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Have you ever thought that writing a book is the same as copywriting or writing a sales letter? Copywriter and bestselling author Ray Edwards believes just that. On today’s show, Ray shares his PASTOR framework that he uses for writing sales letters and how he expanded it to write his first book. He also shares his morning routine, the tools he uses, and a secret tip to never run out of topics to write about. Ray Edwards is a communication strategist, copywriter, bestselling speaker, host of a top iTunes business podcast, and bestselling author. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies and with some of the most powerful voices in leadership and business today. His clients include Tony Robbins, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and many more. He has been featured on top publications like Forbes, Social Media Examiner, and Entrepreneur. This is a great episode where we talk about content creation, writing words that sell, and more.   You can find Ray here: Ray Edwards Website Books by Ray Edwards The Ray Edwards Show Ray Edwards on LinkedIn @RayEdwards on Twitter   Show Notes [01:38] How Ray has always enjoyed writing, and how it occurred to him that he could make a living writing. [02:13] He had always dreamed of writing books. [02:35] Ray was interested in the artist part of writing, but not the starving part. He knew that he could sell and write. [03:11] The reason for Ray's first book was to write down the answers to the questions he is continually asked. [04:01] We are always looking for a fresh new voice. If you don't put your message out there, no one will hear you. [04:54] Ray has made millions of dollars indirectly off of his book. [05:33] Ray has an organized process for studying and reading and then puts it into an outline. Then he puts it together and reaches a conclusion. [06:18] A book is selling a group of ideas and practices. [06:36] Copywriters need to write the way they speak. James Patterson breaks all of the writing rules. [07:28] What's the idea, conclusion, and the path to get there. [07:47] The pastor framework. A shepherd takes care of the flock. With a pastor framework you are being a shepherd with your customers and have their best interest at heart. This takes the negative out of selling. [08:56] Person, problem, and pain. You need to understand these things when writing. [10:02] Amplify. Amplify the pain or aspiration. [11:31] Story, struggle, solution and system. Tell your story, struggle, solution, and system. [12:22] Testimony and transformation. Share other people's stories about how they used your solution. [13:11] Offer this is what I have to sell you and how much it costs. 20% of time talking about deliverables. [14:13] Request a response or ask for the sale. This is the Pastor framework: person, amplify, story, testimony, offer, and request. [16:02] Writing a book is like a fractal with the same structure. Every chapter stands on its own. [17:34] Blinding flash of the obvious. How Ray's sales copy framework was also great for writing a book. [19:49] How Ray stays fresh and keep the content coming. Read a lot and write a lot. [21:26] How a paid mastermind is a lot of work, but it is a great way to get ideas. [22:03] How Ray has a file of titles in Evernote that will be posts or book chapters or other content. [22:43] Ray is always reading two books at a time. The bible, then something spiritual and nonfiction. Then he journals about what he has read. He also has a writing time set aside each day and he scrolls through his titles and finds something to write about. [25:34] Ray can dictate about 125 words a minute and then send it off to Rev and then have it edited. [26:33] It depends on Ray's mood whether he dictates or types his writing. The important part is getting the first draft out when writing a book. [27:20] On big projects he maps stuff out and then dictates word for word. [28:10] We are in an age that it is so easy to dictate, we don't have to long-form write. [31:00] After fast dictation get your transcript back and go through it. Then send it to an editor who makes it correct then fix that and make it a little less correct. [33:17] The paradigm shift of creating fast manuscripts through dictation. [34:47] Having titles of books and chapter titles that read like a headline. Selling your book with the first chapter of the book. Create something visceral that grabs people. Sell people in the first sentences of the chapter. [38:26] Stop thinking and start writing. Just do it. All you need is you and a message. [39:32] If you want to be a writer, you would be a writer.   Links and Resources: self-publishingschool.com Spsfreetraining.com James Patterson Tim Ferris On Writing Texture App Evernote Day One Rev Dragon Naturally Speaking James Malinchak Big Money Speaker Boot Camp Decisive Ray Edwards Website Books by Ray Edwards The Ray Edwards Show Ray Edwards on LinkedIn @RayEdwards on Twitter