingertips.

So how can AI replace the age-old process of articulating ideas as words on paper?

First, if your ideas can flow from your brain to your fingers, then they can flow from your brain to your mouth. When you use an AI transcription APP such as Otter, you will need to learn how to write as you speak. This could be awkward at first. When you first read the transcriptions, you can see if you are rambling on and learn to master the process.

One cool thing: the artificial intelligence knows how to punctuate and once transcribed,

it will replicate what you would write using a keyboard.

Yet the art of writing still requires you to have compelling ideas and a fluid style of writing. The AI software just gives you the ability to speed up the creative process.

I just came back from a trip. After sitting out on a deck in the middle of a forest, I spoke 50 pages of a new book I am writing. For much of the dictation my eyes were closed, and I was allowing the words to flow from deep within. The writing clearly embodied the deeper feelings that are soul inspired, bypassing my self-critic.

Until I copied and pasted the transcribed text, I did not know how pure the writing was. With a clearly defined chapter structure, I was able to copy and paste the text into the manuscript and watch it populate with deeply inspired soulful writing.

Using AI technology may be able to help you write from a deeper place without being so worried about the technical stuff like spelling and punctuation.

AUTHOR BIO Jared Rosen is the founder Of DreamSculpt. As an innovator in digital media publishing, he has published over 50 media enhanced e-books for many best-selling authors and filmmakers and has published dozens of books in print. Jared is the author of three books including the groundbreaking book The Flip. As a thought leader he has presented in venues ranging from TED X Malibu, to McKinsey and Company, Sydney, Australia. In 2000, Jared co-created the Children’s Emotional Literacy Project endorsed by Mayor Richard Riordan and Norman Lear.

Blogging Is Not Dead

How To Blog like A Rock STAR

You

are a writer. In fact, you are an author. Blogging should be an authoritative extension of your book and your messaging. Even the writer who toggled to and fro with a hesitant approach to writing a book can curate an impactful blog. Blogging is the casual cousin of the accomplished author. If you are not actively blogging, you are dismissing the potential of engaging a fresh audience and throwing potential SEOs in the trash bin.

Blogging entered into the content creator’s stream of consciousness in the 1990s when the world wide web was in its infancy. It began as a sort of online diary that the whole universe

had access too. While archaic in some minds, blogging is an artform that is experiencing a renaissance.

Blogging has become more sophisticated since the turn of the century and accessible with ease because of digital ease and access. Blogging is a ritual seeped in personal vignettes, casual scenarios of lessons learned. What is more exciting is that a blog positions you as an expert on your subject matter.

NEED MORE CONVINCING? You get the gist: you need to start a blog today. This exercise in word manipulation is one that is addicting and very shareable with a hungry

audience. For example, your blog has the potential to go viral. After you write a blog entry you can repurpose your brilliance by sharing it on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

Here are our go-to tips and tricks to be at the top of your game and create a space knee deep in your riches.

1. Know your audience. The first key to crafting an unforgettable blog is to understand the audience you are writing for. Do you know your audience? Do you know what keeps them up at night? How can you solve their deepest and darkest questions? Think of yourself as the anointed wordsmith fairy who can speak to the masses in a unique, unbridled way.

2. Do your research. Research competitive blogs that tantalize and teach. What are they speaking about and how are they reaching their audience? Keep track of trending blogs, topics

and ideas that are aligned with your messaging. We love using Google Alert, because it is a free tool that allows you to monitor different topics and your competitors. Feed Spot is also a handy tool to monitor topics you are deeply passionate about.

3. Build rapport with your readers. Create a catchy title for each blog post and write a compelling story in which they cannot ignore. Tell a story of personal experiences and how you triumphed over challenges. Incorporate your branding message in a subtle manner that brings your readers to their knees.

