Have you ever dreamed of writing a book? Have you figured something out in your life that you know could help other people? Maybe it’s a method of cooking made easy, or it’s a set of habits to do every day that can help set the course for a good day. Maybe you’re a coach with a method to teach people, a therapist who can help with trauma work, an accountant who can teach people how to easily stay on top of their taxes.

Whatever it may be, writing a book can be a daunting task. But it doesn’t have to be! And if you’ve ever dreamt of becoming a published author, today’s episode is the sign you’ve been waiting for.

As the former Director of Publicity and Book Marketing for Hay House, Richelle Fredson has worked with some incredible experts including Louise L. Hay, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Gabrielle Bernstein, Iyanla Vanzant, Kris Carr, Joy Bauer, Gregg Braden and many others. After becoming a mother, Richelle wanted to curate the parts of her career that really lit her up, so she created a company that does just that.

Purposeful Platforms is the company Richelle created that helps writers become authors. Richelle helps teachers build robust and engaged platforms; helps authors build powerful, creative and effective launches; creates a strategy that aligns with author’s intentions and core teachings.

Richelle Fredson, Founder of Purposeful Platforms and dubbed the “six-figure book deal coach,” knows all the angles of the publishing business. 

An industry vet, she spent 15 years at Hay House Inc., most recently as the Director of Publicity and Book Marketing, as well as Acquisitions. She works with aspiring and existing authors who are looking to expand their business, create an impact, and shift the current dialogue.

Richelle is known for her unparalleled one-on-one and group support of aspiring authors. Her expertise, paired with her sharp instincts, has helped hundreds of authors create impactful and marketable book concepts and proposals, resulting in millions of dollars in publishing deals with top publishers. 

Richelle brings a unique gift to the table: she’s been on both sides of the deal and knows what publishers and authors are looking for and how to get it. Through this lens, she guides authors as they anchor their stories and amplify their expertise to make a greater impact. 

Her honesty and commitment to providing authors with a transparent view of the publishing world help them get better results and connect to the right people faster. 

Richelle hosts the Bound + Determined podcast, an insider’s look at what it takes to cut through the noise of book publishing. She leads heartfelt, insightful and revealing conversations with authors and industry experts. 

In today’s episode, Richelle and I discuss the process of writing a book and how she helps her clients write book proposals and land book deals. Tune in for full details, but here are some of the key takeaways from the show today:

1. As a book coach, Richelle helps writers become authors.
2. She has seen her clients transform their relationships by writing their books: some have left toxic relationships, some have left jobs that didn’t feel fulfilled by, others have started their own business. 
3. Writing a book is like therapy, and will help you sift through your thoughts and beliefs to get to your true identity.
4. If you’re reading a book and it’s not firing you up: put it down and move on! You don’t have to finish a book you don’t like! Let this be your permission slip from henceforth!
5. Every person has a story to tell (yes, even you). 
6. The big secret is: you are the gem.
7. You don’t have to be an expert to write a book. There is so much value in lived experiences. Ask yourself: what are you desperate for people to know that you’ve already figured out or that you are still learning?
8. First time authors tend to battle with 3 things:
1. Overwhelm (I don’t know what to write about, who to get help from, etc.)
2. Vulnerability (being nervous about sharing their story with the world)
3. Comparison (no explanation needed)
9. Newsflash: there is nothing new anymore! Unless you’re writing about some groundbreaking new scientific research, everything has been done. The key is saying it through your lens.
10. The human desire is to want to feel connection and to feel seen in someone else’s work (think Eat Pray Love, Untamed, etc)
11. It’s always a good idea to work with a thought partner or accountability partner or group when you’re writing a book.
12. Richelle’s unconventional advice for writing is to write 3 times a day for 20 minutes. At least one of those time slots will turn into longer than 20 minutes.
13. If you feel paralyzed by the writing process and don’t want to sit down at your computer to write, consider getting up and going for a walk and voice memo-ing your book to yourself. 
14. When it comes to building a platform, Richelle offers 2 pieces of advice:
1. Create one solid piece of content a week and then break it down into chunks to use on social media (i.e. a podcast episode or a blog post)
2. Borrow audiences from others
15. You want to anchor and amplify. And you can’t amplify bad content, so make sure whatever you post has value for others.
16. Balance is BS. It’s all about setting boundaries and understanding that when you say yes to one thing you are saying no to another. Protect your energy at all costs because it will determine how you show up for yourself, your work and your clients.

ABOUT RICHELLE:

Richelle Fredson, Founder of Purposeful Platforms and dubbed the “six-figure book deal coach,” knows all the angles of the publishing business. 

An industry vet, she spent 15 years at Hay House Inc., most recently as the Director of Publicity and Book Marketing, as well as Acquisitions. She works with aspiring and existing authors who are looking to expand their business, create an impact, and shift the current dialogue.

Richelle is known for her unparalleled one-on-one and group support of aspiring authors. Her expertise, paired with her sharp instincts, has helped hundreds of authors create impactful and marketable book concepts and proposals, resulting in millions of dollars in publishing deals with top publishers. 

Richelle brings a unique gift to the table: she’s been on both sides of the deal and knows what publishers and authors are looking for and how to get it. Through this lens, she guides authors as they anchor their stories and amplify their expertise to make a greater impact. 

Her honesty and commitment to providing authors with a transparent view of the publishing world help them get better results and connect to the right people faster. 

Richelle hosts the Bound + Determined podcast, an insider’s look at what it takes to cut through the noise of book publishing. She leads heartfelt, insightful and revealing conversations with authors and industry experts. 

Follow Richelle:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourpurposefulplatform/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourpurposefulplatform/

Website: https://purposefulplatforms.com/

Resources mentioned in this episode

Book: A Radical Awakening by Dr. Shefali Tsabary

Book: How to Do The Work by Dr. Nicole LaPerla 

Book: Untamed by Glennon Doyle

Book: Eat Pray Love By Elizabeth Gilbert

Podcast Episode with Kyle Gray

Book: Inner Peace for Busy Women by Joan J. Borysenko 

Book: Do Less by Kate Northrup 

Thank you so much for listening!

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And remember, mama you’re doing GREAT!