CASE STUDY: Why I chose Practical Inspiration for my third book

"Having three books under my belt, I’m often asked to share my experience and advice on choosing a publisher to work with. Why did I choose to work with Practical Inspiration Publishing? Care, commitment, collaboration and partnership. Alison’s personal commitment is second to none. But also her team, who took time to get to know me, my book and the impact I wanted to make with it. This resulted in a true partnership, aligned towards a common goal, throughout the process - from conception and editorial through to design and marketing.
You never feel like just another number. Communication is thoughtful, responsive and two-way. You really feel like you’ve got a publishing team behind you, and that doesn’t stop once you’re published. I continue to benefit from ongoing PR opportunities, partnerships and the network of Alison’s author community.
I love what we’ve created together with
Struggle, and the work we’re continuing to do together." Grace Marshall, author of Struggle: The surprising truth, beauty and opportunity hidden in life's sh*ttier moments

Grace Marshall

CASE STUDY: When you're only ever going to write one book, it has to be right.

"Any publisher that I looked at needed to really know what they were doing and to have a proven track record with publishing. But where Practical Inspiration stood out above that was in the commitment to working in partnership with me. That translated into author coaching calls, consultation at every stage of design and production, and the building of a relationship that is allowing my book to flourish now that it is out in the world.
What did I find most valuable?  The exceptionally speedy responses to any question that I had, the excellent steering from Alison and her team, and the ability to listen, so that the final book was a truly collaborative effort." - Alice Sheldon, author of Why Weren't We Taught This at School? The surprisingly simple secret to transforming life's challenges

Karen Skidmore

KAREN SKIDMORE

Business mentor, author and speaker

Alison was our guest speaker for our Momentum client event. The ‘Sorting The Spaghetti’ session that she delivered was absolutely brilliant and I loved the mix of inspiration alongside the practicalities of giving the 6 minute timed exploratory writing a go there and then. Everyone was raving about it and it was certainly a highlight of the day.

Helen Westendorp

HELEN WESTENDORP

Founder of Treehouse

 

Alison has a gift. She can help you sift through 'stuff' and get to the golden nuggets by using powerful questions. She can help you see your business and its future potential in a new light and and identify how and if a book would help drive your business. And she does all this in a professional, upbeat and personable manner. Working with Alison means business! 

Susanne Evans

SUSANNE EVANS

Founder & Director, Feldspar Consulting

I have had the pleasure of attending Alison’s book proposal challenge and more recently, spent two hours with her whilst she coached me to help me develop ideas for a book. I achieved more in those two hours than I have in the last two months on my own!
Alison’s combination of creativity, insightful questions, knowledge and enthusiasm are the best and I would highly recommend that anyone thinking of writing a book speaks to Alison before they put pen to paper.

Rob Baker

ROB BAKER

Author of Personalization at Work

 

What can I say? Working with Alison both on a 1:1 basis and completing the 10-day business book proposal challenge has been transformative for me in terms of turning my ideas, half thoughts and scribbles into a tangible proposal and book outline. Thanks to Alison, I now have a book contract with a fabulous publisher and can't wait to get my thoughts into print. What's more I'm clear on how my writing will support my readers, my business and my clients.

Frances Hedges

FRANCES HEDGES

Executive Editor, Harper's Bazaar

Alison is a skilled moderator who puts thorough preparation into the sessions she is chairing, gaining a detailed understanding of her panellists’ core interests, yet still manages to ensure the conversation feels natural, fluid and effortless. An active listener, she has an engaging manner that puts speakers at ease and always gets the best out of them.

Rebecca Shawcross

REBECCA SHAWCROSS

Stockport Grammar School

 

We were delighted to host Alison  to deliver a talk on exploratory writing at Stockport Grammar School. Alison’s talk demonstrated how pupils can use explorative writing and the right types of questions to solve problems, find solutions, enhance their school work, overcome writer’s block and much more. Alison delivered the talk with inspiration and entertainment which saw pupils across different year groups thoroughly engage with the content. Every pupil can learn from Alison’s content - I thoroughly recommend her talks to all schools looking to support their pupils in both their approach to writing and wider challenges of all kinds.
Aneta Ardelian Kuzma

ANETA ARDELIAN KUZMA

Coach and wellness consultant

Alison's courses are a must for anyone looking to write a non-fiction book.  
I learned how to :
• overcome my fears and limiting beliefs
• use writing prompts to get unstuck
• think about my book strategically as an extension of my business
• build critical relationships and create groups for feedback
• market my book effectively
• pitch my book
• create a working schedule to write my book
In addition, I benefited from having 1-on-1 sessions with Alison to answer my specific questions and receive feedback. She is as funny as she is wise. The programs are a wise investment, and I can't recommend them and Alison enough!

