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The Author Training Manual: A Comprehensive Guide to Writing Books That Sell
If you want to write a book that's going to sell to both publishers and readers, you need to know how to produce a marketable work and help it become successful. It starts the moment you have an idea. That's when you begin thinking about the first elements of the business plan that will make your project the best it can be.
The reality is that you don't want to spend time and energy writing a book that will never get read. The way to avoid that is to create a business plan for your book, and evaluate it (and yourself) through the same lens that an agent or acquisitions editor would. The Author Training Manual will show you how to get more creative and start looking at your work with those high standards in mind.
Whether you're writing fiction or non-fiction, or intend to publish traditionally or self-publish, author Nina Amir will teach you how to conduct an effective competitive analysis for your work and do a better job at delivering the goods to readers than similar books that are already on the shelf.
Packed with step-by-step instructions, idea evaluations, sample business plans, editor and agent commentaries, and much more, The Author Training Manual provides the information you need to transform from aspiring writer to career author.
The reality is that you don't want to spend time and energy writing a book that will never get read. The way to avoid that is to create a business plan for your book, and evaluate it (and yourself) through the same lens that an agent or acquisitions editor would. The Author Training Manual will show you how to get more creative and start looking at your work with those high standards in mind.
Whether you're writing fiction or non-fiction, or intend to publish traditionally or self-publish, author Nina Amir will teach you how to conduct an effective competitive analysis for your work and do a better job at delivering the goods to readers than similar books that are already on the shelf.
Packed with step-by-step instructions, idea evaluations, sample business plans, editor and agent commentaries, and much more, The Author Training Manual provides the information you need to transform from aspiring writer to career author.
395 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 18, 2014
38 people are currently reading
411 people want to read
About the author
Nina Amir
28 books72 followersNina Amir is an Amazon bestselling author of such books as How to Blog a Book, The Author Training Manual and Creative Visualization for Writers (October 2016). She is known as the Inspiration to Creation Coach because she helps writers, bloggers and other creative people combine their passion and purpose so they move from idea to inspired action and Achieve More Inspired Results. This helps them positively and meaningfully impact the world—with their words or other creations.
Nina is a hybrid author who has self-published 18 books and had as many as nine books on Amazon Top 100 lists and six on the same bestseller list (Authorship) at the same time.
As an Author Coach, Nina supports writers on the journey to successful authorship. Some of her clients have sold 300,000+ copies of their books, landed deals with major publishing houses and created thriving businesses around their books. She is the creator of a proprietary Author Training curriculum for writers and other coaches.
Nina is an international speaker and award-winning journalist and blogger as well as the founder of National Nonfiction Writing Month and the Nonfiction Writers’ University.
She also is one of 300 elite Certified High Performance Coaches working around the world and she specializes in helping writers increase their clarity, courage, energy, influence, and productivity.
For more information, visit www.ninaamir.com.
Nina is a hybrid author who has self-published 18 books and had as many as nine books on Amazon Top 100 lists and six on the same bestseller list (Authorship) at the same time.
As an Author Coach, Nina supports writers on the journey to successful authorship. Some of her clients have sold 300,000+ copies of their books, landed deals with major publishing houses and created thriving businesses around their books. She is the creator of a proprietary Author Training curriculum for writers and other coaches.
Nina is an international speaker and award-winning journalist and blogger as well as the founder of National Nonfiction Writing Month and the Nonfiction Writers’ University.
She also is one of 300 elite Certified High Performance Coaches working around the world and she specializes in helping writers increase their clarity, courage, energy, influence, and productivity.
For more information, visit www.ninaamir.com.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
March 20, 2014
I really liked this book and I feel it contained a lot of useful and immediately practicable information. There was a fourth star in there, but it was lost to the overbearing and somewhat frenetic voice. At the risk of sounding uncharitable, I sometimes felt like I was watching one of those pitchmen info-mercials where the guy is revolving breathlessly through the demonstration of some type of soap.
Ms. Amir is obviously an authority in her field. I recommend this book. If you need someone to lift you up by the seat of your trousers and hustle you to your word processor yelling, "go, go, go", you'll get even more out of it than I did. My temperament is more equable. My method of study more deliberate. That doesn't mean it's a bad book. Quite the contrary.
Ms. Amir is obviously an authority in her field. I recommend this book. If you need someone to lift you up by the seat of your trousers and hustle you to your word processor yelling, "go, go, go", you'll get even more out of it than I did. My temperament is more equable. My method of study more deliberate. That doesn't mean it's a bad book. Quite the contrary.
August 10, 2014
(Received for free through Goodreads' First Reads program.)
This book has some good advice: look realistically at what you'd like to accomplish, write a business plan, plan your book so that it will appeal to the best/widest/hottest audience, have a platform/marketing plan already in the works, etc. Overall, I think I'll keep the book and may refer to it, which got it into 2-star territory.
However, I felt that the book had many drawbacks, both in structure, style, and in the author's choice of content. The author states in her introduction that this is the only manual you'll ever need to go from aspiring author to published author, but I was left feeling like I needed to read 10 more books to learn how to accomplish everything this book told me I needed to do.
Also, I'm never fully convinced the author proved her expertise. The text is peppered with descriptions of how this program has helped her clients, but these feel rootless: there's no results mentioned. Yes, the clients felt they gained a lot and now they have five more books planned, but have any of those books actually been published? Are those clients "successful published authors"? We can't tell.
Some specific thoughts:
- The actual book text is ~170 pages, followed by ~30 pages of sample book proposals marked up by agents and acquisitions editors and ~40 pages of exercises - long lists of questions which were moderately repetitive with the book text itself. Including the exercises in the chapters would have reduced repetition, and discussing the sample proposals and their comments more in depth would have been helpful.
