100 books like Be the Gateway

By Dan Blank,

Here are 100 books that Be the Gateway fans have personally recommended if you like Be the Gateway. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of BookBub Ads Expert

Mary Helen Sheriff Author Of Launch Pad: The Countdown to Marketing Your Book

From my list on authors who want to sell more books.

Why am I passionate about this?

I believe that people need stories and book marketing done well can help readers find the stories they need to craft a more hope-filled, compassionate, and meaningful life. The authors I meet are sharp and creative, but many don’t have experience with book marketing. I find coaching authors to amplify their platforms is a rewarding way to support the community. My front-row seat to watching my clients’ dreams become reality is so inspiring. This book was a collaboration of book marketing experts, whom I admire, and I was so honored they agreed to share their insights with our readers. 

Mary Helen's book list on authors who want to sell more books

Mary Helen Sheriff Why did Mary Helen love this book?

While BookBub ads are the easiest to set up, creating a successful campaign is more difficult. Since it costs money to test campaign features, it is wise to learn what you can before you start. 

The guidance this book provides can help you to find success with your ads more quickly and spend less money on the learning phase.

By David Gaughran,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked BookBub Ads Expert as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the author of Let's Get Digital and Strangers to Superfans comes a guide to advertising on the world's hottest book marketing platform: BookBub Ads.

*Create attractive ad images to turn browsers into buyers.
*Optimize your targeting to attract the right readers.
*Manage your bids effectively to drive more sales for less money.
*Learn when to run your BookBub campaigns for maximum impact.
*Boost discovery of your books and improve visibility.
*Train the retailers to recommend your books to the right customers.
*Turbocharge series sales to dominate the charts with multiple books simultaneously.

BookBub Ads Expert will teach you everything…


Book cover of The Author's Guide to Write Text That Sells Books

Mary Helen Sheriff Author Of Launch Pad: The Countdown to Marketing Your Book

From my list on authors who want to sell more books.

Why am I passionate about this?

I believe that people need stories and book marketing done well can help readers find the stories they need to craft a more hope-filled, compassionate, and meaningful life. The authors I meet are sharp and creative, but many don’t have experience with book marketing. I find coaching authors to amplify their platforms is a rewarding way to support the community. My front-row seat to watching my clients’ dreams become reality is so inspiring. This book was a collaboration of book marketing experts, whom I admire, and I was so honored they agreed to share their insights with our readers. 

Mary Helen's book list on authors who want to sell more books

Mary Helen Sheriff Why did Mary Helen love this book?

Writing the back copy of my debut novel was almost as hard as writing the book (I exaggerate, of course, but it was really hard).

This book was really helpful in guiding me through what to include and what to leave out. A great book description is essential to selling your book and makes marketing much easier. 

By Rob Eagar,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Author's Guide to Write Text That Sells Books as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Do you enjoy writing a book but hate writing the marketing text? Learn how to describe your book in ways that readers can’t resist.

“I recommend Rob Eagar to any author looking to take their book campaign to a higher level.” – Dr. Gary Chapman, New York Times bestselling author of The 5 Love Languages

“Rob Eagar’s expertise was beyond my expectations…” – Wanda Brunstetter, 6-time New York Times bestselling novelist with over 10 million copies sold

Language is the power of the sale. But, does writing the marketing text for your book seem like a foreign language? Do you…


Book cover of From Page to Stage: Inspiration, Tools, and Public Speaking Tips for Writers

Mary Helen Sheriff Author Of Launch Pad: The Countdown to Marketing Your Book

From my list on authors who want to sell more books.

Why am I passionate about this?

I believe that people need stories and book marketing done well can help readers find the stories they need to craft a more hope-filled, compassionate, and meaningful life. The authors I meet are sharp and creative, but many don’t have experience with book marketing. I find coaching authors to amplify their platforms is a rewarding way to support the community. My front-row seat to watching my clients’ dreams become reality is so inspiring. This book was a collaboration of book marketing experts, whom I admire, and I was so honored they agreed to share their insights with our readers. 

Mary Helen's book list on authors who want to sell more books

Mary Helen Sheriff Why did Mary Helen love this book?

Public speaking is one of the best marketing tools for authors. Good speakers sell books and can often supplement their incomes through paid speaking gigs.