Mari Anne Snow

MARI ANNE SNOW

CEO, Founder of Sophaya, Remote Nation Institute (RNI) and Co-Founder of Eascra Biotech

I've worked with Alison over the past few month to prepare my Remote Nation Handbook proposal for submission to understandably skeptical commissioning editors. I wanted a knowledgeable industry insider who understood business book publishing from the publisher's perspective so I could build a credible proposal that I'd be proud to send. What I got was intelligence, wit and encouragement with plenty of direct, practical, no-nonsense feedback. Alison's advice and suggestions were helpful beyond measure. She kept me on track despite my very heavy work schedule. I was able to achieve my goal in just over a month! I'm so grateful to have her in my corner. She knows her stuff.

Rob Wozny

ROB WOZNY, SCMP

Co-Founder, Sound Strategy Communications Ltd

As a first-time business book author, I simply could not have asked for a better experience and outcome than working with Alison Jones and her team at Practical Inspiration Publishing. As an experienced business communicator, my expectations were high, and they were exceeded. From start to finish, Alison ensured there was a consistent commitment to quality and excellence from manuscript development to the book’s interior and exterior design to the delivery of books from the UK to Canada. I would not hesitate to recommend any author, at any level, to work with Alison and her team. A job well-done on Storytelling for Business: The Art and Science of Creating Connection in the Digital Age!

Alise Cortez

DR ALISE CORTEZ

Chief Purpose Officer, Alise Cortez and Associates

Working with Practical Inspiration elevated my whole approach to running my business. My first draft was a colossal spillage of flowery verbosity that would have entirely diminished my brand as a management consultant. Alison and team coached me to consider why I was writing the book and how doing so would help my business. I shudder to think how my business would have suffered had I released that initial draft prior to engaging Practical Inspiration. Thanks to our work together, I have a book that actually works for me to generate interest in my consulting and speaking.

Sheila Pinder

SHEILA PINDER

Senior executive, consultant, teacher & coach

A great introduction to the potential that exploratory writing has in the workplace: to help unlock problems; to find new ideas; to help teams communicate and collaborate; to find space to think.

(feedback from online workshop, Feb 2022)

Alan Arnett

ALAN ARNETT

Thinking partner and leadership coach

Alison has designed a challenge that helped me take a vague idea of a book that has been floating around for a while, and turn it into a tangible proposal that moves me forward a massive leap in structure and confidence. Plus, it's some of the best value advice I've ever seen. Get in now before she realises and raises prices...

Brian Cavanagh

BRIAN CAVANAGH

Leadership and board governance specialist

For anyone thinking of writing a business book, I cannot recommend Alison Jones and Practical Inspiration Publishing highly enough. For at least the past five years I have talked about writing a book, yet when it comes to writing I have a level of procrastination that regards eternity as too soon. I signed up to one of her writing book programmes. That helped me shape the structure for the book - which will be published in September 2022. Without the programme and follow up support, I still would still be 'talking' about the book as opposed to working on the final draft for publishing.

JOY BURNFORD

MD, My Confidence Matters, and Forbes columnist

At the beginning of this year I had only the seeds of a book idea. Fast forward 3 months, and thanks to Alison’s wonderful coaching and the content of her 10 day book proposal challenge, I now have a concrete book proposal under my belt and feel confident to approach publishers.

NEIL BENTLEY

Non-Executive Director, ActiveOps

Working with Alison and Practical Inspiration was an absolute pleasure. They help two virgin authors through each step of the process - from editing and proofing to printing and marketing. Alison and her team significantly added value at every step along the way. We were particularly drawn to Alison's business model, and also to her connection in the US as well as the UK, and we are certain that we made the right choice of publisher for our book.

- co-author of Active Operations Management: The playbook for service operations in the agile age (Practical Inspiration, 2021)

HELEN BEEDHAM

Director, Helen Beedham Consulting Ltd

Having just completed Alison's 10 day Business Book Proposal Challenge, I highly recommend her course to anyone else contemplating writing a business book. I found the course hugely enjoyable and a rich creative and learning experience. I've made more progress in 2 weeks than I'd expected to make in 3 months - I now have a completed book proposal and business plan, and clarity on how I'm moving forward with these. Alison's expert guidance and personalised feedback has been invaluable and I now feel part of a community of fellow business book writers and writers-to-be.

- author of The Future of Time: How ‘re-working’ time can help you boost productivity, diversity and wellbeing (Practical Inspiration, 2022)

LUCY RYAN

Founder, Mindspring

I’ve just completed Alison's business book challenge and what an inspiring, challenging and enjoyable 10 days. Expect to really dig into what this book you want to write is really about? Brain drain! You’ll get expert advice and positive feedback from Alison. She’s extraordinary. And you’ll finish with a fully formed proposal that’ll get you off to a cracking start - with or without a publisher.

- author of Lunchtime Learning for Leaders: 16 Ways to Grow Your Resilience and Influence (Kogan Page, 2021)

Oxford Brookes University

HELENA MARKOU

Associate Lecturer in Publishing, Oxford Brookes University

I cannot recommend [This Book Means Business] highly enough for anyone thinking of starting a business and developing an audience via long-form writing.