4. Organize your thoughts peppered with strategic keywords. Build out a brief outline of your blog.  Each blog entry should be about 1500-2500 words.  The blog entry should be an extension of your organic thoughts (this is not a dissertation), and casual. Give actionable tips that establish you

as an authority in your field. Remember, the act of blogging is establishing yourself as your own media company.

Google loves keyword rich blogs.  google loves websites that are layered with SEOs. Blogging is quite simply a steppingstone in building your online presence. Dip your toes in the refreshing waters of long form content and reap the benefits. With the press of a button, you can upload your blog to your website. With a press of another button, you can repurpose this content to Medium.com. Medium is a clearing house of fantastic blogs, innovative thinkers, and a few wayward goofballs.

Overall, you are remiss not to blog.  blogging brings extensive traffic to websites, establishes authority and is super fun to do! If you are out of ideas, and at the level of burnout, don’t forget, you can cut and paste snippets of your book and craft it into a blog. Easy Peasy. Pinky Swear.

Blogging brings extensive traffic to websites, establishes authority and is super fun to do!

Julie Lokun and Corinna Bellizzi brought awareness to the power of Pinterest ads in a recent podcast. The best advice they gave us was, “Try Pinterest to promote your book.”

Pinterest is a powerful promotion tool for both authors and businesses. This social media site is one of the most utilized sites in internet history, with more than 300 million monthly active users.

As an author, you can use Pinterest’s “Inspire” section which features boards dedicated exclusively to books or other forms literature. These boards can help drive traffic straight back to your website.

Omnicore Agency reports that Pinterest has over 478 million users and over 5 billion boards. It’s interesting that 77% of Pinterest users are women, and of those 80% are mothers, mostly residing in the suburbs. Since women make most of the household purchases, this is a great place for an author to get noticed.

You must pay money to really get into the algorithm of Pinterest, but you can do an ad for

The UnTapped poTenTial of Pinterest

as little as a dollar or $2 a day for five days. I just ran a $2/day ad for ten days ($20) and got 10,000 views on one pin.

I like to test things out and I recommend you do too. Otherwise, it’s like throwing spaghetti at the wall to see who is responding, who is repinning, and who is clicking over to your website.

How is the search capability when you run ads on Pinterest? Great. When someone pins your pin, that means that it goes on their board and then all of their followers see it. That can be exponential in terms of exposure.

One of the best ways to get traction on your pins is by creating an “idea pin.” In this type, you can include more detail in each note card and description which will help people find what they are looking for faster. People like it when you make it easy for them to find you.

What is the difference between ads on the other platforms and Pinterest? On Meta, Facebook, Instagram, the moment you stop doing any sort

of advertising, all your traffic disappears. However, when you stop advertising on Pinterest, you still see traffic. you will continue to see repins. You still see energy behind people finding your page and following your page.

This is one of the major differences between how Meta runs things and how Pinterest runs things. I didn’t know this before this month when I dug into the analytics. Corinna said, “Oh, this is surprising. I haven’t advertised with them for six weeks. Why am I still seeing this kind of traffic? Oh, I get it. They are just better organically.”

Pro tip: The name of the game on Pinterest is creating amazing, eye-catching pins that make you stand out. You can make pretty pins with a tool called Placeit. Placeit.net has thousands of free templates that allow you to create captivating banners and pins.

Corinna Bellizzi, MBA is a natural products industry executive who pioneered the growth of the omega-3 giant, Nordic Naturals, from less than $1 million in annual revenues to over $100 million. As a mom of two young boys, podcaster, and executive, and future author of “Audiocasters”, due out this spring. Her mission is to leave the world a little better than she found it, while inspiring others to do the same. Corinna began her broadcasting journey as a guest on many nationally syndicated radio shows and even acted as an MC for fashion shows in her spare time to improve her public speaking skills. As part of her lifelong education journey, she earned her MBA from Santa Clara University, graduating at the top of her class with a triple focus in Entrepreneurship,

Leadership and Marketing in June 2021. Corinna launched her first podcast show, Care More Be Better, to share the stories of inspired individuals and conscious companies to show us all that one person with one idea can have a big impact. It now ranks in the top 2.5% of all podcasts globally.*

