Story U Talk Radio 03-05-26 Five Ways to Predict You’ll Be a Best-Selling Author

Hello and welcome this is story you talk radio and I'm your host coach Debbie I am delighted

that you are here today to catch the live show it's for you we are going to be talking about five

ways to predict you'll be a best-selling author and you're not going to get these five ways somewhere

else you're only going to get them here because they're coming straight out of the principles that

I teach people in my writing workshops I'm coach Debbie and I am in the Seattle area I do

most of my workshops currently online for beginning writers and advanced writers writing books

writing blogs monetizing your blog or redoing your brand maybe even doing a speech for a TED Talk

stage I love helping you get your word out into the world listen if you are thinking that you've

got something full length you really want to write you know we're talking 180 pages 250 pages

nice size book but you're wanting to predict that it's going to do well out there in the world

of course you can go to a marketer and they're they're going to tell you things right away

that you want to do from a marketing advantage like make sure you get on some platforms where

you can speak freely make sure you have a weekly or even better a daily newsletter going out

that's going to attract people make sure you have a sign up list make sure you have freebies

make sure make sure make sure make sure it just the list doesn't end now I got really caught up

in this about 10 years ago maybe even longer ago than that now and I finally got sick of all the

make sure and I just made sure I stepped away from it all I I had a belly ache you know okay I

got to make sure that this platform no no oh don't write once a week right every day

okay oh get get how many new sign ups every week oh it just the pressure was enormous

and I thought well you know what at least I'm a least I'm a good teacher and at least I enjoy

writing short articles I guess that's where I belong and that that's a really deflating system

I have helped hundreds of writers not only start their books but complete their books I have

helped about a hundred writers publish their books and put their work out into the world like

known to the globe now this isn't where I started I started by teaching people at the college

but over time what I became obsessed with was helping people realize that there's an author

inside of them an author that wants to write a full length book so even though I took a lot of

training on make sure this make sure that get your marketing da da da da da you know what really

filled me up was the whole writing process the whole side of bringing your spirit and your soul

and your wisdom into your book and staying with your words and learning to trust your words your

wisdom your life journey the memoir that you have lived as well as the self-development

that you are now prepared to share with others that's where I thrive so I'm coming to you today

from that point of view and I'm giving you five ways to predict you're going to be a best

selling author you got to stick with it of course you can't just start writing and then you know

take 25 years off I guess you could but you're going to need to live a good long while to do it

that way what about this what about when you start your morning and you're getting out your

notebook or you're turning on your computer you're looking over what you've already written

and you realize you love your books premise you really love the fact that you have given

yourself and your voice total permission to be empowered and speak about your books premise

boy if you can hold that feeling when you approach your computer or your blank sheets paper

and you write you are going to be well on your way to becoming a best selling author it is believing

in your book's premise that gets you moving each day kind of stirs you up inside helps you feel

like you know if this was the only thing that I really gave a good amount of time and a good

amount of tension to man I'd be proud I'd be so proud that I wrote about this this thing that I

said in my book is my premise so I was meeting with one of my authors today her name is Peggy and

I had her on the show in November she wrote the book this child needs help it's coming out self

published it's Peggy Doline D O L A N E and she's written about children's mental health the

support they need and a lot of the systems that really were not able to offer the support because

they weren't coming to the problem with the information that someone like Peggy apparent

knew she was living in mental health issues with her children day in day out she had great

information to help systemic change it put her on the path of being an advocate and from that

place from that wisdom she wrote her book this is going to be a bestseller hands down people are

going to want to read this child needs help for one not only is she weaving together everything she

learned over 25 years of raising her children and helping them and being their strongest advocate

but she also came to know her own voice around what do you say and where and when and how

so that you might be heard so that you might create big change see the world working toward children

as opposed to moving away from children because they just don't know what to do it is when you

believe in that premise that you're writing about that you keep writing and you write from an

empowered and wise voice you you who has been in the trenches and you who knows what's going on

this is my first predictor that your book will be a bestseller and again it's not what the

marketing people are going to tell you they have their own way of looking at books and it's very

logical it's very practical I'm not even suggesting that you skip that information but I am

suggesting that you don't limit yourself to all those ways of wiggling through the process of