(TBMB is one of three set texts for the Brookes MA in Publishing Distance Learning course.)

Mark Choueke

MARK CHOUEKE

Founder of Rebeltech, Host of the RebelTalk podcast

Alison Jones packs what could otherwise be months and maybe years of soul-searching slog, sleepless nights and heartbreaking rejection into 10 days' worth of tasks, each broken down, carefully explained and properly assessed... I’d recommend the 10-day Business Book Proposal Challenge to anyone.

Louise Wiles

LOUISE WILES

Change and Transition Coach

Alison's writing retreat has helped me to get super focused on the writing that needed to be done for a project I am currently working on. The pre-course and morning focus questions have really helped me to get crystal clear on what I am doing. There is always an encouraging response in the group and Alison's enthusiasm and interest jumps off the page... Highly recommended.

- author of Thriving Abroad: The definitive guide to professional and personal relocation success (Practical Inspiration, 2017)

Alice Sheldon

ALICE SHELDON

Founder of The Together Approach

Alison's mentorship has been key to taking my business to a new level. Her unique combination of encouragement and challenge, strong relational skills and super skills in writing, publishing and marketing have been exactly what I needed. When I contacted her, I was stuck with writing my book. If you'd told me three months ago that by now I would be on the verge of signing a publishing contract, I wouldn't have believed you. Alison has consistently understood where I'm at, and seen where I need to go next. Brilliant!

- author of Why Weren't We Taught This At School?: The surprisingly simple secret to transforming life’s challenges (Practical Inspiration, 2021)

JUDE JENNISON

Leadership Development, Leaders by Nature

Alison and her team are delightful to work with. They are experts in the art and business of publishing and writing business books inside out. Their knowledge of running a business provides outstanding added value and they are generous and professional with their advice.

- author of Leading Through Uncertainty: Emotional resilience and human connection in a performance-driven world (Practical Inspiration, 2018) and Opus: The hidden dynamics of team performance (Practical Inspiration, 2021)

LOUISE LLOYD

Stress and Wellbeing Coach

I can't recommend this challenge highly enough. What better way to write a book proposal than with the advice of an incredibly experienced and knowledgeable publisher. Alison's honest and thorough feedback helped to clarify my thinking and has completely transformed my book proposal. If you are thinking of doing this challenge, I can only say that there is nothing to lose and everything to gain.

- author of Stresshacking: 50 simple strategies to get your life, your mind, and your mojo back (Practical Inspiration, 2020)

Mariana Marquez

MARIANA L. MARQUEZ

Startup Pitch Coach and Founder,
Metaspeech

A incredible well-structured processes... It is rare to find an impromptu online community so positive, honest, and who has your best interest at heart. In my opinion this all down to Alison’s fantastic energy and leadership abilities...
Writing the proposal helped me understand why I want to write this book, where does it fit in the market, and what’s important to my reader. Had I not taken this challenge I would have written the wrong (unsellable) book. Thank you!

Peter Comber

PETER COMBER

Creative Strategist & CEO at Atstrat

The Business Book Proposal Challenge is a valuable and rewarding experience. I have achieved and understood more about my book in 10 days working with Alison than I had done on my own in 18 months.

- author of The Forces of Collaborative Creativity: A Practical Guide to Creative Teamwork in the Healthcare Business (Practical Inspiration, 2020)

Orna O'Brien

ORNA O'BRIEN

Conference Manager, The London Book Fair

Alison chaired the morning of The London Book Fair's Quantum Conference 2019. She is the ultimate professional, delivering all that was asked and more, and in a friendly, enthusiastic, knowledgeable manner. Additionally, she led an in-person conversation on the day, around the rise of non-fiction in both books and TV, which was quality, informed and perfectly delivered.

Anna Meller

ANNA MELLER

Flexible working expert

I'm really happy I chose PIP as my publishing partner. The way you support your authors is outstanding; and I love the fact it doesn't stop when the book is published.... The book is a really professional product and your services have exceeded my expectations. I really could not have done it without you.

 - author of #Upcycle Your Job: The smart way to balance family life and career (Practical Inspiration, 2019)

Simon Fishel

PROF SIMON FISHEL

IVF and fertility specialist

If there are any doubts in anyone’s mind where to go with your publishing works, here is the place to be: they have been incredibly supportive and more than I could’ve hoped for when deciding to publish my book.

- author of Breakthrough Babies: An IVF pioneer's tale of creating life against all odds (Practical Inspiration, 2019)

Michelle Parry-Slater

Michelle Parry-Slater

Kairos Modern Learning

I have really enjoyed the process of this programme [the 10-day Business Book Proposal Challenge]. It is wisely and intelligently structured. When someone REALLY knows their stuff, they cannot always share their knowledge effectively. This is not true of Alison Jones... Learning in this supportive community has really worked. I really feel like I can achieve my book goal. Alison has been my inspiration. Thank you.