Julie Lokun, JD. a legal eagle and facilitator of dreams, is changing the trajectory of underserved entrepreneurs who are using their voice to make an impact.  As a mom of four (4) boys, Julie has learned to leverage her power to lead a bustling household while also serving as the head maven of Crown & Compass Life Coaching. She adeptly “anoints and points” -- directing the strategic growth of businesses and professionals around the globe. Julie has

delivered presentations on the big stage, and in virtual events. With a background in law, she teases through complex information and gets to the root of issues, telling deep, compelling stories that resonate with audiences far and wide. She is a celebrated best-selling author of the entrepreneurial series, Hustle Smart, the owner of The Mediacasters Publishing House which boasts several bestselling titles, and is a 5-star business coach. In the spring of 2021, Julie launched a swiftly growing podcast, Obsessed with Humans On The Verge of Change which is already in the top 3% of all podcasts globally.*

In November 2021 these two business besties and podcasting partners (with 6 boys between them) cofounded Femcasters to elevate the voices of women through podcasting, branding and public speaking. In February 2022 they merged this effort with The Media Queens Publishing House to form The Mediacasters. The Mediacasters is a podcast, a community, a publishing house and a launch platform that elevates the voices of inspired people of all ages and identities with the power of “The 3 P’s:” Podcasting, Publishing and Presenting/ Performing.

*as reported by Listennotes.

The BesT WriTing Advice i ever received

You might be thinking I’m going to say, “Write what you know.” That’s a piece of advice that’s been handed off to writers for, well, forever.

But that’s not what I’m going to tell you. I’m going to tell you a story.

When I was a new writer, just learning (and making every mistake in the book and many that were completely my own boneheaded ones), I spoke with a seasoned author. He had read one of my first children’s stories… and it was absolutely terrible. Of course, at the time, I wasn’t aware of that.

This very kind gentleman said to me, “You’re jumping too soon into the pool. You have not yet learned to swim.”

“Well, I read books all the time,” I protested. “And I’m a teacher, so I work with kids every day. And I took a class on writing for children.”

“That’s a great start,” he replied, “but it’s only a start. Slow down and savor the journey of becoming a writer.”

Those words changed my life. I started to notice all the ways I was rushing to get to the end result. You know what happens when you rush to write something you aren’t prepared for? It comes out absolutely terrible.

In the world of non-fiction, especially when writing a book that is intended to help you grow your business, the prep is all important.

First is the emotional prep. You may have that idea spinning in your head, constantly nagging at you, but you still have to be emotionally ready for the ride. Writing a book will have many ups and downs, and if you are willing to just go with it, the experience can be very satisfying.

Next comes the mental prep. Writing a book is a commitment every bit as important as anything else in your business and you must be ready to sit down and do the work.

During your mental prep, get clear on two things. First, ask yourself, “Who is my audience?” You must be very clear about this because it determines the way you “speak” in your writing. For example: you cannot use industry jargon when your audience is lay people.

The second bit of mental prep is allowing yourself the time and space to write. I personally do some of my best work at 4:00 in the morning. It’s quiet in my house, and I can focus for a good hour before the chaos begins. But that hour a day adds up fast!

The final step is the physical prep. This is literally focusing on your specific topic for a specific audience and outlining your book. Choose the stories and/or case studies you want to weave throughout your chapters. Do you need statistics or graphs? How about your own personal journey story? This is when a book coach comes in handy.

Prepping to write doesn’t have to take a lot of time, but it is definitely time well-spent.

Kristy Boyd Johnson is an award-winning children’s author, and has ghostwritten over 30 books for entrepreneurs over the years. She is a sought-after developmental editor and transformational book coach. She recently launched Starseed Journey Retreats because she can’t imagine anything better than being a beautiful location with beautiful people who want to reconnect with their deepest selves through writing.

