1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
Both Jeanne and I studied English and editing in college. When we started working together on Fourth Wave (our Etsy shop), we were both taking on freelance editing and writing assignments as well. Basically, we’ve both been writing for a very long time. But this is our first foray into publishing!
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2) What inspired you to write your book?
Jeanne and I are avid readers. We essentially had an hours-long book club every week while we printed our orders. Naturally, we were interested in reading about e-commerce (specifically e-commerce related to Etsy’s platform). We quickly realized that the available resources were slim. We determined (much later than we should have) that there was a hole in the market, and we had the experience and the expertise to fill that hole.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
Sometimes how-to books (especially business how-to books) feel very coy to me. They’re full of hooks and big promises that don’t necessarily translate to real, actionable advice. When we set out to write “The Ultimate Guide to Selling on Etsy,” we wanted to write a book full of down-to-earth, ACTIONABLE advice: the kind of advice you’d get from a good friend, giving you the inside scoop about how to succeed on Etsy. I hope our readers come away with a sense of direction and confidence. Etsy is a truly incredible, unique e-commerce platform. It’s growing like crazy. People crave the handmade, one-of-a-kind vibe that Etsy offers in a world full of cheap, fast, bulk products.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
While Jeanne and I started our careers in publishing, life sometimes has other ideas in mind! We got sucked into the world of ecommerce (and couldn’t be happier!). After learning a LOT and successfully growing our shop, we decided to tap back into our roots in writing and publishing to create a book that could help other Etsy sellers.
5) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
Etsy is an evolving platform with new changes rolling out often. Facebook has allowed us to quickly and easily share short- and long-form updates and new tips with readers to keep them updated on changes that may affect their shop.
6) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
Spend twenty minutes writing every day. You don’t have to get a particular amount accomplished. You just need to carve out the time and do it. Some people are really prolific and enjoy pumping out books. But for most people, slow and consistent wins the day.
7) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
Definitely. Expect a screen printing reference! We’ve learned that the way we create our t-shirts is both unconventional and ideal for beginners. There’s so much we wish we had known before diving headlong into our specific niche (T-shirts!) on Etsy.
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About the Authors
Etsy is an incredible platform. And if you know what works, you can be successful. We know because we did it. Our Etsy shop started with a single listing in 2013. We’re proud to say that it ranks in the top 1% and brings in 6 figures.
If you’re like us, you’re probably wondering if you have what it takes to be successful on Etsy. If your product is good enough. And even if you’ve seen some success, you may still think of your Etsy shop as your “little hobby.” And we want you to knock that off right now. We’ve found that the people who run Etsy shops are some of the most creative, tenacious people we know. And we have no doubt that you are one of them. You can do this. You DO have what it takes.
And that’s why we wrote this book. Because we’ve figured out what actually works, and we love helping other women (and the occasional awesome dude) take their fledgling Etsy shop, and make it into something that gives back to them what they’re putting into it.
About Us:
Noelle is a boy mom to Luke and Max, and a cat mom to Michelle. When she’s willing to wear pants (which is less often than she aspires to wear them), she can be found in mom jeans. Her husband Nate is the best person she knows. The two things she loves most (in addition to Etsy and the aforementioned children and husband) are murder and horses. (Separately, never together.)
Jeanne is also a mom—to Kaylee, Eileen, and Tober. (Yes, Tober. The short story is that she let Kaylee name her baby brother when she was five. She swears she would have stepped in if Kaylee had added too many Xs or Zs, but luckily, she hadn’t learned those letters yet). Her husband Bryan is, like Noelle’s Nate, pretty dang awesome and supportive. Especially when she decided to veer off a more standard career in technical editing and jumped headfirst into the world of Etsy selling.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
Author Robert Moment highlights how becoming mentally strong can be a longterm benefit for entrepreneurs in his book, “Mentally Strong Entrepreneur: Build Your Mind Strength and Get Entrepreneur Tips for Startup Success”.
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The Synopsis
Be mentally strong on your entrepreneurial journey!
Whether you’re just starting your entrepreneurial engines or are well down the road on your business journey, mental fitness is what sets the successes apart from the failures.
From the crucial habits that make or break entrepreneurs, to your personal game-plan for setting up goals and business strategies, to essential personal development and mindset hacks to get you crushing the competition, Mentally Strong Entrepreneurs has you covered from side hustle to success!
In this book you will learn:
How to implement the 15 habits of highly effective entrepreneurs.
How to identify and fully harness your natural talents and abilities
The 10 things mentally strong entrepreneurs do in business and 3 they avoid.
How to develop a crystal-clear sense of direction and purpose in your business.