getting a book in front of the big people that will promote it there's a lot to it when we think

about marketing but think about think about how your book premise stirs your soul think about what

it feels like to be you that has the knowledge to even put words to page now often you might skip

over really believing in yourself because it's become almost the the it's practiced for you

because you live it whatever it is you're writing about you're very practiced at it so you might

not see the genius in what you're doing but I do as you're writing coach I do your reader does

they're so impressed with what you're putting out there and think about the people that need your

words the most really one of the ways I can predict that you're going to be a best-selling author

is by noticing how much how dedicated you are how much you love the premise of your book it's just

one of those ways and it's really an important way you're that person that's not so obsessed

with all the how-tos and you're not so fearful when people come at you with unasked for advice

instead right away kind of you you feel at home with your book premise and you know

you're putting this out there because the world needs what you have to say and you're happy to be

the one to say it it's coming right out of your wisdom hmm hmm hey listen friends did you know

that one of my things that I love to do here I love to do it is open up the phone lines

open up the mailways so that you can send in a question and get help and maybe what we're talking

about today is exactly what you were thinking you needed help with you know oh god I have some help

believing that I'm becoming a best-selling author that's you I want you to stay for the whole

program but there might be something else on your mind as well you are always free to send me a

question I can be reached by email Debbie at coachdebi.com that's my personal email address nobody reads

it but me Debbie at coachdebi.com Debbie is spelled D E B B Y at coachdebi.com you can also go to

the website coachdebi.com and when you click on connect there's a little page there where

you can type in any topic anything at all that you want to share with me and I will answer you

directly sometimes right away sometimes 24 to 48 hours but it's always me answering you it's

not an assistant it's not even my trusted pal Eric here I do it all nobody reads those words

just me just you so whatever you want to share share it and don't worry about scaring me you know

somebody she she and I are now having a great relationship you know coach and writer when she

originally wrote to me she said oh gosh you haven't talked about the genre that I write in

I really feel like you could help me but you haven't talked about it so I don't know I don't know

if I should even share it with you and I wrote back and said tell me everything tell me what's

on your mind I'd really love to hear I mean even if it's something I know nothing about I bet you

I could help you line up with somebody who does someone who would really give you quality help

in her case it was an area of writing that I did years ago I have a deep love for it I don't

promote it here because it's you know it's just not what I focus on anymore but she does and I

have a lot of experience with it so I talked to her about it and we are moving and grooving with

her book so all this is to say don't get worried that you're gonna scare me off or that I'm not

gonna write you back I promise I'll write you back and even if I can't help you I probably know

someone and can refer someone who can and isn't that what this is all about who want to keep you

in the writing game so today my friends we're talking about five ways to predict that you'll be

a best-selling author number one I was just sharing with you that I want you to love and I mean

love your book's premise don't settle for the mediocrity don't settle for the superficial

really get in there really own your voice your empowered voice around that book premise I also want

to encourage you to understand this second idea and that is I want you to write win and as long

as your best ideas are coming to you and I also want you to step away the minute it's getting

really tricky or crummy or convoluted or one of those things all right there are all kinds of

abstract strategies out there ways that you can you know really be a dedicated writer oh give it

give it a two hours of your morning go on this particular retreat take that sound bath work

with that healer go to this church oh la la la la we could go on for days about all kinds of

strategy I'm not saying you don't need strategy there's probably one or two or three out there

that's going to help you but again what I really want you to do is turn into your inner wisdom here

five ways that predicts you're going to be a best-seller all of them all of them are about

listening to you and one thing I want you to do is just write win and write as long as your best

ideas are coming through and you know that means you've got to get centered you know that means

you need to be present it also means that if your inner critic was talking to you in the morning

that you went out you got to walk in you did something to help yourself feel like you

because we don't want a book that the inner critic wrote we don't want a book that you

somehow created while the inner critic was beating you alive we don't want that you know what we want

we want what you want and that is to be able to write because you were woken up by your wisdom

because the words were flowing they were coming through that's when you want to be in writing

in relationship with your words if you need a little extra sleep again that strategy

get it if you need a little extra food that's strategy go get it but once you feel yourself centered

allow those words to come through write as long as they're coming through and step away when they

stop it's okay let it be okay listen I got more tips for you today we are a one hour long program

we just kind of take our first commercial break right here but stay tuned we'll be right back

hey friends did you know you can have one-to-one coaching with coach Debbie you can

and you don't need to worry because coach Debbie works with every level of rider it's easy to

sign up just go to coach Debbie dot com and click book now coach Debbie has worked with

