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| Lori Anne Rising, Author LEVERAGE |
Lori
Anne Rising’s book LEVERAGE: AUTHORSHIP FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM offers
nonfiction authors “practical,
applicable advice” to write an influential book using the least amount of tools
to reach target audiences. She explains that the publishing world has changed
requiring new approaches to writing, publishing, and marketing—and an author
needs to understand the purpose of a book. In the following interview, she also suggests how her
theories might be applicable to fiction writers, specifically in identifying a
target audience for marketing.
Rising
has three international best-sellers and is a Certified Life Coach who works with authors
to help them write books that will help build their businesses. When she’s not
writing, she enjoys traveling and
doing new things—even if she’s not good at them. She has many projects in the
works and is currently writing Book 2 of the LEVERAGE three-book series.
Q: How would you
define the title of your book LEVERAGE? What does it mean to “leverage?” Why
would authors want to “leverage?”
Lori Anne
Rising: Leverage
is about the ability to make a larger impact using less effort. It’s the
difference between using brute force to move a heavy rock versus using a pulley
system, for example. When it comes to being an author, especially into today’s
publishing world, no one wants to do everything the hard way. There are ways to
be highly effective, shorten the learning curve, and produce a far better, more
powerful nonfiction book – if someone is willing to put a little extra time
into the initial phases. Think of it like setting up the pulley system to save
effort and time later versus walking up to the big, heavy rock and trying to
give it a shove. It might get you started faster to give it a shove, but your
effectiveness will be impacted long-term. Taking a few extra steps at the
beginning to set up a system that will alleviate effort, be highly effective,
and even be able to be used again later, can really be worth it. That’s
leverage.
Q: You also
speak of “influence” as an important goal. Can you define “influence? And how “leverage”
leads to it?
Lori Anne
Rising: Influence
is one’s ability to shift the thoughts, beliefs and/or actions of someone else.
There are various kinds of influence. For example, offering money as a reward
is a kind of influence. Celebrities have a different kind of influence. A boss
at work and a parent have a third kind of influence. Some kinds of influence
work incredibly well as an author. Others don’t. Some kinds of influence can be
combined and integrated into a book or marketing plan by authors. Others can’t.
LEVERAGE actually goes through each
of the various kinds of influence, which ones work for authors, which ones don’t,
and how authors can combine the various kinds both when they write their book
as well as when they’re marketing it.
Consciously
incorporating influence into a book itself IS a form of leverage. After all, as
authors, we want our books to make a difference somehow in our readers’ lives.
We want our books to sell more copies so that we can both make money AND make
an even larger impact in the world. Knowing how to be highly influential
creates a powerful book for a reader. When a reader likes your book, they talk
about it. When they talk about it, more people find it, buy it, and read it –
without you putting in more effort than you would otherwise. If people DON’T
like your book, they won’t talk about it and your efforts may sell more books,
but they may or may not make a difference to readers.
Personally,
if I’m going to put that much time and energy into writing, publishing and
marketing a book, I want to make it the most impactful, powerful, useful book I
can – the first time. It makes marketing it, sharing it, and getting readers to
buy it and use it SO much easier – and more fun!
Q: One of your
reviewers said, “This book is a must read for anyone
who wants to reach their target audience.” How does an author identify a target
audience? Who is your target audience for LEVERAGE?
Lori Anne
Rising: Identifying a target audience is fairly simple –
but may or may not be easy. I go into specific detail in the book about how to
do this effectively, and I have an Influential Author’s Toolkit available that
provides an even more detailed, step-by-step approach as well as templates and
resources for authors. To keep it short and simple here however, it’s easiest
to think of what a book actually is:
It’s a one-to-one conversation between a reader and the author. Which
really means that identifying a target audience isn’t about figuring out a
group or segment of the population, it’s about figuring out the ONE most ideal
reader. By doing so, the author’s language naturally shifts in such a way that
their writing becomes more accessible - and influential – to more readers. It’s
counter-intuitive, but it’s highly effective.