Prepping to write doesn’t have to take a lot of time, but it is definitely time well-spent.

Brain Bump helps Readers Remember Important Concepts

Mostentrepreneurs consume business books to stay on top of relevant information. The problem

is that only so much of a concept can be implemented at one time. Mark Herschberg is one of those entrepreneurs who consumes business books at a staggering pace. It wasn’t until he became an author himself that he understood that business owners and authors need a better way to communicate key points in a book for at-a-glance implementation.

“I take notes on my books, many people do. But even when you take notes, you hardly ever go back and look at them.” This was Mark’s inspiration. Once he became an author, he saw the same need from the other side. That is when he got the idea for Brain Bump.

Brain Bump is a new app that helps authors highlight the key points of their book in a condensed form that is easy for the reader to reference. Think about the concept for a moment. When you read a networking book, you want networking tips. However, you are not going to take your notes with you to the next networking meeting you attend. Having an app you can open on your phone is a quick

The Brain Bump app solves two problems with the same solution.

refresher to the tips you want to implement at the event. Problem solved. Tips implemented.

The Brain Bump app solves two problems with the same solution. It also turns out, as you and your audience know well, that most people who write business books, or selfhelp books in general, have other products and services they want to sell. You don’t make money from books, right? But if you get the books out there, then people will come back for other things.

But there again, you have to go through the process of know, like, love. Someone will spend $20 today to check out your book. They’re not going to buy a $500 or $2,000 service right off the bat until they get comfortable with you. And that takes time, and that means they have to get repeated exposure to why

you are good. This same tool also solves that problem.

“I saw this big hole in the market. Interestingly, I didn’t plan to build this. I thought someone must have built this, so I’m just going to go licensed the tool. But it didn’t exist. I happen to be a technologist.

I’m a CTO, I build tech startups. So I filed a patent around it and then began building the app.”

The other big problem that Brain Bump solves is the content creator aspect of authorship. Many authors forget that their book is content. Over and over, authors will avoid content creation to build an audience. Authors do not have to wait to publish their book to share content from the book. The content creation and followers gained through Brain Bump can be used to launch the book to a bestseller list.

Juliet Clark is a six- time author, speaker and podcaster who has spent the last twenty years helping authors, coaches, speakers, and small businesses all over the world build expert audiences.

She started out as a mystery novelist and is best known or her books Gypsy, Granny Heist, and Dead by Dawn, and Pitchslapped. At age 46, she received a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and is an avid hiker and golfer.

Messaging Matters

As a nonfiction author, your goal is to convey your story, your wisdom, and your mission in the pages of your book.

The same applies to the marketing you do around your book. However, if your message isn’t clear, you’re not going to get your desired result.

Here’s an example of what I mean.

The other day I was talking to my husband (who does not have an online business) and I told him that “when authors use content right from their book and post it online, it can be really effective for lead gen.” I wanted him to tell me how great it is that I’m doing what I love but instead he interrupted:

“Who’s that?” he asked.

I looked at him strangely. “Who’s what?”

“Who’s Jen?”

And then I knew. He hadn’t heard anything else I’d said

because he was stuck trying to figure out who Jen was.

After I explained that I meant lead generation, the moment was over and my point was lost.

Now think about the words you use in your online content. Do you say things that people who aren’t in your line of work – but who are your ideal readers – may not comprehend?

If the answer is Yes, this means you could be repelling people without even realizing. Clarity should be No.1 when you put out any type of content.

A confused mind keeps on scrolling.

A confused mind hits delete.

A confused mind says no.

When you’re creating an email or a post of any kind, follow these steps to make sure you’re making things crystal clear:

1. Read and re-read your copy out loud. Will it

make sense to your audience?

2. Remove any words that are jargon.

3. Ask yourself, if I were your dream reader, would this appeal to me?

My client Kayla and her team were so focused on posting multiple times a day that they hadn’t stopped to really assess what their messaging was conveying.

