Alexis Grant

When a writer decides to self-publish, how do they choose a platform? There are many factors to weigh. This episode covers what you need to think about, and I share my favorite platform for new indie authors. Also, there is premium content available for my Substack members with a worksheet to help you process through it all. https://lnkd.in/giqnbhAE

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These tips are from a recent client conversation re: overthinking.👇 This author and I were discussing ClioBooks.ai and they had a valid concern. If they engage with a mostly self-led process for getting their book's first draft done, would they be able to follow that process as an over-thinker? The author is a high factfinder on the Kolbe A Index (Kolbe is brilliant for self-awareness and cross-team communications if you haven't come across it). Anyway, she often finds herself getting lost in details and wanting to achieve perfection before moving forward. Perfectionism can lead to analysis paralysis and delay decision-making. It’s not a good idea when you’re growing a business! Whilst she is aware of that, she didn’t have the right tools to move past it. Here are the 4 strategies we came up with together to help this business owner commit to authoring her book… Strategy 1: Delegation - "Who, Not How" Shifting my mindset to "not how, but who" has been possibly the single biggest gear change for me in my companies. Instead of trying to do everything on your own and getting lost in the details, try delegating certain tasks or responsibilities to others. You don’t have to do everything yourself - find capable people to take on specific tasks. It frees up your time and mental energy to focus on the bigger picture. Strategy 2: Self-awareness - Know Your Work Style Self-awareness is key to managing perfectionism. Tools like the Kolbe A Index give great insights. Understanding your natural tendencies will help you to make conscious decisions about when and how to use them. Strategy 3: Iteration - Break It Down and Learn as You Go Trying to tackle everything at once is overwhelming and results in low-quality work and paralysis. Try breaking tasks down into smaller, manageable pieces and approaching them one step at a time. With trial and error, learning from mistakes, and iterating on your work, you can make progress without getting lost in perfection. Strategy 4: Take Expert Guidance Talk to experts, collaborate with others who have done what you’re trying to do, or find the right software and services, like ClioBooks.ai. It’ll be much easier to navigate challenges, stay focused on the bigger picture, and produce high-quality work. We realised that progress and growth often come from embracing imperfections and learning from the journey. If you’re struggling to move past perfectionism and your book is stuck in your head or your hard drive, look at ClioBooks.ai. It’s software AND a service 📚😊 #ClioBooksAI #BookPublishing #BookWritingTips #BusinessBooks

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✍️ Writing a book proposal that grabs publishers' attention is crucial for aspiring authors. Here are some tips to craft a compelling proposal: ✨ Hook them with a riveting overview that captures the core concept and market potential. ✨ Clearly define your target audience and demonstrate your understanding of their needs and interests. ✨ Highlight your unique angle, voice and what sets your book apart from competitors. ✨ Include a marketing plan detailing how you'll promote and sell your book. ✨ Present a detailed chapter outline to showcase your organizational skills. ✨ Don't forget to tout your credentials, platform and writing experience. With a well-executed proposal, you'll have publishers lining up to work with you! Need help polishing your proposal or navigating the publishing world? I specialize in manuscript evaluation, professional editing, pitching to publishers and more. DM me or email [email protected] to bring your book dreams to life! hashtag #writingtips hashtag #bookproposal hashtag #publishing hashtag #writingcommunity hashtag #authors

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Wherever you are in your publishing process, here’s a tip you can use right now: Leverage every opportunity to build your brand.   Got an interview or podcast spot? Don’t let it vanish into the ether. Share it across all your channels, add the media logo to your website, and link back to the full interview. This positions you as an expert and keeps your audience engaged. Want to build momentum like this consistently? The Author Brand + Bestseller Launch School starts October 3rd, and I’ll teach you how to maximize every opportunity, no matter your stage.   Let’s get you ready. 🔗underneath

