Recently I gave a nerve-wracking speech at a conference. I am a decent speaker, but speaking is not my primary gig, and this event took place on a whole new stage for me: there actually WAS a stage! We were in a hotel ballroom, with the raised platform stage (with steps up and down—don’t trip!), […]
The Importance of Rest and Restoration
A couple weeks ago I found myself dreadfully weary. A busy work schedule overlaid with the pervasive negativity of the US elections had drained me. I first decided to shut off the news for a while—eliminate that negativity. I tried to draw better boundaries around my work day (never easy for me). Then, when an […]
The Building-Block Approach to Writing a Book
Over the past couple weeks, I’ve had several conversations with people interested in writing a book but not knowing where to start. The “where to start?” dilemma is nothing unusual, but in listening to them describe their situations, I noticed a pattern. I identified three different problems, but found myself giving all basically the same […]
Choosing a Business Book Topic
A few years ago, I had a get-to-know-you coffee with someone I’d met through networking. He consulted with professional service firms (law, accounting, etc.) about business growth. As tends to happen with me, the conversation turned to books. “I want to write a book,” he said. “I think it would help grow my business. But […]
Writing Advice from Horror Novels to Business Books
I’ve never read Stephen King’s novels. I don’t like scary stories—books, movies, campfire tales. But his book On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft is a classic if you’re looking for writing advice. What can a business person trying to write a nonfiction book learn from the king of horror? A lot, it turns out. […]