Ailis Brosnan

DR AILIS BROSNAN

Wellness expert

‘Write book proposal‘ has been one of those goals that has moved with me year to year! Determined that this year it would be done, I was delighted to come across Alison’s book proposal challenge. Not only have I my book proposal just about complete but I have the confidence to keep going and get my book written. Alison guides you step by step during the challenge and makes the completion of the proposal manageable by assigning daily tasks. She provides clear direction and offers lots of support and guidance in helping you get the tasks done. She is very responsive in the group and answers all questions with the in-depth knowledge she has of the publishing industry. The information she has shared over the challenge has been invaluable and I would highly recommend this challenge to anyone considering it.

Trevor O'Hara

TREVOR O'HARA

Founder, AdvisorFM

Alison's 10 Day Business Book Proposal Challenge is an exercise in going from "average" to "great". Before working with Alison, I knew that what I had just wasn't enough, but I didn't know why. But the last two weeks have blown my mind: now I have a book proposal that is built on a solid foundation. In addition, I've been able to position my arguments succinctly, target my audience with clarity, and provide the rigour, structure, and flow that I felt had been lacking before. It hasn't been easy, but it was thoroughly enjoyable and it has really stretched my mind... Alison is a maestro at pulling you back when you're drifting, getting you to say more with less, and giving you the courage to think on a higher plane, but with your feet firmly on the ground. It has been an absolute pleasure working with her.

Kath Howard

KATH HOWARD

HeartSparks

Having read Alison Jones's book, I expected The 10-day Business Proposal Challenge to be pretty impressive, but I can honestly say I have been wowed. Alison has a special gift for balancing a personal, motivational approach with direct, expert challenge that cannot fail to support you in building a proposal document that you are proud of. This is one of the best development programmes I've completed, online or face-to-face... I can't recommend this programme highly enough though!

- author of People Not Paperclips: Putting the human back into Human Resources (Practical Inspiration, 2020)

Grace Marshall

GRACE MARSHALL

Author and Productivity Ninja

Amazing what you can accomplish in 10 days, when you can be ‘thinking about writing a book’ for months or even years!

 Whether you've got an idea you want to flesh out or have been telling yourself to write the damn book for years, Alison brings her depth of experience, unwavering encouragement and super practical guidance to turn what is really a huge, daunting task into a surprisingly fun experience.

- author of Struggle: The surprising truth, beauty and opportunity hidden in life's sh*ttier moments (Practical Inspiration, 2021) 

Judy Stewart

JUDY STEWART

CEO, coach and TBMB Mentorship participant

My original goal in enrolling in Alison’s mentorship program was to stop procrastinating and get a book written this year, or else! I now also have the foundations of a new business, a better appreciation of its potential reach, and a means to deepen its content and offering and magnify its impact. 

Augmented by access to marketing and writing expertise, this is an ambitious,  “how to get it done” program for the business book-writing novice. It's a ‘think big’ approach executed, tutorial style, with you and your project at its core. Most importantly, it works.

Mike Sergeant

MIKE SERGEANT

Journalist, PR expert and TBMB Mentorship participant

After 6 months working with Alison, I’ve completed a manuscript and am looking forward to publication. I wouldn’t be here without her help, wisdom and support. Alison understands better than anyone how to write and position a book that fits into your business and helps it grow. Highly recommended.

- author of PR for Humans: How business leaders tell powerful stories (Practical Inspiration, 2019)

Sara Price

SARA PRICE

Coach & PR expert

I’d been procrastinating on my book proposal for several months when I signed up for the 10-day challenge. I’ll be honest - I wasn’t hopeful. How could ten days of remote accountability via Facebook get me to the finish line? I could not have been more wrong. The Challenge is about so much more than accountability - although that helps too. Alison’s daily videos are packed with useful tips and prompts; her daily FB Live catch up is a great added bonus and her feedback as you go through the process is absolutely invaluable. I can’t believe that in just ten days I have finished my book proposal! This is a brilliantly structured, well paced and thoughtful challenge and if you’re intending to write a business book, I have only one question for you: why haven’t you signed up already?

Jill Foley

JILL FOLEY

Managing Director, On3 Partners

I have recently completed Alison's 10-day business book proposal challenge and I cannot recommend it highly enough to others embarking on a book writing project. Alison takes her potential authors through a series of steps that are both testing and enlightening. My book now has shape and purpose and I am much clearer about how it will contribute to my business. On a personal note, Alison is a joy to work with. She is encouraging and shares her wisdom and experience generously. She doesn't shy away from giving tough feedback, but is always supportive, warm and encouraging. I am looking forward to continuing to work with her on my book.

