Blogger to Author

I often get asked about the differences between traditional publishing and self-publishing. In particular, many entrepreneurs and bloggers want to know which direction they should take. They know that there are pros and cons of both traditional publishing and self-publishing, but they're not sure what the right choice is for them and their businesses.

In this episode, I'm featuring an interview with Bonnie Taub-Dix. Bonnie has a unique perspective because she initially published her book with a traditional publisher. Then, years down the road when she decided the book needed to be updated, she acquired the rights from her publisher and self-published her second edition. That means that Bonnie has some great insight into both sides of the publishing game.

A little more about Bonnie:

Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA,RDN,CDN is the award-winning author of, Read It Before You Eat It – Taking You from Label to Table, and creator of the website and blog called, BetterThanDieting.com. Bonnie is a media personality, media trainer, spokesperson, motivational speaker, journalist, and corporate and brand consultant whose messages are laced with her culinary passion as a foodie, her credible guidance as an advisor and her wit and wisdom as a mom. Bonnie is Director and Owner of BTD Nutrition Consultants, LLC, with offices on Long Island and in New York City. She is also a Health & Wellness Blogger and Contributor for TODAY.com, US News & World Report, Everyday Health, INSIDER, THRIVE Global, Better Homes & Gardens, Family Circle and Vitamin Shoppe’s What’s Good V. Her stories, quotes, and interviews have appeared in thousands of stories in all forms of media comprised of television and radio shows and print and online platforms.

All of that media experience makes Bonnie a true expert in what it takes to be featured in the media, especially if you're a health and wellness professional. So, be sure to keep an ear out for the great publicity tips that Bonnie drops in the interview, too!

Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/84

"How do I know if my book is any good?"

That's one of the top five questions I get asked over and over again. It's a tough question to answer, and my answer is always nuanced and dependent upon that author's audience and ideal reader. Really, it comes down to whether your book helps solve a problem for your reader, or if it helps them improve their life.

Luckily, there are a few simple ways that you can improve your manuscript. So today, I'm giving you a little bit of insight into my thought processes as an editor and sharing three ways that you can expand on and improve your nonfiction book manuscript. These three strategies will help you write a better book — a good book. If you want to make sure your book helps your readers and helps you build a relationship with them, make sure you listen to this episode.

Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/82

As self publishing becomes more and more popular, self-published authors are more and more likely to run into...well, let's call them haters. They look down on self-published books, and they tell self-published authors that their book is never going to go anywhere. There are even a few traditionally-published authors out there who think they're better than self publishers.

I'm here today to tell you to ignore all of the haters. Your self-published book can be just as important as any traditionally-published book. That's especially true when you look at your book from the right perspective. Aside from a plethora of examples of very successful self-published authors, there's one thing that I think you should focus on when you gauge the success of your book. Hear what that metric is in this episode.

Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/79

I know that many of you who listen to the podcast are already authors. You've written, published, and launched your books, and you love hearing tips to help you sell more copies of your book now that the momentum of your launch has worn off. Whether you published your book six months or six years ago (or even longer), this episode is for you.

Traditionally you think about retail stores getting ready for holiday shoppers. But, authors should take the time to get their books ready for holiday shopping season, too. There are shoppers out there who will want to buy your book as a gift...but is your book ready to find them? And, will your book stand out enough from other books in your niche so that it lands in someone's shopping cart?

In this episode of the Blogger to Author Podcast, you'll learn five things that you should do (or at least consider) to get your already-published book ready for the holidays. I'm going to be applying these five tips and strategies to my books over the next few weeks, and I hope you will too. I think they'll result in more holiday book sales for both of us.

Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/78

I've mentioned before that more and more authors with big audiences are choosing to self publish. I'm really honored to feature an interview with one of those people in this episode of the Blogger to Author podcast. I had the amazing opportunity to interview Dana Malstaff of Boss Mom. Dana self published her book Boss Mom: The Ultimate Guide to Raising a Business & Nurturing Your Family Like a Pro in 2015, and that book helped her launch her business into the stratosphere.

In our interview, Dana and I chat about why she chose to self publish her book and the process she went through to write it. We also talk in depth about how she chose the topic for her book, why that topic wasn't what she had originally intended, and why that decision wound up changing the course of her business. And, Dana gives us a few suggestions for using mind mapping to plan out our books.

Show notes: bloggertoauthor.com/74