After a social media audit, I determined that what was missing from their copy was clarity on their target reader and effective calls to action. We worked together to craft more effective messaging, and their engagement grew.

Remember: when your audience doesn’t have to work hard to understand what you’re telling them, they will be much happier to engage with your content.

If you’re ready to begin marketing your book with a proven strategy, I invite you to connect with me today at contentstrategycall.com.

What happens after you launch your book?

That’s

the question I hear most from authors. You’ve written and published the book, but now that your book is out in the world for all to enjoy, you’ve likely encountered a new challenge.

Just because you built it doesn’t mean they will come.

You’re learning that all the hard work you’ve done to birth your book doesn’t automatically mean people are lining up to buy your books, fill your programs, be your next 1:1 client, and invite you to speak on stages and podcasts.

You still have to create a VIP platform for your ideal audience to get to know you and your brand before they’ll trust you enough to buy.

How can you accomplish all that if you’re the best kept secret?

It’s time to shout from the rooftops, so to speak, about the value your book and brand provide. And the best way to do that is to have a customized content marketing plan.

With a content strategy, you’ll make a bigger impact because you’ll reach a wider audience. You’ll also save time and money since you’ll always know what you’re posting on social media, sending out in emails and more. You’ll also have peace of mind knowing your content marketing is being done right.

The good news is, since you have done a lot of the heavy lifting already in terms of content creation, you can strategically pull out content ideas right from your book.

When I start working with a client, they are often stuck in that loop of throwing the proverbial spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks. My client Jackie, for example, was posting all sorts of things to her social media – much of which was completely off-brand – and

she was frustrated by the lack of engagement from her followers. But after we worked together to establish her brand’s content pillars and determine more than 60 content topics that she can use again and again, she began posting only on-brand content which really resonates with her audience.

When you’re determining what content to create from your book, start broad. Think of each chapter as a topic to write about. You can also pull out a background story from the introduction to share with your followers more about you and what inspired you to write your book.

If you’ve included inspirational quotes from others in the book,

post those and why they’re meaningful to you.

You can share any client stories, testimonials, wins, and transformations that you’ve referenced in your book and also highlight personal stories that illustrate your mission.

Your book is your calling card. You can utilize it to grow your audience and amplify your mission online. Not only are you an expert in your industry, but you also wrote the book on it!

If you’d like a complimentary strategy session with me to uncover how you can use your book for your content marketing, schedule your call at contentstrategycall.com.

Melanie Herschorn wants to make your book and brand sparkle online. As a content marketing strategist for coaches, consultants, and speakers worldwide, she’s on a mission to support and empower her clients to create clear messaging and content that shines a light on their individual experience, skillset, and books. With her unique combination of entrepreneurship, award-winning journalism and PR experience, Melanie guides her clients to attract and nurture leads and position themselves as industry experts. She also loves to provide book marketing tips on her show, AUTHORity Marketing LIVE!

Failure…

THe UlTimATe enTRepReneURiAl

pATHwAy To SUcceSS

Ever

walked a mile in the shoes of an entrepreneur? The going can get pretty tough! Sam Eaton’s new book The Trouble with Pink Wheelbarrows is an inspirational look at how resilient an entrepreneur must be to take an idea and make it into a profitable business. Every business owner runs into obstacles on the way to success. Sometimes it is the idea and sometimes it is the logistics of getting the product to the customer.

Sam’s book chronicles the problems of an idea that every avid gardener would LOVE a pink wheelbarrow as a decorative planter in their garden. What Sam did not anticipate was how she would wrap and ship an object so large and bulky. What seemed like a great idea at the time turned into the learning experience of a lifetime.

Most entrepreneurs have days they just want to quit. The problems seem insurmountable. The difference between those who stay in business and those

who do not is the ability (and the tenacity) to solve problems and make those solutions profitable.

