I’ve been very, very successful at building probably the most recognizable, physically recognizable brand in personal development.
I have discovered that enemies will buy your books as much as your fans buy your books because they’re looking for something new to hate you for.
When I’m writing a book – say I’m going to write a parenting book. I’ll go out and buy the 100 top parenting books and I will read those, not so I can copy them for sure.
I understand what my brand is. My brand is not my information. My brand is me and what I say is secondary to who I am.
Don’t educate people; touch them emotionally. Remember that people want to be scared or they want to be made happy or they want to be made sad.
I think you have to read a lot. I think if you’re going to write about something you better have read at least 100 books on that topic.
You can’t write a book and just expect it to sell itself, you know. We’re not building that better mousetrap and waiting for the world to beat a path to our dear. You’ve got to build a market for your book.
The title’s more important than the book.
I write titles that are confrontational. I write titles that make people want to pick up a book and find out more about it. I write good books; I write great titles though.
I think everything in your life’s your own damn fault and that’s my simple philosophy in that, and I think you’re broke because you want to be just like you’re fat because you want to be or stupid because you want to be or unemployed, it must be because you want to be. Otherwise, it’d be different.
Most of the stats say that 90% of people who buy a book or check one out of a library would never get past the first chapter. To me, the title better say everything there is to say about the book.
I have people who buy my books just so they can sit them around and show them off because of the titles, especially the Shut Up, Stop Whining and the Grow a Pair. So the title is very, very important.
I’ve been very fortunate at having good titles but I just think in terms of titles. I’m doing a workshop now where people write books and they come and I name their books for them. I’m good with titles.
I looked at the fact that people were in such financial trouble I said well people are broke because they want to be.
The premise, to me, is the most important thing that you have to know going in. It’s the problem as you see it. So I write down the problem as I see it. That is the premise for my book.
I think shorter books are going to become more and more of the trend. So I don’t think you have to write big, big, long books.
I think it’s more helpful to keep your books sort of a singular focus. Get it said, get it said well, fascinate people with your words and then write another book.
If you’re selling information – and I have a lot of friends who write a lot of bestselling books and they’re selling information. They don’t need to have a picture on the cover at all because they are not important. They’re secondary to their information. To me, the information is secondary to me.
People don’t give a damn about you and they don’t give a damn about your story and they don’t give a damn about your content. They only give a damn that you, your content, your story can bring value to them.
No matter what I’m talking about, I can involve you into the story where you think it’s you doing it. You’re living it. I can remind you of things that went on in your life so you go, man I had that happen to me. I’ve been there. I’ve done that.