LEVERAGE is written for experts, thought leaders, and those who want to be. These
people are typically professional speakers, coaches, consultants, trainers, and
informational marketers who want to make a powerfully positive difference in
their readers’ lives AND use their book as a leverage point to build their
business. You see, books – especially nonfiction – aren’t just a product to
sell. In fact, if an author is looking at their book as nothing more than that,
they’re missing the most valuable aspect of being an author! Books are business
cards; the most effective, efficient and influential business card anyone could
ever create. When readers like what you share, they want more. It’s not
uncommon for a nonfiction author to give away a $20 book and wind up with a
$5,000 speaking gig, for example. That’s leverage at its best as an author!
Q: Do you
believe your insight into authors’ books is relevant to both fiction and
non-fiction? How could an author of fiction benefit from it?
Lori Anne
Rising: To
be quite honest, I don’t know. The book was born out of over a year’s worth of
research that I did to earn my master’s degree. When I developed the research
focus itself, I specifically designed it to focus on nonfiction. While there
are several reasons for this, the main reason is that, as an author coach, I
work exclusively with nonfiction and I wanted my research to be highly relevant
to my work.
That
said, there may be some possibilities for applying some of the tools developed
from the research I did. Understanding influence, for example, can help even a
fiction author when it comes time to market their book. Marketing after all, is
a deliberate attempt to direct someone’s actions, i.e., buy the book. The
research that I did has its foundation in over 60 years of influence research
from the business arena, including sales and marketing, so it could be helpful.
Understanding one’s target audience will also help, especially when it comes to
the marketing aspects.
Some
fiction authors also have products and other aspects of a business that they
incorporate their books into. For these authors, the concepts of leveraging
their books to build their business that are central to the Influential
Authorship series (LEVERAGE is just
Book 1), will be very helpful. Again, it’s not about selling a book. It’s about
leveraging that book into other kinds of opportunities.
Q: Can you offer three to five tips that
will lead to “leverage” and/or “influence?”
Lori Anne
Rising:
1. Write about
what you’re passionate about. The passion will come through. (So will the lack
of passion if you choose a topic you’re NOT passionate about!) Having read and
edited first drafts from authors all over the world, I can say that this factor
is THE #1 aspect of making a real difference. I’d rather read a horribly
written book by someone who’s passionate about their topic than a wonderfully
written book by someone who’s bored. I can edit the writing. I can’t edit
passion. And trust me, the end reader can tell the difference!
2. Ask yourself, “What
do I want to be known for in 3 to 5 years?” Allow the answer to guide your
topic selection. After all, once the book is published that’s what you’ll be
known for, right? So why not start with that in mind. And, all the better if
you’re passionate about the topic!
3. Write as if you’re
writing to just ONE person (your most ideal reader). In fact, put a chair next
to you and have coffee with that person while you’re writing. It might sound
odd and feel awkward, but it’s incredibly effective!
4. Stop looking at
your book as a product. Start thinking about it as a leverage point to grow
your business. It’s a paradigm shift that opens doors.
5. Stop worrying
about how “good” or “bad” your writing is. There are plenty of ways to
develop authentic content that you feel passionate about that don’t include
actually writing it all yourself. And, even if you ARE writing it all yourself,
don’t worry. Editors have jobs for a reason!
Q: What led you
to become an “author coach?” What qualifies you to help authors?
Lori Anne
Rising: I
began as a life coach. Then, I decided to write my own book – a life coaching
book for women. It was a STEEP learning curve. So steep in fact that I quit
writing at all for over a year after it was published and really questioned
whether I’d ever write another book. Once it was published though, I started
having a number of people ask me how I did it, what it took, and if I’d be
willing to help walk them through their own writing process. Most of those
asking didn’t consider themselves writers, but had a passion for a message they
wanted to get out. And, I realized I wanted to help.
Knowing
how hard it was for me – someone who’d been a paid writer since I was 12 – I
wanted to do what I could to make it easier for others. So, I took on a mentee first
as an experiment to see if combining life coaching with authorship made sense.
It as an AMAZING experience! That mentee led to a client. That client led to
others.
Today,
I’ve worked with clients all over the world including the US, Canada, England,
Spain, Belgium, and Jamaica. And, helping others helped me get back to what I
love most: writing. I’ve continued publishing my own books
and am now a three-time international bestseller.
