“Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.” So goes the advice for which author and writing prof Anne Lamott named her classic instructional memoir.
Wise words if, like Lamott’s brother, you’re churning out a school report on ornithology. But the rest of us can learn a thing or two from her approach, too.
Writing a nonfiction manuscript is a big task. A year is a long stretch. At least one of those t... keep reading
Stylistically, writing is boundless. And yes, that applies to nonfiction too. Pick up a newspaper and compare the day’s editorial to a news segment, or even the sports section; they’re remarkably different in style, making each one a unique reading experience. So what’s the secret to bringing a distinctive flavour to your writing? It all starts with your authentic personality. Here are four great non-fiction writers who injected their personality into their writing to create a writing style that led to multi-dimensional classics that transport their readers to another world.
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“I want to turn my book into a website.” This was Robert Tercek, one of our clients, and author of the book Vaporized. And while his request seems ridiculous, it actually made perfect sense. Vaporized is about the transformation of physical objects into invisible data–in essence, the vaporization of those objects. Think about music: we started with live musician... keep reading
Working on your author platform means wearing a lot of hats, so consider this list of online author platform tools your preeminent hat-rack. Whether you’re looking for something to measure your metrics, automate your social media, find the perfect website template, or craft your book’s Amazon page, you should find it here. Of course, this list could never be exhaustive; instead, we’ve tried to pick the best of the bunch for each topic. These ones are our favourites, but if you find a particular tool doesn’t suit your needs, try doing a Google search to find one you like better. ... keep reading
Every January, the number one New Year’s resolution made by North Americans is to improve their health. In response, the media will soon unleash a torrent of detoxes and cleanses, all promising to leave us glowing after only two weeks of consuming nothing but asparagus water. However, most of these programs completely ignore an essential aspect of our wellbeing: the mind.
As every writer knows, a healthy mind leads to clarity of thought and productive writing sessions. Wait, scratch that. As every writer knows, an unhealthy mind leads to procrastination, indeci... keep reading
The holiday season brings with it many tidings of joy–as well as tides of panic when you realize you haven’t done your Christmas shopping. If you’re still looking to cross those names off your list, we’ve put together our very own LifeTree Holiday Gift Guide. Give the gift of knowledge this season–it sure beats more socks!
Is it possible to have too many books? We don’t think so–that’s why we’re still campaigning for shopping carts in bookstores. Still, you can only read so much, which is why we’ve decided to share the 10 must-read nonfiction books of 2015 (including our own biggest release, Vaporized). So if you need a new home for your bookmark, pick a book (or two [or 10]) and start reading! keep reading
“Can you get me on Oprah?” As a book publicist, I must have heard that line a hundred times. And while the Oprah Winfrey Show may be off the airwaves now, many authors are still hopeful that their book will grab headlines and land them on top-rated shows. Of course, this isn’t always possible. As a publicist I could never guarantee how much media attention a book will receive, but I have found ways to increase the odds in my authors’ favour. Here is what I look for when assessing a book’s media potential.
For LifeTree author Dr. Vanessa Lapointe, R. Psych, all the hard work is paying off. Her book, Discipline Without Damage (in stores January 15th, 2016) has already started receiving praise from notable c... keep reading
Ever wonder why some authors get to have great big features written about them, while others are lucky to get a brief mention? Of course, editors and TV producers all have their own ideas about what stories they want to cover, but very often, the depth of the coverage comes down to whether or not the subject gave them a kick-ass interview.
So how do you give a media interview that will keep a reporter hanging on your every word, and compel them to devote thousands of words to you? Here are our pr... keep reading