Ronit Gerber

RONIT GERBER

Motivational Trainer, Speaker, Business & Life Coach

Wow! What a powerful process!
I can't thank you enough for creating such a safe, supportive and incredibly valuable space within this challenge for us to grow and explore our precious creations.
You share your knowledge and expertise so openly and with such genuine love and care. No question is too much and I can't tell you how grateful I am for that.
I'm finding the challenge beyond valuable in so many ways - it's bringing deeper clarity and renewed passion not just for my book but for my vision for my business as a whole as well... Thanks to you my dream is taking shape and feeling very real and tangible... no words are enough really.

AMAZON REVIEW

This Book Means Business

I've done plenty of professional writing, but creating a business book that works is a whole other challenge. I read this terrific book in one sitting, and it's sending me straight back to my own manuscript with ideas to move it forwards, improve it and get unstuck in difficult places. I'll be keeping it by my desk to return to again and again.
Alison Jones combines her decades of experience in bringing business books to life with compelling stories from writers and publishers. It's full of practical, usable advice as well as well-framed questions. She has a beautifully judged light yet knowledgeable style.
I'd highly recommend it for anyone who wants to frame and present their own specialist professional knowledge in book form. 

Moira Somers

DR MOIRA SOMERS

Money, Mind and Meaning

I have recently published a book with Alison's company, and cannot say enough about how good it has been to work with her and her team. Their professionalism and attention to detail are evident from the first points of contact right through to the delivery of the finished product. Every member of the team is highly skilled, cheerful, and prompt. They are absolutely top-notch.

- author of Advice That Sticks: How to give financial advice that people will follow (Practical Inspiration, 2018)

Angela Armstrong

ANGELA ARMSTRONG

Armstrong Associates

The 10-day business book proposal challenge was just the momentum I needed to turn "I'm thinking about writing a book" into "hell yes, I am passionate and committed to writing this particular book". With Alison's encouragement and publishing insights my loose ideas were sharpened, pruned and organised. I now have a proposal and a clear table of contents I can use to schedule my writing efforts. The camaraderie and feedback from others in the group was valuable. If you think you have a book brewing but are not sure if you can write one, or whether your effort will be repaid in business results, find out in just 10 days.

- author of The Resilience Club: Daily success habits of long-term high performers (ReThink Press, 2019)

Michael Taylor

MICHAEL TAYLOR

 SchellingPoint 

Alison has discovered how to shift a would-be author’s desire to write a book from an idea to a multi-page proposal in ten easy days. Each day’s exercise fills in another piece of the puzzle until on day 10 you feel as though you have the book in your hands. It’s an honor to have had the support of someone so masterful in the business of book publishing.

Suzy Bashford

SUZY BASHFORD

Copywriter, Trainer, Speaker & Author

If you have even the vaguest inkling that you have a book in you, one that will boost your business, do this challenge! It is SO much more than just writing a book proposal. It forces you to clarify your entire business model and reconsider how you can use all-important content to boost it. All in a supportive, highly collaborative environment. Alison is there, every step of the way, with constant encouragement and clear exercises guiding you through, with her unwavering warmth, generosity, good humour and brilliant expert insight and feedback. Thoroughly recommend!

Ruth Cornish

RUTH CORNISH

 HR Consultant, Amelore 

All the stars aligned when I discovered the 10-day Business Book Proposal Challenge - January 2018 by accident just before it was due to start. Like so many people I had been thinking about writing a book but really had no idea what I was proposing. Yet here I am a mere 10 working days later and I have learnt so much. Alison is a delightful lead and knows so much. Her style is supportive but challenging and I'd recommend this to anyone. Ive really enjoyed myself but not worked so hard in ages.

Chris Watson

CHRIS WATSON

Endor Learn & Develop

Want to write a business book, but don’t know where to start? Want to develop an effective book proposal which creates impact and delivers results? Want to find a credible, informed and supportive publishing partner to guide you through the process and introduce you to a dynamic group like-minded authors? Then take the 10 Day Business Book Proposal Challenge with Alison Jones, who will help you to refine your thinking, develop a working plan and take positive action. Challenging and rewarding in equal measure. Thank you.

Tony Llewellyn

 TONY LLEWELLYN 

 ResoLex 

Alison and her colleagues have just completed the publication of my second book, The Team Coaching Toolkit. My first book was managed by a traditional publishing house, and I have to say this was a significant improvement. Not only was I kept informed and engaged throughout the process, but the book was delivered as promised in half the time! I am delighted with the look and feel of the finished product and have no hesitation in recommending Alison to other authors.

Emma Cox

 EMMA COX 

 Business Growth Consultant and Speaker 

Alison gave an entertaining and inspiring talk to my Women in Business West Kent group recently. Everyone in the room really engaged with her talk and we all came away highly enthusiastic about writing a book and knowing that it can really help to build our businesses. She gave us lots of tips on what we need to do before we start and how to use a book strategically so it is part of our business and not merely an adjunct.  She brought several examples of the books she has published across a wide range of business topics. They were all very professionally printed and very impressive.
If you need a publisher or someone to speak about publishing then I highly recommend Alison.