Hay House authors YouTube creators PhD students and people writing their very first essay

sign up today and get coached head over to coach Debbie dot com dbby coach Debbie dot com you're

writing coach from story you talk radio hey there friends welcome back to story you talk radio

got an important topic here today we're talking about ways to predict that you're going to be a

best-selling author of course it starts with deciding that you will write right you got to make

that first decision you got to come into that place where you hold that conviction that yeah I do

want this I do I know I do I can see myself out there sharing my book I can see this being part of

my extraordinary life one of the ways that you predict that you're going to be a best-selling

author first of all is that you fall in love with your book present your books premise and second of

all that you are writing when you really feel into and as long as your wise voice is with you a lot

of people feel afraid they feel really really afraid that if they've only been writing for 20 25

minutes they got some really good ideas down that it's the 25 minutes that's more important

not the really good ideas it's just not true nobody said that there's a certain amount of time

that you need to be writing but you really really want to be taking down the words that are genuine

for you that are your real wisdom and you know those aren't all your words the gremlins inside can

get writing they pretend they're you and then when you go back and read you say oh that's interesting

that's not really my authentic view on that that's sort of a a curved or a cloaked view that's not

the real me I wonder wonder what happened there I can tell you what happened you already know

what happened your overthinker got to work so the second tip is just really important you want to

write when and as long as those best ideas are coming to you have the guts to get up and walk

away when someone else is pretending to write your book like a critic or a little gremlin or a little

alien that thinks it's you okay you won't always notice it right away but once you do have the guts

to get up walk away stretch out get in a walk have a little food pet the kitty cat do whatever you

need to do to start to feel like you again and if you don't come back online that day oh well

that is okay you really have to learn to be in sync with you because that is the pathway

to being the best-selling author I have talked to so many people and I've worked with many people

that have said that the first several years were just a big fight and I understand that I've been

in that fight myself I really put myself through it when I was writing as a college teacher because

the dean of course wanted articles from us her faculty and anytime she would say Debbie now could

you have on my desk in one week an article about and I would just and you know pass out practically

in front of her because hey she was telling me what I was supposed to write about be it had a dead

line I didn't know who else was going to be writing about that were the people I was competing

against I mean and I just went right into panic panic I didn't feel comfortable in my own skin

when I was given those assignments and part of the reason was I didn't know how to relax

enough and let my voice come forward and speak this was an amazing breakthrough that happened to me

one day I was team teaching with someone I really respect and we were this is a class of about 55

students so they were film students but we were teaching the part of the class where they're learning

research writing this is very important because you you got to be able to know how to quote people

give them credit for their original ideas on and on and on so I'm team teaching with somebody that

I really respect and after the class he said something back to me word for word that I had said

to the students I can't tell you what it is now because I don't remember but I just remember how

he pulled me aside and said hey when you said la la la la la la la everybody looked towards you

you had the attention of everyone in class and I thought oh really because it was it was

something so basic in my mind but it was said simplisticly and they heard it and they stopped

and they paid attention and I kind of noticed but because I was the one speaking and he was the

one team teaching and standing nearby he was able to give me the feedback afterward and that was a

pivotal point for me whenever the dean would come and ask me for an article because I realized

if I stay simple if I stick with what's natural for me to say then I don't have to worry about

being a great author I can just fall into a role that I know which is I really enjoy teaching

and it took all the stigma out of it's got to be so good it's it's it's got to be turned into the

dean my whole job is on the line all these things that I was making up you know it was it was totally

the gremlins the aliens the critic in my head just making up stuff to make me scared the truth was

if I just spoke from what is real for me something simple but meaningful might be shared

and it might be just what the group needs so when you are out there trying to be you know

a best-selling author you want to stay honest you want to keep it simple it's you it's your

honorable voice that is making this book a bestseller so you don't need to get superficial you don't

need to know the big words you don't have to go on and on and on and none of that just be you be

the real you the really wonderful you that party you that you admire not not the part that's putting

on masks or is there for show but that part that really feels connected and gets these downloads

of ideas and puts them on paper and organizes them and compiles them and brings them to I don't

know me you're writing coach and we turn it into a book that's the path that's a way to help you

become a best-selling author now I talk about this next point a lot I can tell I'm already going to

give you more than five ways but this is another good way I really like I do I talk about it a lot

