089 - The Art of Successful Book Launches with Insights from Allison Lane

[00:00:00] Writing a book can be the foundation for sharing your important message, but it won't

[00:00:07] work unless you are consistently marketing.

[00:00:10] This podcast is for those who have written a book to share their message with the world.

[00:00:15] I love talking all things authorpreneur and having guests join me to share their brilliance

[00:00:21] with you.

[00:00:26] Hello, authorpreneurs. It's Suzanne Tregenza Moore and I am so excited today to bring someone

[00:00:34] to your attention that I think you are going to want to know.

[00:00:38] Alison Lane helps women get their books published and launched successfully.

[00:00:44] From experts and PhDs to podcasters and memoirists, she helps authors save time, stay on budget

[00:00:52] and make their books a success.

[00:00:54] And before I get into speaking with Alison, I want to clarify that she is not a publisher.

[00:01:02] She helps people understand how to make their book marketable and write it so that their

[00:01:11] story is marketable.

[00:01:14] And I think that is so unique in among the people that I have interviewed and I'm

[00:01:21] so excited to have her here today.

[00:01:22] So Alison, welcome.

[00:01:24] Hi.

[00:01:25] Thanks for having me and thanks for advocating for all the people out there who know they

[00:01:31] have a book in them and yet they're spinning.

[00:01:34] This is the word that they use.

[00:01:36] I'm spinning.

[00:01:37] I'm getting so much advice.

[00:01:38] I don't know which way to move.

[00:01:41] Yes.

[00:01:42] Such a problem.

[00:01:44] Yes.

[00:01:44] And I think anyone who's ever written a book, ever thought about writing a book,

[00:01:49] you kind of have this thing in your head like, well, I know it's in me and I need to get it out

[00:01:54] and I need to share this information.

[00:01:56] And I know you and I know so many powerful women who've come through crazy things in life

[00:02:01] and it's made that it's given them knowledge.

[00:02:04] It's given them strength.

[00:02:05] It's taught them something and they want to impart that knowledge on others

[00:02:10] because they're like, gosh, I don't want anyone else to have to go through this.

[00:02:13] But having a good story isn't enough to make the book.

[00:02:21] I'll say for the book to have legs, is it?

[00:02:24] Well, no, unfortunately not.

[00:02:27] Your validity of your message, the power of your story, the value of your insights.

[00:02:35] None of that is enough to make your book marketable or to make your book a success.

[00:02:44] And that is because the publisher or even if you try it, if you self publish

[00:02:51] the reader that you know needs your message, you can't sell them your book

[00:02:58] by saying you really need this book.

[00:03:01] They need to understand your credibility.

[00:03:04] Why your message is something that they that has the answer that they need

[00:03:10] or that can remove the obstacle that's in their way.

[00:03:14] And that, my friends, is the marketing of your message.

[00:03:17] Just like if you run a restaurant, you can't sell the entree by saying

[00:03:23] you'll love the entree.

[00:03:24] You really, really need this.

[00:03:25] This is really, really good for you.

[00:03:27] I swear you're going to love it.

[00:03:29] No, that's not how it works.

[00:03:32] So whether or whether you're you want an agent or you want to go straight

[00:03:38] to a publisher or you're going with hybrid, you need to not just have

[00:03:44] a message or a story that the world needs because you know it does.

[00:03:49] You know that it's in there.

[00:03:51] Right.

[00:03:51] You need to be your book's very best marketer and be presenting

[00:03:57] the reasons why and the angles that deliver your message,

[00:04:02] the reasons why the world needs it.

[00:04:05] And it starts with knowing what the person out there who is your potential

[00:04:11] reader, what they want, what they want to get rid of and what's in their way.

[00:04:16] Yeah.

[00:04:17] So a lot of people come to you when they haven't even started writing yet.

[00:04:22] Right.

[00:04:23] And you help them not just figure out what they want to say,

[00:04:27] but how they want to package it in a way that people are going to say,

[00:04:33] oh, I want to read what you have to say.

