It's Like a Dream Come True!

Just imagine--you're sitting on a train, whizzing through the Rocky Mountains. You look out the window, take a sip of your latte when...

BOOM!

A rush of creativity surges through your veins and you begin writing furiously, like Secretariat, rounding the last turn before winning the Triple Crown. You've never written like this before!

Sound too good to be true? It isn't.

Welcome to the Power Writers Report, our weekly update, packed full of powerful writing tips, productivity tools, platform-building strategies, author best practices, resources, and free stuff. 

If you find this useful, forward it to a friend.

Click here to subscribe to the weekly Power Writers Report.

Click here to schedule an author strategy session with me.

This is the Adventure of a Lifetime!

Join me for the adventure of a lifetime on the Writers' Workshop Tour!

All aboard the Rocky Mountaineer train for a beautiful four-day experience that will enliven your senses and sharpen your writing skills.

Circle July 28-July 1 on your calendars. That's when the adventure begins.

We'll enjoy an evening mixer Tuesday, June 28 in downtown Denver. Then first thing Wednesday morning we'll board the Rocky Mountaineer train at Union Station on our way to Moab, Utah, with an overnight stop in Glenwood Springs.

• Attend helpful workshops for fiction and nonfiction writers
• Finish your chapter or manuscript in the lounge car
• Consult with our team of bestselling authors
• Network with other writers

. . . with the spectacular Rocky Mountains as your muse!

The idyllic mountain landscapes and abundant wildlife will provide the backdrop to this unique, immersive writing environment.

Nothing like this is offered anywhere else!

At the end of this unforgettable trip, one lucky winner will be awarded an Illumify publishing contract worth $10,000.

Read that again.

For more information click here.

Workshops I'll Be Teaching

How the Internet has Changed the Way People Read

In many ways, the Internet has made writing easier. Inexhaustible amounts of information at our fingertips. Instantaneous communication. Online writers groups. Apps that help us spell-check, grammar-check, word-count, and so on.

But the Internet has also changed the way we read. And if writers ignore these reading trends, they’ll get left behind and lose their readers.

In How the Internet has Changed the Way People Read, I'll share:

• Recent trends in reader analytics
• The surprising percentage of readers who reach chapter two—and how you can fix it
• The beginning assumption every writer must make when addressing their readers
• Practical tips to keep your readers engaged in your manuscript

Whether your specialty is fiction or nonfiction, this information is essential—and may change the way your write.

If you know me, this is my favorite topic to explore.

Secrets to Crafting a Talk that Sells Books

The fastest way to create an income stream, even faster than building a social media platform, is to create a talk that places you in front of groups—rather than individuals—to sell your books. Drawing on my experience addressing multiple thousands of people countless times, I'll show you how. During your time together, you’ll learn:

• How your genre determines whether you first create the talk or write the book
• Tried and true ideas for creating a perfect talk
• How to turn your novel into a compelling presentation
• How to sell your book without “selling” your book
• Secrets to securing that ever-elusive speaking gig
• Practical tips that will generate gigs down the road

Fiction or nonfiction, putting all of this together really isn’t that hard. I'll give you the tools to make it happen.

For more information click here.

Lisa Hawker, another Illumify team member many of you know and love, will be joining me. Here are the workshops she'll be teaching:

Inspirations -- How to Generate Book Ideas

• Use podcasts, news items, people’s cocktail-party stories, and simple exercises to generate novel plots
• choose from among your own experiences and fictionalize them to add depth and richness to your manuscripts
• mine brainstorming sessions to come up with unique plot points that don't strain credibility
• avoid boilerplate situations, scenarios, and plots

(Re)Claiming the Magic in Writing

Has the muse gone silent? During your time together she'll give you an panoply of tools to bring it back to life

• Acknowledging the problem, brainstorming, and community
• Magic journals, mindfulness, and meditation
• The danger zone of expectations and the acceptance of limitations
• Poetry, play, and sensory/tactile stimulation
• Exercises, rituals, and inspiration

For more information click here.

As always, I'm enthusiastic about setting aside time with you to explore the possibilities of your book. Click here to schedule an appointment. 

Let’s bring your book to life!