- The author's inclusion of agents/editors comments on book proposals was helpful, but rather cringe-inducing and also not well-integrated into the book. The proposals themselves had some obvious errors/vagueness/over-reaching in them that even I (after reading the book) could see, and which the agents/editors immediately caught and pointed out, saying that it made the submitter look inexperienced/unqualified. There was no proposal included that the responders thought looked GOOD. Nearly all of them were suggesting that these books being pitched should be self-published. Instead of using these proposals as a teaching lesson ("see, this is how many competing titles should be included", etc.), the author didn't comment on the editors/agents comments at all, but instead just stuck the whole thing in the back of the book with very little discussion. I found this very odd, and the entire section ended up being a good description of how you should NOT write your proposal....without a good example of how you SHOULD.
- The book is supposedly aimed at traditional, indie, and self-publishing writers of both fiction and nonfiction. I really felt like the book SAID it wanted me (fiction, self-publishing) as an audience but then failed to talk to me except as an afterthought, as if the book was originally for nonfiction writers and then the angle-change to include fiction was pasted on later.
- Finally, one huge thing that left me unsatisfied: In a book about using the book proposal structure to evaluate your book idea, why not include a chapter outlining the format for a book proposal? When it came time to describe how someone should put all this work they'd done into an actual book proposal, the author actually points to her website for the info (which appears to be fairly scattered in multiple blog posts) OR to two other books (for sale), THEN gives quite a hard sell for sending your proposal to an editor (like her!) because (direct quote) "The average author does not know what belongs in a book proposal, how it should read, or how it should be formatted." But...isn't...that...what the book I just read...was supposed to teach me? But now I need to go buy another book or pay someone else to do it for me...because you won't even tell me what the FORMAT should look like? ...Really? It struck me as odd and half-done, to leave the reader with all this background work done and then not help them go through the obvious next step.
This book has some good advice: look realistically at what you'd like to accomplish, write a business plan, plan your book so that it will appeal to the best/widest/hottest audience, have a platform/marketing plan already in the works, etc. Overall, I think I'll keep the book and may refer to it, which got it into 2-star territory.
However, I felt that the book had many drawbacks, both in structure, style, and in the author's choice of content. The author states in her introduction that this is the only manual you'll ever need to go from aspiring author to published author, but I was left feeling like I needed to read 10 more books to learn how to accomplish everything this book told me I needed to do.
Also, I'm never fully convinced the author proved her expertise. The text is peppered with descriptions of how this program has helped her clients, but these feel rootless: there's no results mentioned. Yes, the clients felt they gained a lot and now they have five more books planned, but have any of those books actually been published? Are those clients "successful published authors"? We can't tell.
Some specific thoughts:
- The actual book text is ~170 pages, followed by ~30 pages of sample book proposals marked up by agents and acquisitions editors and ~40 pages of exercises - long lists of questions which were moderately repetitive with the book text itself. Including the exercises in the chapters would have reduced repetition, and discussing the sample proposals and their comments more in depth would have been helpful.
- The author's inclusion of agents/editors comments on book proposals was helpful, but rather cringe-inducing and also not well-integrated into the book. The proposals themselves had some obvious errors/vagueness/over-reaching in them that even I (after reading the book) could see, and which the agents/editors immediately caught and pointed out, saying that it made the submitter look inexperienced/unqualified. There was no proposal included that the responders thought looked GOOD. Nearly all of them were suggesting that these books being pitched should be self-published. Instead of using these proposals as a teaching lesson ("see, this is how many competing titles should be included", etc.), the author didn't comment on the editors/agents comments at all, but instead just stuck the whole thing in the back of the book with very little discussion. I found this very odd, and the entire section ended up being a good description of how you should NOT write your proposal....without a good example of how you SHOULD.
- The book is supposedly aimed at traditional, indie, and self-publishing writers of both fiction and nonfiction. I really felt like the book SAID it wanted me (fiction, self-publishing) as an audience but then failed to talk to me except as an afterthought, as if the book was originally for nonfiction writers and then the angle-change to include fiction was pasted on later.
- Finally, one huge thing that left me unsatisfied: In a book about using the book proposal structure to evaluate your book idea, why not include a chapter outlining the format for a book proposal? When it came time to describe how someone should put all this work they'd done into an actual book proposal, the author actually points to her website for the info (which appears to be fairly scattered in multiple blog posts) OR to two other books (for sale), THEN gives quite a hard sell for sending your proposal to an editor (like her!) because (direct quote) "The average author does not know what belongs in a book proposal, how it should read, or how it should be formatted." But...isn't...that...what the book I just read...was supposed to teach me? But now I need to go buy another book or pay someone else to do it for me...because you won't even tell me what the FORMAT should look like? ...Really? It struck me as odd and half-done, to leave the reader with all this background work done and then not help them go through the obvious next step.
September 8, 2017
Officially creating a DNF shelf and adding this one to it.
After a two-year hiatus from this book, I have finally accepted what I knew long ago -- I am not going back. And having it sit half-finished has held me back from pursuing other writing exercise books for far too long. It is time to move on.
I was initially excited about this book that tackles the more "business-y" side of writing and being an author, and I read and did the exercises diligently for the first several chapters. But the questions end up being incredibly repetitive and the exercises uninspiring, until my dread of returning to it led to the long break while I coped with the fact that this "finisher" was not going to finish this book.
I guess I'll have to find some other way to train as an author.
After a two-year hiatus from this book, I have finally accepted what I knew long ago -- I am not going back. And having it sit half-finished has held me back from pursuing other writing exercise books for far too long. It is time to move on.
I was initially excited about this book that tackles the more "business-y" side of writing and being an author, and I read and did the exercises diligently for the first several chapters. But the questions end up being incredibly repetitive and the exercises uninspiring, until my dread of returning to it led to the long break while I coped with the fact that this "finisher" was not going to finish this book.
I guess I'll have to find some other way to train as an author.