[00:04:37] So where do you start with them in that process so that they have the greatest success?

[00:04:44] Most people when they know that they want to write a book,

[00:04:49] they've already done some writing and whether they have a successful

[00:04:54] psychology practice and they're running a therapy business or they're speaking

[00:05:01] or they're an expert because they're a professor and they teach PhD students.

[00:05:07] They know that there are people in the world who need what they have

[00:05:11] and they do an awful lot of let's call it content creation

[00:05:15] because they are sharing their methods and their storytelling

[00:05:22] and they're helping people.

[00:05:24] So they do quite a lot of helping and they know what works.

[00:05:29] So usually that is the impetus for them to think, well, maybe I need

[00:05:34] maybe an ebook to go along with my curriculum or to give my my patients

[00:05:41] something as a takeaway and that gets their wheels turning.

[00:05:46] When they come to me, they often say, oh, I've written half the book already

[00:05:50] as if that's helpful to me, which it's helpful to them

[00:05:55] because because it I mean, it is they've gotten they've put pen to paper

[00:05:59] and they've started to figure out, well, gosh, these are the elements

[00:06:04] that I want to share.

[00:06:05] So that is so useful.

[00:06:08] It's so useful when it comes to turning that into OK, how do I get a publisher

[00:06:14] interested providing more of the book?

[00:06:18] Isn't what publishers are looking for just like you can't if you're a restaurant

[00:06:23] tour, you can't say buy this, you know, come have dinner with us.

[00:06:28] Let me give you the entree for free so that you can

[00:06:31] you'll know if you're going to like the entree.

[00:06:34] Like, wait, what?

[00:06:35] You want me to eat the entire meal so that I know whether I want to come

[00:06:40] and eat the entire meal?

[00:06:41] That's not how it works. Right.

[00:06:43] So the publisher doesn't want to read your entire book

[00:06:46] to find out whether or not they want to publish your book.

[00:06:50] And this is particular to nonfiction because in nonfiction,

[00:06:54] you do not write your book first.

[00:06:56] You write your book proposal first. First interesting. OK.

[00:07:00] So do not write if you're writing nonfiction.

[00:07:03] Do not write your entire book and think you've done any one a favor.

[00:07:07] You haven't even done yourself a favor because the only thing you need

[00:07:11] in order to get published with a traditional or a hybrid publisher

[00:07:16] is a book proposal, which is a business plan for your book

[00:07:20] and two sample chapters. That's it.

[00:07:24] That's all. So instead of taking a sabbatical or waiting until you retire

[00:07:29] or whatever else or trying to fit it in in the wee hours of the night.

[00:07:33] You can not do that.

[00:07:36] And instead, it's a very straightforward process.

[00:07:39] What you asked was about, hey, do they write their all of their book?

[00:07:43] Well, they show up and they say, well, I've already written this.

[00:07:47] That is great because that gets them closer to what's the value

[00:07:50] that they provide in the world. Sure.

[00:07:53] But the next step is, OK, well, who are we speaking to?

[00:07:58] Who is this message for?

[00:07:59] What are they already inundated with? Right.

[00:08:02] What is old news to them?

[00:08:04] So doing that, that assessment of what's already out there,

[00:08:08] who's influencing them.

[00:08:09] And that's usually an eye opener of where the opportunities really are.

[00:08:15] And there are always some really impactful surprises during that process.

[00:08:21] I mean, that that process can take, you know, an afternoon, not a month,

[00:08:25] not a month, people.

[00:08:27] Please don't spend a month.

[00:08:29] Don't take a month. OK.

[00:08:30] I take a month.

[00:08:31] Let me ask you this in terms of your business and who you serve,

[00:08:35] what percent of the people you work with,

[00:08:40] would you say are really looking for that traditional publisher

[00:08:44] to publish them versus they are looking to possibly go with a hybrid model?

[00:08:52] And I know that you have thoughts about these sort of blending of those models.

[00:08:59] I'd love to have you share those thoughts with the audience.