JACQUI MCGINN 

 Jacqui McGinn - Wellbeing and Resilience 

This course [This Book Means Business: the Bootcamp] is absolutely the single most clarity-inducing thing I've ever done for my business! For the first time, I feel I can create clear plans for marketing, building my brand and growing the number of clients I can reach and help. Woohoo!

BEC EVANS

 Prolifiko 

I was so thrilled with what I achieved on Alison's 10-day proposal challenge, I just had to sign up for the bootcamp. And it absolutely delivered! My proposal sparked the interest of several agents, so I started working on sample chapters and talking to agents while on the bootcamp.... The group is amazing. I really felt I was part of a dynamic community of supportive professionals - they kept me inspired and helped me raise my game. If you're thinking about it - just do it - I promise you won't regret it.

CARA HOLLAND

Graphic Change

The [This Book Means Business] Bootcamp builds perfectly on the foundation of the 10-day proposal challenge. It forced my brain to get organised and to really think about how to go from an idea, to writing, in a way that was more structured and more useful than if I'd been left to my own devices. Embedding the book creation process into my day to day business was a really positive mind shift.

NOVA WOODROW

Positive Potential

[The 10-day Business Book Proposal Challenge] is more than a challenge. Sure it DOES challenge you, in a really positive and motivating way, but it does more than that. It offers new connections, new friends, new conversations, new ideas and renewed vision. I cannot say enough about how valuable this experience is, not only because Alison gives you thorough and expert feedback on every aspect of your proposal but also because you will come out the other side of this journey exhausted, happy, satisfied and with a major achievement that you hadn't even dreamed of ten days before.

JO STROUD

Fabulous Collections and Mantra Jewellery

Working through the 10-day Book Proposal Challenge has been a superb process that I would highly recommend. Alison Jones structures the sessions to really make you think, challenging you to question all your early assumptions about target market, content, structure and even your book's title - much of which you believed to be already decided! You end up with a hugely detailed, professional, and well-thought-out book proposal, and a deep understanding of the business book market. Her warm approach also makes it genuinely enjoyable, keeping you motivated and excited throughout. Highly recommended.

JOANNA PIETERS

The Creative Life Show

Armed with a book proposal and with interest from a potential publisher, I had one question: how do I get this thing written? Alison’s This Book Means Business bootcamp is a very sane, practical answer to that. It has already been hugely valuable and I know I’m going to continue to use it.

Alison takes you step-by-step through the mental and practical processes between idea and getting your book written. A six-week spin through it will get you much, much further, but it has material to keep you going well beyond the main bootcamp period. It’s very practical and no-nonsense, but also recognises all the emotional demands of producing a book. The scope goes well beyond the short and easy-to-watch videos, from inner resistance to cover design to marketing text. It’s well worth it for anyone who’s serious about getting their book written and making a difference to their business.

KATHRYN BISHOP

Associate Fellow of Saïd Business School, Civil Service Commissioner, trainer and speaker

Following the This Book Means Business LIVE workshop, December 2016:

I had several 'Aha!' moments, which will turn into real actions... This was just I wanted - and definitely what I needed! I leave with more energy and am more likely to finish a better book as a result!

When I attend workshops like this, I assume that if I find one or two useful ideas, the day has been worthwhile – but yesterday I found 8 useful ideas, and have already implemented one of them and am about to start acting on the second. That shows what a useful day it was, and I am most grateful.

This Book Means Business LIVE attendee

December 2016

Before I attended the workshop I had lots of ideas, but trouble in refining them. I found Alison's workshop to be very thought-provoking and enlightening. It was great to broaden out my thinking around a business approach whilst gaining a more grounded approach to my proposed target group/topic. I feel confident that I have a way forward that has tangible action steps within a wider business framework. 

David Taylor

 DAVID TAYLOR 

 'The Naked Leader' 

Alison is a fantastic interviewer – she gets to what she knows people want to hear/read through brilliant questions, never aggressive ones, demonstrating the thoroughness of her research. I have been interviewed many times and by many people – Alison is the best.

KATE PEERS

Blogger and This Book Means Business Bootcamp participant

I cannot recommend doing the bootcamp with Alison enough. I never would have dreamed to complete a book proposal, skeletal plan for the whole book and be in talks with publishers so quickly. Alison is supportive, encouraging and good fun to work with. Her expertise shines through at all times during the course.

LINDA ASPEY

Coaching for Leaders Ltd

If you want to get clarity, focus, inspiration, support, challenge, encouragement, experience, knowledge and tangible results with your writing, contact Alison! As a book coach she's head and shoulders above the rest, maintaining the perfect balance between being a terrific coach, a wise mentor and a skilled consultant. I've personally benefited so much from working with her.

