Book Design: An Inside Job

Book Design: An Inside Job

Writing Your Book is Only the First Step I’ve published nearly 60 books and had a role in designing many books I’ve ghostwritten and/or edited. From this experience, I know that the interior design of a book plays a huge role. It can even determine whether a reader...
Instruction manuals – helpful or useless?

Instruction manuals – helpful or useless?

If Your Company Uses Instruction Manuals for Its Products, You Must Read This. Too many businesses don’t give enough attention to what may be their most important documents. Entering Appliance Hell I recently bought an appliance. (I’m not naming either the specific...
Use Fictional Techniques in Nonfiction

Use Fictional Techniques in Nonfiction

Non-fiction writers, especially if they’re beginning writers, can make a critical mistake about what writing non-fiction demands. They may think, “This is going to be easier than writing fiction. I don’t have to worry about characters, plot development, description,...
Does Your Email Header Fail?

Does Your Email Header Fail?

A few words can determine the success or failure of your email campaign. Are your headers making your email header fail? Email Headers That Lose You Subscribers “Do You Hate Me?” I got a message with this header in my inbox a few days ago. It didn’t come from anyone I...
Use Quotations to Enliven Your Writing

Use Quotations to Enliven Your Writing

Sprinkling quotations into your writing is a very effective way to improve it. Doing this serves a number of functions. Quotations summarize a point you’re making in your work. They also emphasize this point. A quotation by someone both famous and respected gives...
Writing Style: How to Keep Your Audience Awake

Writing Style: How to Keep Your Audience Awake

Whether you’re giving a speech or writing a memo, email, or book, remember that both the words you use and how you arrange them (your writing style) have a powerful effect on your listening or reading audience. I recently attended a presentation. The subject was...