April 24, 2014
When I read about this book, I immediately thought to myself, "I really need to read that." I have been struggling to write and finish my own first novel for years now...with a ton of starts and stops...and self doubt. Amir states in the book that you have to have the right attitude/mindset if you're planning on pursuing a career as an author and one major component of that mindset is optimism. I feel I do have that. So, one step ahead. However, Amir outlines in this terrific book that we must be open to every aspect of the process of becoming a successful author. Not just the writing of the book itself, but the business side of the book. The book proposal for agents/publishers (yes, you even need one for fiction authorship), as well as finding out if what you are writing about is going to sell. Will people want to read what you are writing? Now this all may sound too structured or business-like for the more creative brains out there, but the concept she outlines in the book is solid.
After the introductory section of the book which introduces the concepts, you then move on to chapters that are 'steps' in the manual. After that, there are exercises to help you complete each step and a section of samples (book proposals, etc.). I haven't had a chance to work through the entire book yet, but you can bet that I will be starting now. That's is a major concept in the book..."define your success and set your goals" and "create a plan for your goals" and break those goals down into "signposts" or "landmarks" by adding a timestamp. For example: "Publish my first novel with a traditional imprint by May 31, 2016."
In my opinion, The Author Training Manual is an essential tool for any writer's toolbox. I can't wait to get to work on what Amir has outlined in this inspiring book!
After the introductory section of the book which introduces the concepts, you then move on to chapters that are 'steps' in the manual. After that, there are exercises to help you complete each step and a section of samples (book proposals, etc.). I haven't had a chance to work through the entire book yet, but you can bet that I will be starting now. That's is a major concept in the book..."define your success and set your goals" and "create a plan for your goals" and break those goals down into "signposts" or "landmarks" by adding a timestamp. For example: "Publish my first novel with a traditional imprint by May 31, 2016."
In my opinion, The Author Training Manual is an essential tool for any writer's toolbox. I can't wait to get to work on what Amir has outlined in this inspiring book!
May 1, 2014
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/book-tou...
Since I’m an author, I had to pick up The Author Training Manual for review. Even if one is already published, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing left to learn. The Author Training Manual helps authors come up with book proposals (which was useful since I had to write one for a publisher, and I’d never done that before) and uses the book proposal as a starting point to determine whether your manuscript is saleable or not, and if so, how you must market it.
The book is filled with solid tips and tricks, about how to get the right motivation of writing, how to market your book, and how to turn yourself from a writer into an author and launch your career. Nina Amir’s knowledge about the subject is substantial, and she brings it in a structured, well-researched way. The worksheets were my favorites – they were like some “call to action”, a reason not to just read the book, but to start implementing its advice.
While the advice in the book is great, the writing itself was a little dry at times. I struggled through the first chapters, because it took a while to get used to the writing style, which didn’t really lure me in. The interesting facts and pieces of advice make up for most of that though, but I felt the writing itself could’ve been better.
If you’re an author, or aspiring author, you should give this book a shot. It taught me a great deal, and I’m confident other authors will learn from it as well.
Since I’m an author, I had to pick up The Author Training Manual for review. Even if one is already published, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing left to learn. The Author Training Manual helps authors come up with book proposals (which was useful since I had to write one for a publisher, and I’d never done that before) and uses the book proposal as a starting point to determine whether your manuscript is saleable or not, and if so, how you must market it.
The book is filled with solid tips and tricks, about how to get the right motivation of writing, how to market your book, and how to turn yourself from a writer into an author and launch your career. Nina Amir’s knowledge about the subject is substantial, and she brings it in a structured, well-researched way. The worksheets were my favorites – they were like some “call to action”, a reason not to just read the book, but to start implementing its advice.
While the advice in the book is great, the writing itself was a little dry at times. I struggled through the first chapters, because it took a while to get used to the writing style, which didn’t really lure me in. The interesting facts and pieces of advice make up for most of that though, but I felt the writing itself could’ve been better.
If you’re an author, or aspiring author, you should give this book a shot. It taught me a great deal, and I’m confident other authors will learn from it as well.
December 8, 2014
An estimated 80 percent of people want to write a book, and have no idea where to start, are you part of that 80 percent and think you have a book inside you waiting for writing, but where to start?
Nina Amir’s The Author Training Manual is the first step to writing your book if you are serious
about finally writing and publishing your book. It shows you how to evaluate yourself and your book for success.
The first thing is to attain an author’s attitude, which The Author Training Manual will help you develop.
The Author Training Manual offers the reader steps in achieving an author’s mindset while evaluating your book’s chances for success.
Unfortunately, you will also learn that writing is a competitive business and you will have to earn the business aspects of publishing that The Author Training Manual explains in simple to understand language that all writers need to know if you want your book published.
Whether you are a novice or seasoned writer, The Author Training Manual is a ready reference manual for determining the viability for your book’s success.
Before you begin writing your book, pick up a copy of The Author Training Manual by Nina Amir, develop your Author’s mental attitude, evaluate your book’s chances for success, and then start writing you next great novel or nonfiction book.
The Author Training Manual receives five out of five stars with a required reading recommendation for anyone who believes there is a book inside them.
Nina Amir’s The Author Training Manual is the first step to writing your book if you are serious
about finally writing and publishing your book. It shows you how to evaluate yourself and your book for success.
The first thing is to attain an author’s attitude, which The Author Training Manual will help you develop.
The Author Training Manual offers the reader steps in achieving an author’s mindset while evaluating your book’s chances for success.
Unfortunately, you will also learn that writing is a competitive business and you will have to earn the business aspects of publishing that The Author Training Manual explains in simple to understand language that all writers need to know if you want your book published.
Whether you are a novice or seasoned writer, The Author Training Manual is a ready reference manual for determining the viability for your book’s success.
Before you begin writing your book, pick up a copy of The Author Training Manual by Nina Amir, develop your Author’s mental attitude, evaluate your book’s chances for success, and then start writing you next great novel or nonfiction book.