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Do You Really Need a Strong Online Presence to Land a Traditional Publishing Deal? 🤔 Thanks to Joanna Henry for inspiring this post. If you’ve been around publishing, you’ve heard it: “Platform, platform, platform.” It’s almost a rite of passage for authors. Do you have tens of thousands of followers? A huge email list? Are you a regular on the speaking circuit? Publishers care because an established online presence suggests a ready-made audience, reducing their risk. But let’s be honest: does it always determine who gets a deal? Not necessarily. I had a client with no social media presence, a barebones website, and no proposal. But she’d transformed one person’s life—the publisher’s best friend, who lost significant weight thanks to her. The buzz around her unconventional methods led to a six-figure deal: no influencers involved, no campaigns—just results. Or take my relative, who recently signed with a top imprint. He’s practically a ghost on social media, with just a modest LinkedIn and Twitter. His strategy? He leaned on decades of expertise and wrote a book that spoke to a niche audience with a depth and authenticity that’s hard to find. When a publisher finally came across his work, his online absence didn’t matter. What mattered was the manuscript's quality and originality. But these are exceptions, not the norm. In most cases, a solid online presence isn’t just an advantage—it’s expected. Publishers aren’t just looking for great books; they want authors who can engage with audiences and champion their work long after launch. It’s less about numbers and more about what your platform says: are you actively participating in your book’s community? Do you engage authentically? Let’s not overestimate numbers, though. A big following doesn’t guarantee success. Only 0.6% of authors sell more than 1,000 copies of their books. A big platform might get you in the door, but without a compelling book, it won’t keep you in the game. A hollow following and a mediocre book will fall flat, no matter how large your audience is. So what’s the takeaway? A solid online presence can improve your chances of landing a deal, but it’s only part of the equation. Focus on writing a book that offers genuine value—whether changing minds, telling a unique story, or delivering hard-to-find insights. A big platform enhances that value, but it can’t replace it. Publishers are still looking for books that matter. Yes, build your presence—but remember, a great book always comes first. #publishing #writingcommunity #bookmarketing #authors #traditionalpublishing #ghostwriting #authorplatform #bookdeal

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What's in a brand? There's the four Ps: product, price, promotion and place, sure. But there's something missing, yes? It's purpose!! ding ding. That was the subject of my conversation with Craig Dubitsky of happy® and Jen Zeszut of GOODLES. They gratefully shared their companies' purpose with me and the eager audience of #Inc5000 honorees at this year's Inc. 5000 conference & gala in Palm Desert, California last week. Just a brief on each: Happy, which was co-founded by the inimitable Robert Downey Jr., is aimed at helping people become better acquainted with what it means to be happy. Besides exploring the idea of what this is, the company works hand-in-glove with the NAMI SWMO (The National Alliance on Mental Illness). NAMI even has an equity stake in the company. Goodles, for it's part, works with different food banks to donate product. Apparently, mac and cheese is one of the most heavily requested food items. Then there's the unexpected social good the company does: Cancer patients have written in to the Goodles's CEO to let her know that her mac and cheese, which carries more nutrients than standard fare, has been a life raft. Other unexpected fans have similarly come out of the woodwork including members of the autism community. But here's the thing that should resonate with all business people--social do-gooders and more: "You're not going to get a great valuation because you do good. The thing that is going to turn heads is that we are going to build a legendary business with legendary business outcomes," says Zeszut. "The problem with so many companies is they count on just the impact part, but they forget that last piece. No one's paying attention until you have that legendary business outcome." And that's the power of purpose. Check out more from the conference at Inc.com https://lnkd.in/ey3RS7qG

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🎙 "I wrote a book... Now what? - Bonus episode with Jordan Ring (link in comments) In this episode, we get into ✅ Next steps and checklists for publishing and marketing. 📚 Self vs. Traditional publishing. 💪 Jordan's "squad publishing" approach. 🚩 Vanity publishing and how to avoid it. 👻 Ghostwriting myths busted. #ghostwriting #podcast #selfpublishing #hybridpublishing

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All of a sudden, PEOPLE Magazine | PEOPLE.com thinks it is a news organization...this is what happens when IP changes hands too much and there is little to no oversight of brand equity and business development. Dotdash Meredith (DDM) has not done People any favors. What was once the go-to for all celebrity and entertainment news has become nothing more than an also-ran in the social media era. Not only has People taken its eye off the ball, their brand equity has dropped dramatically with two generations that could care less about such a legendary title. The reality is that DDM did a major disservice to this once iconic publication. They didn't make People relevant to Millennials or Zoomers in any way, shape or form. Instead, DDM chased trend, rather than creating it, leaving People's value to plummet. Really sad, but not unexpected from a corporate slog house. Hopefully the next owner bothers to look at what makes sense from a biz dev POV...because if DDM keeps pushing this nonsense, People will go the way of the supermarket tabloids very shortly. #truth #media #business #entertainment #businessdevelopment #publishing

