Sunday, April 23, 2017

Interview with Author Cathy Fyock



Cathy just published Blog 2 Book:  Repurposing Content to Discover the Book You’ve Already Written.  She was interviewed by Book Marketing Buzz Blog below:

1.      Cathy, what’s your book about?
My book, Blog2Book, is about how to discover the book you’ve already written! If you’ve been writing weekly blog posts for a year or more you likely have all the content you need for your first or next book. Or, if you’d like to begin a weekly blog and at the end of one year have the content for a book, then this book is for you!

2.      What inspired you to write it?
I attended the National Speakers Association convention this past summer, and within 24 hours at least four people came to me to discuss how they might turn the content of their blog posts into a book. I realized then that while many people intuitively know they have the content for a book when they’ve written a blog, it isn’t always evident how to do it. This book not only tells you how to do it, but it shows you. I’ve basically repurposed my past blog posts and parts of On Your Mark, then added some new content to create Blog2Book.

3.      You penned seven prior books. What draws you to writing?
It’s funny, but I really don’t enjoy the process of writing; I do love the benefits of having written! I know that a nonfiction book about my area of expertise can be an incredible business development tool for my speaking, coaching, and consulting practice.

My first five books were on human resource topics, since my first business—Innovative Management Concepts—was a human resources consulting firm. But since 2014, in conjunction with my new book coaching business, my books are focused on positioning me as The Business Book Strategist.

4.      What advice do you have for writers?
Just do it! I believe it is easy for writers—especially thought-leaders and professionals—to overthink their writing. My best advice is to WRITE! Develop a daily writing practice and keep at it. One of my favorite writing exercises I use with my group coaching clients is the writing sprint. I find an interesting photograph (courtesy of my friend and photographer Daniel Light) and ask writers to consider how the image interfaces with their topic. Set the timer. Don’t think; don’t edit. Just write.

5.      Where do you see book publishing heading?
Books will always be with us because they contain our stories—be they fiction or nonfiction. Stories are the way we educate, share insights, entertain and amuse, and create community. I expect books publishing to take on many forms and formats—electronic, paper, and audio, and perhaps more we haven’t even thought of.

6.      Just how does one turn blogs into books?
In order for a blog post to be book-worthy, it must pass several tests:
1.      Is the post current/relevant/evergreen?
2.      Does it reflect my current thinking on this topic?
3.      Does the book’s thesis fit with my current business strategy?
4.      Does the post fit with the overarching thesis?
5.      Is the post redundant?

This list of questions will allow the author to determine if the post fits in the book.

Perhaps one of the most important steps in creating a blog2book is in developing the overarching theme/thesis, and ensuring that each post is supportive of that thesis. By developing this in advance, one can repurpose many posts into book content.

7.      Why should authors blog?
There are so many reasons that blogging is good for authors! It keeps authors in a regular writing habit. It challenges authors to stay current and relevant regarding their topic/thesis. It helps develop new content for subsequent books or intellectual property. It keeps the author visible. It creates connection with the author’s tribe.

8.      What kind of planning is needed to ensure one’s blog posts are book worthy?
There are two kinds of blog posts: bricks and feathers. Bricks on the foundational principles of your topic and help the reader understand the issues at a deep level. Feathers are the fluff. While blog posts can be of both types, book content will likely be more bricks than feathers to provide value to the reader.

9.      Why do you say today’s author is a tribal leader?
Today’s nonfiction author needs to be a tribal leader if the goal is to establish thought-leadership. I love Seth Godin’s book, Tribes, in which he defines the essence of tribal leadership: connecting regularly with your tribe, providing for two-way communication, and engaging the hearts and the minds of readers.

10.  Why would someone turn a book into a blog?
I believe in repurposing your work. Maybe it’s because writing isn’t particularly easy or enjoyable for me that I want to squeeze every drop of benefit from the writing I generate. So, if I create new content for my coaching clients, I consider if this is content for a blog post (of course it is!) or for my next book. And conversely, when I write a new book, if I haven’t used the content in a blog post, then why not put that content to work? Again, I believe everything we write can and should be repurposed.

Cathy is a business book strategist who works with thought leaders and professionals who want to write a book as a business development strategy.  For more information, consult with her at www.CathyFyock.com.

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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2017©. Born and raised in Brooklyn, now resides in Westchester. Named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs 

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