From Page to Stage helped me hone my speaking points. It is loaded with tips to help even the most shy of authors give a good talk. The author is a psychotherapist who has worked with many clients to overcome their fear of public speaking. I loved that this book was written specifically for authors, and so it directly addressed the types of events and talks common in the book industry. 

By Betsy Graziani Fasbinder,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked From Page to Stage as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In this accessible, straightforward book, seasoned author Betsy Graziani Fasbinder offers readers the why, what, and how of public speaking, along with exercises and resources to support ongoing learning. She provides inspiration and encouragement to help writers to overcome their fears of public speaking, but she doesn't stop there; she also lays out the practical, nuts-and-bolts tools they need to select, deselect, and arrange the content of what to say when they're on a podium, in an interview, or in casual conversations about their writing, and includes a model for handling challenging questions from interviewers and audience members with confidence…


Book cover of The Business of Being a Writer

Mary Helen Sheriff Author Of Launch Pad: The Countdown to Marketing Your Book

From my list on authors who want to sell more books.

Why am I passionate about this?

I believe that people need stories and book marketing done well can help readers find the stories they need to craft a more hope-filled, compassionate, and meaningful life. The authors I meet are sharp and creative, but many don’t have experience with book marketing. I find coaching authors to amplify their platforms is a rewarding way to support the community. My front-row seat to watching my clients’ dreams become reality is so inspiring. This book was a collaboration of book marketing experts, whom I admire, and I was so honored they agreed to share their insights with our readers. 

Mary Helen's book list on authors who want to sell more books

Mary Helen Sheriff Why did Mary Helen love this book?

This book is a great primer to everything an author needs to know about the business side of the author's life.

Marketing is one aspect that the author touches, but the section of the book I found most helpful delved into how authors make money, how much money authors make, etc. This transparency was eye-opening for me as I was starting to transition from a “writer” to an “author.”

By Jane Friedman,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Business of Being a Writer as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Writers talk about their work in many ways: as an art, as a calling, as a lifestyle. Too often missing from these conversations is the fact that writing is also a business. The reality is, those who want to make a full or part-time job out of writing are going to have a more positive and productive career if they understand the basic business principles underlying the industry. The Business of Being a Writer offers the business education writers need but so rarely receive. It is meant for early career writers looking to develop a realistic set of expectations about…


Book cover of The Nature of Creativity: Contemporary Psychological Perspectives

Stephen P. Ramocki Author Of Teaching Creativity in Marketing and Business Education: A Concise Compilation of Concepts and Methodologies that Will Increase Students' Creativity

From my list on creativity in marketing and business education.

Why am I passionate about this?

 I have studied creativity for 40 years and, along with the textbook I wrote, I am continually teaching my marketing students how to become more creative.  I have unequivocally demonstrated that everyone who wants to become more creative can do so with the appropriate tutelage.  This is why I get so much satisfaction from teaching creativity and it is why I wrote my book that I am highlighting here.

Stephen's book list on creativity in marketing and business education

Stephen P. Ramocki Why did Stephen love this book?

This book contains 17 chapters written by educational psychologists who have worked with creativity.  These chapters range from establishing the best conditions in organizations for creativity to occur, how to test for creativity, problem-solving and creativity, freedom, and constraint in creativity, time’s impact on creativity, how dreams and other insights influence creativity, how society influences creativity, the relevance of talent in creativity, to leadership involving creativity. The spectrum of perspectives is broad indeed and I have personally gleaned much about all the relevant domains relating to creativity from reading this book.

By Robert J. Sternberg (editor),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Nature of Creativity as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Originally published in 1988, this book provides sixteen chapters by acknowledged experts on the richness and diversity of psychological approaches to the study of creativity. Addressing various aspects and levels of analysis, together they constitute a broad survey of the understanding of what it is to be 'creative'. In the first part of The Nature of Creativity, the role of the environment is discussed. In the second part, the role of the individual is viewed - first from a psychometric perspective; and then from a cognitive or information-processing perspective. In the third part, the role of interaction between individual and…


Book cover of The Cambridge Handbook of Creativity

Stephen P. Ramocki Author Of Teaching Creativity in Marketing and Business Education: A Concise Compilation of Concepts and Methodologies that Will Increase Students' Creativity

From my list on creativity in marketing and business education.