The hallmark of any business owner is the ability to learn not only from their own mistakes, but also be in learning mode and learn from the mistakes of those that came before them. The insights provided in The Trouble with Pink Wheelbarrows are helpful case studies to guide every business owner to thinking of new solutions.

See what Executive Leadership Coach, Speaker, Author of When I Die Take My Panties, Jen Coken says about The Trouble with Pink Wheelbarrows:

“Sam is not only a brilliant strategist but a great storyteller! So many business books are BORING! Not this one — it is like a tell-all memoir had a baby with a Stanford MBA. Be prepared to be entertained and enlightened while learning how to apply realworld experiences so you can take your business to the next level from page one.”

Sam Eaton is a Global Business Coach for the HR Profession with over 25 years of experience in building successful consultancies internationally. With her company MindAbility Consulting, she serves clients across the UK, USA, Canada, and South Africa. She is on a mission to help business owners succeed on their terms, to improve the lives of their families by empowering HR business owners and solopreneurs to realize their business goals using MindAbility’s unique growth programmes.

Boring to Bold

Writing and Marketing Tools to Create Engaging Content

Copywriting

is the act of writing text for advertising or other forms of marketing. The product, copy, is written content that aims to increase brand awareness and persuade the reader to take action. Copy is one of the essential aspects of any marketing campaign for an author. Unfortunately, a lot of written copy is boring or lacks the sizzle to get readers to stay engaged or take action. You want to make sure that your writing stands out and readers are engaged to take the desired action, whether that be subscribing to your blog, following you on social media, or making a purchase. In this article, we will discuss some of the best tools for making your content more engaging and creating a powerful call to action. So let’s get started!

As an author, you may find yourself wearing a lot of hats. Often, authors who are marketing books have to be a copywriter, blogger, and social media manager. And while you may enjoy all three of these roles, there are times when you may need a little help to get your content to stand out.

That’s where tools like Jarvis and Grammarly come in.

Jarvis is an AI-powered writing assistant that helps you create better headlines, improve your grammar, and more.

When it comes to making your content more engaging, one of the most important things you can do is focus on creating a strong headline. Your headline should be attentiongrabbing and make people want to read more. When it comes to creating a strong headline, Jarvis is my go-to tool. It analyzes your headlines and gives you a score based on how attention-grabbing they are. I highly recommend Jarvis if you want to make sure your headlines are strong and pack a punch.

Another important aspect of creating engaging content is including a powerful call to action. This tells readers what they should do next, such as subscribe to your blog, follow you on social media, or contact you for more information. Many people miss a clear call to action that gets people to take

action now. A great call to action is clear, concise, and benefitsfocused. It should also be placed prominently in your article so readers can’t miss it.

Once your customer engages, it is key to have a great follow-up in place and be responsive. Using automation tools to follow up with prospects and customers in a consistent manner will keep the engagement going and make it easier to convert customers in the future.

Finally, I recommend Grammarly. This tool is a grammar checker that catches errors that you might miss. It is essential to make sure your copy is error-free. Grammarly is like having a second pair of eyes on your work before you publish it.

If you are looking for ways to take your content from boring to engaging, I suggest using both Jarvis and Grammarly. These tools will help you create engaging and clear content. If you want a show and tell of these tools or a PR team to do it for you, book time at www. SpeakwithShannon.com

Shannon Procise has successfully attained over $3.2M in FREE publicity and is notorious for being the owner of the “Million Dollar Rolodex” and teaching others how to do the same. She has trained and coached thousands of individuals in marketing, event production, business development, and personal growth. Shannon is the creator of a magnetic community - the Business Acceleration Network, where she guides businesses to build a successful enterprise while having fun and making lots of money.

Platform Planning Palooza

Author Platform Building has many integrated parts to bring together to build an audience for your book release.

Together we will: Take stock of what you already have in place

Decide 4 areas you would like to focus in 2023

Break down tasks that need to be done to build your platform Decide how to execute

Join us for our 2023 planning workshops and get ready for your best audiencebuilding year

approach.