The Author Training Manual receives five out of five stars with a required reading recommendation for anyone who believes there is a book inside them.
March 24, 2014
The author, Nina Amir, covers everything from building a winning attitude, to evaluating your book and its market so you can publish successfully. Truthfully, a lot of the motivational stuff was very familiar, but it certainly didn't harm to hear it again.
What I really liked about the book, though, is that it comes with worksheets. Now I'm not a great 'worksheeter', lacking the necessary patience to make them sing for me. This time I have been meticulous, and guess what? Surprise, surprise, I got TONS from the process.
What I really liked about the book, though, is that it comes with worksheets. Now I'm not a great 'worksheeter', lacking the necessary patience to make them sing for me. This time I have been meticulous, and guess what? Surprise, surprise, I got TONS from the process.
December 1, 2016
I can only recommend this book highly. Whether you plan to submit your book to a publisher, or plan to become an indie author, this manual is truly about crafting your book so it is marketable, even before you write it. It also tells you what publishers look for in a proposal (aka your marketing plan) so you don't have to keep shooting blanks in the air.
More than a textbook, it's a workbook, so you can apply what you learn to your own work as you go along. I repeat: highly recommended.
More than a textbook, it's a workbook, so you can apply what you learn to your own work as you go along. I repeat: highly recommended.
December 12, 2020
I really cannot recommend Nina Amir's book strongly enough. My first reaction is that I already "knew" this stuff, and while I understood the steps fairly well, her pragmatic and practical advice is well thought out and highly valuable.
Based on using here work here, I have completed my book proposal and am shopping for an agent and/or publisher
Writing a book is only the first part, if you cannot get it into print and sold, it is of little value. Nina's book increases the likelihood of you moving from "wannabe" author to an actual one.
GMS
Based on using here work here, I have completed my book proposal and am shopping for an agent and/or publisher
Writing a book is only the first part, if you cannot get it into print and sold, it is of little value. Nina's book increases the likelihood of you moving from "wannabe" author to an actual one.
GMS
November 10, 2020
This is the best training manual for writers I have ever come across. It gives step-by-step instructions for every writer to be able to have a successful book. I found every step of the process helpful in preparing my manuscript for a traditional publisher.
April 2, 2019
Great advice, suggestions, checklists. A lot to consider from the perspective of author branding, book launches, publishing (either traditional or independent).
March 28, 2014
About the Book:
Anyone can publish a book and become an "author," but if you want to become a successful author with a profitable publishing career, you need a clear, step-by-step guide to help you develop book ideas that sell. In "The Author Training Manual," expert editor and book coach Nina Amir reveals the exact process successful authors have used to create business plans and proposals for their books and teaches you how to view your ideas through the eyes of acquisitions editors and literary agents.
Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, plan to traditionally publish or self-publish, "The Author Training Manual" provides you with the tools you need to achieve your goals and become the author publishers want. Inside you'll find concrete steps, evaluations, sample business plans, in-depth training activities, editor and agent commentaries, and much more--all designed to help you stand out, from the slush pile to the shelf.
About the Author:
Nina Amir, Inspiration-to-Creation Coach, inspires people to combine their purpose and passion so they Achieve More Inspired Results. She motivates writers and non-writers to create publishable and published products and careers as authors as well as to achieve their goals, fulfill their purpose and live inspired lives.
The author of How to Blog a Book: How to Write, Publish and Promote Your Work One Post at a Time (Writer's Digest Books), Amir is a nonfiction editor, book proposal and blogging consultant, blog-to-book coach, and book and author coach with more than 33 years of experience in the publishing field. She also is the founder of Write Nonfiction in November, a blog and challenge. She writes five blogs, including Write Nonfiction NOW!, How to Blog a Book and As the Spirit Moves Me, and two national Examiner.com columns. Additionally, she is the regular writing and publishing expert on the popular radio show, Dresser After Dark (www.dresserafterdark.com), hosted by Michael Ray Dresser, which has approximately 80,000 listeners per month.
Amir lives in the Santa Cruz Mountains above Los Gatos, CA.
My Review:
An ultimate dream of mine is to one day write children's books. I myself have a had a hard time finding the information to even try to accomplish this goal. Nina Amir, sensed a need for a book that is all inclusive for anyone to achieve this goal whether they are wanted to get published or have had a hard time getting published.
But with that being said, anyone could learn a thing or two from this manual. She assists you from all angles whether you want to self publish or your desire is to go to a publishing house, this manual can help. The manual has three major components that it addresses, I have outlined them below:
Manual: Provided for teaching not writing exactly but how to be more effective overall.
Samples: Through the samples provided you can learn learn more about proposals and how to properly submit them.
Training Exercises: Exercises, evaluations, and questions used to accompany whats in the manual, to give you a road map to achieve your goals.
Many times, alot of us will not reach these goals without mentors. Thats why its very important for those in the business come along side to teach us and show us the way to our dream.
**Disclosure** This book was sent to free of charge for my honest review from the publisher.
Anyone can publish a book and become an "author," but if you want to become a successful author with a profitable publishing career, you need a clear, step-by-step guide to help you develop book ideas that sell. In "The Author Training Manual," expert editor and book coach Nina Amir reveals the exact process successful authors have used to create business plans and proposals for their books and teaches you how to view your ideas through the eyes of acquisitions editors and literary agents.
Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, plan to traditionally publish or self-publish, "The Author Training Manual" provides you with the tools you need to achieve your goals and become the author publishers want. Inside you'll find concrete steps, evaluations, sample business plans, in-depth training activities, editor and agent commentaries, and much more--all designed to help you stand out, from the slush pile to the shelf.
About the Author:
Nina Amir, Inspiration-to-Creation Coach, inspires people to combine their purpose and passion so they Achieve More Inspired Results. She motivates writers and non-writers to create publishable and published products and careers as authors as well as to achieve their goals, fulfill their purpose and live inspired lives.
