See How Easily You Can
Transform Your Expertise from Speech to Print
(Whether or Not You Can Write)
You . . . an author? Yes!
If you’re more comfortable speaking than writing
If you have valuable expertise to share
If you find writing laborious and time-consuming
. . . the Tell-Me-Your-Book process is for you.
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“Putting together a book is a momentous task, but Mary Jo David Garfinkel |
There’s nothing like being a published author to give you instant credibility and enhance your reputation as an expert.
I’ve been a professional writer and editor for over 20 years.
My clients range from university professors to self-publishers of homeschool curriculum to internet marketing gurus. Some of them are excellent writers, and some are decidedly not, but they all have one thing in common: they need help preparing their books for publication.
You may be an authority on your subject, but if you can’t communicate effectively in print, you’re missing a huge part of your potential audience and leaving money on the table.
Let’s face it—authors are perceived as experts. “He wrote the book on it” immediately identifies someone as a top authority.
Whether you’re a consultant, public speaker, or other professional, if you haven’t published a book, you’re losing out on the opportunity for media exposure, increased profits, and helping many more people than you’re reaching now.
So what’s keeping you from writing a book?
• Maybe you just don’t think of yourself as a writer.
• When you speak about your area of expertise you’re passionate and persuasive, but when you try to write about it, the words may come out methodical and wooden.
• Maybe you flunked high school English and you’re afraid you’ll be embarrassed by mistakes in your writing.
• Or maybe staring at a blank screen or page triggers the notorious “writer’s block.”
I have good news for you: these obstacles no longer have to be a problem!
If you can talk about your subject, you can write about it.
In fact, many writing experts advocate writing the way you talk—except in formal, academic publications.
| “Mary Jo Tate doesn’t try to squeeze every writer into a three-piece suit. She takes us where we are—our own writing style—and makes us look presentable. She can make sentences and paragraphs look good without losing their character.”
Hans Bluedorn and Nathaniel Bluedorn |
For any kind of how-to resource or information product, a conversational style is the most effective way to communicate with your readers.
So why not start with a conversation?
Nothing could be simpler.
Let me help you take your book from concept to completion.
Here’s how it works:
I’ll interview you about your topic (usually by phone) and have the interview recorded and transcribed. Then I’ll polish the structure, phrasing, and flow to convert the transcripts into a book, e-book, or home study course—or all three.
You’ll be surprised how much easier it is to come up with material for your book in response to interview questions than to take a blank page or screen and fill it with words.
In fact, I recently used this method to help one client write 6 chapters in a little over 5 hours.
If you’re a public speaker and you have recordings of your presentations, you’re already one step ahead. I’ll work with the audio transcripts to create your book.
(By the way, if you’re not already recording all of your talks, you should start doing so immediately. Transcripts can yield a wealth of material for your publications.)
You won’t have to spend your valuable time as a wordsmith.
Instead, you’ll be free to focus on your business while I handle the polishing.
Here’s just a sample of what I’ll do:
• Ensure correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Readers who notice lots of “little” errors may lose confidence in your ability to get bigger things right. Seemingly insignificant details really do make a difference.
• Check for logical flow and smooth transitions. If you bounce around from one topic to another in no particular order, readers will be confused and frustrated. I’ll make sure your writing is easy to follow and understand.
• Make sure you clearly explain complex concepts. One of the hazards of being an expert is that you’re so familiar with your subject, you may forget that not everyone knows what you know. I’ll keep a sharp eye out for confusing passages and clarify them until your message is crystal clear.
• Create worksheets, checklists, and action plans to help readers get the most value from your expertise. The more useful your book is to your customers, the more eager they’ll be to buy your next book—or whatever else you’re selling.
| “Sometimes I’m more comfortable as a speaker than as a writer, so I need more than an editor. Mary Jo Tate is a sounding board for my ideas, an arranger of them, and a grammar and mechanics expert. She advises me where to expand my thoughts, use a different word, say something in a fresh way, or trash an idea completely. She gives me encouragement and wise counsel, even for layout, printing, and publication. When you need someone who can do much more than just a typical copy editor, call Mary Jo.”
Tina Farewell |
If you want to . . .
• Increase your profits
• Help more people benefit from your expertise
• Achieve instant credibility and enhance your reputation as an expert
• Benefit from media exposure and increased publicity
. . . you need to become a published author.
There’s a book inside every expert. Let’s get yours ready to publish!