Today I got an email from a good friend in Canada. She has been bringing the book to her workplace, which just so happens to be a film set! She says that the crew members are avidly reading it in their spare time.

I have a favor to ask of you! Could you ask your local library to carry Chess Is Child’s Play: Teaching Techniques That Work?

Although the book is very reasonably priced I want to see every family have access to this book. Wouldn’t it be great if parents all around the country took it upon themselves to teach their children to play chess this summer? Imagine the difference come fall! The teachers would wonder at the change!

The Cleveland Public Library, who has the largest collection of chess books in the world just accepted Chess Is Child’s Play into their prestigious John G. White Chess Collection. The chief librarian in charge of this collection wrote to say, “Your book clearly represents a lot of work and is an important contribution to the chess collection.”  We are extremely honored!

If you’d like to purchase a signed copy from me and donate it to your library, please email me and I’d be happy to help!

I remember the first lesson. I wanted to really give my idea a chance, so I left the house and went to the beach, carrying a bag with a roll up board and chess pieces. I made sure my young son had a good lunch and then we went for a vigorous swim. After we dried off, I pulled the chess set from my bag and asked if he wanted to learn. “YES!” was his immediate response. There was no hesitation. That was a good sign.

We didn’t do more than just discuss the pieces and their names. But I discovered that I could create little mini-games around identifying the names of these pieces, having him place them on the board, which captivated him. It was fun and my son was hooked. I was too.

I made sure to end the lesson while he was still really into it. I think that initial lesson lasted 15 minutes. Again, I knew it was a good sign when he said, “Aw, mom! Can’t we play more?”

That lesson paved the way for a very intriguing and fruitful road, one I am still traveling. I continued teaching my son on the beach and soon we were playing a complete game. I started teaching other children, working with my husband, figuring out the best strategies for teaching children of all ages.

We founded Your Chess Coach and approached a few local schools. They were eager for chess instruction for their students. I soon discovered that parents and educators all knew that chess was more than just a game. That was a pleasant surprise! Most people seemed to know that chess was very beneficial for children.

Fast forward four years later. I now have Chess Is Child’s Play – Teaching Techniques that Work in my hands, the culmination of my research to date on the best way to teach children of all ages to play chess. This isn’t the end of the road, but more of a widening of the small sandy path I started back in 2008. My hope is that others will help me build a super highway, allowing many children to say, “Mommy, I can play chess too!”

Emile Pandolfi writes: Just got my copy in the mail, and have only perused the book thus far.

However, as soon as I opened it, the book felt friendly, easy to get used to right away. For me, a book must invite me in at once. if it doesn’t, no matter how valuable the content, I will keep putting it aside unless it makes me feel welcome, awakens a new curiosity, you know what I mean?

I thumbed through the book, reading bits here and there to get a feel for the journey inside. I found the layout and general look of the book comfortable, attractive, and approachable. I found myself wanting to read it, not looking at it from a feeling of obligation, the way I would a text book. I actually wanted to learn to play chess! (which I have never wanted to do before). it just looks so easy…

The highlighted areas had tips, special little pieces of wisdom, ideas on how to keep your child interested, how to make sure he keeps moving forward, that sort of thing. These authors are obviously very knowledgeable on the subject of education in general, not just specifically on how to teach chess. In other words, they seem to have taken a global approach – not just about chess, but about the subject of learning itself – with chess as the vehicle.

I am giving this to my daughter who has two boys; when she has worked with them on it, I will write another review of how it turned out. I have the highest expectations.

Austin Becker writes: If you want to teach your kids to play chess, this book gives a straightforward and pragmatic approach to teach you, the parent, how to teach your kids chess. It is not a book to give to your children and send them to their room with a bunch of pieces and checkered board. Rather, it offers an approach that minimizes frustration, capitalizes on the strengths of a child’s mind, and delivers far more than simply learning how to play a game. It guides parents not just through the rules and how the pieces move, but in understanding how kids learn, grow, and behave in the process. As Ben Franklin put it in 1750, “The Game of Chess is not merely an idle amusement; several very valuable qualities of the mind, useful in the course of human life, are to be acquired and strengthened by it, so as to become habits ready on all occasions; for life is a kind of Chess, in which we have often points to gain, and competitors or adversaries to contend with, and in which there is a vast variety of good and ill events, that are, in some degree, the effect of prudence, or the want of it.” Sherman and Kilpatrick give simple and meaningful instruction that can be used to teach children both the idle amusement of chess AND those valuable qualities of the mind that are so useful in the course of human life.