I
love writing. I love seeing others achieve their dreams. When those dreams
include writing a book, seeing it in the world means that not only have I
helped the author, but I’ve contributed in some way to the betterment of each
reader’s life as well. It’s leveraging my ability to serve. And it’s my joy and
my passion! It’s not easy. It’s a ton of work to be an author – even in today’s
highly accessible market – but I love it and can’t imagine NOT doing it.
Q: Several reviewers were pleased
with how easy LEVERAGE was to read, how useful the exercises were, and how
impactful to their writing. How did you create the process for readers to
follow? Did you conduct research to see what would work? Or did it come mostly
from your own experience?
Lori Anne
Rising: Before becoming an author coach, I did quite a bit
of business writing, including training manuals and system documentation.
Usually, it involved talking with people to understand the end result they
wanted, and then figuring out on my own how to turn the process into a
step-by-step system anyone could follow. So, while the information came out of
the academic level research that I did as my master’s thesis project. The
process itself is my own blend of natural gifts in creating systems others can
use, my life coaching background, and my years of experience working with
authors as an author coach.
Q: The sub-title of your book is:
AUTHORSHIP FOR THE NEW MILLENIUM. What makes this time period different? How
does LEVERAGE address the change to the new millennium?
Lori Anne
Rising: The publishing world has changed. Dramatically.
Part of my research included a historical look at what the publishing industry
once was and how it used to help support authors. Today, finding a big
publishing company to hand-hold a fledgling author, even when the author’s work
is worth it, is slim to none. Publishers used to help with marketing. They no
longer do. Authors didn’t used to have the option of self-publishing. Now, they
do.
Technology has
changed the industry. For better or for worse is up to each individual to
decide. Either way though, there’s no going back. Authors can no longer rely on
help or guidance from a publishing company. Whether they choose to go through a
traditional publisher or self-publish, it is up to authors to market and sell
their own work. If they can’t prove they can do that, a publisher simply won’t
take them – no matter how good the work itself is. Are there exceptions? Of course.
But let’s face it: if you want to
be successful in today’s world as an author, you have to have an entirely
different mindset than even 20 years ago, let alone 50 years ago. You no longer
get to only focus on the art of writing. Today, you have to focus on developing
the business side of being an author as well.
Marketing and
sales is all about influencing someone’s thoughts, beliefs and actions. Understanding
influence is at the core of not only creating a powerful, authentic and
original book, but it’s also at the core of effectively marketing it. If you
don’t understand how to influence your readers, you won’t make it. The quality
of the work won’t matter if it doesn’t get into readers’ hands. Once it’s in
your readers’ hands, they have to want to read it and be so impacted by it they
want to share it.
LEVERAGE teaches
today’s nonfiction authors how to matter in a market that’s overflowing with
options.
Q: What’s next?
Lori Anne
Rising: I’m always working on several things at once. LEVERAGE is only Book 1 in a series of
three books. Each book in the series reveals a segment of the research I did
and applies it to nonfiction authors. Book 2 is in the works now. I hope to
release it by the end of the year. While Book 1 focuses on the foundational
concepts, Book 2 will reveal ways to develop the content itself, including
methods that most want-to-be authors don’t realize are available to them.
I’ve also had a
very long desire to dive into memoir writing. It’s a place of learning and
vulnerability since it’s a new arena for me but it’s a desire that won’t leave
me alone so I’ve finally taken the plunge. This summer I published RISING OVERTHE HILL on Kindle, a short read about turning 40 and the unforgettable moments
from my 20s and 30s that got me here. Having gotten the first one complete, it
feels more comfortable to start diving into additional memoirs that I’d like to
write. I’m looking forward to seeing how this new path unfolds!
Q: Tell us about Lori Anne Rising.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing or coaching?
Lori Anne
Rising: I enjoy traveling and doing new things. This past
summer, for example, I earned my scuba diving certification and am looking
forward to using it as often as I can! Living in the Pacific Northwest, there
are some really amazing places to go hiking and exploring, so I get out as
often as I can. I also enjoy a variety of creative projects such as painting,
cross-stitch and wood carving. I’m not great at all the things I put my
creative energy into, I just really enjoy the process of being creative and
seeing something take shape. Sometimes the best creations are the ones where I
had no idea what it was going to be when I started and just allowed it to
unfold as I went. Mostly though, my time is spent with the people in my life I
care about the most. There’s nothing more satisfying to me than a one-to-one
conversation with my partner or a dear friend, or an evening spent around a
campfire laughing, listening to my partner’s music (he’s a musician) and
sharing the stories that bond us together.