[00:09:03] Sure. Well, it used to be in a world long, long time ago, maybe three years ago.

[00:09:10] But it feels like so long ago.

[00:09:13] It used to be that there were very particular definitions of types of publishers.

[00:09:20] There was the traditional, like the Harper Collins, let's call them the big guns,

[00:09:26] right, the big publishers.

[00:09:27] And they give in advance, they buy your book, they give you in advance.

[00:09:33] And then you go away for a year and you write the book and you deliver it to them.

[00:09:38] And then they publish it.

[00:09:40] And then there was a hybrid, which there was some sort of fee anywhere

[00:09:47] from 2000 to say 15,000, depending on the size of the press

[00:09:53] and how much marketing they do.

[00:09:56] And that fee covers things like paper and the editing that they're going to have to do.

[00:10:03] And then they still distribute, they still do everything on the back end

[00:10:07] that the traditional press does, except you as the author make more profit

[00:10:13] than you would with a traditional publisher.

[00:10:16] So a traditional publisher might pay you two or three percent of the sale of every book.

[00:10:22] So on a twenty dollar book, you get a dollar or two,

[00:10:25] or you might be split profits with a hybrid press.

[00:10:30] So anywhere from seven percent to 25 percent, maybe even 50, which is great.

[00:10:37] Right. The thing is, hybrid presses now are there are big ones

[00:10:42] that are oftentimes bigger than a boutique traditional publisher.

[00:10:48] Right.

[00:10:49] And there is this blending now.

[00:10:52] And right on top of that, they're self publishing,

[00:10:55] which I don't necessarily work with because that means that

[00:10:58] there's no one holding criteria for the quality. Yeah.

[00:11:03] Right. And so that third party credibility is very helpful, I think.

[00:11:09] And working with people who are discerning, they have skin in the game.

[00:11:14] Whereas a self publisher is saying, sure, we'll publish your book.

[00:11:17] And then they that's a different ballgame. Right.

[00:11:21] Right. So it used to be hybrid and traditional were very different.

[00:11:26] And and there were a lot more traditional publishers

[00:11:31] that have lots and lots and lots of imprints kind of sub brands within them.

[00:11:35] Yes. Now, with traditional publishing, having so many layoffs,

[00:11:39] a lot of those people have gone out to start their own really small

[00:11:44] publishing houses, really small. Yes.

[00:11:47] And those have a different business model entirely,

[00:11:51] as well as hybrid presses now have a different business model.

[00:11:56] Now we're seeing so many more business models

[00:12:00] across types of publishers that have much lower advances.

[00:12:06] Yes. Like you might get an advance that's three thousand dollars period

[00:12:10] instead of what the movies with Linda would have.

[00:12:15] Like a million dollar advance that does not happen.

[00:12:19] Right. It does not happen because that means that the publisher

[00:12:22] thinks that they're going to make more than a million dollars

[00:12:25] from the sale of your book, which is unheard of.

[00:12:29] That's like the lottery and right.

[00:12:32] If you're not a member of the British Royal family, it's not happening for you.

[00:12:36] Right. Or last name Obama.

[00:12:38] Right. Yeah. And it's not happening.

[00:12:40] Right. And you also need to have your own marketing team in house.

[00:12:44] So good luck for you. Right. Yes.

[00:12:46] Hey, right.

[00:12:47] Instead, you could have a traditional publisher that is super small

[00:12:52] and you could get a three thousand dollar advance

[00:12:55] or you could have a hybrid publisher that charges you three thousand dollars

[00:13:00] and they do the exact same thing.

[00:13:02] And no matter what, you are your book's best marketer.

[00:13:07] You are in charge of your marketing.

[00:13:09] The book publisher does not do the marketing for you.

[00:13:13] They announce the book to the publishing world,

[00:13:16] but that doesn't get you closer to your reader.

[00:13:19] Right. So the difference now, I think is, you know,

[00:13:23] it's like six and a half dozen.

[00:13:26] It doesn't matter.

[00:13:27] Whatever gets your book closer to the people who need your message

[00:13:31] is what I advocate for. Right. Right.

