Every thought leader needs a book
Yet they often don’t know where to start.
They’re not sure how to get from their big idea to a book that will sell.
What they need is a plan and a guide—someone who has traveled
from idea to bestseller before.
Manuscripts completed
Authors helped
NYTimes Top 5
Million books sold (and counting)
Our process helps you . . .
1
define
your book’s question
2
develop
your writing plan
3
determine
your publishing path
Recent Blog Posts
Read our most popular thoughts on writing, publishing, and whatever inspires us.
Read moreStorytelling is
the most powerful
way to put ideas
into the world today.
Stories are the creative
conversion of life itself
into a more powerful,
clearer,
more meaningful experience.
They are the currency
of human contact.—Robert McKee
The currency of human contact…
Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today. Stories are the creative conversion of life itself into a more powerful, clearer, more meaningful experience. They are the currency of human contact. —Robert McKee
The Writing Process: From Idea to Great Book
Tens of thousands of books are published every year, but very few have any kind of impact, let alone hit a bestseller’s list. While there are tons of promises out there for programs that will get you a bestseller, writing a great book doesn’t happen...
Read moreI would stand and
look out over
the roofs of Paris
and think, “Do not worry.
You have always written
before and
you will write now.
All you have to do is write
one true sentence.
Write the truest sentence
that you know.”—Ernest Hemingway
A Moveable Feast
Write one true sentence…
I would stand and look out over the roofs of Paris and think, “Do not worry. You have always written before and you will write now. All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.” —Ernest Hemingway A Moveable...
The Great Reset of American Aid
For the last several months, I have been working with a former World Vision employee writing a memoir about his odyssey as an African aid worker. He now works for the UN. As I type this, he’s in the midst of closing health clinics and sending home those who work...
Read moreThe shortest distance
between two people
is a story.― Patti Digh
The Shortest Distance Between Two People
The shortest distance between two people is a story. ― Patti Digh
Five Reasons You Should Create a Book Proposal Before You Write Your Book (Even If You Plan to Self-publish)
The traditional publishing industry has been around a long time, and as much as it sometimes feels stuck in the past, it has also honed the process of publishing for success and profit. One of the tools it has created in that honing is the book proposal. On the...
Read moreExaggeration is
a violence of language,
which, in politics,
is full of the threat
of violence of other kinds.
Exaggeration—
extremities of generalization,
language overpowering
knowledge—
prepared us for
the Civil War.—Wendell Berry,
The Need to Be Whole
Exaggeration is . . .
Exaggeration is a violence of language, which, in politics, is full of the threat of violence of other kinds. Exaggeration— extremities of generalization, language overpowering knowledge— prepared us for the Civil War. —Wendell Berry, The Need to Be...
Should You Write Your Book Yourself, Get a Coach, or Hire a Ghostwriter? A Few Things to Consider…
So you want to write a book—in fact, you need to write a book. It’s not just a whim, but something you need to do as part of your mission in life. There is a message burning a hole in your soul and a book feels like the best way to express it. It is something you have...
Read moreThe big kahuna in content marketing is the book.
—Michael Bungay Stanier,
“Exactly how I self-published my book, sold 180,000 copies, and nearly doubled my revenue”
The big kahuna…
The big kahuna in content marketing is the book. —Michael Bungay Stanier, "Exactly how I self-published my book, sold 180,000 copies, and nearly doubled my revenue"
Understanding the Writing Process for Fun and Profit
Most of us have learned to approach writing as an activity. “I need to write __________,” fill in the blank: “an email,” “a report,” “a marketing blurb,” “a letter,” “a book,” or the like. We sit down, we draft what we want to say, we reread it to check for typos,...
Read moreTo hell with last words.
Let’s try to make
one sentence
that’s rightly positioned
within a manageable context
so that we can utter it
to somebody else
and they’ll understand it.—Wendell Berry
Wendell Berry discusses life
Let’s try to make one sentence…
To hell with last words. Let's try to make one sentence that's rightly positioned within a manageable context so that we can utter it to somebody else and they'll understand it. —Wendell Berry Wendell Berry discusses life
“The Most Beautiful Train Ride in the World” (Part 5)
Riding the Ella Odyssey: Oceans of Tea (Part 5 of 5) (In case you missed it, here is a link to Part 1) After Nanu Oya, the huge vistas calmed to an ocean of plantations with tea pickers interspersed here and there. The neat, undulating rows of tea bushes among Dr....
Testimonials
Melissa and Rick are a dynamic duo that will absolutely help you produce your best work. From framing a concept into a compelling narrative, to structuring the chapters, editing, writing and supporting authors, their experience, compassion and savvy make all the difference.
As a publisher and publishing services company serving both indie authors and other trade publishers, it’s critical to find writing and editorial partners that are professional, cool under pressure, and responsive to the needs of clients. Killian Creative checks off all three of these boxes. We worked with Rick in serving a client on a tight-turn revision schedule for a novel, and he was a complete pro every step of the way, translating the client’s requests into solid prose on the page. I’m glad to work with Rick and recommend Killian Creative to others looking for professional writing and editorial services.
Rick and Melissa are a truly dynamic team! Their combined creative writing and editing abilities are second to none. They have a unique ability to find the voice of each author and express ideas consistent with each author’s style and personality.
Rick is both an accomplished writer and editor—and in the publishing world, people with both competencies are rare animals indeed. When I’m in need of a great writer or book doctor, “Killian” comes first to mind.
Working with the Killians was a joy for me. My book was so personal and to be comfortable enough with them to be open and honest with the pain in my life made this journey a successful one for me. They are professional, thorough, detailed, and most important—kind.
I was a reluctant writer! Rick coached me into a love and confidence of writing that has made the whole experience enjoyable. Rick’s ability to preserve your thoughts and stories while adding an easy reading style and ordering the material to best flow for the reader is something I could not have done without him.
All our experiences with Rick have been great. He’s easy to work with. His research is outstanding, and he masterfully incorporates it into his writing.
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