Barbara B Richter of DIYBook On How To Grow Your Business or Brand By Writing A Book

Master your marketing! Connect with media outlets, of course, but they are swamped, so don’t forget other places where you can promote your book, such as libraries, bookstores, community centers, houses of worship, and business networking events.

As a part of our series about “How You Can Grow Your Business or Brand By Writing A Book”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Barbara Richter.

Barbara Richter is an accomplished author, public speaker, French-to-English translator, podcast host of Writing for Immortality, and founder of DIYBook and In Ink Ghostwriting. Raised in a home steeped in books and greatly influenced by her father, an award-winning editor and National Book Award finalist, Barbara’s upbringing richly nurtured her literary heritage and profoundly honed her critical thinking skills. Barbara’s multifaceted career, marked by her roles as the Managing Editor for Literary Features Syndicate, columnist for Fine Books and Collections Magazine, and contributor to The Wall Street Journal, The New York Daily News, and The Sewanee Review, has firmly established her as a prominent figure in both modern literature and entrepreneurship.

Building off her extensive writing expertise, Barbara launched DIYBook in 2023, a comprehensive solution designed to make book writing and publishing accessible and affordable for authors at all levels, from novices to seasoned professionals. The platform is a step-by-step process equipped with weekly email prompts catering to various categories such as trauma, military service, relationships, and more. This tailored approach simplifies writing and publishing by providing structured guidance, helping users overcome writer’s block, lack of direction, and feeling overwhelmed. DIYBook’s support system includes various tools and resources to enhance writing quality and efficiency, thereby making the publishing journey more approachable for anyone with a story to tell. Additionally, her new podcast, Writing for Immortality, shares insider advice and strategies for writers at every stage of the writing process featuring discussions with a wide array of guests from the industry, including authors, artists, PR professionals, and literary agents.

Barbara is also the founder of In Ink Ghostwriting (2014), one of the premier ghostwriting firms in the NYC area with clients from around the world, which delivers an assortment of writing services. From business books to memoirs and novels, the firm caters to a diverse clientele, such as best-selling authors, NFL players, Fortune 500 CEOs, artists, musicians, doctors, entrepreneurs, and attorneys. This all-inclusive service range sets In Ink Ghostwriting apart, offering not just writing and publishing mastery but also essential design services with a skilled graphic design artist who can provide clients with the option to enhance the visual appeal of their books. Her foray into ghostwriting was spurred by her distinctive ability to encapsulate the voices and ideas of those with compelling stories but limited writing proficiency or time.

Barbara holds a BA and MA in French Language and Literature from Smith College and Tufts University. She is a founding member of the Ticknor Society, a voting member of the National Book Critics Circle, and a member of the Grolier Club, the country’s oldest bibliophilic association. Currently residing in Westchester, New York, with her family and beloved basset hounds, Barbara continues to enrich the landscape of literature and entrepreneurship, contributing significantly to the domains of storytelling and literary access.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive into the main focus of our interview, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share a story about what motivated you to become an expert in the particular area that you are writing about?

I created two businesses to help CEOs and entrepreneurs develop their brand authority by writing books. DIYBook is an affordable, do-it-yourself model that helps keep costs down, while In Ink Ghostwriting is a full-service, white-glove writing firm. Whether a business owner is writing a book on their own or enlisting the services of a ghostwriter, establishing authority with a byline is something traditional marketing simply can’t buy: subject-matter expertise bound between hard covers. When entrepreneurs write a book, they’re showing potential customers or investors their dedication to their business, even when it seems like there’s no time to carve out to actually write a book. (I believe business owners can juggle both responsibilities, even if the going gets nuts sometimes.)

I recently launched a podcast, Writing for Immortality, which shares insider advice and strategies for writers at every stage of the writing process, featuring discussions with various guests from the industry, including authors, artists, PR professionals, and literary agents.

Can you share a pivotal story that shaped the course of your career?

I used to teach French and Latin. I loved helping my students find their voices and channel their stories to the page. It was so rewarding when students could express themselves in new ways. I’ve always felt that everyone has a story to tell, and as a ghostwriter, I realized that I could help even more people get their stories into the world. I especially relish helping CEOs and entrepreneurs get their stories out into the world. And, I am really good at sounding like my clients on paper, which takes a lot of fear and frustration away from my clients. I remember one time when a ghostwriting client came across a story I wrote under my own byline. “You sound so different in this piece!” the client said to me. Success! I thought to myself–imagine what would happen if a client read something I wrote and said We sound the same!

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? Are you working on any new writing projects?

Always! But I can’t kiss and tell–I’m a ghostwriter, after all. I can tell you that many of these projects are for CEOs, small business owners, and entrepreneurs who recognize the benefits of having a book to their name. My newly launched company is DIYBook, which helps people write their books affordably, and I started “Writing for Immortality,” a podcast dedicated to helping writers start and finish their books.

You are a successful author and thought leader. Which three character traits do you feel were most instrumental to your success when launching your book? Can you please share a story or example for each?

