Books can always be better. But if we wait to get our manuscript perfect, it could still be sitting on our laptop months—or years—from now. Sometimes the best thing we can do is put a date on the calendar, finish what matters, and contribute it to the world.
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See What I’m Saying? – The Better Newsletter #145
When Karl Haas walked onstage, the audience reacted in surprise. Instead of taking offense, he responded with humor—and won them over instantly. Here’s a simple Talking on Eggshells tip for using grace and wit to defuse awkward moments.
The How-To-Book Ball is in Our Court – The Better Newsletter #141
Tim Ferriss shared that sales of his books are down 45% despite having sold consistently for years. The good news is, authors have agency to champion quality books, be a good date for the reader, and make every word tell.
A Creative Crossroads – The Better Newsletter #137
Want to stand out in an AI-generated content world? Use real-life examples, dialogue, and YOU questions to turn your story into their story.
Reasons or Results – The Better Newsletter #135
What have you been putting off for years? Whether it’s a book, dream, project, or promise to yourself, here’s why picking a date and getting started can turn reasons into results.
Think Outside the Boring – The Better Newsletter #134
There are new things under the sun. Creativity isn’t a magic talent we either have or don’t have. It’s making the common uncommon by doing the opposite of the always. Here’s how to do that…
Put a ThunderShirt on Your Communication – The Better Newsletter #133
Here’s how one brilliant manager learned to put a ThunderShirt on his communication and turn long-winded monologues into productive, purposeful dialogue.
Does It Ring and Sing? – The Better Newsletter #131
After a behind-the-scenes Artemis II debrief from NASA, a stuck first chapter finally clicked. Here’s how finding your metaphorical G.O.A.T. can help your work ring and sing—and why “fine” isn’t good enough.
You Gotta NAME It to FAME It – The Better Newsletter #123
Did you ever watch Sex and the City? A casual one-liner in a writer’s room became a bestselling book and blockbuster movie title. When Greg Behrendt said, “Or, maybe he just wasn’t that into you,” it cut through the noise and voiced a resonant truth. That’s the power of a Dialogue Name — titles and taglines that capture exactly what people are thinking and feeling. If you want your ideas to viscerally connect, start listening for lines that already POP.
Circumstances change. Our desire to connect, doesn’t – The Better Newsletter #110
Why do some messages stay relevant for decades while others fade away? During a recent Tongue Fu! workshop, a participant asked why the book Tongue Fu! still resonates as powerfully today as when it was first published. The answer is simple: when you speak to the human condition—our desire for connection, growth, meaning, and being seen—your message becomes both timely and timeless. Circumstances change, but what we long for doesn’t. When your writing reflects the universal truths we all live, struggle with, and aspire to, your words become a force for good today… and for years to come.