REVIEW and GIVEAWAY
Writer Get Noticed!:
A Strengths-Based Approach to Creating a Standout Author Platform
A Strengths-Based Approach to Creating a Standout Author Platform
by Colleen M. Story
Writer Get Noticed! by Colleen M. Story is currently on tour with iRead Book Tours. The tour stops here today for my review, an excerpt, and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.
Description
Stop feeling invisible and start attracting the attention you deserve!
Have you been writing for years, but feel like no one notices? Have you published your stories, only to gain a handful of readers? Do your marketing efforts feel like shouting into a void?
Veteran writer and motivational coach Colleen M. Story helps you break the spell of invisibility to reveal the author platform that will finally draw readers your way.
There are more books out there than ever before, and readers have many other things vying for their attention. A writer can feel like a needle in a haystack, and throwing money at the problem rarely helps. What does work is creating a platform that stands out, but in a sea of a million platforms, how is one to do that?
Writer Get Noticed! takes a new approach, dispelling the notion that fixing your writing flaws and expanding your social media reach will get you the readers you deserve. Instead, discover a myriad of strengths you didn’t know you had, then use them to find your author theme, power up your platform, and create a new author business blueprint, all while gaining insight into what sets you apart as a writer and creative artist.
Writers need readers to achieve their highest potential. Find your way to stand out, and let it lead you to the writing career that fulfills all your expectations and more.
In this motivational and inspiring book, you’ll learn:
· Why simply improving your writing skills won’t take you where you want to go.
· How discovering your strengths makes you a more effective writer and entrepreneur.
· What you really want from writing and why that matters.
· How to use the three-brain decision-making system to build a more successful author platform.
· What truly motivates you and how to use that to propel yourself forward.
· How to use the “find your author theme formula” to write a theme that fits your creative style.
· How imposter syndrome can stall your progress, and how to overcome it.
· Why risk-taking is critical to writing success, and how to make better decisions about the risks you take.
When you find the treasure that’s been inside you all along, don’t be surprised if it opens new doors you never thought possible.
Excerpt
Have you ever looked up to another writer, admired her success, and said to yourself, “That’s what I need to do. I’ll just follow what she did.”
It’s a common way of thinking, and in most cases, a good way. We naturally learn from observing others, and it’s always helpful to study those who have reached the level of success we aspire to. The problem comes from expecting if you do exactly what this other person did, you’ll accomplish the same level of success. That’s a symptom of small thinking, and it rarely works. In fact, this sort of outlook often leads to discouragement and despair rather than success. When you do (or think you did) everything the successful author did, and the same rewards refuse to come your way, you may feel like a failure. But in truth, you didn’t fail. You just followed a path that wasn’t meant for you.
Consider how many variables there are in life. To start, no two people are the same. You don’t have the same talents, gifts, or personality as someone else. You are you, and that means you must forge your own path to success.
Yes, you can absolutely pick up tips from others, learn important skills from them, study as an apprentice, and use your newly acquired knowledge to take giant steps forward in your career … as long as you go about it with the right mindset, understanding that all you’re doing is picking up tools to make your journey a little easier.
But if you think, even for one minute, that following in another’s steps will take you to the top of that same mountain of success, you’re making a huge mistake. We all have our own mountains to climb. You have to find yours.
[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]
Praise for the Book
“Colleen M. Story has taken a different approach to guide authors toward that platform that will attract an audience to our books. Whether a beginning writer or one with several books published, any writer will benefit from reading Story’s suggestions, doing the exercises, and making a plan.” ~ Pat Stoltey
“… what sets Story apart from other ‘how-to’ writing coaches is her well-researched, scientific background - especially neuroscience - for her advice as well as her fresh, friendly style that makes the reader feel as if we are just sitting down for a chat. This book is all you need whether you are an experienced author or one just starting out.” ~ Lisa T
“The best part of the book by far is Colleen Story: she is upbeat, positive, resilient, level-headed, and creative in her tone and flow so a writer doesn't feel tossed and lost in what can be overwhelming, daunting, and off-putting.” ~ Louise Foerster
“My biggest take away right from the start was the idea of building a strong author platform around my brand, one I feel truly represents who I am as an author and what I am trying to do. I like that each chapter ended with exercises - important steps to help bring your personal voice to the surface so you can truly begin to understand your motivation and your strengths.” ~ Marilyn R Wilson
“Writer Get Noticed! is a superb resource for anyone struggling to establish their own author theme and platform in an increasingly crowded marketplace. I was very impressed with this book and found lots of the exercises and ideas were as helpful to me as a blogger because Story focuses on our motivations to write and how we can better develop our author platforms through a greater understanding of our individual motivations.” ~ Stephanie Jane (Literary Flits)
My Review
By Lynda Dickson
In Writer Get Noticed! the author states that “it’s time to create an author platform uniquely right for you” as your “platform is the key not only to the success of your books, but to your personal and professional fulfillment as a creative entrepreneur.” To that end, she provides a number of exercises for you to do as you read the book. “Though you could simply read the book and learn some important lessons, I guarantee you’ll gain a lot more if you work with me as we go.” She’s right. Don’t skip these!
The book is well written and well set out, with each topic flowing into the next. The author illustrates her points with case studies of real-life authors, as well as with examples from her own career. This comprehensive guide will lead you through an in-depth analysis of your strengths and show you how to match your talents to your passions to create a plan of action. By the end of the book, you will have come up with your author theme, your tagline, and your mission statement, and a much clearer purpose of what you want to achieve as a writer.
This book will benefit all types of writers, whether you write books, articles, or blog posts. As a blogger myself, reading this book has helped me clarify my motivations and define my own mission. The author makes it clear that there’s more to being a writer than merely writing a book. Always remember that “there’s joy in the act of creation that fills our hearts and keeps us coming back to the writer’s desk. But sometimes we forget that it’s on the other side of that desk, where we interact with others, that we discover where we truly belong.”
Inspiring.
About the Author
Colleen M. Story is on a mission to inspire people from all walks of life to overcome modern-day challenges and find creative fulfillment. Her latest release, Writer Get Noticed!, is a strengths-based guide to help writers break the spell of invisibility and discover unique author platforms that will draw readers their way. Her prior nonfiction release, Overwhelmed Writer Rescue, was named Solo Medalist in the New Apple Book Awards, Book by Book Publicity’s Best Writing/Publishing Book, and first place in the 2018 Reader Views Literary Awards.
With over 20 years as a professional in the creative industry, Colleen has authored thousands of articles for publications like Healthline and Women's Health; worked with high-profile clients like Gerber Baby Products and Kellogg's; and ghostwritten books on back pain, nutrition, and cancer recovery. Her literary novel, Loreena’s Gift, was a Foreword Reviews' INDIES Book of the Year Awards winner, an Idaho Author Awards first place winner, and New Apple Solo Medalist winner, among others.
Colleen frequently serves as a workshop leader and motivational speaker, where she helps attendees remove mental and emotional blocks and tap into their unique creative powers.
Giveaway
Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $15 Amazon gift card (US/Canada only).
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