SUZANNE DIBBLE

Empress Global Ltd

Alison gave a talk to my Empress group on ‘the new rules of publishing’, with practical advice on using a book to grow their business. It was superb: clear, engaging, authoritative and full of great insights. Alison has a unique combination of top-level experience of the traditional publishing industry together with a passion for rewriting the rules and helping businesses use content effectively. The feedback from members was amazing, with many calling it ‘truly inspirational’. I will definitely be working with her again and recommend her as a speaker wholeheartedly.

MELISSA HOOD

The Parent Practice

Alison unravelled the mysteries of publishing for me and guided me through some of the trickier aspects, from dealing with potential foreword writers to finding publicists. No question was too small or too silly for her to answer! Partner publishing with Alison has resulted in an extremely professional-looking book. I am so pleased with the cover and the look and feel of the whole book. Alison had lots of advice on typesetting and copy-editing and was able to put me in touch with a specialist book PR agent to promote it. It was a thoroughly enjoyable process from first word to celebratory glass of champagne at the launch!t

GLENDA SHAWLEY

The Training Pack

I've just finished my third coaching session with Alison and am absolutely delighted with the progress I've made so far. My thinking is clearer, I've got a proper plan with the book at the heart of my business and I'm taking the action to make things happen. Alison has a lovely, gentle but insightful and encouraging style. This really will be the year of my book.

TESSA MCWATT

University of East London

All our concerns about the publishing process for EastLife were addressed with professional rigour and extensive knowledge. Alison led us through each step, offering clarity and making us aware of all our options and related costs during the early stages of our decision making. We found guidance and insight every time we were in touch with her, and her professional knowledge and range of publishing expertise meant that we had one-stop solutions to any issues that arose. Alison is rigorous and thorough in her editorial and production work, committed to deadlines, and has a personal touch that meant we felt at ease and in good hands throughout the whole process. I couldn't recommend her more highly.  

LISA PARKES

The Smiley Coach

[from The Year of the Book workshop, January 2016]

This afternoon’s workshop was thoroughly enjoyable and thought-provoking. I felt really inspired amongst a group of like-minded people. Alison has this natural ability to draw the right stuff out of you. I came away with lots of actions. It also made me re-think my approach to my book and how to make it a better fit for my business model. On a practical level, I want to make changes to the way I write and how I can use my time more effectively. I think it was a good mix of strategy and delivery. It made perfect sense and felt achievable – helping to reduce overwhelm and giving me more confidence to finish the book (or should that be start it!). Thank you very much!

LUCY PARSONS

Life More Extraordinary

You've really made me think differently about how to align the actitivies that already take place in my business to my larger goals, which is revolutionary for me.

EBONIE ALLARD

The Entrepreneur Enabler

Writing a very personal book with a meaningful message is an important and large undertaking not to be taken lightly. Whilst the process can be rewarding, it can also be excruciating; there is a reason that people liken writing and publishing a book to birthing. Alison is a formidable book doula. I would not have been able to get this book out without her and more than that, she made the process fun. I look forward to birthing many more books in partnership with her. I cannot recommend working with Alison highly enough. She is professional and personable and more than that, she cares as much as you do about the message you have to share.

SOPHIE WARDELL

Free Word

It was a pleasure to work with Alison Jones on producing our Weather Stations anthology. Alison was professional, knowledgeable and incredibly helpful throughout, and it was reassuring to have such professionalism at the end of the phone when deadlines changed and technical requirements altered. We were working on a complex project managing 5 international partners and content in three languages, and Alison was accommodating, flexible and patient managing the different requirements and languages and changing deadlines of the project. The result is an e-book that all 5 partners are proud to show off as a testament to the project. We would certainly recommend Alison’s services to other organisations and professionals in the future.

MH

The Expert Author programme participants, April 2015

Taking the Expert Author Programme has made a huge difference to my ability to get my book off the ground. This work has been bubbling inside me for years but only with Alison's help has it become a reality. She has inspired, supported and challenged me alternately! I am really enjoying the process of writing and feeling much more confident in the result. I am profoundly grateful as this book has great personal meaning as well as being important to my business.

JP

The Expert Author programme participant, February 2015

Alison helped me to clarify the purpose and positioning of my proposed book. The positioning had been problem for a number of years so it's time and money well spent. She knows her subject and has a laser brain. So, if you want to get started - or even write your book - she's a real find and great value.

SB-S

The Expert Author programme participant, February 2015

Alison has a fantastic ability to bring focus, clarity and positivity to writing my first book. She took the inspired, yet broadly focused, potential content, and helped me hone it down into a single focus that got to the essence of what I have to say. Two years ago I started writing a book and left it, but this time I'm on track to publish. Alison has a huge amount of practical experience in publishing and brings a wealth of knowledge distilled into what I now realise I needed as an author and business owner.

CHARLES WATKINSON

Director, University of Michigan Press

The combination of deep publishing knowledge and expert coaching that Alison offers makes her a uniquely valuable partner. She has already been a tremendous help to our publishing organization. Her individual coaching sessions have empowered staff and helped them identify and implement priorities. Meanwhile, her insightful consultancy has been especially useful in honing our digital strategy.