The author of How to Blog a Book: How to Write, Publish and Promote Your Work One Post at a Time (Writer's Digest Books), Amir is a nonfiction editor, book proposal and blogging consultant, blog-to-book coach, and book and author coach with more than 33 years of experience in the publishing field. She also is the founder of Write Nonfiction in November, a blog and challenge. She writes five blogs, including Write Nonfiction NOW!, How to Blog a Book and As the Spirit Moves Me, and two national Examiner.com columns. Additionally, she is the regular writing and publishing expert on the popular radio show, Dresser After Dark (www.dresserafterdark.com), hosted by Michael Ray Dresser, which has approximately 80,000 listeners per month.
Amir lives in the Santa Cruz Mountains above Los Gatos, CA.
My Review:
An ultimate dream of mine is to one day write children's books. I myself have a had a hard time finding the information to even try to accomplish this goal. Nina Amir, sensed a need for a book that is all inclusive for anyone to achieve this goal whether they are wanted to get published or have had a hard time getting published.
But with that being said, anyone could learn a thing or two from this manual. She assists you from all angles whether you want to self publish or your desire is to go to a publishing house, this manual can help. The manual has three major components that it addresses, I have outlined them below:
Manual: Provided for teaching not writing exactly but how to be more effective overall.
Samples: Through the samples provided you can learn learn more about proposals and how to properly submit them.
Training Exercises: Exercises, evaluations, and questions used to accompany whats in the manual, to give you a road map to achieve your goals.
Many times, alot of us will not reach these goals without mentors. Thats why its very important for those in the business come along side to teach us and show us the way to our dream.
**Disclosure** This book was sent to free of charge for my honest review from the publisher.
January 4, 2016
Other reviewers have called The Author Training Manual a must-read, and I have to agree. Nina Amir has compiled a great amount of research, experience, and real-life samples that can help any other, self-published, traditionally published, or aspiring, to succeed.
The manual outlines nine steps that authors should take to achieve their goals. Some of the steps feel more obvious, such as figuring out the benefits of your book and why people will buy it, as well as structuring the content. But other steps can really help authors stand out from the crowd, such as writing out your intentions and sticking with your goals, determining how to make the best use of your time, and thoroughly researching your target market and topic. When writing book proposals, having done research is key to getting the attention of agents and publishers, but it’s not always clear to aspiring writers what information is important to mention. And for self-publishers, having a clear book proposal is the equivalent of having a business plan, which helps to outline budgets and strategy and takes a lot of the stress out of a book’s launch.
Though many of the steps seem to easily apply to nonfiction books, Nina often goes into detail on how to apply the plan to fiction books and memoirs, which makes the manual valuable to all types of writers. She also stresses getting an author attitude in order to have the best chance of success. She created an acronym, WOOT, for the four characteristics of an author attitude: willingness, optimism, objectivity, and tenacity.
Included in each step are lots of other resources and helpful books, as well as examples of Nina’s students who followed her advice and took their writing careers to the next level. Nina even specifies what changes she made to The Author Training Manual, both during the editing process and before the book was picked for publication.
Though it’s great to read through the manual, it’s also very valuable that writers can easily flip through to whatever step they may be on when working on their own book proposals. Nina includes a list of exercises for each step that breaks down what needs to be done, and makes the whole process feel very do-able.
Additionally, the book has four samples of book proposals and business plans with detailed feedback from agents and acquisition editors. For aspiring writers, these comments can really help show what people in the publishing industry are looking for. It can also help indie authors see how to create a clear plan.
I fully intend to use The Author Training Manual for my future books, at least as a business plan. Being able to work on small chunks at a time and have a concrete plan for book promotion and marketing will really save me time and money, and help me better know what works and what doesn’t. For all writers of book-length works, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Nina Amir’s The Author Training Manual.
The manual outlines nine steps that authors should take to achieve their goals. Some of the steps feel more obvious, such as figuring out the benefits of your book and why people will buy it, as well as structuring the content. But other steps can really help authors stand out from the crowd, such as writing out your intentions and sticking with your goals, determining how to make the best use of your time, and thoroughly researching your target market and topic. When writing book proposals, having done research is key to getting the attention of agents and publishers, but it’s not always clear to aspiring writers what information is important to mention. And for self-publishers, having a clear book proposal is the equivalent of having a business plan, which helps to outline budgets and strategy and takes a lot of the stress out of a book’s launch.
Though many of the steps seem to easily apply to nonfiction books, Nina often goes into detail on how to apply the plan to fiction books and memoirs, which makes the manual valuable to all types of writers. She also stresses getting an author attitude in order to have the best chance of success. She created an acronym, WOOT, for the four characteristics of an author attitude: willingness, optimism, objectivity, and tenacity.
Included in each step are lots of other resources and helpful books, as well as examples of Nina’s students who followed her advice and took their writing careers to the next level. Nina even specifies what changes she made to The Author Training Manual, both during the editing process and before the book was picked for publication.
Though it’s great to read through the manual, it’s also very valuable that writers can easily flip through to whatever step they may be on when working on their own book proposals. Nina includes a list of exercises for each step that breaks down what needs to be done, and makes the whole process feel very do-able.
Additionally, the book has four samples of book proposals and business plans with detailed feedback from agents and acquisition editors. For aspiring writers, these comments can really help show what people in the publishing industry are looking for. It can also help indie authors see how to create a clear plan.
I fully intend to use The Author Training Manual for my future books, at least as a business plan. Being able to work on small chunks at a time and have a concrete plan for book promotion and marketing will really save me time and money, and help me better know what works and what doesn’t. For all writers of book-length works, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Nina Amir’s The Author Training Manual.
July 7, 2014
Last week my husband painted our living room with nary a grumble. How did I manage this miraculous feat?
