Secrets of the Six Figure Author

I must admit, when I read the title of the book Secrets of the Six Figure Author by Tom Corson-Knowles, I was skeptical. But once I started reading I found it was a practical, easy to read books with TONS of great tips.

This book is so much more than another ‘feel good’ self help manual. Even though the author is rather young, he writes with authority and gives a practical ‘action plan’ at the end of each chapter. He’s obviously doing something right, since I went and bought several of his others books!

Here is what "Secrets..." has to say in a nutshell. His first action step is to ask yourself why you want to become a successful writer. It needs to be more than just a ‘fuzzy’ wish. You need to be clear about your own motivation if it’s ever going to become a reality. Then he asks, “What would I change about this day to achieve the success I desire?"  Wow. This really got me thinking, and I was ashamed to admit that I have wasted a lot of time NOT pursuing my dreams. In other words, as Corson-Knowles so aptly points out, we are often responsible for sabotaging our own success. Ouch. He goes on to discuss specific obstacles to success but also offers practical solutions. For instance, what should you do if you don’t feel like writing? How can you change a procrastination habit?

In further chapters he outlines distribution channels, practical tips for writing and marketing, and developing a ‘Daily Method of Operation’ to help make you more productive. He suggests that you should be writing new material every day; editing should be a separate activity. Other daily activities for writers should include reading/studying, note-booking (I call it journaling), and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Marketing is also an important factor, but he wisely recommends focusing most of your energy on one or two channels, getting really proficient at those rather than trying to be everywhere at once. His action steps include lots of ‘What NOT to do”, like watching TV, gaming etc. He goes further to suggest monthly and yearly action plans.

He also breaks writing into seven key tasks: writing; editing; marketing; publishing; admin work; financial management; and Tech-Web work. He is quite honest in saying that you can’t possibly be an expert in every area, so it is up to you, the writer, to decide which things you will focus on and which things you need help with. 

I really liked this book. It was practical and easy to read. I feel like I actually learned something having read it and I have already been able to implement many of his suggestions.