The Chic Author: Create your dream career and lifestyle, writing and self-publishing non-fiction books Kindle Edition

Writing a book has been on my heart for a while. But, I experience many fits of starting and stopping or wishing and hoping. I love how Fiona breaks down writing a books. I feel like she is a dear friend sharing her lessons learned in an easy to follow way.

Thoroughly readable, with great suggestions and action points in each chapter. Fiona has made a far-off dream an achievable goal. Her writing style is authoritative in a very friendly and approachable manner. Reading this book was like having a friend talk me through each step in order. If you dream of being a published author and every book on the subject you have read this far makes it seems impossible, this book is for you.

Fiona gives specifics on how to actually publish a book with great enjoyment! Really.....who does this? Her enthusiasm for writing makes one want to jump in and do as she has done. She gives secrets on how to self publish, includes her personal mistakes, offers motivation tips and simple schedules to get the job done. Well done!

Fiona Ferris is the perfect person to have by my side during the Coronavirus quarantine. Yes, she lives in New Zealand, over 9,000 miles away from me, and, no, she's not physically here, but her book The Chic Author: create your dream career and lifestyle, writing and self-publishing non-fiction books is just the resource I need at hand to let my plans and dreams take wing.I have long been a fan of self-help books because in them I have found optimism and empowerment. Self-help books abound: from Alexandra Stoddard's lovely books with their "grace notes" to Fiona's Chic series which tells us to treasure our daily life at home to Jennifer L. Scott's Madame Chic books which encourage being at our most gracious best. These books are meant to be picked up again and again to inform our daily living. I want to write such a book, one for women past the child-rearing phase and into the "third third" of their lives. I want to take what I know from a career in teaching, a life well lived, and the accumulated wisdom of years of avid reading and to put that information into a book that other women can pick up and revisit again and again for encouragement.Fiona's book gives clear and valuable information about finding the time and the motivation to write, deciding on worthwhile topics, and learning some nitty-gritty hints for persevering in the writing. Her section about self-publishing is specific, useful, and invaluable. This is a book I will pick up again and again as I write, revise, edit, and finally publish my contribution to the self-help genre.Thank you, Fiona, for filling all these roles: cheerleader, repository of information, mentor, and kind encourager. You've given this new author wings.

This book was even better than I expected! It was like talking to a supportive, encouraging friend. Fiona shares a wealth of knowledge and inspiration, including how to overcome the fears that hold you back from reaching your potential. I was left knowing that I really CAN write if I really want to badly enough, and how to go about it. If you are an aspiring writer, this will really help and uplift you. Thank you, Fiona!

I've enjoyed Fiona Ferris' books since reading 30 Chic Days years ago. Her books are relaxing, inspiring reads that a reader can either gorge on over a weekend, or savor throughout a month.Ferris provides great content again with The Chic Author; sharing her experience, wisdom, and encouragement in becoming an author. When the reader's done with the book, she'll feel encouraged, and have know-how on ways to start. Thanks to Ferris, I'm well on my way to finishing my own book. This is a wonderful reference tool. Thanks!

I have a blog similar to Fiona's, but it wasn't until I read The Chic Author that I felt confident enough to share it publicly. I've been a marketing writer for years, and I have a master's degree in writing, yet this is the first book I've read that has provided supportive and encouraging words to get me past my imposter syndrome. Fiona also provides easy steps to get started and breaks down the process into manageable tasks. Highly recommend.

I loved this book! I read it all in two days. This book is for anyone that just wants to write for the love of writing and living for yourself. I felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders as I read about how truly easy it really is to publish something. There are so many options out there. She goes into depth about using Kindle Direct Printing. Her story starting with her blog (How To Be Chic) is inspiring.You do not have to ask anyone for permission to be a writer, one of the many truths gleaned from this book. I highly recommend this book for anyone in a season of frustration who just wants to get on with their life right now.

Over the years I’ve read many books on how to be an author or become a novelist, etc. Stephen King’s “on Writing” is particularly brilliant. However what Fiona Ferris manages to do is make self-publishing a worthy goal and even gives a step by step process in making it happen. I’ve signed up to KDP because of Fiona! A truly inspirational book that helps with decluttering the house as well as the mind, creates ideas where perhaps there were none and moves us forward, no matter how far along, but forward we go. Thank you Fiona! I highly recommend this book.

This was a fantastic book that provided me with the motivation and practical advice I needed to take the plunge and write my first eBook. Fiona's motivational voice walks the reader through the process from start to finish with such an encouraging and inspirational tone. She provides all the technical details one needs to know, such as how to set up a word document, create your cover and use amazon publishing. The real value for me was her encouragement. Her excitement and can-do attitude is literally popping off the page. Following Fiona's advice, I was able to pull together my first short Ebook in just over a week. I had a story to tell, and I was able to finally do it with Fiona's advice.

Confession time: I've been *trying* to write a book for at least 15 years.And I've been psyching myself out for just as long."I'm not good enough.""Who am I to write a book.""No one will like it + no one will read it."Ferris' book, The Chic Author, is magical. Just last week, I was lamenting that I needed a system - something that broke down the process of writing a book into steps to walk me through from first words, through editing, and all the way to published. Because I'm tired of *not* being an author. And I was feeling scared and overwhelmed by the whole thing. If you're at all like me, and you want to be a self-published author, I think you'll love this book.The tone of the book is friendly and approachable, yet Ferris stays rooted in her expertise as someone who started where I am - unpublished! - and then became a successful, full-time author. Her book invited me in, sat me down, offered me tea, and like any good friend, helped me move from fear and anxiety to excitement.This book is better than any other 'self-publish' information I've ever read.While the book has loads of mindset exercises and encouragement (See Yourself as a Six-Figure Author was my favourite), it isn't a book of vague platitudes and hand-waving about the details, as so much of the self-publishing information out there seems to be.Nope! Fiona cheerfully lays it all out: 'hey, you can totally write about what you love', 'just whip through your rough draft as fast as possible' and then right down into the nuts and bolts of 'oh hey! here's my designer, my favourite font, font size, and even my line spacing'. Self-editing? She explains how she does it with several sweeps through the content. Her instructions walk us all the way from setting up the Word document through to self-publishing here on Amazon. The overall tone is 'Won't this be fun?!!' and I believe it. I also feel like she genuinely believes that I can do it and that helps me believe that I can do it, too.I will say that this book is for self-publishing. It doesn't cover how to get an agent, secure a contract, or how to write a book proposal. If traditional publishing is the path you're on, this book will help you get your draft ready to present - and get you writing! - and it is definitely focused on those of us who want to write and publish and get paid. It was exactly what I needed to hear.It arrived on Friday, I finished it on Sunday and during those 3 days I also wrote over 10,000 words. For a book that I've been working on for ... well... forever. Thank you Fiona, thank you for making your process so achievable + for sharing your journey.

I loved The Chick Author.I’m working on my first book, and this was exactly what I needed to hear: that it is possible to live your life and write! Doesn’t it sound amazing? Fiona gives you encouragement and shares her journey and she also gives practical steps on getting your book written and published.I love Fiona’s writing. So easy to read, and it’s like she’s talking with you.

I think Fiona did a great job with this book, there is everything you need to start writing your book, without mincing words. Fiona uses a direct language, it's like listening to a friend's advice, which has the experience to do it!This book is practical and romantic at the same time. Why romantic? Because you can feel Fiona's love for her writing and for life in general.