. . . We Have a Book Deal!!!  

I'm so excited to share the big news with you . . . just weeks after my "bring on the no" newsletter, we have a book deal! Yes, WE, because it wouldn't be possible without you. And you're hearing it here first, so thank you for being part of my "behind the scenes" crew :)

The Pivot Method will be published in hardcover by Portfolio/Penguin in early 2016, one of the top business and career imprints, and I could not be more thrilled.

Portfolio/Penguin is home to books by Seth Godin, Richard Branson, Ryan Holiday, Pamela Slim, and many other "new media" authors like me. Now I've gotta get cookin' on writing! A solid first draft is due in April. 

I will be documenting my writing process and systems to share with you along the way, and more importantly, I want to write this book WITH you and FOR you. It's critical that I write what you actually want and need, so I'll be sending surveys, holding phone calls, and creating a course in the new year to help "prototype" and pilot the ideas in the book with your feedback (fitting in with my Pivot Method process too, as it were!). 
 

BEHIND THE SCENES: 

For those curious about the deal-making process, here's how it all went down . . .

• After we showed the proposal to Running Press, the publisher for Life After College, Sarah, my agent, sent a revised proposal out to editors at 15 of our top houses. 
   
• Some said no right away, some said they had a similar books in progress, and others were very interested and wanted to set-up meetings. What's funny about the process is how different the reactions can be to the same material, which happened last time too. I was thrilled to see that many of the top houses thought it was an innovative set of ideas, and the right time for the book. 
   
• I went to a handful of in-person meetings in big iconic New York buildings and lobbies . . . I was like a kid in a candy store! It was a feeling of bliss that's hard to describe, and a true homecoming. After a few rough pivot years of my own, I *knew* when I was sitting in those lobbies, surrounded by walls of books, that this was the right next step for me. 
   
• The meetings were also very exciting (albeit a bit nerve-wracking going in!): me and Sarah across a big conference room table from 4 or 5 others: often a combination of the president of a division, an editor,  and someone from PR and/or marketing. It was a lot like a job interview: tell us about your vision for the book, your platform, your business plan, etc. I got to ask questions too, and more than anything, appreciated being able to have a conversation with such smart people about what's possible for a book like this. 
   
• Sarah asked for each of the interested publishers to submit bids on my birthday, Oct. 9 (best present ever), and by the next day we accepted a fantastic offer from Portfolio/Penguin. I'm so impressed by the work they've done in the career, business and new media space (their books line my shelves more than any other publisher!), and their vision for The Pivot Method was very compelling and inspiring to me! I couldn't be happier with where we ended up. 
   
• I meet with my editor Natalie next week to talk about the full timeline and next steps! 

Do you have questions about the process? If so, send 'em my way! I may not be able to respond to each individually, but I'd like to write or record something that answers anything and everything you're curious about. So often big things like this are hidden in a black box . . . and that's not what I'm about! 
 

• Nothing since last time, unfortunately! Wrist slap. I've been just a tiny bit pre-occupied trying to get the book deal :) I have also started a writing practice of 60 minutes each morning for the book . . . total crap at the beginning, but just two weeks in I can really feel the rust starting to dust off, which is good! This is one of my busiest months of the year in terms of speaking events and travel, so I'm trying to show myself that I can write a little bit each day, even without "perfect" conditions. 
   

• I absolutely LOVED Smartcuts: How Hackers, Innovators, and Icons Accelerate Success by Shane Snow. Read it in one day, in fact! It's "a deep look into how top businesses and people climbed to the top in so little time. Tips for thinking like a hacker and breaking the unspoken rules of business and success."
   
• Shane recommends Randy Ingermanson's Snowflake Method For Designing A Novel — a fantastic resource for anyone grappling with the big, complex task of writing a book. 
   

• I may be late to the Key & Peele party, but can't resist sharing one of their most popular sketches, Substitute Teacher. Go on a Key & Peele binge next time you find yourself bored! Chock full of great laughs :) 

• I'm happy to be featured in Inc.'s 10 Things to Look for in a Business Coach
   

• 17 Hats (h/t Linda Warner!) It's the app that "wears 17 hats so you only have to wear one." Great for solopreneurs to keep on top of to do lists, contracts, invoicing, calendar, and more.
   
• Gmail Offline: An Chrome app that lets you manage Gmail while offline. Once you're reconnected it'll sync up and send off any queued emails. 
   
• Death to the Stockphoto (thanks for the recommendation, Elisa!) “Free photos sent to you via email each month. For commercial use, your blog posts, social accounts and mockups. We aim to be just like coffee for the modern creative. This isn’t just an email, it’s a movement.”