[00:13:35] That was a long way of saying it used to be very different.

[00:13:39] Now, I think the term hybrid is a misnomer.

[00:13:43] I think we need a different all inclusive.

[00:13:46] Right. And the reality is, is that if you haven't been already doing marketing

[00:13:52] and building an audience for your book

[00:13:55] and you're really building an audience for your message previously,

[00:13:59] then you better get started as you start putting that book proposal

[00:14:04] together or writing that book because ultimately you're the one who needs to

[00:14:09] figure out who is going to buy it.

[00:14:11] There's nobody out there that's going to do it for you.

[00:14:14] Exactly. Exactly.

[00:14:16] And then that, you know, build the audience goal makes it feel so

[00:14:22] undoable for debut authors because they think, well, how do I build an

[00:14:27] audience? And all we mean there is share some of your message,

[00:14:33] some of your advice in places that actually you have to pitch or that

[00:14:39] aren't just free. So not, not just on your website or in your emails that

[00:14:43] you send from your email, but share on LinkedIn where people can opt in or

[00:14:50] not. You should pitch to some digital media, do some sort of guest blog,

[00:14:57] create a newsletter on Substack or on LinkedIn.

[00:15:02] The LinkedIn newsletters are a great way to share your insight on women's

[00:15:09] history or how, you know, science-backed research is now showing up in marketing

[00:15:16] books. I mean, these are great places and the byproduct of that is

[00:15:22] you build your audience.

[00:15:24] Right. And depending on what audience you want to build,

[00:15:27] maybe it's not LinkedIn, maybe it's TikTok or maybe it's Instagram or even

[00:15:31] Pinterest. Right? Like it's all about where you think your audience is really

[00:15:36] hanging out, right? But get out there and share your message in whatever way

[00:15:42] you're comfortable sharing it so that people can start to feel connected

[00:15:47] to your message and to what more you want to share.

[00:15:50] Right. People are looking for solutions and inspiration.

[00:15:55] Yes. And if you have that to give, people are seldom searching for the answer

[00:16:02] to their problem. They're usually searching, you know, like asking Google

[00:16:07] what to do about, you know, my misbehaving dog.

[00:16:10] They don't Google how to have a well-behaved dog. Right?

[00:16:16] You've got to put on your audience hat and use Google to your advantage.

[00:16:23] Spend five minutes and ask Google the same couple of questions that you know

[00:16:30] your reader is asking.

[00:16:34] The great thing is you don't need to spend more than five minutes.

[00:16:36] You know why? Because it's Google, right?

[00:16:39] It gives you the most relevant, the most searched for responses right away.

[00:16:45] Yes. So we're not in the National Archives.

[00:16:48] You don't have to go on a digital journey.

[00:16:52] Right. And deep dive, it comes right to the surface.

[00:16:56] You don't have to start like go to the library and use the micro-feesh or

[00:16:59] whatever that was when you and I were of that age.

[00:17:03] Researching we had to.

[00:17:05] Yeah. By the way, in my case with Google, it would be has my dog

[00:17:09] completed her training of me? That's how I'm just.

[00:17:14] I think that every time she gets me to give her something.

[00:17:17] Yeah. No, it's so true though.

[00:17:19] I mean, I'm amazed sometimes when I think of something obscure and I go, well,

[00:17:23] Google it and I start typing it in and it finishes typing it for me.

[00:17:27] And I'm like, really?

[00:17:28] There are enough people that have asked this question that it like it

[00:17:32] finishes the sentence.

[00:17:34] I mean, often it's something bizarre, right?

[00:17:36] And I think, oh, I'm going to get something random.

[00:17:39] No, no, I get the answer.

[00:17:41] Right. Yes. You are not alone.

[00:17:44] This is this is Google letting you know.

[00:17:46] Yes. There are there are other people out there.

[00:17:49] And, you know, one of the great things about those responses is that Google

[00:17:54] will give you if you scroll down three or four, it'll give you a little

[00:17:59] option that says people also ask.