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The 5 questions I ask all authors on a discovery call— and that every ghostwriter should be asking: 1. Who is your audience? → What it tells me: Whether you're reader-focused → Why it matters: Your book needs to be market-driven to sell. 2. What is your book about? → What it tells me: Your book has a digestible message. → Why it matters: You'll need a powerful elevator pitch to market your book to agents, publishers, and readers. 3. Why are you writing your book? → What it tells me: Your expectations for the project → Why it matters: Authors can be disappointed when their book doesn't meet their goals for their career, life, or bank account. 4. What are your publishing plans? → What it tells me: You've thought about what happens to your manuscript after it's written. → Why it matters: The publishing world is complex, with many options. 5. What marketing is already in place for your book? → What it tells me: Your current platform/reach → Why it matters: 90% of a book's fate depends on the time, money, and energy an author puts into marketing. ➡️ Bottomline: Start thinking like an author about your book before you take off with a writing collaborator. >> What question stumps you about your book? << == Liked this post? -Click the 🔔 in my profile to be notified for more. -Repost for others who might like it too. Want help with your book proposal, book, or freelance business? Check out my Featured section to: ✫ Book a call ✫ See my latest book that made it to the NYT and "The View" ✫ Set up a strategy session

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#WritingForHumans: Here’s my top tip for improving your writing for press releases and case studies. A great press release and case study tells a story -- in  the inverted pyramid form -- why a company's product or service solves a real-world problem to make life better for the intended end user. It must first deliver that message clearly and concisely to the writer; only then is it ready to be seen by the media and other key audiences. In #writing, like in many other areas, practice makes perfect -- as does rereading, #editing and rereading again. #pressrelease #casestudy #contentstrategy #contentcreation #publicrelations #pr #digitalmarketing

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AI is shifting the writing landscape - no question. But here's the really good news for writers: The READER is evolving too. Now and in the future, readers will demand more from us. • Better stories. • More authenticity. • Higher quality writing. "Yeah, but now everyone can become a writer..." Everyone can become a writer with AI in the same way we're all photographers with the iPhone. The tool is only as effective as the person wielding it. The tide is rising, and soon we'll all be drowning in a sea of averageness. My advice for writers (or anyone creating content)? Master the art of written communication, copywriting, and storytelling - these will become more important than ever. Keep evolving. Keep learning. 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁. Thoughts? --- I'm a former CEO turned writer & coach.  I help executives find their voice, build personal brands, and become thought leaders on LinkedIn. If you found this helpful, consider reposting ♻️ and follow me for more.

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Our latest free issue of our AI Marketing Ethics Digest, written by co-editor Brianna Blacet is out. It asks whether organizations need an AI ethics policy specific to marketing. What's your opinion? #AIethics #marketing #AImarketingethics

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The Power of a Pitch "Publishing credentials, well-researched comp titles, and a bit of personalization will certainly help your case, but your pitch is currency." https://buff.ly/3Yv3wqF #writerscommunity #writingcommunity #writerslife #amwriting

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Connectively is dying! To be honest, good riddance. Introducing Connectively lost Jolly SEO tens of thousands of dollars this year, hurt many of our writers individually, and overall added further disruption to our space without backfilling it with a clear leader, i.e. created a vacuum. Just to underscore those assertions, our old #HARO conversion data was 1 win for every ~12 pitches. With Connectively, we shot up to just 1 win for every 50 pitches! Over the course of an entire year and thousands of pitches, we optimized our way back down to 1 in every ~30. Still, Connectively was the worst converting platform for us... and, it charged you money to use it. Lose-lose. While we can pause for a moment to mourn this final chapter of HARO's death... I wrote an article for Backlinko that shares with you some superior alternatives: Peter Shankman's Source of Sources, Help a B2B Writer, and even Cision's own Profnet. These all convert far superior, and are decent quality as well. Check out the article for data, use cases, and tips: https://lnkd.in/dYj4hCJ6

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Mastering the Art of Writing: A Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting Publishable Articles Do you want to turn your thoughts into compelling articles that people will love to read? Do you dream of seeing your work published and admired? This easy-to-follow guide will show you how to master the art of writing and create articles that captivate your audience. #WritingTips #ContentCreation #ArticleWriting #ResearchSkills #EditingTips #WritingProcess #ContentMarketing #Blogging #MediumWriters #SEO #WritingCommunity #ProfessionalWriting #EngagingContent #WritingGuide #ContentStrategy

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