Joining me today is JJ Virgin, who has been inducted into the Fitness Hall of Fame, television and media personality, and a four-time New York Times Best Selling Author. She has launched over 10 businesses and is a 2-time Inc 5000 Founder. She is recognized as an authority on transformational leadership, as a Top Ten Finalist for the John C. Maxwell Award, as well as winner of the Mindshare Summit Pinnacle award.
JJ’s first experience writing a book was with a screenwriter she was dating at the time. She had a connection with the publisher of Chicken Soup for the Soul, who offered her several thousand dollars for the book. Instead, she decided to self-publish her book and sign a contract with her boyfriend that gave him 50% of everything she did for the rest of her life.
Her second book, “Six Weeks from Sleeveless to Sexy,” went out to lunch with a publisher, went to an editor at Simon and Shuster, took off her jacket, and the editor immediately wanted to buy her book! However, JJ says, “If you are going with a traditional publisher, that’s not what you want to do!”.
When creating her cookbook, The Virgin Diet, another author published a cookbook with the same name six months earlier. The only reason JJ wasn’t able to get out ahead of the other author is that she was traditionally publishing, which takes a much longer process to get your book from idea to print.
She recommends self-publishing as you can easily create a second edition of your book with updates without a huge issue. Traditionally publishing costs a large amount of money to make changes to your finished first edition. JJ also gives advice about marketing and the creation of cookbooks that every cookbook author needs to know!
Listen in to find out how cookbooks are different from regular books, why a cookbook is harder, and what you should and shouldn’t do when you are writing a cookbook. Learn why you have to make sure your cookbook numbers are dialed in before you publish, and her tips on self-publishing cookbooks.
Show Notes
[02:52] JJ’s first book was created while dating a screenwriter. [04:54] How JJ made the mistake of traditional publishing her second book. [07:01] JJ’s process of frameworking her books as she doesn’t like to write. [08:47] Pairing up cookbooks with a regular book. What’s the difference between writing a cookbook and a regular book? [13:25] Why she can’t trademark her book name “The Virgin Diet.” [17:43] The best way you can find mistakes in your book is by doing a verbal readthrough out loud. [19:21] Differences between self-publishing and traditional publishing a cookbook. [22:57] Her tips and advice on creating a self-published cookbook. [28:34] How her product line and her books evolved over time. [32:07] The backend for her physical products - what she is doing and how she is marketing her products. [34:19] How JJ creates multiple income streams with her books and products. [39:29] Building loyalty to the brand gives your company a raving fan base to buy your products. [43:48] The process of getting people on board with your brand. [46:10] Advice for new authors that JJ wishes she knew before she published her first book.Links and Resources
Visit Self Publishing School Online SPS Free Training Course Circle of Profit Designs for Health on the Web JJ Virgin on the web Grab one of her books here Check out her Mindshare Summit Connect with on LinkedIn Follow on InstagramSPS 204: High Performance Author: Lessons Learned From Kobe, Durant & Steph with Alan Stein Jr.
SPS 203: Using Your Military Experience To Write A Great Book with General Mari K Eder
SPS 202: From Book To Entrepreneur & 8M+ TEDx Talk Views with Carrie Green (Female Author Association)
SPS 201: What I Learned Publishing 50 Fiction Novels In 22 Years with Tim Waggoner
SPS 200: To The Girl Who Wants To Write Books About Her Faith with Grace Valentine
SPS 199: Ten Ways to Sell Books Through Media Appearances with Steve Harrison
SPS 198: Successfully Self Publishing and Selling Books Through TikTok with Gabrielle Stone (Eat, Pray, #FML)
SPS 197: Worth It: Writing The Book You Want To Write (Not The One People Tell You To) with Brit Barron
SPS 196: Nice Girls Don’t Publish Books? - Empowering Female Authors & Executives with Dr. Lois Frankel
SPS 195: Lessons Learned Publishing 100+ Children & Young Adult Books with Kathryn Lasky (& Turning Your Book Into A Movie)
SPS 194: Building An Empire And Becoming Unbreakable with Elena Cardone
SPS 193: Buy Back Your Time Writing And Launching A Book (A Behind The Scenes Look) with Dan Martell
ANNOUNCEMENT: Self Publishing School Is Closed, The Future Of Publishing, And Funding 75 Libraries
SPS 192: Lessons Learned From 8 Years, 7,000+ Books Published, And $43M+ …And The Future Of Publishing with Chandler Bolt
SPS 191: Turning Your Book Into A Movie (From Book To Script) with Sara McDermott Jain
SPS 190: How To Launch A Book Successfully with Julie Broad
SPS 189: Go For Stupid & Being Authentic In Your Book with Steve Sims
SPS 188: Turning Your Book Into A Viral TED Talk & Speaking Career with Dr. Guy Winch
SPS 187: Affiliate Marketing For Authors with “The Affiliate Guy” Matt McWilliams
SPS 186: Contagious; How To Make Your Book Catch On & Go Viral with Jonah Berger
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