As a bestselling fiction/nonfiction author and professional copywriter, I'm often asked by aspiring writers what they need to do to succeed. Most of their questions center around writing ability. They want to know how to find out if they have the talent to succeed, or if there's a "test" they can take that will tell them if they're a good enough writer to actually get paid … [Read more...] about How to Succeed as a Writer
business success
A Little Secret About Sabotage (Compliments of Cutthroat Kitchen)
I remember one of my fave guilty pleasures a handful of years back—Cutthroat Kitchen. In case you’re not aware of the show (What?!?! That can’t possibly be?!?!), it’s a competition cooking show in which four chefs bid to earn ways to sabotage one another’s dishes. The last one standing the winner. What’s fascinating to me is how much it’s taught me about sabotage. You … [Read more...] about A Little Secret About Sabotage (Compliments of Cutthroat Kitchen)
3 Keys to Making Money with Your Passion
The entrepreneurial dream: making money from a passion. Whether that means running a successful business or nonprofit organization, or selling your books or art, it's what keeps many of us up at night, longing to do. Yet, so few of us ever actually succeed in profiting from our passions. Why is that? Consider the following three common reasons (I’m also including tips … [Read more...] about 3 Keys to Making Money with Your Passion
3 Ways Gratitude Can Grow Your Business
I love Thanksgiving. It's my favorite holiday. Family, food, friends and football thrown in for good measure. But I digress. What I REALLY like about Thanksgiving is it's about giving thanks. And I think gratitude is one of the most powerful emotions out there. Why is it so powerful? Because it has the capacity to change your life. Like every entrepreneur, over the … [Read more...] about 3 Ways Gratitude Can Grow Your Business
Change Your Perspective, Change Your Results
According to one definition of “creativity,” creative people will look at the same thing everyone else does, yet see something completely different. But what happens when creatives run into roadblocks? It’s sure to happen, as it does with everyone. Maybe it's just not possible to see something different. Maybe you've been focusing on a problem for so long, it becomes … [Read more...] about Change Your Perspective, Change Your Results
3 Secrets I Learned From My Grandpa About Business Success
My Grandpa, who passed away a few years ago at 96 years old, was quite a character. Along with being a successful entrepreneur (he started his business, a machine shop in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, over 50 years ago), he also had an incredible sense of humor. He just loved going against the grain. I learned so much from him, over the years, and as a tribute to his memory, I’m … [Read more...] about 3 Secrets I Learned From My Grandpa About Business Success
Why Following a Proven Business Model Could Put You Out of Business
It’s a bit of a catch-22. On the one hand, it’s soooo much easier to build a business when you have a blueprint to follow. Not to mention how it’s human nature to be wary of change, so if you can follow in someone else’s footsteps and build a similar business, it doesn’t feel as risky. (Right?) And let’s not forget the steep learning curve we encounter any time we try … [Read more...] about Why Following a Proven Business Model Could Put You Out of Business
[Infographic] 3 Keys for Crafting A Hot Opt-in Page That Converts
Let's start from the very beginning with the definition of an opt-in page. An opt in page is a page that, in exchange for a person’s contact information (typically an email address), gives access to some sort of gift or freebie. Why would you give something away for free? To build your subscriber email list—because having a list of ideal prospects you can email anytime … [Read more...] about [Infographic] 3 Keys for Crafting A Hot Opt-in Page That Converts
[Infographic] 5 Steps to Creating a Responsive Subscriber Email List
I'm sure you've heard this a million times already, but the key to your business success is building an subscriber email list. BUT, not just any old list of emails. This should be a list of your ideal prospects, who have given you permission to contact them, and who are (ideally) actively reading and responding to your emails. Ah, now it's just gotten a little … [Read more...] about [Infographic] 5 Steps to Creating a Responsive Subscriber Email List
[Video] Flip It! The Real Reason Why Art is Important
When I was in high school and thought about my dreams of becoming a fiction author, a part of me would always butt in and say: "Wait! This isn't deep enough. How can I change the world writing romantic suspense, psychological thrillers?" I really wrestled with this. Elizabeth Gilbert talked about this in her book "Big Magic," where she said (and I'm paraphrasing) anyone … [Read more...] about [Video] Flip It! The Real Reason Why Art is Important