Attract More Buyers to Your Book: Use Metaphors

Surprise your potential buyers. Give them chocolate frosting!

After we entered school we had a lot to learn. We left the sand box, the nap, and the all day playing with our imagination. No wonder we have lost touch with our original, playful, creativity. Now in the information age we expect to read short, concise pieces. Yet, we can, if we play a little, add more of our original ideas to our books if we use metaphor.

Metaphor means wedding a word to an image, sound or feeling. Metaphor is a fusing of dissimilar entities into one new image. Metaphor asserts a likeness between two unlike things. Images are word pictures that give language power and richness by involving our senses in the experience. When you wed an image or feeling to something totally unexpected, you produce a new pattern--a metaphor that creates a powerful picture and reader enjoyment.

The purpose of metaphor is to intensify your awareness of the images around you. Clichés are worn out metaphors. Avoid platitudes because your reader will be bored with them and not read on. Write naturally and avoid pompous words like "utilize."

Metaphors create tension and excitement by producing new connections. Hence, they reveal a truth about the world we previously didn't recognize. The power of metaphor is to surprise us.... Marilyn Ferguson, author of The Aquarian Conspiracy, says, "Metaphor builds a bridge between the hemispheres, symbolically carrying knowledge from the mute right brain so it can be recognized by the left as being like something already known."

When your potential customers glance (about 12-15 seconds) at your front cover and back cover, and see originality there through metaphor, they will gain insight that sheds new light on a familiar concept, idea, event or feeling. Your metaphors hook and seduce them. Now, they will hand you their check or credit card feeling good about themselves for the decision.

To Enhance your Writing Practice This Fieldwork:

1. Start a Metaphor List. Keep it filed where you can find it easily and add to it. Every time you hear a good one, write it down. Use other people's metaphors as a springboard for you own.

2. Play with these exercises:

Practice: Writing is...as painful as a tooth being pulled... riding a roller coaster... a self-revelation. Now try your book's title or part of your "tell and sell" (unique selling proposition which includes benefits), and back cover copy. Self-care is...a bubble bath in the middle of a workday... breathing in the mountain air... lighting a candle near my workstation.

3. Complete these metaphor starters: Remember to use concrete words--of image, sound and feeling. Forgo all clichés.

I'm as silly as
I'm as frazzled as
I'm as happy as (no clams, please)
I'm as frayed as
I'm as dizzy as
I'm as low as
I'm as powerful as a
I'm as sleepy as
I'm as tired as
I'm as cold/hot as
I'm as energetic as
I'm as spiritual as
I'm as comfortable as
I'm as loose as

Expand the list using the subjects of your book. Think and picture your audience as you create more powerful writing.

4. Re-define all general benefits in your introduction, "tell and sell," or sales letter. Instead of saying, "Read my book and live life well," make your benefit more specific such as "Read my book and your life will look like...." Or, "Read my book and your life will feel like...."

5. Finish These Statements to Warm Up:

-Stress is...
-Authentic is...
-Health is...
-Spiritual is...
-Marketing is...
-Promotion is...
-Profits are...
-More life is...
-Better Communication is...
-More money is...

Let your potential buyer know how they will see or feel themselves after they read and use your book's ideas and suggestions. When they can see or feel it for themselves, they are more comfortable buying. They need to see the results (benefits) and feel themselves better for using your product.

6. Just for fun:

"I was as dizzy as a dervish, as weak as a worn-out washer, as low as a badger's belly, as timid as a titmouse, and as unlikely to succeed as a ballet dancer with a wooden leg."

Each of you has the powerful potential for making connections and seeing relationships in your own unique way. Metaphor making is a highly personal and richly creative experience. Play with metaphors and use them in all of your writing--even your sales materials.

Judy Cullins © 2004 All Rights Reserved

Judy Cullins, 20-year Book and Internet Marketing Coach works with small business people who want to make a difference in people's lives, build their credibility and clients, and make a consistent life-long income. Judy is author of 10 eBooks including Write your eBook or Other Short Book Fast, Ten Non-Techie Ways to Market Your Book Online, The Fast and Cheap Way to Explode Your Targeted Web Traffic, and Power Writing for Web Sites That Sell. She offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, "The BookCoach Says...," "Business Tip of the Month," blog Q & A at http://www.bookcoaching.com and over 185 free articles.

===============
Email her at Judy@bookcoaching.com or Cullinsbks@aol.com Phone: 619/466-0622 -- Orders: 866/200-9743

---

Better Links Directory

You , Your Book and the Internet!

Authors, especially self published, small press and Print on Demand... Read More

Three Powerful Tips on Selecting a Book Topic that Sells

The topic of your book or eBook counts-big time. Which... Read More

A First Time Authors Publicity Kit Materials

If you're a new author that has been requested to... Read More

Top Ten Ways of Why and How to Write your Books Sales Letter - Part 1

Authors/publishers are great at getting their books written. But after... Read More

Why Write Articles to Promote your Book?

Reach 15,000 to 100,000 targeted buyers every week Online. That's... Read More

28 Reasons Why Publishers Will Buy Your Book

Editors will buy a book for one or more of... Read More

Writing a Book?s Marketing Plan for Maximum Profit

Much has been written about book proposals. But less has... Read More

FSBO Author believes in Bookswaps

Hi Noel,I absolutely love your website, As an MS sufferer... Read More

Sell Your Book with Pennies

Imagine you share a huge penny... Read More

The Lecture Experience: Part I

During the past year or so, I have done nearly... Read More

Book Signing: Fun and Profit for Writers and Readers

Have you ever walked into a bookstore when an author... Read More

Sell More Books With an E-mail Newsletter

NOTE: Because many words in this article are likely to... Read More

How To Promote A Book

Nowadays it's no longer a matter of whether or not... Read More

Interview with Book and Marketing Coach-Judy Cullins - Part 2

To know what to do at the right time in... Read More

The Bible Of Self Publishing

Any book that is in its 14th edition must be... Read More

Oh No! A Bad Book Review! Have No Fear...Advice For Dealing With The Blues Of A Bad Book Review

You've just been notified a review of your book has... Read More

The Booklet Journey Opening a New World

1991 was a pivotal year in my life. My professional... Read More

Book Marketing 101

Francine Silverman. Book Marketing from A-Z (InfinityPublishing.com, 2005). Trade paperback.... Read More

Publicity Through Philanthropy For Writers

I am twenty three years old, have sold over four... Read More

Why Writers Dont Do a Book Signing

Whenever someone suggests you do a book signing and you... Read More

Make Big Profits from Small Booklets

What is your excuse for not being published? "I don't... Read More

Titles (and Subtitles) Sell Books!

Does a title really sell a book? The short answer... Read More

Publishing Your Book?What Way is Best For You? - Part 2

Your print or ebook is nearly finished. You wonder if... Read More

Spend a Little Time, Get Free Books Online

There's just something so gratifying about owning your own books... Read More

Top Ten Ways To Prepare for Your Online Book Marketing Success

Still marketing your book through press releases, networking groups, and... Read More