The top 10 skills you need to succeed at anything.
And MORE!
If you’re serious about committing to an entrepreneurial career change in the long term, you need Mentally Strong Entrepreneur to bulletproof your mental wellbeing through the toughest of business challenges!
Robert Moment is The Mental Strength Life Coach and Entrepreneur, who coach women entrepreneurs and women professionals how to be mentally strong and successful. For more information and to get coached to become mentally strong , head to:SpiritualLifeCoachRobert.com
The Review
Unlike so many self-help or how-to books that have come before it, this book actually does a great job of providing actionable information that new or established entrepreneurs alike can implement into their work. From finding one’s true self by identifying your natural abilities to finding the things you are passionate about and finding a way to balance the two, this book is filled with easy to understand and well-written guides for those seeking to truly understand the success of an entrepreneur.
While a short read, the author has done a masterful job of highlighting a lot of key information and knowledge that so many people venturing into the world of entrepreneurship often fail to understand. In a world where the necessity of entrepreneurship is crucial, this is the perfect way to engage with readers and help them to understand the tools they will need going forward. \
Chapter 4 in particular is great for those like myself who believe in mental health and gaining a firmer understanding of one’s own mental health and willpower, as it helps readers find a means of mastering what the author calls your “inner game”. Through a belief in ourselves and learning to conquer our fears and overcome the limiting beliefs that tell us that something is impossible, we can begin to chart our own path with a newfound confidence and strength that was always there, waiting to be released.
The Verdict
A strong, quick yet informative read, author Robert Moment’s “Mentally Strong Entrepreneur: Build Your Mind Strength and Get Entrepreneur Tips for Startup Success” is a must-read book. The perfect read for those seeking to delve into the world of entrepreneurship and seeking to find the right mentality and focus to make your pursuits a success, the book perfectly achieves a balance of a how-to guide with the mental and emotional tools of a great self-help book, making this one of the more unique business-driven reads I’ve had on my site. Be sure to check it out for yourselves today, as this is the perfect nonfiction read to begin 2021!
Rating: 10/10
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About the Author
My Story
For as long as I can remember I’ve had a real passion for personal growth, development and renewal. It’s a journey that’s allowed me to enjoy some amazing experiences, meet many inspirational people, and visit places I never thought possible. But more than that I want to use my own experiences to offer you the chance to live in exactly the same free and open way.
My Goal
As a Spiritual Life Coach I believe that anyone, from any walk of life, can go out there and change the world in their own unique way. It may not always be easy, but it does only become possible when you invest in your inner self and believe that it’s possible. The only problem is knowing how to make it happen so that freedom and spiritual awakening manifest themselves in your life.
My Approach
I specialize in offering Spiritual Life Coaching that’s designed to set you free in a whole host of ways that you could have never imagined. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve been connected with your spiritual side your entire life, are a complete skeptic, or you’re anywhere else in between, I want to connect with you and show you what can become possible.
Your Future
Living a spiritual life means different things to different people, and some see that as a problem. I’m different in that I see it as a solution to every potential problem out there as it allows you to define your life in your own terms as you find your voice amongst the noise.
Together we can connect, get to know the real you, and reconnect your authentic self with the inner you. Through my combination of coaching and writing I love nothing more than showing people just like you what becomes possible when you open your eyes to the spiritual side of life.
I received a free copy of this book and software in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
In a first here on my site, I have the unique opportunity to share my review of not only a book on writing that is considered to be a must-read for many aspiring writers and screenwriters, but to test out the amazing writing software that many use in their modern projects. Here are my thoughts on Save the Cat! Writes A Novel by Jessica Brody.
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The Synopsis
SAVE THE CAT!® by Blake Snyder is a popular screenwriting book series and storytelling methodology used by screenwriters, directors, and studio execs across Hollywood. Now, for the first time ever, bestselling author and writing teacher, Jessica Brody, takes the beloved Save the Cat! plotting principals and applies them to the craft of novel writing in this exciting new “workshop style” guide, featuring over 20 full beat sheets from popular novels throughout time.
Whether you’re writing your first novel or your seventeenth, Save the Cat! breaks down plot in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step method so you can write stories that resonate! This book can help you with any of the following:
Outlining a new novel
Revising an existing novel
Breaking out of the dreaded “writer’s block”
Fixing a “broken” novel
Reviewing a completed novel
Fleshing out/test driving a new idea to see if it “has legs”
Implementing feedback from agents and/or editors
Helping give constructive feedback to other writers
But above all else, SAVE THE CAT! WRITES A NOVEL will help you better understand the fundamentals and mechanics of plot, character transformation, and what makes a story work!