[00:18:02] Yes. And a lot of people don't know this.

[00:18:04] That is a great way to find out the language that people are using

[00:18:10] so that you can use the same language when you then share your content.

[00:18:16] If this is your problem, here are three things you can think about or what not

[00:18:22] to do when you're trying to determine whether your dog has finished.

[00:18:28] Finished training you.

[00:18:29] Yes. Yes. Exactly.

[00:18:31] Yeah. I love this.

[00:18:33] So before we move on to the questions I ask everyone who comes on,

[00:18:37] what I want to ask is a lot of our listeners,

[00:18:41] they've already written their book and it's already out there.

[00:18:45] If they are in that situation, but they're feeling like,

[00:18:50] this isn't really doing for me what I hoped it would.

[00:18:53] What do you do when people come to you and they're in that situation?

[00:18:57] Can you help them retrofit things a little bit?

[00:19:00] Or do they just need to write another book?

[00:19:03] Oh, Lord, that is such a bummer when someone thinks that their book launch

[00:19:08] was the beginning and the end of their book's life.

[00:19:11] It is not true.

[00:19:13] It's not true because of one thing that's a bummer to people.

[00:19:17] And one thing that is a boon is that when your book has a launch

[00:19:24] and you have been looking forward to this launch date for years,

[00:19:29] right, before you wrote the book, you're thinking about this.

[00:19:32] And then when you get the book deal, you're thinking,

[00:19:34] oh, this is my publishing date.

[00:19:36] My, for short, my pub date.

[00:19:39] Yes. This is the day.

[00:19:41] The bummer is no one is waiting outside the gates for the day

[00:19:48] than the book publishes.

[00:19:50] This is not like the opening of a Starbucks where people are so excited,

[00:19:57] like think heavens, now I can buy a five dollar cup of coffee.

[00:20:01] This is you're excited, but there's seldom is there a waiting audience for this.

[00:20:09] So your reader gets excited when they find out about your book.

[00:20:14] So if your book came out six months ago or a year ago and you now get introduced to them,

[00:20:22] they don't care. Right.

[00:20:23] This book is new to them.

[00:20:25] So if you if you think, well, my book, the launch didn't go that great.

[00:20:30] That launch is not a is a moment in time for you.

[00:20:33] But no one else is looking at it like that at all.

[00:20:38] Right. There are books that get slow starts and they keep chugging.

[00:20:43] And then suddenly the publisher is like, wait, we just got word

[00:20:48] that libraries are asking for this and they are befuddled just like you might be.

[00:20:53] But readers will react when you reach them.

[00:20:58] Right. So the worst thing you can do is treat your launch

[00:21:02] like some kind of sprint or even worse, a marathon,

[00:21:06] both of which sounds sweaty and horrible.

[00:21:09] And instead treat this like just part of your world.

[00:21:14] This should be a fun and exciting and it should work.

[00:21:20] All of your launch efforts, it's not just launching like a we're open now

[00:21:25] or launching like the space shuttle.

[00:21:28] It's done. It's not finished.

[00:21:30] What it means is the book is now available in libraries and bookstores

[00:21:34] and online. Yes.

[00:21:36] And it gives you so many options to show up where your reader already is,

[00:21:43] even when they're not thinking I'm a reader, like when they go to a conference

[00:21:46] or they're reading MSN online or they're listening to your podcast.

[00:21:53] They're thinking, gosh, I I've never heard of that book before.

[00:21:56] I can't wait to get it.

[00:21:57] They don't ask when was the publisher in date?

[00:22:01] Right. I don't know if it's still good.

[00:22:03] I mean, it's five months old.

[00:22:07] I guess that's old news.

[00:22:08] No, it's not.

[00:22:10] I mean, depending on what you're writing about, if you're writing

[00:22:12] about technology, it might be.

[00:22:15] But for most things that people write about,

[00:22:18] there is a much longer shelf life for that content.

[00:22:22] Right. And I have to say, I mean, how many people still recommend

[00:22:26] thinking Grow Rich, right?

