Think Archives - Marketing Tips

Why Authors Must Think Like a Publisher

When I got started as an online entrepreneur over a decade ago things were very different than they are today in regards to writing and publishing. In those days authors went through traditional publishing houses to publish their books, information product creation was in its infancy, and entrepreneurship was still attached to the brick and mortar world of business. These days one person can wear all three hats, and it is very common for someone like myself to be an author, publisher, marketer, and entrepreneur. Thinking of yourself as a publisher from the very beginning will serve you well over time.

The writer as a publisher is not a new idea, and before the 1950s self-publishing was widely accepted. For a period of fifty years this strategy was looked down upon to some extent, and since about 2010 it is once again a widely accepted method for authors all over the world to become published. When you think like a publish you are in control of your destiny.

Also, when you think of yourself in these terms the future of your business opens up in a way that was not even possible years ago. For example, I created Hunter’s Moon Publishing as my own publishing house back in 2010. This immediately enabled me to have the final say over everything I wrote and wanted to publish. I was also able to help other authors and entrepreneurs to publish their books more easily.

Information products also fall into the realm of publishing. You are, in effect, teaching someone the solution to their problem in written format. Once you think of yourself as a publisher of this type of information than as simple an information marketer, your business will evolve to the next level more easily. Being a publisher is very different work than what is required and expected of a writer.

Make a list of the ideas and messages you wish to convey to your target audience over the next three months. Create an outline to work from and write down everything you will include, along with the information you will exclude. Then plan out an eBook or short report you could publish on your topic, information products that would make sense, and a full length book that could be the ultimate goal for your business. Also, don’t forget about creating an online course where you teach the content contained in your information products, reports, and book. When you think like a publisher, your horizons are broadened.

Take some time to incorporate the ideas I am presenting here into your own business. I truly believe that online entrepreneurs must take it upon themselves to elevate their status to that of a publisher so that their businesses will grow. It also changes the thinking and allows you to take full responsibility for your life and for your business. Once you begin to act and think like a publisher rather than an author and/or information product creator and marketer you will experience a new world of opportunities.

I’m Connie Ragen Green, online marketing strategist, bestselling author, and international speaker on the topics of entrepreneurship and inner game mind shifts. Let’s connect to see how I may best serve you in the near future. Be sure to take a look at my Really Simple Content Marketing training course to help get you started on how to think like a publisher.

Over the past decade I’ve written much about how to eliminate procrastination. Though my initial feelings and beliefs around this topic have not changed, I do see it in a slightly different light after working with so many entrepreneurs who struggle to take consistent action in their businesses. At first it was difficult for me to understand why intelligent people who have the desire to succeed would not take action on the tasks and activities that would get them closer to their destination. But these days I approach this issue differently.

One trait seems to jump out at me when I think of each of these people and their businesses and that is perfectionism. I’m a recovering perfectionist myself, so I recognize it more quickly than other online mentors or marketing strategists might in their clients. Perfectionism gnaws at your inner psyche like a dog devouring a bone. To learn how to eliminate procrastination, begin by learning how to eliminate perfectionism.

So allow me to explain how I make the connection between perfectionism and procrastination. The human mind can be tricky when it comes to working with you or against you at times. Just say you are beginning a new task that is foreign and takes you outside of your comfort zone. This describes what I went through when I came online in 2006 and wanted to become a writer. When I would sit down to write I thought about all of the reasons the writing would not turn out as well as I expected of myself. I wanted it to shine, to tell a story, to touch people, to make a point, to teach, to explain, and ultimately to sell my products and courses. In short, I wanted and expected my writing to be perfect.

Of course, this would not and could not be the outcome when I was so new to the writing process. It took months of daily focus and concentration for me to trick my mind into actually allowing me to write, instead of coming up with yet another excuse for procrastinating. When I finally did write a blog post or an article, I once again had to overcome my perfectionism in order to hit “publish” and share my content with the world.

I told myself that the writing would improve over time if I would just stick to it and write every day. I told myself no one would find it online and think less of me because of the quality. I told myself that others were far superior with their writing because they had been doing it longer than I had. All of these thing were true and helped ease the process of turning myself into a published author.

I promised to increase my vocabulary through reading. I promised to write every single day for one hour. I promised to share my writing with the world. I have kept all of these promises and the result is that I am now a bestselling author of more than a dozen books.

So, what are the steps on how to eliminate procrastination? First, eliminate perfectionism. Next, take action on whatever you are procrastinating about. And finally, promise yourself that you will catch procrastination early so that it does not interfere with your dreams and goals.

I’m Connie Ragen Green, bestselling author, international speaker, and online marketing strategist. Connect with me to see how we may work together in the future.

Marketing Tips

Connie Ragen Green Shares Internet Marketing Updates

Tag Archives: Think

Why Entrepreneurs Must Think Like a Publisher

Why Authors Must Think Like a Publisher

How to Eliminate Procrastination (It’s Not What You Might Think)

I’m Connie Ragen Green, bestselling author, international speaker, and online marketing strategist. Connect with me to see how we may work together in the future.