What’s that number-thingy?

Books (and speeches, programs, and newsletters) should be informational AND inspirational. I excel at uplifting. Enthusiasm is my game, as is sharing buckets and bushels full of nuggets of wisdom. By reading my stuff or coaching with me, clients respond with relief and glee: “You make this doable!”

Absolutely.

My expertise is in getting you to clarity. Busting through idea overwhelm and lasering in on your true focus makes me giddy too. When I hang up from a client conversation or a complimentary getting-to-know-you chat, I feel good too. I could inspire all day long. And I do.

A good book (or a good coach) inspires us, but it (she) also has to give us the nitty gritty too. If you make me feel all pumped up to create a needlepoint mural of The Wizard of Oz characters, please don’t leave me hanging. How do I get started? What materials do I need? Do I start with Dorothy’s ruby red slippers? Do I sketch it all out first? How big does my mural need to be? What if I’ve never done needlepoint?

Educate me.

Entertain me too, keep the motivation moving along, but give me something concrete so I can see that I really can do this project.

People get inspired and then they talk themselves out of it. They let the little voices of self-doubt come back in. Your book is a guide and moral support to help your reader know that they can make more money, get more clients, have extraordinary success, stay true to their heart, just be love, crochet a potholder, save the planet, be a strong leader, take care of their aging parents, make healthy meals, build a sailboat, or write a book.

Inspire. Inform.

People come to me with all kinds of questions. They talk themselves out of it before they start. They say they want to write a book, but………they’ll get to it someday.

Their questions are all over the place and mainly a ruse to keep from getting started (or finishing) their book. Oh, the delay tactics we use!

If you truly are in idea overwhelm, we can bust through that and get you going. I repeat, getting you to clarity is my expertise. If you are making excuses because you don’t know if you want an ebook or a print book and you stay spinning your wheels, the answer is: You need a manuscript first.

Need assistance? Holler, please!

Another excuse people use to stay in the land of “I will write my book someday” is “I know I need a number-thingy on the back of my book, but what is it?”

That is called an ISBN. An ISBN is the International Standard Book Number. It’s an identifier. One ISBN is assigned to each edition and variation (except reprintings) of a book. An ebook, a paperback, and a hardcover would each have a different ISBN.

The ISBN is just that, a number. The barcode (we all know what those look like) has the ISBN printed in it. You can get a barcode for your printed book for $25. ISBNs are a little pricier.

One ISBN is $125, however, you can get ten for $250. Buy ten; they are yours to have for all your future needs. You can purchase ISBNs (and barcode) in one quick minute simply by googling ISBN. You will be taken to Bowker, the official US ISBN agency.

Enter your credit card information, and you now are the proud of owner of one or ten (or 100) ISBNs. Now that you have it, are you ready to start writing? NOW what questions are holding you back?

If you have questions, on “tech” stuff like this, or the writing process, drop me a line. No more delay tactics.

Somebody needs to read what you need to write. Let’s not keep them waiting.