[00:22:27] That is an old book at this point.

[00:22:29] But if you haven't read it, man, and you find that book and you read it,

[00:22:33] you're like, whoa, that was a good book.

[00:22:36] Right. And I learned a lot from that.

[00:22:38] Yeah. I love that message.

[00:22:40] Thank you so much for sharing it because I think as authors,

[00:22:44] we always need a little reminder.

[00:22:46] Yeah. Well, there are also cycles to book purchases.

[00:22:50] So more people buy books in fourth quarter

[00:22:55] of the year than in the first three quarters combined.

[00:23:00] Really? Really.

[00:23:01] So if you think that's very interesting,

[00:23:04] it's launched in May and it just is not selling as well.

[00:23:07] Like, well, you know, get ready.

[00:23:11] Right. Get ready.

[00:23:12] People buy books year round.

[00:23:14] And if you are not thinking about that or presenting

[00:23:19] or showing up in a big way when other people are actually looking around

[00:23:24] when they have money to spend, they're they actually go to the mall during that time.

[00:23:31] It's so true. I mean, you just said that.

[00:23:33] And of course, I'm in my brain thinking about when I buy books.

[00:23:36] Frankly, I buy the most books I buy like physical books are always for my mom

[00:23:42] and they're always for Christmas because every year she gets a pile of books

[00:23:46] from me for Christmas.

[00:23:47] And often it's like things I've read throughout the year

[00:23:50] or recently that I think she'll really appreciate.

[00:23:53] And I'm sure that drives a lot of that.

[00:23:56] I want to move on to a few questions that I ask everyone who comes on.

[00:24:00] OK, I don't believe that you have written your own book.

[00:24:05] Is that correct? That is correct.

[00:24:07] Is that something you intend to do?

[00:24:10] Do you have the bug?

[00:24:13] I do have the bug and yet the way that I started

[00:24:19] working to help authors bring their books into the world is that I went

[00:24:25] to a writing retreat and intent on writing my own book.

[00:24:30] And I ended up editing everyone else's books and their book proposals

[00:24:34] while I was at the retreat, so much so that the retreat

[00:24:38] with the woman who led the retreat started referring her clients to me.

[00:24:43] And when marketing is second nature for you because I have led PR

[00:24:48] in marketing for Fortune, for like Pepsi and Unilever and Birds Bees for 25 years.

[00:24:54] This is second nature to me.

[00:24:56] And it kind of took over my passion.

[00:25:00] And what I tell everyone is you have to decide what lane you're in.

[00:25:04] You can't move every project.

[00:25:06] You have one step forward when they're every project has 20 steps to go.

[00:25:12] It's true.

[00:25:13] And eventually I felt like, oh, my gosh, these women

[00:25:18] these books are never going to get into the world unless I clear a path for people.

[00:25:24] And it's part of my maybe part of my nature, but I feel like every book

[00:25:30] I'm a part of launching or a part of their publication.

[00:25:35] It's my success too.

[00:25:36] Absolutely. Yeah.

[00:25:38] It's not my name on the cover, but my name is in there.

[00:25:43] My thumbs are all my thumbprints are all over there.

[00:25:45] But I get an acknowledgement and also I'm helping people do something important.

[00:25:51] Yes, because women women particularly don't tend to take action

[00:25:56] until everyone else is taking care of.

[00:25:59] Yes. You know what?

[00:26:00] I love I love how you just expressed that because I feel I tell people all

[00:26:05] the time I feel so lucky to work with the people I work with every day

[00:26:11] because people who are writing nonfiction books are in some way trying to help or

[00:26:17] shape the world in a positive way and whether that is to individuals,

[00:26:21] whether it is a big lesson or whatever it is.

[00:26:26] Everyone I interact with is trying to be of service in their way.

[00:26:31] And that alone just being able to contribute to that.

[00:26:35] It feels so good on a daily basis.

[00:26:38] Exactly. I'm right there with you.

[00:26:40] Yeah, love that.

[00:26:41] OK, next question I have for you.

