Author Larry Winget has written a few books and now has his own TV show based on his personal development ideas. His no frills approach has attracted a lot of viewers who are serious about making a change in their lives. How did taking the path of an author help him accomplish this? I asked Larry to give us some insight into his experience:
8cr Author Blog: Before writing your first book, what did you expect to happen once it was finished? How close was that to reality?
Larry Winget: When I wrote my first book I expected it to become a bestseller straight out of the box. I never plan for failure - only success. So I used every resource I had to make it happen. I called every friend with a list and contacted every past client I had ever had. The reality was, it hit #1 on the Wall Street Journal bestseller list the first week. Surprised? Not really. Thankful? Oh yeah!
8crAB: How could you have better prepared your efforts to make your books have an even greater impact?
LW: On this one, I do a good job. Every piece of mail I send warns people a new book is on the way. My website notifies people of the progress of the book and when to expect it. I tease my audience through my blog to keep them interested. I talk about the book from the stage whenever I speak to a company or association. I do postcards and emails to notify people of the book. I can't imagine doing anything more than I do to have my books make a bigger splash.
8crAB: What role did your books play in landing your TV show?
LW: A huge impact. The producers were looking for an easily recognizable, in-your-face host for their new reality series at about the same time my book was riding high on the bestseller list. They saw my picture and read the title and knew immediately that I was both recognizable and in-your-face. That sent them to my website and they watched my video. From there we did a screen test and a pilot. But it was the book that grabbed their attention initially.
8crAB: As an author, what's the biggest lesson you've learned?
LW: A great editor is essential in creating a great book. And I'm not talking about grammar and punctuation. I am talking about someone who will help keep your "voice" and stroke your ego and keep the information tight and flowing. I saw a great quote somewhere that said, "An agent protects the author from the editor and the editor protects the book from the author." How true. I think authors are so in love with their words and exactly how they say them that they can screw up their own book by holding on too tight. Write it, then let it go to the professionals.
Oh yeah, my second biggest lesson. You can write the best book in the world but without some PR and marketing, no one will know it and no one will buy it!