The Review
What really spoke to me about the book was as a novelist it was great to see how the process of storytelling from a more modern lens looked and felt. Applying the pattern that was discovered and applied to successful novels and screenplays to our own works was unique, and showcased the things that worked and the things that didn’t.
On top of that, the author takes readers through the important steps of developing and nurturing a story, from identifying the “hero” of the story to the genres being explored, the pitch that you’ll want to sell the story to readers, and the beats that can be touched upon throughout the narrative. The novel is thorough, detailed, and does an amazing job of not necessarily declaring one writing style over another to be “superior”, but instead guiding the writer in the process of discovering their own voice while still following a pattern of success.
As for the software itself, the ability to utilize the program for screenplays, television shows, and novels was a treat, and could even divide the novel into larger series overall. I decided to utilize my novel “The Legend of Electric Fusion”, a book I wrote years ago I am in the process of rewriting and utilized it for this software.
The technology allowed me to start breaking down my characters more fully. Not only getting into more detailed descriptions of the characters, but their overall motivations and goals moving forward. This helped me to see a more clear path for the narrative to take moving forward. It is a truly organized, structured, and detailed path for those who follow the plotter style of writing than anything else.
The Verdict
A must-read book and fantastic software that writers and readers alike will fall in love with. Motivating and inspiring, the book helps foster creativity and bring stories more fully to life than ever before. It is a great step in helping to hone the writer’s craft and give readers a chance to see into the complex process of developing an engaging novel. Be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
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About Save the Cat!®
Save the Cat! provides writers the resources they need to develop their screenplays and novels based on a series of best-selling books, primarily written by Blake Snyder (1957- 2009). Blake’s method is based on 10 distinctive genres and his 15 story beats (the Blake Snyder Beat Sheet). Our books, workshops, story structure software, apps, and story coaching teach you everything you need to unlock the fundamentals and mechanics of plot and character transformation.
Find out more about Save the Cat! by visiting their webpage at www.savethecat.com.
About the Save the Cat Structure Software
Save the Cat! Story Structure Software is adapted from the Save the Cat! methodology to help screenwriters and novelists unlock the fundamentals of plot and character transformation. The Story Structure Software is a virtual writer board with digital index cards to help map out your story against the 15 beats or plot points to your story. The software enables writers to track emotional shifts of characters from scene to scene, develop profiles and edit and version your story with ease.
You can purchase a subscription to the Save the Cat! Structure Software at Save the Cat’s website.
About Save the Cat! Writes a Novel
An Amazon #1 best seller with over 500 reviews, it’s the first novel-writing guide from the best-selling Save the Cat! story-structure series, reveals the 15 essential plot points needed to make any novel a success.
In this revolutionary novel-writing guide from the best-selling Save the Cat! series, novelist Jessica Brody demystifies each beat, making it simple to learn the complexities of storytelling. The best-seller also reveals the ten universal story genres to help you drill down into what makes your type of story work. Featuring sample “beat sheets” for hits from the likes of J. K. Rowling, Khaled Hosseini, and Stephen King, this practical guide also includes real-world advice on pitching your novel, plus the quirky, original insights (like the eponymous tip to “Save the Cat”) that make this series unique. By the end of this book, your own imaginative beats will combine to create a story that thrills readers from start to finish.
Print Length: 320 Pages
Genre: Writing References
Publisher: Ten Speed Press/Random House Publishing LLC
Jessica Brody worked for MGM Studios as manager of acquisitions and business development before becoming an internationally best-selling author of more than fifteen novels for adults and teens including The Geography of Lost Things, The Chaos of Standing Still, A Week of Mondays, and Better You Than Me. She travels the country teaching Save the Cat! workshops to novelists.
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Blog Tour Dates
April 27th @ The Muffin
What goes better in the morning than a muffin? Visit the Muffin today and you can read an interview with the Save the Cat team as well as enter to win a copy of the book Save the Cat! Writes the Novel and a one-year subscription to their software Save the Cat! Structure Software.
Make sure you visit Jessica’s blog today and you can read her review of Save the Cat! Writes the Novel and her review of the Save the Cat! Structure Software.
Sometimes a quick read can be the best read. Rather than going through a few hundred pages of the same story, some authors chose to delve into a shorter narrative that gets the message across in fun new ways. One book that accomplished that this year was Uber Diva by Charles St. Anthony. The story is fun, humorous and informative for both anyone looking to become an Uber driver or passengers in an Uber. Here is the synopsis:
She’s sitting on a secret. The Uber Diva teaches drivers tricks of the trade while instructing passengers on how to avoid getting slapped with a 1 Star rating. Meet the freaks, learn the equipment, and see how this diva survived when a drunk driver T-Boned her car. Based on true rideshare experiences in the San Francisco Bay Area.