[00:26:43] You've been an entrepreneur for a while.

[00:26:46] You've had your own business.

[00:26:47] What do you think an entrepreneur has to do or have in order to be successful?

[00:26:54] Well, you do have to have a plan.

[00:26:57] A plan is a road map that shows where you are now and where you want to end up.

[00:27:06] The same as if you're going on a road trip.

[00:27:09] You can go on a road trip ever and ever and ever and never end up anywhere

[00:27:16] and still have been driving the whole time.

[00:27:19] But if you want to go from New York to L.A., you have to make a path.

[00:27:25] Yes, you don't necessarily have to go direct,

[00:27:29] but you do have to know where you want to end up, what success looks like for you.

[00:27:33] Yes. So as an entrepreneur,

[00:27:36] it's important that I know in the end where I want to end up.

[00:27:41] Love it.

[00:27:42] And I have to weave in the fact that my kids want to be fed every single day

[00:27:46] despite the fact. They are so annoying that way, aren't they?

[00:27:50] So frustrated.

[00:27:51] Oh, yeah.

[00:27:52] And at this point, their teenagers, they need so much food.

[00:27:57] The moment I clean up, boy, they are right back in there.

[00:28:02] Yes.

[00:28:03] So like digging around, I'm looking for something to eat.

[00:28:06] Like I am seriously just eight three chicken breasts.

[00:28:11] My son is 15. Yeah.

[00:28:12] So we I'm sure there are people nodding saying, oh, I am.

[00:28:16] Yeah, I am with you.

[00:28:19] I mean, there is a heart to heart connection here right now.

[00:28:22] Yeah, yeah.

[00:28:23] Chicken breasts can't get enough.

[00:28:25] So I have to weave in into my map that at a certain time every single day,

[00:28:32] I am despite the fact that I hate to cook, I hate to cook.

[00:28:36] And if anyone is out there thinking, oh, I'm I'm sure I could help you.

[00:28:40] Great. Get in touch.

[00:28:42] It's at Allison Lane, lit everywhere.

[00:28:45] I would love to hear from you.

[00:28:47] But I hate it.

[00:28:49] I have to drag myself to the kitchen.

[00:28:51] I have to spend time making sure that my kids eat things other than

[00:28:56] takis, which are like hot Cheetos.

[00:29:01] Like spicy hot Cheetos.

[00:29:03] Right. Right. Yeah.

[00:29:04] They're so perplexed when they eat an entire bag and they're like, I'm still hungry.

[00:29:08] And like, yeah, because you ate essentially air like a hot dust.

[00:29:12] Yes. An hour.

[00:29:14] Yes. Yeah.

[00:29:15] I have to weave that in.

[00:29:16] And if that means that I have to do fewer bigger things than great.

[00:29:23] I focus on making a bigger impact on fewer projects.

[00:29:28] Yes.

[00:29:29] That's what I know that I've done my job.

[00:29:32] I love it. I love it.

[00:29:34] Last question I ask everyone who comes on, what is your favorite book?

[00:29:38] Oh, my goodness.

[00:29:40] Well, can I have two?

[00:29:42] You may.

[00:29:43] OK. So in for fiction, I love the English patient.

[00:29:50] Even if you only read the very first page.

[00:29:54] Really? Yes.

[00:29:56] The very first page it is breathtaking.

[00:30:00] And the way the story you just plunge right into it and you have so many

[00:30:07] questions and every word is potent and filled with like intrigue and somehow

[00:30:15] raises so many so many red flags, you're like, oh my god, something bad happened.

[00:30:19] But how did we get here?

[00:30:20] And it's all on the first page.

[00:30:22] Wow. OK.

[00:30:23] My heavens. So yes, on the English patient.

[00:30:27] OK. And for nonfiction, particularly this year, ADHD for smart ass women is by

[00:30:36] far my favorite book.

[00:30:39] Interesting.

[00:30:40] Because it is funny, funny, funny.

[00:30:42] And it is the author is hilarious, has a podcast.