SANPHY THOMAS

Head of Marketing, SAGE Publications

Alison recently ran a half-day content marketing workshop for the Books Marketing department at SAGE. Her coaching style worked incredibly well as it encouraged us to come up with our own ideas and solutions which really helped to embed the training. Alison’s applied approach meant that we left the session with real examples that we could continue working on immediately afterwards. 

Alison’s publishing experience combined with her knowledge of digital marketing and wider business practice enabled her to shape a workshop that was incredibly valuable to us. I’d have no hesitation in recommending Alison - she delivers well thought-out frameworks for anyone seeking practical solutions. 

TS

The Expert Author Programme participant, November 2014

I joined TEA as I thought it would be a fabulous opportunity to gain some professional direction. I had been wanting to write 'my story' for a little while and joining TEA has given me the confidence and assurance that even I have a story worth reading. This has been a huge leap of faith yet I have enjoyed every minute of it... The one to one sessions were the most valuable part of TEA for me, Alison is a natural coach, her questions were utterly challenging and the direction has really shaped my book so far.

EM

The Expert Author programme participant, November 2014

I loved The Expert Author programme. It gave me the right amount of information to enable me to structure my book properly and to understand what is involved in publishing and promoting a new book. The daily emails were inspiring and kept me on track, and Alison was so supportive and encouraging throughout. I am so happy that my dream of publishing my first book is actually becoming a reality!

ROB WAITE

Hostpipe Online Strategy Agency

Alison has provided us with some superlative business coaching sessions. She has an incredibly direct way of getting to the nub of the one thing that we should be focussing on to drive our business forward. 

Alison clearly has a wealth of experience in business both from a theoretical and practical perspective. Her sessions are enjoyable and surprisingly unobtrusive; it could be easy to find gremlins when delving into a business' history and strategy but she only ever finds positive experiences to draw on. 

I can thoroughly recommend Alison as a business coach which no business can do without.

PAULA DAY

PD NUTRITION AND HOLISTIC SERVICES

Alison Jones is a very professional and skilled Business Coach. Working together certainly progressed my confidence and more importantly my business forward. My company has a solid foundation in which to build on in terms of business strategy, branding and networking. I would highly recommend Alison. A real gem to have in any business.

LYNN HUNTER

Pro-Motion Marketing Support

Alison’s style and coaching personality suits me perfectly.  Eighteen months down the self-employed road, I needed focus, direction and a little inspirational nudge to take my business forward.

We set clear goals and agreed some bite-sized chunks of activity and with renewed confidence and regular, thorough reviews during our sessions, I now plan, structure, assess and measure my own business strategy at a greater pace and with greater commitment.   I have gained clarity, perspective and belief in my role as a small business owner since our sessions began.

Alison’s coaching technique is relaxed yet persuasive and I felt completely at ease discussing those elements of my working life that needed the most fine-tuning. 

As a marketer who has worked with coaches previously, it was refreshing to gain tangible benefits from our sessions at the earliest opportunity.  Alison has a canny knack of steering the session towards the heart of the problem with sensitivity and aplomb and then driving me forward to some really impactful actions.

I now have a greater confidence in my own plans, a clearer vision of what they are, how I should achieve them and how I should continue to develop them.  Alison has given me some simple and effective tools to get me to where I want to be. 

FRANCES PINTER

CEO, Manchester University Press

Alison has been helping us at Manchester University Press  achieve  the full potential of our backlist. This is being done in a holistic way that takes into account the people in the business as well as our overall strategic goals. This approach inspires confidence that our  investment will bring the returns we are looking for and that we have had enough guidance so as not to stumble along the way. The staff have enjoyed her tremendously and we want her back for more!

SHERRY BEVAN

Sherry Bevan Consulting

Alison is a great coach. Full of positive energy, she really helps to lift my own energy levels and enthusiasm. She is fantastic at helping you to see the bigger picture, and really focus on the specifics of HOW are you going to achieve something. I found this really helpful because it released creativity and generated fresh ideas for me that I might not have come up with otherwise. I would highly recommend Alison. She really knows content marketing and I feel I have learned so much in a very short space of time.

RHIAN SHERRINGTON

Choose2Flourish

Alison's unique blend of coaching with consultancy services is a must for any business looking to self-publish as a means to market their services, programmes or products. With her expertise and insight, alongside her lovely ability to combine challenge and accountability with unwavering support, she made the whole process of bringing my idea to its final destination as a book... a wonderful process. I recommend Alison without hesitation.

Anna Kiernan

 ANNA KIERNAN 

 Lecturer, Falmouth University 

Alison is an enormously driven, dynamic and meticulous professional. She recently designed and delivered an excellent workshop on content marketing for small businesses for me in Cornwall, as an associate at www.wearethread.com. 
As an enormously experienced publisher and digital marketeer, Alison brings highly relevant examples to her training, and is a pleasure to work with.