I go on and on and on about how much I want you to journal but hear me out on this one when you

keep a journal near you while you are drafting ideas for your book it's giving you permission to

recognize that not every thought and not every idea you come up with actually belongs in your book

right just because it was a great idea and it came straight from you doesn't mean it has to go

in the final draft so what are these ideas that you want to be putting in your journal

well something that might you know critically expose another person whoo whoo you want to put

that in your journal before you let that drop in your book right because we're we're not writing

to be scandalous here unless you are and then I can't help you but you are you are dealing with

the whole story yourself and that includes your journal and you're dealing with the part of

the story you want to share with the world and that's your book so I want you to understand that

the journal might hold every thought every idea every emotion that you're dealing with

but your book doesn't and it shouldn't because you want your book to be one that is a voice of

honor you want to be honoring those that you speak about now let's say that you do have someone

that you deemed dishonorable in your book well how do you want to talk about that

can you be respectful while you don't necessarily shine a bright light of recovery over this person

in other words if I had to speak about someone oh I don't know who's highly political oh I don't

know and maybe running this country I live in you know I wouldn't outline all of his mistakes because

you can go to the newspaper to read about that but I might I might be very very careful to point out

something as I disagree with it be very careful be very thoughtful be very respectful and notice

that's how you want people to be with your book right it's how you want people to be

so if you are writing a book and you have your journal next to you it's going to help you through

that drafting process of realizing what goes in my book because I want the public to read it

and what goes in your journal because maybe it's something you're working with you're working

through you're working it out and that's a good thing to be doing but it doesn't mean you have to

tell the whole world about it it's not a lie I got this question recently from one of my students

is it a lie to keep something out of your book and I was like oh wow Julie that's really

that's an interesting thing to say and she says well when I talk about my memoir I'm not putting

every single thing I experienced in life in there is it a lie to leave out things that happened

well a good question is why am I leaving it out where can you take a question like that

A to your book B to your journal oh very good you take it to your journal it's a great question

for your journal and as my client Julie brought up she doesn't want to come across as someone

who just selectively left stuff out so you are working with your wisdom as you are hearing your

honest words getting them down on the page and becoming literally becoming an author hey listen

if you want to write in you can write to me directly and I'll take your call I'll take your email

I will read your question and I will offer coaching right here we have time still on this show

my address is Debbie at coach Debbie dot com it's d e b b y Debbie at coach Debbie dot com hey you

can write me about this topic or anything else I help people write their books their blogs their

brands I really specialize a lot with memoir with self development more and more I get people

that want to write out collections of short stories sometimes fictional writers will come in love

helping you with that I don't always advertise it but I love helping so when you come to me remember

my whole mo is to help you develop your voice because you're the author of this book I'm not the

author I'm not the one doing the writing I will definitely coach you through learning to hear your

voice taking your words down sorting through the words deciding what actually needs to get

booted over into the journal what's going to stay in the book what needs to be edited changed

up leveled how we might reorganize it from your earliest drafts I help you with all that I help

you get publisher ready whether you're going to self publish or go with one of the big five when

that be fun or someone in between what I really want is for you right now whatever stage you're at

you might even be in the thinking stage with your book I want you to notice that you are on your way

to being a best-selling author the ideas I'm giving you here you're probably not going to get from

your marketing class but they're important they're therefore your soul therefore you the honest

writer the first idea was I want you to be in love with that book premise it's got to be something

deep it's got to be something that really moves you it's not it's not an area where you obsess about

how is this all going to come together it's an area where you feel called to write the next thing is