[00:30:49] But maybe you don't maybe you don't listen to podcasts.

[00:30:53] But if you know a woman or are a woman or your mother is a woman, then you

[00:30:58] probably know someone who has ADHD and it's probably undiagnosed.

[00:31:04] Right. ADHD was undiagnosed until I was

[00:31:08] like 48 and I'm 53.

[00:31:11] No idea.

[00:31:12] But after like pre menopausal or like postpartum women off and get hormones

[00:31:19] change and you end up with ADHD, you have no idea.

[00:31:22] And you're told like, oh, well, maybe it's just maybe you're just tired.

[00:31:28] Like maybe you're just tired.

[00:31:31] That's what I feel.

[00:31:32] So I think that ADHD for smart ass women, it's hilarious.

[00:31:36] It's unmasking just biases in medical research, but also empowering women to

[00:31:44] know how to manage finances and protect relationships and take something that used

[00:31:52] to be thought of as a negative and turn it into something positive.

[00:31:57] So I think that any book that can do all of those things is spectacular.

[00:32:01] Love it. Absolutely love it.

[00:32:03] Sounds like a great book.

[00:32:05] And I guarantee you, I know some women with ADHD.

[00:32:08] Oh boy. Yes. Yeah.

[00:32:09] Before we wrap up here, I believe that you have a gift for everyone in our audience.

[00:32:15] If they want to learn a little bit more about getting a book deal,

[00:32:20] would you like to share what that is?

[00:32:23] Yes.

[00:32:24] Oftentimes the biggest hurdle to getting a book deal is understanding the steps

[00:32:30] and avoiding taking massive detours.

[00:32:34] Sometimes those detours can be procrastinating or getting

[00:32:38] suckered into some class that is just you're spinning and you're thinking why?

[00:32:45] I and then at the end of the class, another step is revealed.

[00:32:50] And I don't love that kind of process.

[00:32:53] I'd rather give you the whole view of the roadmap.

[00:32:57] So if you're looking for a view of what the steps are, simple and clear,

[00:33:03] I provide you can go to my website and we'll have the link in the show notes.

[00:33:08] I'm sure. Yes.

[00:33:09] But get a step by step guide on how to get a book deal simple, easy so that you

[00:33:17] don't spend time swirling or going to a writer's retreat, which is essentially

[00:33:23] a vacation with people you don't know where you talk about books, but you don't

[00:33:27] necessarily move your nonfiction book closer to being in the world.

[00:33:34] Right.

[00:33:35] There are faster ways to do everything and I like speedy action and swift results.

[00:33:42] Excellent. Well, that sounds fabulous.

[00:33:45] I'm sure a lot of people will take you up on it.

[00:33:47] Alison Lane, thank you so much for being with me today and for sharing your

[00:33:54] knowledge of the marketing side of publishing a book and making sure that you

[00:34:02] have an audience for it.

[00:34:03] I know that everyone listening is going to find this really valuable.

[00:34:07] Well, it is my pleasure.

[00:34:09] And if there's one thing I can leave you with it is that for you, Suzanne,

[00:34:13] and for everyone out there, your book deserves to be in the world.

[00:34:17] And the people who truly are looking for you, they don't know where to find you,

[00:34:23] but you can find them because people look for their people.

[00:34:30] They self congregate.

[00:34:32] So they are always together and they are always banging a drum

[00:34:37] looking for the answers that you can provide.

[00:34:40] Yes.

[00:34:41] So just do the Google search.

[00:34:44] Ask Google what that person would ask and you will find exactly where they are.

[00:34:50] That's the first step.

[00:34:52] Love it. Getting your book deal.

[00:34:53] Love it. Well, everybody who's listening, you have gotten a lot of

[00:34:58] information out of our guest today, Alison Lane.

[00:35:02] And I hope that you've enjoyed it and I look forward to bringing you

[00:35:05] another guest very soon.

[00:35:08] Thank you for listening to All Things Authorpreneur.

[00:35:11] Head to iTunes and leave us a rating and review.