How much does all of this cost? And how long will it take?

1. Book Navigator is $1,000. Usually, this takes 8 to 10 hours of us in phone or in-person communicaiton. Plus a few extra hours for me to review the clarity document and outline that you create.
2. Author Coaching base price is $7,500.
3. Developmental Editor is $0.065 perword, plus $350 for a call to discuss.
4. Ghostwriting starts at $30,000.
5. Book doctoring is $15,000 to $50,000. I would need to see a portion of what’s been created to provide a custom quote for you.

Do you guarantee my book will be a success?

• Only you can define what you mean by “success,” so I can’t really answer that. If you mean a best-selling book, then the answer is a definitive “no.” Nobody can guarantee that. At the time of this writing, it’s estimated that there are over 12 million books on Amazon. To get attention and gain enough traction to achieve best-seller status, you will have to invest your time or money (or both) in marketing. I can make some connections for you, as I do have some companies in my network that are very good at book marketing, but again, no guarantees.
• If you’re wanting to make a boatload of money from book sales, you will also probably be disappointed. Few people, very very few people, make a living wage directly off of book sales. However, most nonfiction books can be used as an indirect method of attracting cash. Those books can:
  • position you as an expert in your field and be part of your platform to attract more speaking gigs and appearances.
  • be a business card that gets your foot in the door
  • be a resume builder to land a better-paying job.

Why can’t I use AI to write my book?

• The plain and short answer: because AI doesn’t write great books. Remember, it’s pulling together content that’s already been created, so it’s not writing anything new, fresh, or propietary. Additionally, at the time of this writing (2023), it’s still very limited. ChatGPT was trained several years ago. That means it has no access to more recent information and no knowledge of it. In fact, the site explicitly points out that it has “Limited knowledge of world and events after 2021.” The other thing is that it also has little specific information going into the early 2000s. In fact, there is little knowledge in ChatGTP that reflects anything but consensus views, and, at least when reporting science information, it seems very biased.
• But seriously? Why would you want to? Think about your objectives for writing a book.
  • Is it to position yourself as an expert in your field? If so, then how authentic could you be in that role as “expert” if your claim is supported by a book written by a computer grabbing a bunch of used content?
  • Is it to get your foot in the door? Think about how often you have bought something from a sales person who was going through the motions of a sales pitch, with no originality, no creativity, no real belief in what they’re selling. That’s the impression your AI-generated book will do for your prospective clients.
  • Want a resume builder? Really? You’re going to pad your resume with a book you didn’t truly right? Do you feel good about doing that? Yes, I’m passing judgment here.
• In other words, using AI, in my opinion, to write your book is a form of cheating and being dishonest to your reader. It’s also a form of cheating on yourself—if you really believe you have nothing new to say, or no fresh perspective on anything, than why are you writing a book?

What genres or subject matters do you work in or not work in?

• Nonfiction:
  • Alternative medicine and Diet
  • Self-help
  • Inspirational/Motivational
  • Business—culture (if it’s a fresh perspective or unique approach)
  • Business—leadership (if it’s a fresh perspective or unique approach)
  • Food, Beverage, Hospitality
  • Memoir
  • Historical narratives
  • I haven’t yet, but I would love to work on some travel books!
  • Please, no: tech, traditional finance, data analytics, conventional medicine, political, or anything anti-marginalized people
• Fiction:
  • Commercial fiction
  • Women’s fiction and hen lit (not, chick lit)
  • Literary
  • Humorous
  • Mystery and Suspense
  • Please, no sci-fi, fantasy, genre romance, or westerns