Well, I promised to go through my bookshelves and weed out some of the books. Like most writers I am slightly addicted to writer how-to books. Reading them, jotting notes in the margins, marking pages with Post-It notes. Because one of those books will contain the magical advice that makes me an award-winning author. Due to the deal I made with my husband I did donate a few of my writer books to a used book sale. But I couldn't part with Nina Amir's How to Blog a Book and her latest The Author Training Manual.
One of the best things about The Author Training Manual is that Nina manages to be both friend and teacher. One the one hand she'll telling you "here are the things I did wrong," "here are the things I thought" and most importantly, "here are the changes I made." As I read I'm saying, "OMG, I felt that same way! I did that same thing!" So you look at Nina, now a successful author, and say "Hey, if I do what Nina did I could become a successful author too!"
But Nina isn't all about being a friend. She's a tough teacher too (reminds me of a few nuns I had in years past). Happily, The Author Training Manual is very specific. She doesn't just tell you to check out the competition. She tells you step by step how to do it. Nina doesn't leave you to your own devices (writers do tend to procrastinate). Set deadlines! Answer these survey questions! Follow this book planning outline. It's like writer boot camp! Perhaps it is more accurate to call it an author boot camp. The Author Training Manual helps you to plan both how to create the best book possible and how to become the most effective author. It helps you plan in an orderly way while your book is still just an idea. In fact, it way help you decide which of your ideas should become a book.
The Author Training Manual is crammed with extras: planning exercises, sample book proposals, questionaires, and additional reading lists for each chapter. Trust me, The Author Training Manual is one book I will never get rid of--even if my husband promises to paint the entire house!
Well, I promised to go through my bookshelves and weed out some of the books. Like most writers I am slightly addicted to writer how-to books. Reading them, jotting notes in the margins, marking pages with Post-It notes. Because one of those books will contain the magical advice that makes me an award-winning author. Due to the deal I made with my husband I did donate a few of my writer books to a used book sale. But I couldn't part with Nina Amir's How to Blog a Book and her latest The Author Training Manual.
One of the best things about The Author Training Manual is that Nina manages to be both friend and teacher. One the one hand she'll telling you "here are the things I did wrong," "here are the things I thought" and most importantly, "here are the changes I made." As I read I'm saying, "OMG, I felt that same way! I did that same thing!" So you look at Nina, now a successful author, and say "Hey, if I do what Nina did I could become a successful author too!"
But Nina isn't all about being a friend. She's a tough teacher too (reminds me of a few nuns I had in years past). Happily, The Author Training Manual is very specific. She doesn't just tell you to check out the competition. She tells you step by step how to do it. Nina doesn't leave you to your own devices (writers do tend to procrastinate). Set deadlines! Answer these survey questions! Follow this book planning outline. It's like writer boot camp! Perhaps it is more accurate to call it an author boot camp. The Author Training Manual helps you to plan both how to create the best book possible and how to become the most effective author. It helps you plan in an orderly way while your book is still just an idea. In fact, it way help you decide which of your ideas should become a book.
The Author Training Manual is crammed with extras: planning exercises, sample book proposals, questionaires, and additional reading lists for each chapter. Trust me, The Author Training Manual is one book I will never get rid of--even if my husband promises to paint the entire house!
July 16, 2014
In the midst of an industry in flux, The Author Training Manual stands out as a port in the storm for writers who aspire to become published authors. Nina Amir brings her vast knowledge and experience in publishing to this comprehensive and practical guide. She provides writers of all levels with a road map to becoming a successful published author.
The main thread running through the manual is the development of an “Author’s Attitude” which entails the following essential characteristics: Willingness, Optimism, Objectivity and Tenacity. WOOT! She weaves this thread throughout the nine steps to take to map your road to success: #1 Develop Author Attitude and Plan for Success, #2 Know Your Book and Why Someone Would Want to Buy It, #3Analyze How Many People Really Might Buy Your Book, #4 Compare the Competition and Discover If Your Idea is Unique, #5 Examine the Structure of the Book, #6 Decide If Your Book’s Content Matches Your Initial Vision, #7 Discover Ways to Brand Yourself and Earn More Money, #8 Weigh Whether You are the Best Person to Write This Book…Now,#9 Gauge If You Make Good Publishing Partner or Indie Publisher.
The manual is well-crafted and well-researched. With clarity and credibility, Nina provides specific tools for successful publication, blending both the creative and business aspects of writing and publishing.
Key aspects of this manual that I appreciated the most:
1. An experienced, inspirational voice that generated positive energy.
2. A thorough, researched–based description of current publishing trends.
3. A step-by-step guide with specific training exercises which provided the groundwork for a book proposal.
4. A section on publishing decisions and marketing plans.
5. Sample book proposals and business plans with in-depth agent feedback
6. Examples of student feedback to various steps.
7. A detailed index at the end.
I highly recommend this generous and valuable resource to any writer who wishes to find success in the publication process or to any published author who wishes to fine–tune their business plan.
The main thread running through the manual is the development of an “Author’s Attitude” which entails the following essential characteristics: Willingness, Optimism, Objectivity and Tenacity. WOOT! She weaves this thread throughout the nine steps to take to map your road to success: #1 Develop Author Attitude and Plan for Success, #2 Know Your Book and Why Someone Would Want to Buy It, #3Analyze How Many People Really Might Buy Your Book, #4 Compare the Competition and Discover If Your Idea is Unique, #5 Examine the Structure of the Book, #6 Decide If Your Book’s Content Matches Your Initial Vision, #7 Discover Ways to Brand Yourself and Earn More Money, #8 Weigh Whether You are the Best Person to Write This Book…Now,#9 Gauge If You Make Good Publishing Partner or Indie Publisher.
The manual is well-crafted and well-researched. With clarity and credibility, Nina provides specific tools for successful publication, blending both the creative and business aspects of writing and publishing.