Why am I passionate about this?

 I have studied creativity for 40 years and, along with the textbook I wrote, I am continually teaching my marketing students how to become more creative.  I have unequivocally demonstrated that everyone who wants to become more creative can do so with the appropriate tutelage.  This is why I get so much satisfaction from teaching creativity and it is why I wrote my book that I am highlighting here.

Stephen's book list on creativity in marketing and business education

Stephen P. Ramocki Why did Stephen love this book?

This book is a compilation of chapters written by (mostly) psychology professors who have dealt with creativity extensively throughout their careers, and I highly recommend it. The topics cover psychometric approaches to creativity, experimental studies in creativity, the history of creativity, biological bases of creativity, the development of creativity, relationships between creativity and intelligence, the types of motivation necessary to produce creative outputs, cultural aspects of creativity, computer modeling in creativity, the development of prodigies, and significant research into creative processes. I gained valuable insights into domains and areas that I never would have considered otherwise.

By Robert J. Sternberg (editor), James C. Kaufman (editor),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Cambridge Handbook of Creativity as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This second edition of the renowned Cambridge Handbook of Creativity expands on the first edition with over two thirds new material reaching across psychology, business, entrepreneurship, education, and neuroscience. It introduces creativity scholarship by summarising its history, major theories and assessments, how creativity develops across the lifespan, and suggestions for improving creativity. It also illustrates cutting-edge work on genetics and the neuroscience of creativity, alongside creativity's potential for both benevolence and malevolence. The chapters cover the related areas of imagination, genius, play, and aesthetics and tackle questions about how cultural differences, one's physical environment, mood, and self-belief can impact creativity.…


Book cover of Writing Picture Books: A Hands-On Guide from Story Creation to Publication

Leon Conrad Author Of Story and Structure: A complete guide

From my list on writing without killing creativity.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a writer, I love words and am continuously fascinated by the way they work. In terms of writing manuals, I particularly value the work of writers who combine knowledge and understanding of writing techniques while also providing inspiration and keys to freeing the imagination. I’ve found these books brilliantly complement my professional interest in story structure and how story works, and match my own approach to combining theory with practice; craft with art in my work on story. I hope you find they inspire creativity in you, too.

Leon's book list on writing without killing creativity

Leon Conrad Why did Leon love this book?

Whatever genre you’re drawn to, this book is well worth investing in. It delivers exactly what its subtitle describes: a hands-on guide to writing picture books from story creation to publication. Although not primarily a picture book writer, I’ve found the book incredibly useful in developing general writing skills. I’ve used the exercises on language to improve the aural and rhythmic qualities of my writing. It’s also given me new ways to think about approaching layout and composition. It has the potential to enhance writing quality almost effortlessly. Although the revised expanded edition published in 2018 contains information specific to the publishing market then, the practical information in the book is unlikely to date as quickly. Who knows? You could end up writing picture books as well!

By Ann Whitford Paul,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Writing Picture Books as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Master the Art of Writing Enthralling Tales for the Youngest pre-and emerging readers!

Fully updated and thoroughly revised, Writing Picture Books Revised and Expanded Edition is the go-to resource for writers crafting stories for children ages two to eight. You'll learn the unique set of skills it takes to bring your story to life by using tightly focused text and leaving room for the illustrator to be creative.

Award-winning author Ann Whitford Paul helps you develop the skills you need by walking you through techniques and exercises specifically for picture book writers. You'll find:

   • Instruction on generating ideas, creating…


Book cover of Metacognition: Knowing About Knowing

Stephen P. Ramocki Author Of Teaching Creativity in Marketing and Business Education: A Concise Compilation of Concepts and Methodologies that Will Increase Students' Creativity

From my list on creativity in marketing and business education.

Why am I passionate about this?

 I have studied creativity for 40 years and, along with the textbook I wrote, I am continually teaching my marketing students how to become more creative.  I have unequivocally demonstrated that everyone who wants to become more creative can do so with the appropriate tutelage.  This is why I get so much satisfaction from teaching creativity and it is why I wrote my book that I am highlighting here.