This was a fantastic read. Sitting at less than 100 pages, the combination memoir and how-to guide on all things ride-share does a great job of hitting some very real topics. Whether it’s the sad state of our country’s health insurance to the lack of manners or straight up politeness in our society, this book does a great job of calling out the ridiculous situations and behavior that can arise in general, let alone in the life of an Uber driver. It also does a great job of giving a first hand account of an Uber driver, from the strange passengers they pick up to the economic value of the job itself and the inner politics of the companies.
Overall this was a great read that anyone interested in the ride-share culture should get their hands on. A funny, honest and incredible read, author Charles St. Anthony does a wonderful job of bringing a real world and human quality to the culture. If you are going to buy any quick read books this holiday season, be sure to include author Charles St. Anthony’s Uber Diva today!
In author Evan Carmichael’s sensational book, Your One Word, readers are tasked with asking themselves one question: what is your one word? In
this guide to building a successful brand, the author challenges us to look deep within ourselves and determine what one word defines us as
people and our mission with our jobs/company/dreams/etc. Here is the official synopsis:
In this bold and empowering guide, entrepreneur and social media sensation Evan Carmichael shares the secret to turbo-charging your path to
success on your own terms. With thought-provoking questions and inspiring , instructive examples, Your One Word will help you nail down your
personal mottos – the word that captures your purpose and passion. With this operating philosophy in hand, you will then learn how to leverage
this powerful tool to create the business and future of your dreams.
Aimed at entrepreneurs as well as intrapreneurs, managers, and anyone else who wants to achieve success in a powerfully meaningful way, Your
One Word more than just a useful tool. It’s also an inspiring and enlightening read.
This is a fantastic guide on how companies and individuals should build their brand. It showcases in depth that it’s not about how much money you
can make, but about what makes you happy and what kind of message you want to send with your brand to those who support you. Using some great
stories from successful companies such as Ben and Jerry’s, The Honest Company, Apple and more, this guide goes step by step on finding your one
word, applying it to your brand, building a team or company around your one word, knowing who your opposition will be and more.
It’s a wonderfully written book that will help people, from the young upstart looking to make a name for themselves to the giant corporations
looking to refresh and reestablish their brands. It’s insightful, inspirational and a must read for any entrepreneurs or creators out there looking
to establish their brand identity with that important one word in your life. Be sure to pick up your copies of Evan Carmichael’s Your One Word
today!
Vlog Like A Boss: How To Kill It Online With Video Blogging by Amy Schmittauer
Learn how to master the world of video with Amy Schmittauer’s incredible video marketing book, Vlog Like A Boss!
I was given a free copy of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I have been a fan of YouTube star and social media expert Amy Schmittauer for a couple of years now. So when I heard that she was writing and publishing a book on video marketing, I knew I had to get myself a copy. I was even more stunned when I was sent an email with an advance reading copy (ARC) of this incredible book, and I’m so honored to be one of the lucky ones to get to dive headfirst into this eye-opening book.
The book, or memoir or “how-to” book in question is called Vlog Like A Boss: How To Kill It Online With Video Blogging by Amy Schmittauer, and I can honestly say that this is one of the most insightful YouTube and video marketing books I’ve ever read. Over the last few years I’ve read some marketing books, but this one does a masterful job of detailing the process of getting into making video and explaining it in a way that both seasoned filmmakers and aspiring YouTubers both can understand.
One thing that jumped out immediately was how Amy was able to write in a voice that spoke to everyone, from the young millennial eager to make their own YouTube channel to the experienced business owner who’s seeking a helping hand using video for their work. Using fun and fascinating tales from her own life to help explain the process, this book goes to great lengths to outline the entire video process, from identifying the common fears of being on camera, to the equipment one will need for video and editing, to the way to identify with your audience and create a video that will resonate with viewers.
Overall, this was a fantastic read that was both enjoyable and instructive. As someone trying to build and improve on my own YouTube channel, I can tell you that this book has been illuminating. Taking the tools I learned from this book, I can identify problem areas with my filming, and improve on it. From ways to generate ideas to what social media platforms work best and how they work with your videos, this is a book any video creator will not want to miss. Inspiring, educational, and all around fun, Vlog Like A Boss by Amy Schmittauer is a must read book in 2017, and thus I give it a 10/10 rating. I will leave links to both Amy’s YouTube channel and her official book website below, and I hope you guys will not only subscribe to her, but pre-order your copies of this book today. Vlog Like A Boss comes out on January 31st, 2017!
