Copywriting ~ Marketing ~ Story Productions ~ Publishing

Author: Greg Dixon (Page 1 of 5)

The Writer’s Journey from Writing to Publishing with Two Penny Publishing

๐Ÿ“” Greg Dixon talks with Thomas Goodlet, Sr., owner of Two Penney Publishing, about his journey from music to running a book publishing company. And what your publishing journey would look like with Two Penney Publishing. ๐Ÿ“š

As a writer, you have a lot of different options for publishing your book, from learning how to publish for free or nearly free with Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and IngramSpark to Traditional Book Publishing.

The road to traditional publishing is long and nearly impossible for most authors. Most major publishers have self-publishing divisions. For example, Hay House Publishing has Balboa Press.

Two Penney Publishing provides an affordable middle option.

No matter which path you choose, the publishing journey includes a number of steps, including:

โœ… Writing

โœ… Editing

โœ… Formating

โœ… Illustrations

โœ… Cover Design

โœ… Marketing

โœ… Submitting

โœ… Audiobook Production

The team at Two Penny Publishing has specialists in each area to help you every step of the way, starting with writing and book development coaching.

Learn more at https://twopennypublishing.com/

You can register to see the interview live watch the replay and receive notices for future Shared Visions Shows:

Greg Dixon
Shared Visions Unlimited
Publishing | Marketing | Story Productions | Fun With Music

Greg Dixon’s Life Resume โ€” Writing, Marketing, Music, Video, Education, Software, and Beyond

Greg Dixon meadow

I have a lifetime of diverse experiences, training, and adventures that have led people to ask me for help with their projects. Some of my best long-term projects came from people asking me to do things I had not done before.

My superpower is learning to do new things, combined with a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Typewriter, film rolls, book, and music notes.

Perhaps my job title could be Greg Dixon, Chief Enabler of Getting Stuff Done!

This is my Life Resume.

Education

  • In elementary school, I loved art and music.
  • I took a lot of science courses, such as Math, Physics, and Chemistry in High School. I was considering Chemical Engineering. History was one of my favourite classes.
  • At Capilano College, I deliberately took courses I did not take in high school, including English Literature, Biology, Philosophy, and Psychology. I also hung out in the Jazz Music program.
  • At the University of British Columbia, I considered majoring in Literature, Psychology, and Philosophy. I came to the conclusion that the best Psychology and the best Philosophy were in great literature, so I did an Honours Degree in English Literature, with an emphasis on Russian novelists such as Leo Tolstoy and Fyodor Dostoyevsky. I considered pursuing a doctorate in Comparative Literature.
  • After our twins were born, Ann suggested I follow my interest in computers and software development with the Computer Systems program at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. I chose the Expert Systems specialty, including some of the early technologies leading to the dominance of search pattern matching and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
  • My natural interest in writing (and a recommendation by Dan Kennedy, the Gofather of Direct Marketing) led me to the American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI). I have attended two copywriting bookcamps in Florida and one online. I have access to every course they ever offered and am working through them. That is a lot.
  • I also purchased many video and marketing programs from people like Andy Jenkins, Dan Kennedy, Dave Dee, Russell Brunson, Kim Walsh Philips, Eric Lofholm, and Marie Forleo.
  • Currently, I am loading much of the material into an AI system and using it for consulting and copyediting.

Between my training, experience, search mastery, and AI, I can figure things out very quickly.

Writing, Marketing, and Publishing

Setting aside audio and visual elements for now, virtually all publishing and marketing comes down to words โ€” writing.

People find stuff primarily through the words used in titles, descriptions, and captions.

Despite never learning to type properly, I have written many millions of words over the decades, including:

  • Hundreds of essays.
  • Hundreds of websites.
  • Thousands of blog posts.
  • Many print magazine articles.
  • A corporate newsletter.
  • Thousands of social media posts, usually with a graphic.
  • Desktop publishing assets, including posters, business cards, and brochures.
  • Two books, with more in progress.
  • Roadmaps and planning documents.
  • Technical writing projects.
  • Poems and songs.
  • Story productions.
  • Video scripts.
  • Helped publish many books through Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, eBooks, Flipbooks, and multimedia Experience Editions. Also, video and audio projects.
  • Online courses and other training materials.
  • Search Engine Optimization (SEO). If you found this post through a search, it worked!

I am a natural fit for most copywriting, marketing, and publishing roles.

Audio and Video

An interest in capturing family stories and music events led me to buy a video camera. I have my 10,000 hours in with a wide range of video projects, including:

  • Family reunions and events such as weddings.
  • Music concerts.
  • Keynote presentations.
  • Church services.
  • Personal stories.
  • Training sessions.
  • Business introductions.
  • Landing page videos.
  • Livestream interviews and discussions.
  • Webinars and Funshops.
  • Food security and rescue projects.

Except for client videos, there are many clips on YouTube.

Even if distance makes it impractical for me to shoot live video, I am available for planning and editing.

Often, the audio from the video can be repurposed for podcasting.

I also like to offer text, audio, and video in online courses to match students’ preferences.

I will resume producing songs using Logic Pro and have plans for audiobooks.

Music

Music has always been a part of my life on and off.

That includes playing drums and bass in various pro and amateur bands, singing in choirs, recording and promoting musical acts, and recording songs.

Many of my decade-long business gigs have come through music connections.