About
Lori Anne Rising
Lori Anne Rising is a three-time international
bestselling author, Certified Life Coach and author’s coach. She focuses on
developing books that are original, authentic and powerful. So far she has
worked with authors in the U.S., Israel, Canada, Spain, Belgium, England, and
Jamaica teaching them how to leverage their knowledge, stories and wisdom to
build their business while making a powerful difference.
She holds a master’s degree in Leadership and
Communications from Marylhurst University that includes a full year of research
into how to be powerfully influential as a nonfiction author. In her spare
time, she enjoys travelling, scuba diving, cross stitch, hiking, painting, wood
carving and the company of good friends.
~Reach more people, make more money and make a
powerful difference in the lives of readers.~
Based on original research, this ground-breaking
book challenges the age-old “wisdom” of the publishing industry. By blending
over 60 years of influence research from the business and leadership field with
nonfiction authorship, this little book doesn’t just teach writing skills, it
provides a fundamental paradigm shift for authors that takes their books to a
whole new level.
Experts and thought leaders will discover: What influence really is, why it
matters, and how they can leverage it as an author; what the fundamental
building blocks are to develop more powerful content far more easily, how the
power of intentions guide content development to meet – or even exceed – goals
and expectations, what really drives readers to take action in their lives, the
biggest mistakes a new author can make, and much more!
Excerpt
You’re likely saying to yourself, “Influence is
great, but will I make any money?” After all, you have a business to run, a
family to support, and a life to live, right? Writing a book sounds like a nice
hobby, but if it doesn’t serve a greater purpose or support achieving an even
bigger goal, it’s likely not going to get done. There will always be something
more important, more pressing, or more bottom-line oriented to work on first.
Plus, you’ve
likely heard that selling books really doesn’t make the author any money. Whether
you’re taking the traditional publishing route or self-publishing, selling a
relatively low priced item and receiving only a fraction of the proceeds
doesn’t sound like something that will be worth the time, effort and long-term
commitment.
Until you consider
the facts.
In a 2006 study
done by RainToday, a market research firm, researchers discovered that, after
direct referrals, buyers find service providers in the following ways:
69% by attending a
conference or presentation
69% using someone
they already know
62% from a website
article or story
60% from a
magazine article or story
And 43% from a
book
Based on these
numbers you may be thinking that writing a book is the lowest priority in your
marketing plan, while creating conferences, speaking and networking should be
top of the list.
But, combine the
above information with the following statistics, also from the same RainToday
study.
By publishing even
just one book:
96% of nonfiction
authors generated more clients
95% of nonfiction
authors generated more speaking gigs (the best place to find clients according
to the above information)
94% of nonfiction
authors saw brand improvement
94% of nonfiction
authors generated more leads
87% of nonfiction
authors were able to charge higher fees (now there’s a bottom-line benefit!)
87% of nonfiction
authors were able to increase the QUALITY of their clients (more fun too!)
76% of nonfiction
authors were able to close more deals (as in partnerships and business
opportunities that are not clients per se)
Authors from this
study were professionals from a wide variety of industries. They were experts
and thought leaders just like you who wrote about a wide variety of topics,
including business, self-help, motivational and more.
Now, put the two
sets of statistics together and you’ll discover that if you want to build your
business as an expert or thought leader, the best way to do that is through
public speaking. And, the best way to get speaking gigs that put you in front
of clients, is by writing a book.
So, if you’re
going to write a book that positions you as an expert or thought leader with
the intention of building your business and making a difference in others’
lives, why would you not ensure that you’re creating the highest degree of
influence that you possibly can along the way?
As an author, you
can create a very high degree of influence – influence that touches hearts and
moves mountains – to make a difference in others’ lives. The more hearts you
change, the more books you’ll sell too – and the more opportunities you’ll have
to reach even more hearts.
It’s a beautiful
upward spiral in which everyone wins. What more could you ask for?
Links
Where to find Lori Anne Rising online
Twitter:
@LoriAnneRising
Where to find LEVERAGE:
NOTE:
LEVERAGE is currently FREE on all sites listed.