“Chess is Child’s Play” offers a new approach and a straightforward set of tools for bonding with your kids, while teaching them a skill set that will be with them for life! Three cheers for “Chess is Child’s Play” and a copy to each of my friends with young children!!

Stephen Jones writes: I’ve almost 20 years in publishing, and I was impressed with the production quality of the book. Based upon their combined coaching and playing experience, Laura’s book is visually appealing, well written and jam packed with original, practical content. Currently, ‘Chess is Child’s Play – teaching techniques that work’ is bouncing around in the Top 20 best-selling chess books on Amazon – amazing! Almost all of us share fond memories of being taught the game itself, and this is the true benefit of Laura’s book – the opportunity to create those memories with the next generation.

You can read his entire review here: http://www.chesscreator.com/chess-is-childs-play-review-of-best-selling-book

Ever since I was a young child I wanted to help people learn to play chess and achieve the benefits one can gain from the game.

When my husband and I started Your Chess Coach, our chess instruction business, we quickly realized that children naturally love chess. Their eyes sparkle at the idea of learning to play.

However we discovered that many parents are intimidated by the game. It seems there is a rumor that one must be a MENSA genius to even own a chess set! It’s simply not true.

A number of parents confided in me over the years that they did try to learn the game, but found the little single page inserts that come with the chess set confusing (some even have errors). They were also put off by the small diagrams in various “beginner” books at their local stores. They wanted to learn, but had no resources.

When I was pregnant with my second child, I started teaching some of the moms and dads to play. I would offer them a free lesson if we were teaching their child. I’d only ask for a cup of coffee (we’d usually meet at Starbucks) and a scone (because I was hungry a lot of the time).

The tradition stuck and I continued to offer parents my “coffee and a scone” deal. I’d use the same techniques I’d use with their children, teaching them in a very step-by-step way. Quite a few let me know that they felt relief at realizing that they could indeed learn the game. They were happy that they could now play a game with their child!

Bill and I created Chess Is Child’s Play with teaching techniques that any parent can apply with their young child. We hope you enjoy this trailer and share it with your friends!

These clients are courageous. It isn’t easy to pour your personal stories out into a book for anyone to read. It takes a special person to be willing to share their intimate details.

The first step you will need to take is to decide the purpose for writing your memoir. Do you want to record a piece of history for your children’s children?  Or do you want to share the obstacles you overcame to achieve your goals? Perhaps you made mistakes in your life and wish to share them with others to help them avoid making the same errors. All of these are admirable goals.

Writing a book that simply records one calamity after another is not a good idea. It’s depressing and can send the wrong message to readers, that life isn’t worth living.

As an author you do have a responsibility to help others through your writing. I’m not suggesting that you hit people over the head with strong messages, but do keep in mind that you may be influencing your reader. What would you like them to have learned by reading your book? How can they be enriched and bettered?

Most people need help writing and publishing a book, especially if it is about them. It isn’t easy to be objective for most and they need the help of a ghostwriter.

If you need help, please feel free to call me at 727 736 4436. I’ll give you a free consultation and help you take your first step!

“I want to be a writer. What should I do?” I hear this a lot!  I always encourage people to pursue their dreams. We need more writers in the world. Writing is not only a channel of communication, but it is also an art form!

Mostly though, when someone asks this, they want to make money as a writer. Again, I say GREAT! However it’s good to prepare a bit.

If you have limited experience (perhaps you have only worked on school projects or written as a hobby), you need to gain more experience. It is a little different writing for another person, under their name, with deadlines that you don’t personally set. Writing as a job is not the same as writing as a hobby.

Finding your first client is your first challenge. It is the old problem of how do you gain experience when people only want to hire writers with experience? The answer is that you must become a sales person (sorry, I’m just being honest). You must sell yourself!

Once you have had one major paid writing assignment under your belt, finding the second is easier. The third is even easier. Finally you get to a threshold where people seek you out and fight to have you write for them. It all starts with getting that first paid gig.

So how do you start? Talk to everyone you know and everyone you meet.  Tell them that you’re a writer. Most writers tend to be bashful about this point. They don’t want to “toot their own horn.” Well, I’m here to tell you that you need to toot away. Don’t be shy about sharing your passion for writing, your ability, your love for the field. Your enthusiasm will attract clients.

Not everyone you talk to will hire you. Most won’t. But if you talk to enough, you will find your first client (and might even get two or three projects).