Key aspects of this manual that I appreciated the most:
1. An experienced, inspirational voice that generated positive energy.
2. A thorough, researched–based description of current publishing trends.
3. A step-by-step guide with specific training exercises which provided the groundwork for a book proposal.
4. A section on publishing decisions and marketing plans.
5. Sample book proposals and business plans with in-depth agent feedback
6. Examples of student feedback to various steps.
7. A detailed index at the end.
I highly recommend this generous and valuable resource to any writer who wishes to find success in the publication process or to any published author who wishes to fine–tune their business plan.
April 30, 2014
In The Author Training Manual, author and expert editor and book coach Nina Amir provides aspiring writers with a clear step-by-step guide loaded with important tools and practical techniques that will guide them to achieve their goal of becoming a successfully published author.
Nina stresses that in order to succeed, the author has to view their book as a business, not just a creative endeavor, and as such it is important to create a business plan and proposals for their books that will get them out of the slush file, noticed by literary agents and acquisition editors, and on the bookstore shelf.
The Author Training Manual is the ultimate reference guide with sample business plans, nine important steps to create, publish, market, and promote your book, evaluations and training activities, current publishing trends, and in-depth editor and agent feedback.
The author stresses that the author has to develop an author attitude with essential characteristics: WOOT!
* Willingness
* Optimism
* Objectivity
* Tenacity
Finally, if the author follows the nine steps on their journey, they'll be on their way to becoming a successfully published author!
* Develop Author Attitude and Plan for Success.
* Know Your Book and Why Someone Would Want To Buy It.
* Analyze How Many People Really Might Buy Your Book.
* Compare the Competition and Discover If Your Idea is Unique.
* Examine the Structure of the Book.
* Decide if Your Book's Content Matches Your Initial Vision.
* Discover Ways to Brand Yourself and Earn More Money.
* Weigh Whether You are the Best Person to Write This Book
* Gauge If You Make a Good Publishing Partner or Indie Publisher.
The Author Training Manual is a must have reference guide for all aspiring and established authors!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Pump Up Your Book! Virtual Book Publicity Tours.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
Nina stresses that in order to succeed, the author has to view their book as a business, not just a creative endeavor, and as such it is important to create a business plan and proposals for their books that will get them out of the slush file, noticed by literary agents and acquisition editors, and on the bookstore shelf.
The Author Training Manual is the ultimate reference guide with sample business plans, nine important steps to create, publish, market, and promote your book, evaluations and training activities, current publishing trends, and in-depth editor and agent feedback.
The author stresses that the author has to develop an author attitude with essential characteristics: WOOT!
* Willingness
* Optimism
* Objectivity
* Tenacity
Finally, if the author follows the nine steps on their journey, they'll be on their way to becoming a successfully published author!
* Develop Author Attitude and Plan for Success.
* Know Your Book and Why Someone Would Want To Buy It.
* Analyze How Many People Really Might Buy Your Book.
* Compare the Competition and Discover If Your Idea is Unique.
* Examine the Structure of the Book.
* Decide if Your Book's Content Matches Your Initial Vision.
* Discover Ways to Brand Yourself and Earn More Money.
* Weigh Whether You are the Best Person to Write This Book
* Gauge If You Make a Good Publishing Partner or Indie Publisher.
The Author Training Manual is a must have reference guide for all aspiring and established authors!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Pump Up Your Book! Virtual Book Publicity Tours.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
April 30, 2014
I read a lot and was curious to learn more about the steps involved in writing and publishing a book.
The author starts out by explaining the landscape for published books. For example, the average book sells 3,000 copies in its lifetime ... the publishing industry deems a book "successful" when it sells large numbers of copies (usually many more than 3,000 copies per year). If your book is traditionally published, it stands less than 1% chance of being stocked in a bookstore. The average nonfiction book sells 250 copies per year ... and nonfiction outsells fiction. The average Amazon ebook author earns under $300 a year. Having an "author attitude" is an essential characteristic to change your status from "aspiring" to "successful published author".
What follows is a step-by-step training plan ... the chapters are:
Author attitude - The essential characteristic necessary for publishing success
How to begin - Evaluate yourself and your book for success
Step 1 - Develop an "Author Attitude" and plan your success
Step 2 - Know what your book is about and why someone would want to read (buy) it
Step 3 - Analyze how many people really might buy your book
Step 4 - Compare the competition and discover if your idea is unique and necessary
Step 5 - Examine the structure of your book
Step 6 - Decide if your book's content matches your initial vision
Step 7 - Discover ways to brand yourself and earn more money
Step 8 - Weigh whether you are the best person to write this book ... now
Step 9 - Gauge if you make a good publishing partner or indie partner
The final steps
Samples
Training exercises
Index
If you are a budding author who wants to take it to the next step, you should check out this book.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2014/04...
The author starts out by explaining the landscape for published books. For example, the average book sells 3,000 copies in its lifetime ... the publishing industry deems a book "successful" when it sells large numbers of copies (usually many more than 3,000 copies per year). If your book is traditionally published, it stands less than 1% chance of being stocked in a bookstore. The average nonfiction book sells 250 copies per year ... and nonfiction outsells fiction. The average Amazon ebook author earns under $300 a year. Having an "author attitude" is an essential characteristic to change your status from "aspiring" to "successful published author".
What follows is a step-by-step training plan ... the chapters are:
Author attitude - The essential characteristic necessary for publishing success
How to begin - Evaluate yourself and your book for success
Step 1 - Develop an "Author Attitude" and plan your success
Step 2 - Know what your book is about and why someone would want to read (buy) it
Step 3 - Analyze how many people really might buy your book
Step 4 - Compare the competition and discover if your idea is unique and necessary
Step 5 - Examine the structure of your book
Step 6 - Decide if your book's content matches your initial vision
Step 7 - Discover ways to brand yourself and earn more money
Step 8 - Weigh whether you are the best person to write this book ... now
Step 9 - Gauge if you make a good publishing partner or indie partner
The final steps
Samples
Training exercises
Index
If you are a budding author who wants to take it to the next step, you should check out this book.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2014/04...