I help many authors launch their books. Three character traits that help make a successful book launch include patience, persistence, and planning:

• Patience, because results don’t appear overnight — successful book launches are marathons, not sprints;
• Persistence, because it takes time to develop author authority; and
• Planning, because successful book launches are designed six months to a year before publication date.

In my work, I have found that writing a book can be a great way to grow a brand. Can you share some stories or examples from your own experience about how you helped your own business or brand grow by writing a book? What was the “before and after picture?” What were things like before, and how did things change after the book?

Business owners and CEOs are experts in their work, but oftentimes, it takes a book to show the rest of the world that expertise. Doors (and opportunities) open once you have a book. I’ve seen business owners who couldn’t get booked on podcasts and other media until they had a book. I translated a French book into English, and that endeavor has led to speaking engagements about that topic — engagements that never would have happened if I hadn’t done that book.

If a friend came to you and said “I’m considering writing a book but I’m on the fence if it is worth the effort and expense” what would you answer? Can you explain how writing a book in particular, and thought leadership in general, can create lucrative opportunities and help a business or brand grow?

Intelligent and engaging business books help customers do two things, ideally:

1. Solve a problem, or
2. Complete a job.

A book identifies customers’ needs and how you and your business can satisfy them. Having a byline on a book increases the likelihood of booking speaking engagements and podcast invitations. A book seals the deal. As I mentioned above, “Do you have a book?” is one of the first things podcast, radio, and television booking agents ask potential guests. It makes sense: if you’re being introduced to the world as an expert on a topic, how can viewers verify your expertise? A book is one of the easiest ways to cultivate that authority.

What are the things that you wish you knew about promoting a book before you started? What did you learn the hard way? Can you share some stories about that which other aspiring writers can learn from?

I wish more authors recognized the need to establish a marketing and publicity campaign for their books earlier in the writing cycle. Often, marketing and publicity are an afterthought; Oh, my publisher will handle that! (No! Not always, especially in today’s publishing environment where dollars are only being spent on select authors.) Well, I’ll create my own imprint and once it’s out there people will buy it! (No again! Thousands of books are published every day–yours needs to stand out and find the right audience that will buy your book.)

Based on your experience, which promotional elements would you recommend to an author to cover on their own and when would you recommend engaging an expert?

A lot will depend on an author’s budget, timeframe, and ability to tackle things on their own. After Covid, publishers leaned even more heavily on authors to do their own publicity, in part because traditional outlets closed entirely. An author may need to hire a PR firm to make connections with media, but most authors can (and should!) do the basics like create a website dedicated to promoting the book, establish a social media presence, and create a book-related newsletter. No one will care about your book as much as you. Also, you can still generate buzz if you’re an author on a budget: work your contacts! Enlist your family and friends to give you early reviews. Look at your connections on social media — you may be surprised who runs a book club or chairs a committee that aligns with your subject.

Wonderful. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your own experience and success, what are the “five things an author needs to know to successfully promote and market a book?” If you can, please share a story or example for each.

Authors who focus on the five following things will likely enjoy a successful book launch:

1. Identify your audience. Are you speaking to customers? Investors? Other businesses? Know that, and you’ll know where to focus your efforts.
2. Build your author platform. This could be as basic as creating a website and hosting live author events or as robust as hiring a PR firm to spread the word. Readers (and customers in general) like to build some kind of relationship with their authors, so the more readers can learn about you, the more likely they are to buy your book.
3. Create captivating marketing materials. Spend some time creating a fabulous press release. Need a new headshot? Get one. Not creative? Spend a few bucks and get a graphic designer to help. First impressions matter, especially with your book, and don’t copy and paste the introduction of your book into the press release. Keep your press release short, sweet, and exciting. Leave the reader saying, “I need to know more–I need this person’s book!”
4. Master your marketing! Connect with media outlets, of course, but they are swamped, so don’t forget other places where you can promote your book, such as libraries, bookstores, community centers, houses of worship, and business networking events.
5. Consistency will show your readers you’re serious about your work and about connecting with them. Patience will keep you sane.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we both tag them :-)

I would love to meet these women because they are actively working to help women entrepreneurs make it:

• Amy Ward Advisory Board | Women Who Tech
• Anu Duggal Anu Duggal | LinkedIn
• Catherine Gray (sheangelinvestors.com)

How can our readers further follow your work online?

• Visit my companies to learn more:
• In Ink Ghostwriting: www.ininkghostwriting.com
• DIYBook: www.diybook.us
• Explore my podcast:
• Writing for Immortality https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/writing-for-immortality/id1726828796 (also available on Spotify, iHeart Radio, and Amazon Music)

Follow me on:

• LinkedIn
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/bbasbanes
• Insta:
• In Ink: https://www.instagram.com/in.ink.ghostwriting/
• DIYBook: https://www.instagram.com/diybookhq/
• Writing For Immortality: https://www.instagram.com/writing4immortality/

Thank you for these excellent insights, and we greatly appreciate the time you spent. We wish you continued success with your book promotion and growing your brand.

It was a pleasure, thank you!