I've reviewed a number of eBooks recently, and none of them excited me, but this one definitely did. If you've ever had slightest desire to write a 'How To' book, I urge you to read 'Profit From The Author Inside You'.

It's worth pointing out right at start that Robert Parker does know what he's talking about - he has written 24 books that have been translated into 37 languages and there are currently over 1.6 million copies of his books in print.

This book assumes that you offer some kind of professional service. Robert Parker argues that writing a 'How To' book is not an end in itself, but a means of positioning yourself as one of leading experts in your field. As Robert Parker shows, books possess "magical" powers - writing a book opens doors to speaking engagements, spinoff books, newsletters, columns, and hefty consulting fees.

I once knew a human resources expert in Australia and he was very good at what he did. But he used to complain bitterly that there were people with half his expertise earning 20 times amount he was. Why? Because they had written a book!

If you've always thought of writing as a painful process that requires a huge creative effort, you may be in for a pleasant shock.

Robert Parker shows that most successful (i.e. top-selling) 'How To' books are based on a formula - they are written in a 'paint by numbers' fashion.

The most exciting part of this book for me is a technique that Robert Parker calls 'Painless Writing'.

1. Never send a query without first looking at magazine’s editorial calendar. By looking at editorial calendar, you can see immediately what topics editor will be most interested in, and when. Not all magazines publish an editorial calendar and some require that you request it via email. If you cannot find one on publication’s website, and you find nothing that states they do not publish one, then send a short note to Editor asking if it is available and if so will they please send it to you.

2. Pay attention to publication’s lead time. Most editorial calendars or writers’ guidelines will tell you what their particular lead time is. Lead time is simply amount of advanced time that advertisements or articles must be submitted in order to be ready for publication in a particular issue.

So, if a magazine states their lead time is 3 months and you were looking for ideas to pitch to them in May, you would want to look at what topics they will be covering in September, October or November. You can pitch ideas that are further ahead on calendar as well, just remember that farther ahead you pitch, longer you may have to wait for payment.

3. Read publication. Most publications can be read partially or completely online now days, so there is no excuse for skipping this step. By reading several of their most recently published materials, you’ll gain two critical advantages: A. You will not send in an idea that was recently covered – doing so is an almost guaranteed way to have your query rejected. B. You will get a solid feel for publication’s style. Crafting your query and article to their particular style is essential to getting published.