Titles that sell

You've written and published your book but so far - limited sales.  One thing you can look at is the title of your book.  If this is fiction then you may want to be creative but for non-fiction your title needs to relate to your readers' needs. 

What is your reader likely to type into a search engine?  If they are looking for cheap ways to furnish a house then write down all the keywords and phrases your potential reader might use - cheap, inexpensive, thrifty, furniture, ideas, decorate.... Pop these words and phrases into a search engine and see what other suggestions are provided as you type; add these to your list.  From these you should be able to come up with "it does what is says on the tin" title that your potential readers will at least find and they hopefully buy.

Working from home

Working from home is a dream many of you will have. The idea of working flexible hours, saying goodbye to the traffic and being able to take holidays at times that suit you.  So what is the reality?  Take kids to school, walk dog, put on washing, answering the "sales" calls, have coffee, answer the door and so it goes on until you pick the kids up from school. 

In order to be successful as a homeworker you need to do two things:
1) Create your workspace and
2) Allocate your working hours.

Whilst a separate home office is preferable it is not essential when you first start.  What is essential is that you decide where you are going to work and have your resources easily accessible.  A dining table is fine to work on as long as it is clear of other non-work related stuff.  Keep a box to hold your books, files and pens. 

Set your working hours and keep to them.  If you are working from 10.00am until 1.00pm then at 10.00 be sat in your workspace and work. Never just finish whatever you are doing.  If you were working away from home you would not be able to hang out the washing or mop the floor.  Your work should come first during your allocated working hours.

Yes you can leave the rat race however to be successful you need to prioritse your new job.

Start today and allocate some time to your home business; you will soon be reaping the rewards.

If you would like to read more on setting up an effective office space have a look at my latest book  Write it! - how to write your book in 30 hours or less.

Creating time to write

When I have time I'll write a book - the most commonly used phrase by would be writers.  You've probably realised by now that there will never be enough time - there will always be something else to do.

If you trully want to start your writing career you need to create time slots to use for writing - trust me they do exist.  Here are some easy ones to get you started.

• Watch half an hour a day less TV
• Get up half an hour earlier
• Go to bed half an hour later
• Use public transport and write on the train
• Use 15 minutes from your lunch break to write

You should easily be able to create half an hour a day to write.  Once you have this time - use it. Do not waste time asking the kids if you can use the computer or clearing the desk of post.  Either ensure you have "booked" the computer or use an App on a mobile phone, even a pencil and notebook is enough to start writing.

By this time next week you should have created and used at least three hours writing time and have produced a significant piece of writing (don't worry about editing just yet).

If you would like more on how to create writing time or how to write fast then have a look at my latest book Write it! - how to write your book in 30 hours or less.

Create that time and start writing!

The changing environment of publishing

With the advent of the Internet and eReaders such as Kindle, getting your writing published and available to readers has never been easier.  This has not made writing easier it has however put both readers and writers in control of what is available and what is read.

There was a time, not too long ago, when publishers controlled what we read. If a writer truly believed in their work they had to undertake what was once an expensive self-publishing approach and then still find it difficult to ensure their work was available to the masses.

Self-publishing as hard copy and digital copy is now much more accessible.  You still have to write your book and ensure it is of the highest quality, however you can now publish and market your work relatively inexpensively and in some cases without cost.

If you have started to write a book, or have finished one, now is the time to dust it off and publish it.