Stephen's book list on creativity in marketing and business education

Stephen P. Ramocki Why did Stephen love this book?

This is a book with various chapters written by psychologists who have studied metacognition extensively. Metacognition involves thinking about your own thinking, and psychologists all agree that it is a prime requisite to becoming creative. A creative person has to understand how his/her/their brain actually thinks. This book taught me the pitfalls in human metacognitive processes, the value of recall, the feeling of knowing or not knowing, portions of the brain responsible for various creative functions, metacognitive possibilities in older age, and metacognition’s influence on problem identification and solving. This book opened my eyes to the critical nature of metacognition to optimal human performance, and I spend significant time with my students discussing and practicing metacognition.

By Janet Metcalfe (editor), Arthur P. Shimamura (editor),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Metacognition as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The term metacognition describes our self-knowledge about how we perceive, remember, think, and act. This volume contains 12 original contributions that describe psychological research on metacognition and the conditions under which metacognitive beliefs are either veridical, spurious, or biased. They explore how self-reflective processes are affected by subject variables such as developmental changes or neurological impairment. Finally, they identify methodological and theoretical issues important for this kind of research. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.


Book cover of Different: Escaping the Competitive Herd

Alex Budak Author Of Becoming a Changemaker: An Actionable, Inclusive Guide to Leading Positive Change at Any Level

From my list on books for recent graduates.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a faculty member at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. I put my heart and soul into creating and teaching the course Becoming a Changemaker which teaches students how to lead positive change, to go beyond themselves, and to live a life of impact. I spend countless hours meeting 1-1 with students throughout the semester, helping them think through big life decisions and encouraging them to create a life that they are proud of. I also know how to support students in making big decisions in a way that’s true to who they are, the person that they hope to become, and the impact they can make in the world.  

Alex's book list on books for recent graduates

Alex Budak Why did Alex love this book?

This is my surprise pick! It’s technically a book about marketing and branding strategy written by one of the leading experts in the field (a Harvard Professor). But it is absolutely filled with life lessons, large and small, about how you can stand out, question the status quo, and go your own way (even when the pressure to conform is strong). You’ll walk away with new insights on marketing and branding, but more importantly, you’ll get new insights about creating a life and career that you can be proud of.  

By Youngme Moon,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Different as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and…


Book cover of The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing: Violate Them at Your Own Risk!

Stephen McGarvey Author Of Ignite a Shift: Engaging Minds, Guiding Emotions and Driving Behavior

From my list on the power of ideas and positive thinking.

Why am I passionate about this?

I wasn’t always a reader. Diagnosed with a learning disorder in elementary school, I hated reading and school. Eventually, I discovered my passion for psychology, neurolinguistics, and persuasion and influence, and have now become a lifelong reader! Through my boutique consulting firm Solutions In Mind, my colleagues and I have been coaching executive teams to make the changes required to improve sales, organizational behavior, and communication. In my latest book, Ignite a Shift, I equip readers to think about how they and those around them think, feel and do. With greater awareness you’ll be able to better establish and meet your goals and persuade and influence others to do the same. 

Stephen's book list on the power of ideas and positive thinking

Stephen McGarvey Why did Stephen love this book?

Take a second and think, “what is marketing?” Simply put, marketing involves having an idea and persuading others to believe or buy into that idea. We use marketing in our daily lives and probably don’t even think about it. Getting someone to agree to meet you at the restaurant of your choice or helping your family decide that the movie you suggested is the one you should all watch tonight involves some key marketing tenants. This book can help you examine your ideas and discover why they work or fall by the wayside. The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing helped me better understand that although all my ideas and concepts might not be successful, there is a process of understanding why that is and how I can alter them to be more valuable. 

By Al Ries, Jack Trout,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Al Ries and Jack Trout, two of the world's most successful marketing strategists, call upon over 40 years of marketing experise to identify the definitive rules that govern the world of marketing. Combining a wide-ranging historical overview with a keen eye for the future, the authors bring to light 22 superlative tools and innovative techniques for the international marketplace. The authors examine marketing campaigns that have succeeded and others that have failed, why good ideas didn't live up to expectations, and offer their own ideas on what would have worked better. The real-life examples, commonsense suggestions and killer instincts contained…


5 book lists we think you will like!

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