You won’t be able to charge top dollar for that first job, but you must charge enough to make it worth your while. Don’t allow someone to take advantage of you.

Here’s a basic formula for figuring out a bid for a client:

1. Calculate how many hours will it take you to write the book (most likely 100 – 200 hours for a 200 – 300 page book).
2. Figure out how much you’d like to make per hour (please do not accept less than $20 an hour).
3. Multiply the two. For example, say you feel it will take you 150 hours to write their book and you’d like to make $30 an hour, you’d have a figure of $4500 at this stage.
4. Ask questions, talk to the client and get a feel for various factors. How do they communicate? Do they write well? Will they provide all the research information?
5. Add or subtract from the above figure, taking these factors into account. For instance if you see they they don’t respond to emails and phone messages immediately, know that this will add time for you. In this case, raise your price a bit. Or if they write very well and respond quickly, you might reduce your fees, as they will help you to write the book.
6. Now add in a buffer, which will take into account a miscalculation in one of the above steps.
7. If someone referred the business to you, add in something for them. I always include a 10% referral fee. I like to reward people who send business my way.

This is a good starting point. It will give you an idea of what you should charge for your first project.

If you ever want to bounce a bid off of me, please feel free to email me. I can help you sort out the correct price point!

I was asked today, “How do you manage to juggle so many projects simultaneously?” It’s a good question, one that made me think. I honestly prefer to have various projects all going at the same time, like pots bubbling on a stove. It sparks me on a creative level.

Not all writers enjoy this style though. It is important that you as a writer find the client load that works for you! Some writers like to work steadily on one project until it is done, before picking up the next project. That’s fine! There is no “right” answer here.

Personally I can’t stand downtime. Waiting has never been a strong suit of mine. Most projects have periods where you are waiting for something from the client (feedback, raw data, etc.). It can take weeks. So in that case it is wonderful to have another project to work on. Sure, I can always fill time with marketing and promotional activities. I have two books on the market right now and there is plenty to do there! I am always writing articles, blogging and running a social media campaign on top of everything else, but I prefer to do that while I am ghostwriting.

So how do I juggle multiple projects?

I’m Organized

I keep extensive notes on all my projects, so that I can easily refer back to them. Actually that is necessarily regardless of the number of projects you have. Organization is a must! I have a folder for each project and then multiple subfolders, and sub-subfolders. It’s very detailed. One must select a filing system early on (I use Word) and compartmentalize everything. As an example I often have these folders for a project:

• Admin: contracts, agreements, etc.
• Interviews: raw recordings
• Transcriptions
• Chapters: my ongoing work on a book
• Completed drafts: I keep all versions of the book for future reference
• Research information: websites, client information, emails with data pertaining to the project
• Client’s draft: the client’s notes (sometimes they have a rough draft done)
• Pictures: photos or logos that might be used for marketing or publishing

The point is that I can grab anything I want for a project easily and quickly! This is vital when working on several projects at the same time.

I keep things balanced

I make sure to keep a balance among my writing projects. I am selective about the clients and books that I take on, so I am passionate about each and every one of them. There are none that I dislike, so I never have to “force” myself to write. That’s one of the great advantages of working for myself!

I divide up my time and work on each project for a given time period (which might span two-three days). I don’t write by the clock, but more judge when I’m finished by the work I complete. Of course that will vary depending on the stage I am on with a project. For one I might be happy with 3000 words, while another I’ll stop at 500 words, because I did research with it. I know when I’ve accomplished what I want for that time period and can move on.

Sometimes I get very engrossed in one project and in that case I’ll allow myself to continue until I get to a natural stopping point. It’s all very organic actually.

I keep in constant communication with the client

It is vital to stay in constant communication with clients. I let them know what I’m doing and ask for feedback on a regular basis. At the beginning there is a “fine-tuning” stage where I need to make sure that we are on the same page. This takes time. My job is to breathe life into my clients’ books and I want to make sure it is 100% what they want.

I have a policy of answering emails within 24 hours. I don’t always succeed, but typically I answer communications within a few hours. I want to stay on top of things and make sure I am there for my clients for the duration of the project, and beyond.

It takes time to keep this sort of communication line going, but in the end it actually saves time. If you avoid talking to your client, it is very likely that they will not be happy with the final book. However if you stay on top of their emails and phone calls, you will have a very happy client who will hire you again and again and refer their friends to you!

