How did you come to develop a series of collaborative books featuring your members?

I’m a fairly decent writer, and I love writing. For years I wanted to write a book, and every time I got started something would happen to derail me. It was driving me nuts. Then it hit me like a hammer to the head. Everything I do has a focus on collaboration! “If you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go far, go together.” Why was I trying to write a book (at least my first one) by myself? It needed to be a collaboration, modelled somewhat like Chicken Soup for the Soul, with a focus on raw real authentic gut-punching empowering stories by women.

I sat down with Julie Salisbury, Founder of Influence Publishing, we brainstormed a plan, I sent out an “expression of interest” invitation, and received a flood of responses. The entire process was so powerful that I knew we had to do more, which is why we’re about to launch Book 3 and the plans for Book 4 are already in the works.

What do you feel is the main benefit to those who participate in writing a collaborative book?

Whether you’re a business owner, entrepreneur or career woman, being able to claim you’re a #1 Bestselling Author adds tremendous leverage. It gives you instant credibility as an expert in your field. And by being able to achieve that through the power of collaboration, with expert guidance and a publishing house supporting you, it’s a fun and exciting journey. It’s also expensive to publish a book on your own, as not only do you have to write it but then you have to pay for every single element along the way. A professional editor, proofreader, typesetter, graphic designer – the list goes on. Then you have to print it! And market it! I’ve received some books that looked like crap, just awful quality and full of typos and bad grammar.

We’re professional all the way, and hire the best of everything. With a collaborative WOW book, all the costs are shared which makes it incredibly cost-effective for everyone. We also have a brilliant marketing system that works, so while we can’t guarantee a #1 Bestseller … well, we can pretty much guarantee it LOL.

Please share a little bit about the process of developing a collaborative book with Julie Salisbury and Influence Publishing.

With Julie and myself at the helm, our authors get value-added beyond what anyone else is doing with collaborative books. We go far above and beyond. Once the authors have been selected, we all meet for a one-day workshop facilitated by Julie. Right there, everyone should be gobsmacked. To have the founder of a publishing house sit down for an entire day and provide personal guidance on developing your story is unheard of.  By the end of the day everyone has clarity on the purpose of their story, and how it will unfold. They are expected to submit their first draft in just two weeks, as that’s how powerful this process is. Julie gives each author personal guidance on the development of their story, and then it gets handed over to a professional editor. Every author has commented that this unique approach pulls out a far more powerful story than they ever believed they were capable of writing.

From the day of the workshop to Amazon launch day is just three months. Again, unheard of. We are all working together for the good of the whole, and when women join together in a common purpose they create miracles. As launch day approaches, we gear up our marketing and provide guidance every step of the way. Then, a week or two later, we have a celebration party! Once again, this is included in the entire book writing/publishing project, which is almost never done and certainly not on the level we do it LOL. I’m a professional event organizer, so we have a FREE event for 250 people. This allows our authors to invite all their friends, family, coworkers, clients, and we turn it into an event with speakers, entertainment, book signings, and of course wine and chocolate. It’s a helluva party, and I donate all proceeds from book sales at the event to charity. It’s an amazing package, if I do say so myself.

Empower With The Power Of Collaboration – the 3rd WOW Woman Of Worth collaborative book – is due to launch online Sept. 12th and in person Sept. 22nd. Can you share a little bit about the theme of this new book? How can people be a part one of these launches?

Competition is an old paradigm. Great women empower other women to be great, and behind every collaborating woman is a tribe of women who have her back. Everything’s easier, and everyone flies higher than they would have dreamed possible. It also makes the journey a lot more fun!

Sit down, relax, maybe pour a glass of wine. You’re about to meet some extraordinary women between the pages of this book, as the authors share their real-life stories that punch you in the gut, impact and inspire. It’s time to Collaborate. It’s time to Get WOWed.