Jill L. Ferguson is the author of fourteen books, including A Singles Cinderella Story (Or How to Find Love Without Losing Yourself), co-authored with Laura C. Browne, and the pandemic romance novel, Voice of Love. Her fourteenth book, The Advocates: Women Within the Australian Environmental Movement was published in July 2021 by Melbourne University Press.
Jill is an award-winning journalist who has written about women’s issues, relationships, health and wellness, and other subjects for more than 200 magazines, newspapers, and websites (such as HuffPost, Washington Post, Triathlete, Architectural Digest) and she is founder and CEO of Women’s Wellness Weekends and a book and business coach and consultant.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you ended up writing a book?
I have been writing books since I was 5 years old when I wrote text for a children’s book which I then decided to illustrate the book myself using watercolors. The story was about a cat, which was a strange topic for me since I’ve always been allergic to cats. I don’t remember the plotline of the book but I do remember sitting at my little red desk and painting the orange tabby over and over again on a bunch of pages. At 5, one doesn’t understand the ratio of water to pigment so I ended up with a saturated mess instead of a picture book. But that didn’t deter me. I kept writing and creating and at age 12 finally got a piece of writing published and I’ve been at it ever since. My fourteenth book was published in July 2021.
What do you hope your readers take away from this book?
My last three business books were: Increase Your Income: 7 Rules for Women Who Want to Make More Money at Work, co-authored with Laura C. Browne, A Salary Cinderella Story (or How to Make More Money Without a Fairy Godmother), also co-authored with Laura C. Browne, and Creating a Freelance Career. Readers of Increase Your Income will learn that 1) sometimes we inadvertently do things that hold us back from making more money, 2) that asking for more money (either at the start of employment or contracting negotiations or in the form of a raise) doesn’t have to be difficult and can be empowering, and 3) that there are all kinds of ways to generate more income.
The takeaways in A Salary Cinderella Story, which is a business parable, are similar but the main theme of the book is that so often we don’t get what we want in life because we don’t ask for it. It can be that simple.
Readers of Creating a Freelance Career will learn the step-by-step process of how to be a contractor, freelancer, or entrepreneur including how to network, what contracts can look like, how to market oneself, where to get or find work, how to set or raise rates, and how to write a book or pitch an idea or a piece of writing or a product. They will so find 25 examples of self-employed people who are thriving and how they got to that point.
What are the top three tools you are currently using to write, publish, and promote your books?
I write all of my books on one of my Mac computers, and I’ve published through traditional publishing houses, through a publishing company I partly own, and through self-publishing depending on the project. At times, like after Creating a Freelance Career was published by Routledge, I worked with a publicist (Javier Perez at Page Turner Publicity) and promoted my books through being a guest on podcasts, television shows, radio shows, through press (print and digital) interviews, and by guest writing on a variety of platforms.
I also run an online group for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and contractors on Fairygodboss.com and facilitate a similar group on Facebook and I promote my books at both, plus on my own websites.
Additionally, I do a lot of public speaking (especially pre-COVID) and am a member of a number of business organizations; both of these things help promote the books too.
What were the top three mistakes you made publishing your book what did you learn from them?
- Three mistakes I’ve made publishing my books are trying to design one of the book covers myself, not hiring a professional editor for the final proofread, and not developing the platform for the book LONG BEFORE the book comes out.
The original Salary Cinderella cover I designed and while it was okay, it didn’t look as professional and appealing as it did after a graphic designer recreated it. The new cover was better and looked much more polished.
- Also when the Salary Cinderella book went to press the first time, it had way too many typos in it. Neurological studies have shown that our brain corrects things and fills in letters that aren’t there, especially if we are familiar with text.
Hiring a professional copy editor and then a proofreader as the final eyes on the manuscript after layout helps us maintain our professional status and not make our products look amateur.
- And lastly, many great ideas fail because they are brought out into the world before appetites are whetted and a need is understood. Having a website, a social media campaign plan, and ways to reach the book buyers and people who can help promote the book—all of these things need to exist before the link appears on Amazon or wherever you plan to sell your title.
When will you consider your book a success?
I consider any of my books successful once they sell over 1000 copies. That may not seem like a lot but the truth is (according to Publisher’s Weekly) the majority of books published do not sell 1000 copies over the entire history of the book being available for purchase. So if you can sell more than 1000 copies of a title, your book becomes in the top 20% of all books sold. Those stats are mind-blowing to most people, especially those who have never worked in publishing.
Can you share a snippet that isn’t in the blurb or excerpt?
“…think about if you want to post prices on your website or not. Some freelancers or contractors believe in doing so at an effort of full disclosure and to weed out potential clients who want to try to find cheap labor.”
How have the pandemic and Lockdown affected you or your new business?
I have a number of businesses and they were each affected very differently during the pandemic. Women’s Wellness Weekends was put on pause and hasn’t resumed operations as it was founded to be an in-person event company where women could decompress and connect with and learn from their sisters. It was intentionally not online and so we kept it that way. Yes, it made no income, but it also had very little expenses for the last year and two-thirds. So it can stay paused until large gatherings are safe again.
The coaching business I run has boomed all pandemic as people needed a lot of direction and wanted people to talk to, and the ghostwriting business I offer also has been so busy all pandemic. I think the pandemic made people realize how precious and short life is and that made them want their stories told and their dreams realized. I have spent a lot of time copywriting, ghostwriting books and med and grad school applications, and all kinds of things for clients. And the pandemic also provided space and inspiration for my own writing. I’ve had five books come out since January 2020 and next week an essay of mine will be published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Hilarious, Heroic, Human Dog.