I’d love to hear your thoughts! Do you prefer to work on multiple projects? If so, what techniques do you use? If not, please tell us why!

In the writing industry, I like to help writers to write and get paid. I often give free advice to those new to the industry, because I believe that our society will benefit from having more writers in the world.

If you’re reading this, please consider helping one person this week take a step forward as a writer. I know you know someone who could use some advice or encouragement. See if you can get them to progress on their personal projects, start a blog or write an article or press release for a company or non-profit organization. Make sure the project is something that other people will read.  Writing for one’s own amusement has limited value. Writing is meant to be  read by others.

If you know a writer who has gained a lot of experience, but has yet to be paid, encourage them to ask for money for their writing. This is a problem for many. It can be tough to name a dollar figure for a project, so people will usually charge far too little. Some won’t charge at all!

As their friend, please give positive feedback whenever possible about someone’s writing. It is also good to point out errors, but see that your compliments outweigh the criticism.

Pay it forward this week and help a writer – your support will mean a lot to them. I’d love hear back from you on this. What did you do?

Here are some questions you can ask yourself, which will help you make this decision:

• Can you write the book on your own?
• Do you have the money to hire a professional writer?
• What are your goals for your book?

If you have the ability to write the book on your own, and you have the time to do so, that’s the best decision. Write your book and then hire someone to edit it for you. You may need a major overhaul, but it still will be less expensive for you than having a ghostwriter write from scratch.

However, if you “can” write the book, but know you don’t have the time, recognize that and hire someone to help you.

If you know you need to hire a writer, you must budget money for the project. Do not expect a professional writer to work for a “share of the profits.” This will never be a realistic offer. Professional writers need to be paid upfront for their work. You can offer to give them a percentage of the profits from the sales as an added bonus. This is a wise plan as the writer will be more involved and might help you with marketing and sales if they are involved in the backend.

If you don’t have money to hire someone, try to find time each day to write your book yourself. Perhaps settle on a smaller ebook to get your message out. Again you can hire someone to proofread it for you in the end (which won’t cost much).

It is important to determine your goals for your book project before you start. If you want a best selling book, you will need to invest in a best selling author. If you want to create a little 99 cent ebook, you should spend less on your writer.

You will get what you pay for with a writer, but it doesn’t make sense to drop $50,000 on a book that you don’t plan to market seriously. On the other hand, if this book will help you make sales in your business, and each sale has a decent price tag attached, you must spend money on a good, professional ghostwriter. If your goal is to have a book with your name on it, you need to build your brand’s reputation in the right direction!

When you’re asking yourself, “Should I hire a ghostwriter?” you need to evaluate your goals and resources. Please feel free to email me anytime if you’d like help weighing your options!

Begin by writing about things you are very familiar with. Write about what you know. You can research any topic and write about that subject, but it is much easier to start by writing about what you know well. In order to write about something you must be knowledgeable about it. You cannot fake it. Your readers will know that you don’t know and will lose respect for you.

Last year I was hired to write numerous articles about mortgages. I had worked in the industry for five years. Besides being a mortgage director I would also give seminars and lectures on mortgages to clients and colleagues, so I was familiar with how to explain various complex concepts to people who were unfamiliar with the subject.

Even though I was a mortgage expert, I would still google the various topics requested of me. After all, it was possible that there were angles I hadn’t considered or new information on the subject I could learn. Research is always an important part of writing.

I was surprised by how many people wrote articles about mortgages and real estate who didn’t have a clue about the area. They obviously were not familiar with the subject and unfortunately would copy articles from authors who were equally clueless. It was a mess! Because I knew the area so well, I could quickly sort out the correct information from the incorrect.

So the lesson there is, watch who you’re counting as an “expert.” As a rule of thumb, if you’re researching a topic you should find three articles that support a fact (but make sure the three articles aren’t duplicates of an article). Most likely this will keep you from making an error in trusting the wrong source. It isn’t foolproof, but it has worked for me. Of course I use common sense as a guide as well.

However, the best way to make sure your information is accurate is to stick to subjects you know well, especially if you’re a new writer.

If you want to be a writer you must write and write and write. Work hard to write your best and improve continually. Share your work with others and get feedback. Make sure to get constructive criticism from people who are more experienced than you and continue to write and write and write. Don’t let anyone tell you to stop writing.

So for those who are wondering, “Can I be a writer?” please do know that you can. Am I suggesting that you’ll be a best-selling author overnight? No. However, if you work hard and practice your craft, you can achieve your goals!