I'd like to preface this by acknowledging that America is not officially in a recession, and that things may not get as bad as some of the typical sources of gloom and doom would have us believe.

There are, however, some facts that can't be denied. As we continue to recover from the costs of the pandemic and the threat of war still looms over us, things will no doubt get worse in some sectors. The fear that the fearmongers are spreading is not completely unfounded.

This week, I'd like to remind you of some facts to counter those fearmongers. Not just a motivational speech, but some valid observations from someone who has lived through unpleasant economic times before...me.

• [00:00] Intro - The fear
• [00:54] Past recessions
• [02:34] What now?
• [03:46] Your most valuable asset is...
• [04:26] Being me...
• [06:52] Culture and clarity
• [07:55] Your community
• [08:52] Courage

How You Can Help

Subscribe to the show in iTunes and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show. We are also on Stitcher.com, so if you prefer Stitcher, please subscribe there.

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If you have a goal of building a successful online business, I know of no better way to quickly build a reputable, memorable, brand, than by writing a book.

This isn't some tidbit I picked up somewhere - I've experienced this personally. My book, How to Write Copy That Sells, has sold about 30,000 copies since it was released in 2016. That's certainly not enough book sales for me to retire on, but the amount of business that book has generated for my company has resulted in millions of dollars in revenue.

This week, I'm giving you 5 good reasons why you MUST write a book.

• [00:00] Intro - Who is Ray Edwards?
• [01:30] Five good reasons to write a book
  • [01:44] Reason 1 - To be an Authority
  • [02:07] Reason 2 - A useful, bestselling book is the Ultimate sales letter for your company
  • [02:30] Reason 3 - Your bestselling book should become the hub of your digital business
  • [02:51] Reason 4 - Free publicity (and a whole lot more)
  • [03:01] Reason 5 - Your bestselling book is the key to getting speaking gigs (on podcasts, stages, etc.)
• [03:23] The fast track to building your personal brand
• [03:44] You don't get rich selling your book...
• [04:09] What kind of book?
• [05:43] How do you write a useful, bestselling book?
• [07:20] The best of both worlds
• [08:00] What does it take to have a bestseller?
• [08:40] What a book proposal really is, and how I got one
• [09:33] Who is Jeff Goins?
• [09:57] How I got my book deal (with a $150k advance) / Bestseller Bootcamp

Links

ProsperousWriter.com - Learn more about the upcoming Bestseller Bootcamp - Jeff Goins and I are going to walk you through the process of creating your book proposal (a.k.a., a business plan for your book), provide you with the exact proposal that we submitted to get my 150k book deal, and give you all the templates and tools necessary to do this for your own book. In fact, we'll be working on your proposal, live, in class.

How You Can Help

Subscribe to the show in iTunes and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show. We are also on Stitcher.com, so if you prefer Stitcher, please subscribe there.

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Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

Last week I shared the story of how I recently received a $150,000 advance from a publisher for an upcoming book. Furthermore, I suggested that you can do the same...If you have the right idea and follow the right process. That episode raised a lot of interest (and a bit of skepticism). How can this be possible?

There's a simple reason why this is possible for you: Publishers want to make money. Someone is at work right now sorting through various manuscripts and proposals looking for the next "big thing". Ideally, they get an idea so profound, that it goes beyond just a book. Perhaps it's big enough for a series of books, or training programs, or a Netflix miniseries...An idea that generates cash for their company.

Reality check: Most of the content people submit to publishers aren't the next "big thing"...They're not a thing at all. They're crap. Either the idea simply isn't worth sharing, or perhaps it was simply not presented well.

This week, Jeff Goins and I continue our conversation; diving deeper into the process of going from "big idea" to bestseller.

• [00:00] Intro and...why Fresh Complaint?
• [02:03] How do you come up with an interesting idea?
• [03:21] Start with your argument
• [03:57] Writing a book is a democracy
• [06:04] The Big Idea Formula
• [06:28] The subtle art of...
• [07:20] The title follows the idea
• [10:29] The headline is the LAST thing you write
• [12:00] Opening the kimono
• [13:15] Writing is a democracy...Not a committee
• [14:33] How does an idea succeed?
• [15:29] The War of Art
• [17:04] Be provocative
• [18:51] Books generate more than just sales
• [20:52] Books are still relevant
• [22:09] A timeline of our upcoming book (so far)
• [23:38] About the process
• [26:34] Don't just start writing...have a plan
• [27:11] Bestseller Bootcamp (https://prosperouswriter.com)

Links

ProsperousWriter.com - Walk through the exact process Jeff used to get this deal done

FreshComplaint.com - Jeff's boutique agency that turns big ideas into bestsellers

How You Can Help

Subscribe to the show in iTunes and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show. We are also on Stitcher.com, so if you prefer Stitcher, please subscribe there.

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Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

Get The Transcript

Coming soon...

Is it possible to get $150,000 check for a book that has yet to be written? Absolutely. I know this because that's exactly what I experienced thanks to my friend, and this week's guest, Jeff Goins.

Jeff and I discuss the process of going from idea, to proposal, to publishing deal.

NOTE: For a more in-depth discussion, check out our other conversation HERE.

• [00:00] Intro: How it all started
• [01:09] Coming up...
• [01:53] How to get 150k for a proposal
• [03:54] Jeff's "reinvention"
• [05:55] "Every good marketer struggles with honesty."
• [11:00] Removing the masks
• [15:49] The characters we play
• [18:30] What is a bestseller?
• [20:10] Does "bestseller" still matter?
• [25:46] After the splash...
• [30:07] What the current system rewards
• [33:27] How to you get Both? The big splash and longevity...
• [38:38] What it takes to sell
• [39:55] A note to the listener
• [40:27] What's next for Jeff?

Links

ProsperousWriter.com - Walk through the exact process Jeff used to get this deal done

FreshComplaint.com - Jeff's boutique agency that turns big ideas into bestsellers

How You Can Help

Subscribe to the show in iTunes and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show. We are also on Stitcher.com, so if you prefer Stitcher, please subscribe there.

Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.

In today's world, there is no shortage of fuel for negative thinking, and none of us are immune to it.

The good news is that you can minimize your negative thinking by making a conscious decision to control the one thing you should always be in control of: your attitude.

The message of this week's episode is not "think good things and good things will magically happen." The message is about finding opportunities in bad situations. "What does this make possible?", as my friend and mentor, Michael Hyatt, would ask.

Sometimes there are business opportunities...finding new ways to serve others. Sometimes, there are opportunities to change the circumstances for the better.

Whatever the case, stewing in your own misery is never a solution. Even worse, that attitude tends to spread to those around you (more surplus fuel for negative thinking).

Listen to this week's episode and then do some self-analysis.

• What are the things that fuel your negativity?
• What do they make possible?
• What are some positive ways you can affect them?

It's not always the easiest path to take, but it's always the better one.

• [00:00] Be a positive thinker...not a fantasy optimist
• [01:25] Noticing the negative
• [03:55] Be unreasonable
• [05:43] Your beliefs dictate your actions
• [08:04] Rational Optimism
• [11:20] Your excuses are valid
• [12:49] Your attitude is 100% your fault

How You Can Help

Subscribe to the show in iTunes and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show. We are also on Stitcher.com, so if you prefer Stitcher, please subscribe there.

Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Visit Ray's community on Facebook – This is a friendly group of writers, entrepreneurs, and coaches who share ideas and helpful advice.