I want you to understand that when and however long your best ideas are coming to you that's when

you want to be writing soon as it sounds like your inner critic has taken over and is writing your

book step away step away get yourself a break from that you don't win by writing for three to eight

to twenty hours a day a promise you win by really listening to your clearest voice and letting

those be the words that land on the page number three is I really want you to keep that journal close

by because not every idea belongs in your manuscript and even if some that don't belong end up in

the first draft that's fine even in the second draft that's fine but before you go to print

move along those ideas that don't show the respect that you really intended because again we're

working with your integrity your book is you it is your integrity it is published it gets circulated

around the world so we don't want to be that one who is scandalous unless of course you do want

to be that one and then I must bid you a do now I have other points for you and they're good ones as

well but just like earlier we had to take a commercial this is our last commercial break I do have

time to take your emails stay tuned we're coming right back

hey friends did you know you can have one-to-one coaching with coach Debbie you can and you don't

need to worry because coach Debbie works with every level of rider it's easy to sign up just go to

coach Debbie dot com and click book now coach Debbie has worked with hey house authors youtube

creators PhD students and people writing their very first essay sign up today and get coached head

over to coach Debbie dot com d e bby coach Debbie dot com you're writing coach from story you talk

radio hello and welcome back to story you talk radio today we are really getting into those ideas

that are going to predict you are on your way to being the best-selling author you can take all kinds

of classes that are going to help you with strategy and I I encourage you if you're feeling the

desire take them but today I'm not really talking so much about strategy talking more about

really getting in tune with your writer's voice and with your wisdom that allows you to be your

best and to be honorable with your words another point around ways that I really predict that you're

on your way to being a best-selling author is that you don't care what anyone else is writing about

especially if it's similar in any way to your topic you are someone that trusts that you're

listening to your best voice you know you're following it you know that you have reason to trust it

now one of the reasons I put this point in here was because earlier this week I got a little note

from Laura and Laura Laura wrote something I think it's very very sweet she says coach Debbie we have

not met yet in person but I am in your area parentheses Seattle and I hope we do one day

meanwhile can you help me with this while I am halfway through my book about parenting because

after all no one gives us the guide I am finding that as a guide I am stuck I want my book to be

at least twice in length that it is now what would you suggest is it time for me to do more

research do I need to bring in people that can be the eyewitness that I am correct is there a

clinic I need to sign up for maybe another class I honestly feel stuck and if we had to take all

my words to print today I probably only have 60 maybe 70 pages I want at least twice that any

help will be valued thank you so much Laura thank you for reaching out and yes we can we can make

ways to meet in person would be happy to do that with you Laura listen when when you're setting out

to write something and you have 60 pages you're working with a win that is a win when you have one

page and you want a book that even that is the start but 60 wow you're well on your way so

this is what I want to say maybe maybe something in your mind has come online and told you

that what you have already written is the best you have to offer so it's just sort of gone to

Tahiti and is chilling on the beach you know your best voice has left you because it's saying

I did the job that could be one thing another thing could be that you're thinking and just

just by the note you sent me I might be on to something here you might be thinking that 60 pages

truly is half a book or even less than half a book and it's half a book or less than half of

some books length but if you wanted there is a way that you could take everything you've written

right now and start filling up some of your favorite quotes adding in some of your reflections

upon a particular day there are ways where we could keep intact everything you have written

right now but add in things that are even more personal to you quotes you live by

tips that you want to offer and you didn't originally plan to give tips questions at the end of

a chapter there is a way to add a little more bulk and it might not double the size of the book

but it will add to it and it will keep the the best words you feel you have right now intact

another is if you are reading what everybody else is out there saying about a similar topic

I really want you to stop I really do because that that's just going to feed this critic

that we want resting or leaving us now I'm not saying don't read anything

in fact something I would actually advise you to do is consider going back to things you

loved reading that weren't on your topic so maybe you have a favorite author who

offered you advice at some point and you go back and you read maybe it's something let me make

something up here maybe maybe you like reading about health or yoga or something like that

and you go back and you read the author and you start to notice what you liked about their style

and it helps you rest again that what you're doing is really good just like what they did

they have their own style you have your own style is there something even that you might want to

mimic about their style and bring it over to your book so that you find more words