April 29, 2014
Aspiring Authors, Published Authors, Agents and Publicists should have a copy of The Author Training Manual by Nina Amir. This manual provides authors with nine important steps to create and publish a book that sells. It will help authors evaluate why they are writing their book, if they are qualified or should be writing their book, how to create a book proposal and marketing plan to secure publishing or self-publishing as well as the importance of an author platform.
The Author Training Manual is a step-by-step manual that every author should use. It is even a helpful tool for agents and publicists to guide their clients in the right direction for publishing. It is a manual that will cause authors to really think about their journey to becoming published. I appreciate the thought provoking exercises that pick your brain as well as the samples that are given so that you have a clear picture of what is included in a book proposal. This book has become a reference tool for me to keep on my shelf. I recommend this book to all authors and those who are helping authors join the literary and publishing industry.
This book was provided by the author for review purposes only.
Teresa Beasley
A&RBC Reviews
5 Stars=Non Stop Page Turner
The Author Training Manual is a step-by-step manual that every author should use. It is even a helpful tool for agents and publicists to guide their clients in the right direction for publishing. It is a manual that will cause authors to really think about their journey to becoming published. I appreciate the thought provoking exercises that pick your brain as well as the samples that are given so that you have a clear picture of what is included in a book proposal. This book has become a reference tool for me to keep on my shelf. I recommend this book to all authors and those who are helping authors join the literary and publishing industry.
This book was provided by the author for review purposes only.
Teresa Beasley
A&RBC Reviews
5 Stars=Non Stop Page Turner
April 23, 2015
Do you have dreams of becoming a successful published author? Are you writing, or do you plan to write, a non-fiction book or novel? Good. Dream big. But build the foundation underneath, with this manual as your guide.
Nina Amir, author of How to Blog a Book, asks the hard questions: Do you have a vision of success? What are you willing to sacrifice? Why would someone want to read your book? What is it about? Who is your market?--And that's just the beginning. You've got the answers, and Nina's got the methods to draw them out. With worksheets to fill in, computer programs to help your process, and sample book proposals (with comments from agents), you'll learn how to set concrete goals, develop an "author attitude," analyze the market and the competition, come up with a saleable title, structure your masterpiece, build a platform to brand yourself, write and publish that dream book once and for all. Follow the steps, and you'll have a complete business plan or book proposal to show agents and publishers.
The Author Training Manual is the guide to get for a budding author, someone who's been at it for awhile and wants to pursue publication, or that person in your life who is always saying, "someday I'm gonna write a bestseller."
Nina Amir, author of How to Blog a Book, asks the hard questions: Do you have a vision of success? What are you willing to sacrifice? Why would someone want to read your book? What is it about? Who is your market?--And that's just the beginning. You've got the answers, and Nina's got the methods to draw them out. With worksheets to fill in, computer programs to help your process, and sample book proposals (with comments from agents), you'll learn how to set concrete goals, develop an "author attitude," analyze the market and the competition, come up with a saleable title, structure your masterpiece, build a platform to brand yourself, write and publish that dream book once and for all. Follow the steps, and you'll have a complete business plan or book proposal to show agents and publishers.
The Author Training Manual is the guide to get for a budding author, someone who's been at it for awhile and wants to pursue publication, or that person in your life who is always saying, "someday I'm gonna write a bestseller."
August 18, 2015
I read this book because it was referred to me by another writing friend. I found the chapter on building a platform to be informative and the encouragement to build an authorpreneur attitude was interesting and good information. The rest felt like it was geared %100 for non-fiction authors, despite the title, which we later found out the publisher decided on, not the author. It showed. Blatantly. While I had hoped to find information to help me get published, very little of what I read from the other chapters was new to me. If you haven't started writing yet, this is a good book to start with. If you write non-fiction, this could be a good guide. If you write fiction and have done some research on what it takes to get published, you will find the information in this book lacking the depth you are looking for.
January 8, 2015
Two hundred million Americans want to transform themselves into published authors by self-publishing or traditionally publishing a book. Yet, the small percent of the U.S. population—just two percent—who actually do publish a book must compete with the 620 million books published in 2013. Once in a store, readers have to find that book. Amazon stocks more than 12 million books. And self-published books never make it into a store.
Nina is devoted to helping authors get heard and get their work and voice out there.
Hear what Nina has to say on Newbie Writers Podcast Episode 139 on iTunes.
Nina is devoted to helping authors get heard and get their work and voice out there.
Hear what Nina has to say on Newbie Writers Podcast Episode 139 on iTunes.
April 27, 2016
As a book mentor and publisher, the sections most of interest to me was How to Gather Data for your Competitive / Complementary Analysis (p.79) and (7) Discover Ways to Brand Yourself and Earn More Money... something up my street! These areas are not covered in other writer guides. Even the author attitude tips were spot on: confronting for authors; great for publishing assistants.
September 29, 2014
This is a good, solid book for those interested in becoming a published author. It covers the steps on becoming successful rather comprehensively and while I haven't gotten published yet, I do feel that this book has helped me get closer to that final goal.
August 29, 2016
I very much enjoyed this book and think it is an excellent resource for any author looking to publish either self or traditionally. Tons of great resources and ideas I intend to use. Very easy to understand and gives you a road map to follow to get to your goals!
April 22, 2016
Excellent resource for when you get the seed of an idea, but are not sure if it's viable. Be prepared to get to work once you've read the book. It is a guide more than a reference. You won't get much out of the book if you don't implement the proposed strategies.
September 27, 2014
This book seems to be for the extreme novice, at least in my opinion. Very valuable if you are really just starting out.
August 15, 2016
Fantastic resource for both fiction and non-fiction writers. Highly recommend!
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