I can say in all honesty that today is a momentous occasion here on the podcast! Why do I say that? Because today is the culmination of a nearly 20-year journey to hold a very special book in my hands. It’s titled, Carson the Magnificent, and it’s the long-awaited biography of one of my entertainment heroes, the late Johnny Carson. For those who aren’t very familiar with Johnny Carson, he was the host of NBC’s Tonight Show for 30 years, from 1962-1992. They called him “The King of Late...

You probably didn’t know this, but I recently turned 50—on July 26, to be exact. And while I don’t feel 50 in my mind, in my body I’m definitely starting to feel it a bit! 50 is an interesting age: a watershed moment when many people re-evaluate their lives. Over the last few years, I’ve started paying more attention to how different people deal with this important transition in life. I’ve noticed that people generally make one of two choices when it comes to middle age. When you enter...

One of the most common questions people ask me about ghostwriting is, “Where do I get clients?” It’s a natural question, of course, because all writers who are doing client work would probably like to increase their income and have more consistent work. My answer to these friends is sometimes a little disappointing because almost all of my clients have come to me via referrals from colleagues, friends, and previous clients. A great network takes time to build, but it’s worth it because...

No matter what your product or service, and no matter what type of books you write and publish, you need to grow your audience. Why? Because ultimately, your business depends on people and their willingness to buy from you. That’s why I’m excited today to feature this incredible interview with Bryan Harris, CEO of Growth Tools, a monthly coaching and done-for-you partner matching service that makes it nearly impossible to fail at getting more customers. They combine proven growth...

Many writers who want to grow their business spend their time focusing on the craft of writing. They go to conferences, read books, listen to podcasts, and take courses on how to be a better writer. Which is all well and good … except that there’s a lot more to building a business than doing the work. The other 50% of having a successful writing-based business is the business side. That’s why I regularly have guests on the show who have all kinds of businesses. There is much we can learn...

The way I look at it, there are two forces at work to growing a sustainable writing business, or any business for that matter.  There are external elements that people see: the websites, the blog, the books, the client conversations, the work you produce, and so forth. But then there is also the internal element—the mental and emotional journey you are taking. When you start taking your business seriously, it feels like the external elements are going to be what make or break you. You think...

So you’ve finished writing that book that’s been on your heart and mind for a long time. You’ve put a lot of time, planning, and energy into crafting the best book possible. You’ve considered your business goals and how the book will help you achieve them. You’ve thought about your reader’s journey and how the book can help them. Now that you’ve written the book, that’s only part of the journey of bringing this book to life! One of the areas many writers don’t think about much is the design...

As you’re well aware, there are basically two sides to being a writer. There’s the creative side, which allows us to tell stories and communicate in a way that connects. Then there is the business side, which allows us to create sustainable income in lots of different ways. Most of us gravitate toward the creative side of writing and struggle with the business side. It doesn’t come as naturally to us. That’s why I’m excited to feature this interview with Liz Wilcox. I originally ran this...

I’m honored today to bring you a conversation with Honorée Corder, who is my Yoda, Gandalf, and Dumbledore all rolled into one. She’s my mentor and business coach, and it would be an understatement to say she’s had a big impact on my life and business these last few years. Honorée Corder is the #1 expert on self-publishing. You can scour the internet, and I promise you will not find anyone who has more experience, credibility, or success when it comes to publishing and marketing their own...

On many of our Profitable Writer episodes, I bring on a guest who has expertise on a certain topic. They come on the show to help us figure out how to solve a specific problem or give guidance or help us improve in some way. Other times, I bring on a guest because they have an interesting story and I believe we can learn some things, and be deeply inspired by, their journey as a writer. Today’s episode definitely falls into that category because I know you’ll be just as encouraged and...

Even though Amazon has been all the rage for book-buyers for much of the last twenty years, did you know there are many other outlets where readers can find your books? Well … of course you did! You’re not just a writer, but a reader as well. If your life resembles mine, you probably buy books from Amazon all the time because of the price, speed, and convenience. But Amazon is only one of the many, many places where readers can find your books! My guest today, Susan Neal, is here to help us...

I’m a big fan of learning from other industries and professionals. It’s very easy as a writer to spend all your time around other people who only think about books and publishing. Yet it’s important to remember that at the end of the day, you’re a business owner. That’s why I’m excited to bring you this conversation with my friend Anastasia Forrest, a rockstar real estate agent! Anastasia Forrest is a lifelong learner, creative, and sobriety-enthusiast based out of St. Augustine, Florida....