The pandemic reinforced two of my beliefs: every encounter or event can be an opportunity if we are looking at it as such and flexibility and being able to pivot is of utmost importance in running any kind of business. Unexpected things always happen. The only thing we can control is our attitudes and how we respond to the situation. Do we see it as a chance to change, grow, do good? (And yes, these are always options.)
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
I’m unsure if this question refers to the pandemic or to business in general. I had super high expectations for the first Women’s Wellness Weekends event I ever planned. It was a grand downtown Seattle hotel and I hoped to have more than 100 people. It didn’t work that way. Registrations were about a quarter of my target numbers and so financially, we spent more than we made. But the event itself was super successful. We had a great time. We learned a lot. We established new friendships and business partnerships that we still have today. I could have seen it as a failure since it didn’t meet the targets. But the day after the event I was talking to one of the speakers and she reminded me that how I looked at it was up to me. Did I lose money or invest in the business? Was attendance low or were the people who needed to be there at the event? Were they participants or my new brand ambassadors? Mindset matters.
What is the one thing you wish you knew before publishing your book?
If you are publishing with a traditional publishing company, you will still have to do much of the marketing of your book yourself. Budgets are very small for such things unless you are a big-name star.
Please share one thing new self-publish authors can do to gain more reviews on Amazon.
Ask for them from every person you know (but don’t be surprised when Amazon removes the reviews from parents, siblings, etc.). Ask for reviews on social media and provide a link to the book in the ask to make it easier. Join online writers groups and ask to do “review swaps”, meaning I’ll buy and review yours and you do mine.
Can you share some of the marketing techniques that have worked for you when promoting your book?
Years ago, a book was published titled “1001 Ways to Market Your Book.” Some of the information is outdated since it mostly applies to printed books but much of it is still relevant. The book offers unconventional marketing ideas such as leave a copy at your barbershop or hairdressers and at the dentists and doctor’s office where the magazines are. These are often overlooked marketing opportunities, as is partnering with others and doing events at local boutiques, the library, a nearby university’s school of business, and speaking at book clubs—either virtually or in person.
One marketing technique that works well is to create a launch team. This is a group of people you can trust to read the book before its release and then on the first few days after publication, the launch team posts the first sets of reviews on Amazon, writes about the book on all of their social media channels, and helps you talk it up. They become influencers for your book.
If you had the chance to start your career over again what would you do differently?
Sometimes I think I’d study something like forensic anthropology but I love my life and my career and I love helping people realize their publishing and entrepreneurial dreams so I wouldn’t change anything. I can work from anywhere I want as long as it has an Internet connection and I get to meet and work with all kinds of fascinating people. I’m in awe and feel so grateful that this is my life.
What’s a productivity tip you swear by?
Write every day, whether it is to a certain word count or for a certain amount of time. Also, use the BrainWaves binaural beats app with your earbuds on either creativity boost or theta waves while writing. It will help you focus and think more clearly.
What helps you stay driven and motivated to finish writing your book?
I enjoy the process so I’m always driven when writing. If you are writing nonfiction, do the research first, have a solid outline, create a folder for every chapter and dump the research into it so that when it is time to write that chapter, all of the info is in one place. Oh wait, maybe that’s a productivity tip. But being organized and taking it a piece at a time helps it move along.
Can you recommend one book, one podcast, and one online course for entrepreneurs and authors?
Life Skills That Matter podcast by Stephen Warley is for entrepreneurs. It has invaluable tips and great guests.
What are you learning now? Why is that important?
I’m going through a Great Courses lecture series called “The Science of Energy: Resources and Power Explained.” It’s a fascinating look at the true costs of energy usage in all of its various forms worldwide and the pros and cons of each. It is important because of the current state of the world and the climate crisis. The course covers a bit on how we got to where we are.
If you only had $1000 dollars to promote a new book, knowing everything you know now, how would you spend it?
I’d probably spend $1000 on TikTok and Instagram ads as that is one way I’ve never tried to promote a book but I know others who are doing it successfully.
What’s your best piece of advice for aspiring and new authors?
Write every day. Work with others who have been there—that could mean a book coach (if you want to go the traditional publishing route or self-publish), editors (developmental, copyeditors, proofreaders), and if you’re planning on self-publishing, work with a book designer who understands the ins and outs of both design and the printing business. Read as much as you can to understand the business. Also, READ, READ, READ. You cannot write well if you don’t read a lot.
What is your favorite quote?
One of my favorite quotes is:
“It’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you are not.”
–Hanoch McCarty
Who should we interview next and why?
Laura C. Browne has built a very long career training executives and managers at tech companies and Fortune 500 companies. She’s written books on her own and co-authored some with me. She also writes for Forbes and is the Phoenix chapter president of Ellevate.
What is your definition of success?
Success is being able to live the life I want—which to me means working with clients I want to work with, doing work I love, traveling and meeting new people, and exploring other cultures—and having the freedom to afford it and to also afford to take breaks when I want or need to.
How do you personally overcome fear?
I don’t have a lot of fears. Everything is a learning experience.
How can readers get in touch with you?
I’m available through my websites jillferguson.com or via e-mail at jill@jillferguson.com. If you want to talk about your project, book idea, or business and need advice, I offer 30 minute free consultations.
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