How to Make Sure Real People Read Your Book

Filed Under Business Book, Content, Successful Blog, Writing | 23 Comments

Bad Books Are Everywhere

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When he was in 6th grade, my son interviewed me for his school newspaper. He wanted to know what I liked about being publisher more than being a teacher. I said

I can make sure kids never have to read a boring book again.

I meant that.

The world has too many dead books already. We really don’t need to make more.

If you’re building a book, you’re investing real energy. Don’t you want to be sure folks will read it when you’re through?

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Write a Book? Assemble the One in Your Archives!

Filed Under Branding, Content, Idea Bank, Productivity, Strategy, Successful Blog, Writing | 84 Comments

Turning One Kind of Content into Another

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In July of 1995, I met with president and the major partner/owner of a company in trouble. The company had one product earning and was losing 10% a year. They laid out the problem and asked my solution. Thinking I had nothing to lose, I told them.

I’d get on a plane to the UK next week; find the best product they had to offer; repurpose it to perfectly meet this market; and get it out there earning as fast as I could.

My blood sugar dropped when the partner replied, “You’re going to London.”

We made new products by turning one kind of content into another.

Want to write a book? You probably have one almost done in your archives.
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The Secret to Why Dennis Miller Can Rant in Public and the Rest of Us Really Can’t

Filed Under Audience, Branding, Successful Blog, Writing | 16 Comments

Rant Is a Four-Letter Word

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Something has happened. It wasn’t nice. It happened once too often. It happened to someone you care about. It needs to be addressed. You’re about to write something someone is going to read.

Before you write, check your emotions. They’re running high, aren’t they? Here’s what you need to do before you write.

Go to the local store. Buy 100 ballooons. Blow them up and pop them each one individually — one at a time — slowly savoring the noise. Or do something else that will open a steam valve: go running,

Whatever you do, please don’t write and rant. Rant is a four-letter word. You’ve read ‘em. They’re deadly.

So, how come Dennis Miller can rant in public?

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Rehearsing My Writing . . . No, It’s Not Just a Liz Thing

Filed Under Content, Productivity, Strategy, Successful Blog, Writing | 21 Comments

Musicians, Actors, Writers

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Growing up, I learned early that it was imporant to sort the things I do that everyone does from the things you might call . . . um, er . . . “uniquely Liz stuff.”

Knowing the difference has saved me from looking foolish and made me a better teacher. . . . Unfortunately, knowing doesn’t come with immediate credibility on that self-same subject.

Sometimes I know that other folks do the same things that I do. Yet the idea is apparently so incredible that people hearing me say so assume I’m delusional and that the subject in question is . . . sshhhh don’t tell Liz, but we all know it’s . . . a “uniquely Liz thing.”

I’m writing this because I know I’m not the only writer who rehearses before writing.

Stop whispering.

I can’t imagine a person who hasn’t used the process, you included.

We all practice what we want to say when the conversation is really important.

“Mom, I don’t want to go to the party. . . . I need to. My entire life depends on it.”

“Sweetheart, when you talk that way, I can’t hear what you’re saying.”

“In the past year, I’ve take on significant new responsibilities . . .”

Those aren’t words that just happened. We rehearsed them.

Actors rehearse improvisations.

Musicians rehearse jams and free-wheelin’ rock solos.

Writers rehearse before writing. Some prewrite. Some freewrite. That’s rehearsing too, but I mean thinking words before sitting down, typing, before having to look at them.

Here’s something of how my rehearsing goes.

  • I think about the words I might write.
  • I say them and listen. I construct and recontruct sentence as if I were preparing for an important conversation.
  • I think I might say this. I think about whether that statement makes sense and makes me want to pursue it.
  • A few words come that sound right.
  • I find a word I particularly like. That word begets another and there are two, three , and four.
  • Soon I have sentence, sentences — whew an idea is rolling — it’s a paragraph!
  • I walk and practice and play with words until I feel ready to write jazzed about what I want to say.

Rehearsing is more fun than sitting at my computer.

I hear some folks rehearse in the shower, . . . That’s okay for writers. It’s not a good idea, if you play electric guitar.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
If you think Liz can help with a problem you’re having with your writing, check out the Work with Liz!! page in the sidebar.

Arlo Guthrie, a Pickle, and 5 Signs You’re Forcing a Bad Idea to Work

Filed Under Content, Successful Blog, Writing | 21 Comments

I Had This Idea about Deadlines

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I had this idea Sunday about deadlines and how we sometimes push words and designs out the door to meet them — how schedule beats quality and how that works against us every time.

I wanted a fun example to talk about. So I chose Arlo Guthrie’s “The Motorcycle Song,” and started writing this post. I chose it because the first time I heard someone sing that particular song, I remember thinking that the lyrics are, well, less than inspiring.

I don’t want a pickle.
Just want to write on my motorcyle.
I don’t want a tickle,
I want to write on my motorcyle.
and I don’t wanna die. . .
Just wanna ride my motorcy-cle.
–Arlo Guthrie, The Motorcycle (The Significance of the Pickle) Song

My, wasn’t I smart? Well, no, not even clever. I was in love with my own idea.

Anyone who remembers the song probably already suspects what a truly bad idea that was.

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