Since you’re listening to this podcast, you’re presumably interested in becoming more profitable. Sometimes as writers we play too small, thinking that if we can muster 10% growth this year, that’s a huge win. I want to encourage you think bigger—much bigger! Today’s episode is different kind of conversation, where we’ll focus more on the philosophy of achievement and how to set really big goals for yourself. My guest is Brianna Hendley. I met her a couple of years ago through Honorée...

You’ve probably heard the phrase before, “Are you working IN or ON your business?” This question refers to the difference between being an employee who does the work of your business, and being the owner who is maximizing productivity, profits, and success. When you’re a solo business owner, you wear both hats. It can be hard to see the difference between those two roles, especially if you don’t come from a business background and you feel swamped by all the things you have to get done. I’m...

If you and I were having coffee together, and I asked if you believed in the Tooth Fairy or Santa Claus, you’d probably reply, “No, those are nice ideas but they’re not real because they’re myths.” It’s pretty easy for us to distinguish reality from fiction when it comes to figures like Santa Claus. However, it’s not so easy for writers to distinguish fact from fiction when it comes to publishing. That’s why I’m glad my friend Terry Whalin is here to help us dispel publishing myths that can...

  On today's episode, we dive into three key ways you can demonstrate your credibility to prospective clients. *** Thanks to today's sponsor! Vellum is the go-to book formatting software for indie authors who care about creating beautiful ebooks and print books. Use the link to download Vellum for FREE. 

Most of what we discuss here on the Profitable Writer podcast is centered around nonfiction. That’s what I write, both for myself and for clients, and most of our guests are focused on nonfiction. However, today I’m honored to feature a guest who is here to share tips and advice on writing and marketing historical fiction. Melissa LaShure is the host of the LiteraryScape Podcast, where she discusses and recommends books in the historical Christian romance genre to readers around the world,...

  As a ghostwriter (or someone who wants to be), it's easy to worry about whether you have the right credentials to be perceived as a pro. However, there's a far more important question you must ask first. *** Thanks to today's sponsor! Vellum is the go-to book formatting software for indie authors who care about creating beautiful ebooks and print books. Use the link to download Vellum for FREE. 

We talk a lot about income streams here on the show because there are countless ways to take your book or message and make money from it. A book is only the starting point. Many authors write a book, publish it, and then ask, “Now what?” My guest today is going to help us think about various ways to take your book or message and turn it into dollars. Thomas Umstattd, Jr. is the CEO of Author Media, a professional speaker and nonfiction author, and host of the Novel Marketing Podcast and the...

The #1 topic people ask me about is ghostwriting. On this episode, we'll dive into ten reasons ghostwriting is a great business for writers. 1. You can work on your own time. 2. Books are pretty straightforward to write.  3. You only need a few projects per year to make a good income. 4. “Ghostwriter” is a compelling term that makes people curious.  5. Ghostwriting is easy to explain to people.    6. Everybody wants a book! 7. You can set your own income.   8. Ghostwriting is not a...

Much of what we do as writers is focused on the here and now. There’s that blog post to write, that client chapter, those emails to answer, that marketing plan to think about, that cover design to approve. All good things, to be sure! It’s easy to lose sight of the forest because we’re so focused on the tree, isn’t it? On today’s episode, I had the honor of sitting down (on Zoom, of course) with two good friends, Ariel Curry and Liz Morrow, to reflect on the long-term journey of building...

Hey friends! I've been wrestling with a crazy case of bronchitis the last few weeks and am now on the mend. The podcast will return next Tuesday, Feb. 20 with new episodes. We have some awesome guests and material coming up!

As a writer, your primary job is to communicate. Most of us feel very comfortable communicating our ideas, stories, and other content in a variety of forms. If you write for clients, you probably feel right at home when you write in their style or voice. For some reason, though, many writers struggle when it comes to communicating about themselves! It’s critical that we feel confident and assertive when it comes to talking about our work, our services, our value, and how we can help and...

Today’s episode is bittersweet because I’m re-running a conversation I had with Dan Miller back in August of 2021. Dan was the founder of 48 Days, a company dedicated to helping you find or create work you love. He was also the author of the highly influential book, 48 Days to the Work You Love. Dan discovered he had pancreatic cancer in December of last year, and in just a few short weeks, he was gone. It was a shock to the many thousands of people who knew, loved, and respected Dan. In...