We've all made a mess.And that means we all have a message. This is the book that shows you how to take the former and make it into the latter. FROM THE NY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR When Anna David got sober and sold a book about her recovery to the biggest publisher in the world, she thought she'd made it. She was wrong. Still, after years of struggle and self-discovery, she ended up thriving personally and professionally. Now she's sharing what she's learned-and showing others how to do the same. In this page-turning and useful memoir-meets-manual, David reveals her personal lows (doing cocaine by herself while contemplating suicide), her career lows (a past-his-prime celebrity hurling a phone at her as she wrote his biography) and how her life today wouldn't be possible without those experiences. The last quarter of the book is a practical guide so that readers can make their own mess into a message-and memoir. In this completely comprehensive "biz-oir" packed with proven and authentic tools and techniques, memoirists-in-the-making will travel with David on her journey from struggling addict to New York Times bestselling writer/entrepreneur and also learn: -How to determine a memoir message and "why" -How to select scenes -The advantages and disadvantages of traditional and self-publishing -How to come up with a title, rewrite a book and hire editors -Potential legal concerns and how to avoid them -How to gather blurbs, write acknowledgments and arrange for a foreword -How to be set up for success on Amazon -The importance of an Advanced Reader Team And much more. The best time to write a book was 10 years ago. The second best time is now. To start creating the business tool that will change your career-and life-click ADD TO CART before the price changes. "This is the book I wish I had when I was I was writing mine. Through telling her own story, at turns hilarious and heartbreaking, Anna David brilliantly shows us how confronting our biggest challenges can lead us to our purpose and passion. Full of the practical guidance essential to writing and publishing a successful book, this is a must-read for anyone who wants to share their message with the world." - Lisa Smith, award-winning author of Girl Walks Out of a Bar "Anna is one of the most articulate, entertaining and powerful messengers I know." - Joe Polish, Founder, Genius Network "This combination of an authentic memoir and expert how-to for writing your own memoir and successfully publishing it and selling it is not only useful but also a worthwhile read. It comes highly recommended." - Readers Favorite "Anna David deftly injects humor into a serious subject." - Library Journal I wrote this book for a number of reasons. But here's the most relevant one for you: what I've learned about how a book can build a business can change your life. It wasn't easy to learn any of this. I spent years publishing books the traditional way, having to borrow money because the book advances kept me living just above the poverty level. But by getting out of the traditional publishing game and then discovering the methods I explain in the last quarter of this book, I was able to go from starving artist to thriving business owner. The clients who have hired my company Launch Pad have been able to use these same techniques--and they've had similar results. You can, too. And that brings me back to my reason for writing this book: the ideas, advice, strategies and methodology encapsulated here shouldn't only be for our high-end clients or those who've spent decades in publishing. I want anyone who has the desire to write books and make a living the tools they need to do that. After reading this book, you might want to contact us to explore how we can help you transform your mess into a message and then a book that builds or creates your business. And that would be delightful! But if you read and absorb everything in here, you may not need to because you may have everything you need. (If you want to skip my personal story and get right to the instruction, I won't be offended...in fact, I'll never know! Just go straight to Chapter 11. But I promise you'll get more out of this if you follow an example first. Plus the fact that I share my messy life may well convince you that you should share yours, too.) The 5-Step Process for Making Your Mess Your Memoir 1) Determine Your Message. Ask yourself: What is the most valuable lesson I have to share?2) Determine Your Why. Ask yourself: Do I want to just help people, build a business, launch a speaking career, get more clients, all of the above or something else?3) Select the Right Scenes. For each chapter/time period, ask yourself: What are the 3-7 incidents that really shaped me?5) Understand That It's About You But It's Not About You. Ask yourself: Who are my ideal readers? How can I find them? The 19 Steps to Publishing Your Book 1) Educate Yourself About Traditional Publishing2) Educate Yoursel