Laura regardless of what path you choose to go down what I want to say is there's no book

that's too short if you honestly feel like you've come to the end of your ideas let those ideas

rest a bit go have yourself some fun make a decision when you're going to come back to your ideas

maybe in a week maybe two and see how you're feeling pick it up and read it from beginning to end

there are so many ways to let yourself see all that you are doing with your book and if there's more

that you want to give to it but but let any rigidness fall away just step away from it for now

go out in the world enjoy yourself and when you come back take fresh eyes to that book

see how you feel about it and hey thanks for writing in really nice to meet you here

so friends we are talking about five ways to predict that you are on your way to being a best-selling

author a lot of times we look to marketing and strategy to tell us who we're supposed to be

but you have plenty of wisdom inside of you that knows what she wants to say knows what he wants to

say knows what matters to you and by really listening to your own voice your most important words

start to fall out on the page you're not comparing yourself to others you're not wondering if the

premise of your book has any right and being out in the world you're not saying oh I've got

a right for five seven twenty hours a day to be an author you're not playing that game with yourself

and and you're not feeling this pressure that my client Julie brought up which was do I have to put

everything I experienced in my book no you don't you get to decide what matters how it works

cohesively in one structure what you're comfortable saying if you don't really know how to keep

going well guess what this is what I'm so good at I have been a writing teacher for half my life

and I wasn't born yesterday I had a very significant 60th birthday this year I have been writing

and talking about well I've been writing for 50 years I've been talking to people about writing

for 30 years I was paid as a college writing professor for 20 years I've been on the radio talking

about writing for 15 years I love this and I'd love to have your words right in front of me

so we could make them what you want to see in your best selling book if you want to reach out to me

I'm available at any time to respond to you I'm coach Debbie and you can find me coach Debbie

calm it's spelled D-E-B-B-Y coach Debbie calm just click on connect and send in any thoughts that are on

your mind now this last way to predict that you're going to be a best selling author it might be

obvious and it might not might be a little woo for you might not but I really mean it okay don't

go running away I really mean this you're probably well on your way to be in a best selling author

if what you've written so far if it just lights you up if you're getting all excited about

giving away your book if you're thinking I just can't wait to start signing this book

if you're putting together your book tour and you're getting the tingles inside of you

if you're actually reaching out to people and saying will you review this will you be someone

I can quote on the cover of my book if you're you know treating this like your baby is on the way

it's about to be birthed into the world and you are going to love it today and forever

if you're that person oh my goodness you are so on your way to being a best selling author

your book is your sweet perfect baby not everybody in the world thinks it's perfect but you do

you love it you stand behind it it is your voice it is your wisdom it is your best you did it

that's you you love what you have created and you don't need the entire population of the globe

to love it on the same level you do you just need to be assured that as you wrote you knew you

wanted to serve a group of people and that group will make themselves present oh I promise you

this the more you love what you are writing love what you are up to you just feel it inside of you

and for that you are rewarded by seeing your most honest words coming out on the page

you are rewarded by finding that one great idea actually led to the next one

you are rewarded by having a habit start and develop in you when you know

ah it's mornings it's morning time when my best words come to me and you start honoring that

your schedule starts honoring and being present to when your best words come you keep that journal

nearby you start to see what goes in the journal what is for me and my partner or my therapist or

my inner self to work out and what's separate what is actually my book you're not chasing down

publishers you're actually just getting your book all gussied up for them you're making it present

you're sending it down that red carpet runway so they see you and they call up you and want you

now you might be thinking a book sounds like a lot of work well what if instead it's just this

passion project if you can buy that if you can buy out that this premise for your book is exactly

what you want to be talking about wrap in your arms around about engaged with you are well on your

way to being a best-selling author oh yes you are now you might want some support with this

I love to work with people one-on-one I also have some classes for the beginner the person

that's never written something long form before I have classes for the more advanced writer that

is working on their second or third book I also have classes for the person that really feels like

you know I I trust my own words at this point but I don't trust being alone I don't trust going

through the whole process and I I need some of that mind work I need a class around that all of

this is available in the best way to learn about my schedule and to even get the deepest discounts

is to go to my website and sign up for the newsletter I won't beat you down every day with more

stuff I don't do that it's more like every two weeks or so and as soon as you start moving

that newsletter to your inbox or even replying then you'll get it on a regular basis some people

say they don't see it for six months well it's hanging out with your junk so change that up right

now move it to your inbox I would love to give you more tips and tricks about writing your book

I come to you every single Thursday with a new topic so until then my friends namaste