by AnnSheybani | Aug 10, 2025 | promotion, Writing
Last week, I had three different authors ask me variations of the same question: “Should I do a Kickstarter like Sarah Jessica Parker did, or that $1.99 thing like Mike Pence, or maybe try that free shipping deal like Jennifer Lopez?” (OK, they didn’t use... by AnnSheybani | Aug 2, 2025 | Reading, Writing
I was browsing through a little bookstore in D.C. when I ran into an interesting book. It was called China in Ten Words. The Table of Contents had me at hello. Here’s what it looked like in all of its glorious simplicity: People Leader Reading Writing LuXun (Must have...
by AnnSheybani | Jul 27, 2025 | Reading, Writing
Each week, I have conversations with people who claim to want to write a book. I listen carefully, not just to establish if I like an individual, which is necessary if I’m to take them on as a client; if I think the project would be interesting and teach me a... by AnnSheybani | Jul 18, 2025 | publishing, Writing
So here’s what happened. A woman named…oh, I’ll call her Taylor Swift because Walt is super into her…. reached out with some questions about Summit Press’s hybrid publishing model versus going the self-publishing route. These were smart... by AnnSheybani | Jul 11, 2025 | Writing
Can I ask you a question? Why do you want to write a book? Seriously, do you even know? What’s your purpose for doing so? After working with hundreds of writers over the past decade, I’ve learned that there are fundamentally different types of people who want to write... by AnnSheybani | Jul 7, 2025 | Reading, Writing
Here’s what I love about James Clear’s Atomic Habits success story: it completely destroys the romantic myth that great books just “find their audience.” You know, that fairy tale where you write something brilliant in your mountainside cabin,...