My personal mission for this year is to inspire and educate people of all ages to explore music at all levels.

Software and Information Systems

My first job after learning Computer Systems was working for a large Systems Integration company called SHL Systemhouse, which was eventually absorbed into EDS.

I started as a programmer and grew into roles such as System Architect and Project Manager. I also managed the branch newsletter, writing most of the content. The company had an excellent internal training system that covered most aspects of systems development and support.

An introduction through a singer in The Strange Bedfellows led to decades of helping develop and market online psychometric systems for hiring and developing personnel at all levels.

The top system took many hundreds of data points from four hours of testing to create a multipage Management Assessment report. Our clients were mostly large communications clients.

If the owners had not aged out without a succession plan, we could still be running the company today.

How Can I Help You?

What are you passionate about?

Do you have projects to launch?

What do you need help with?

Let’s chat!

Why I Took AWAI’s Copyediting Courseโ€”and Why Itโ€™s a Game-Changer for My Business

Writing comes naturally to me, and my copy is usually strong. Grammarly even stopped tracking my word count after I hit around 3 million words!

But here’s the truth: My writing could always be better. I still miss errors that slip throughโ€”and the same goes for my marketing and publishing clients’ work.

That’s why I dove into AWAI’s Copyediting course, led by the fantastic Mindy McHorse. At the very least, it sharpens my own process.

Better yet?

It lets me offer professional copyediting as an add-on service to my copywriting and marketing clients.

The Copyediting Path: From Idea to Polished Publication

AWAI Copyediting pyramid with Idea Organization, Copy Creation (writing), Editing, Copyediting, Proofread, and Publish

AWAI’s infographic lays out the full publication path:

  • Idea Organization
  • Copy Creation
  • Editing
  • Copyediting
  • Proofreading

I’m a pro at Idea Creation and Organizationโ€”I can turn a spark into a detailed outline or mind map in minutes. From there, drafting copy flows fast.

Then? I used to skip straight to “Publish!”

What Mindy taught me changed everything: the distinct purpose and methods for each editing pass. Plus, smart ways to collaborate with clients using Track Changes and comments in Microsoft Word or Google Docs. (Word reigns supreme for precision, but Google Docs excels at real-time teamwork.)

My Revamped Writing and Editing Process

Now, for my projects, I draft in Google Docs instead of jumping straight into WordPress and hitting Publish.

I invite clients or collaborators to review and comment right in Google Drive.

My routine includes:

  • A Grammarly pass to catch errors and refine phrasing
  • Double-checking links and references

My Secret Weapon: An AI-Powered Copyeditor

I’ve uploaded all the course transcripts and PDFs into a dedicated AWAI folder in Grok (the AI tool from xAI).

I’m adding materials from other AWAI copywriting courses and bootcamps too.

Result? Grok becomes an exceptional copyeditor on demand.

I feed it my copy, ask for reviews and suggestionsโ€”and get polished rewrites with detailed, graceful explanations.

The best part? The feedback is kind and constructiveโ€”never harsh. Mindy emphasizes delivering suggestions without triggering resistance, and Grok nails that perfectly.

Final Thoughts: Level Up Your Writing (and Your Income)

This course has equipped me with tools and processes to elevate my own writingโ€”and my clients’.

With Grok’s help, I can now confidently take on copyediting projects I might have passed off before.

What about you? Need a sharp eye on your copy, marketing materials, or publishing projects?

Let’s chatโ€”I’m here to help!

Greg Dixon
Chief Enabler
Shared Visions Unlimited
Writing, Publishing, and Marketing Services

Greg Dixon’s Most Fun Copywriting Projects

Computer keyboard and notepad. My Most Fun Copywriting Projects. Greg Dixon

Copywriting is a big word. Copywriting is simply the effective use of words for persuasion and communication. That covers most things that humans do โ€” including marketing.

Here are some of the fun projects and niches I like.

I like to combine blogging, video, social media posts, and email to create a search-engine-friendly online presence that attracts people to special events and offers.

Concert and theatre tickets can be a fun project and easy sales. It is much easier to let people know where to find what they are looking for than to generate new interest.

In addition to music, I have a lot of interest in food security, green energy projects, real estate, healthy living, travel, and trading.

I also enjoy learning new things and creating content about them.

My background includes the study of English Literature AND computer systems, making me equally comfortable with a range of writing from story productions to technical documents and case studies. I have worked in many industries.

I also have an odd infinity for desktop publishing โ€” things like posters and brochures.

I also do a lot of video work for marketing and education.

Do you have projects that could use help with copywriting, copyediting, or marketing?

What is your Fun Project?

Greg Dixon, Chief Enabler
Shared Visions Unlimited
Copywriting, Marketing, and Story Productions

Do You Need Help With Content Creation and Marketing?

Are there things on your list that you are avoiding or donโ€™t have time to do?

Like finishing, editing, and launching your book or course?

Creating manuals and operating procedures?

Desktop publishing assets like business cards, posters, and brochures?

Posting more about your products and services?

Following through with effective email campaigns?

Updating your profiles and website to attract new clients and customers?

Editing your AI content with a human eye?

All of the above?

I can help.

Letโ€™s talk about what you want to accomplish in 2026.

Greg Dixon, Chief Enabler
Shared Visions Unlimited
Writing, Publishing, and Marketing 

Greg Dixon’s Golden Connections ~ Something For Everyone!

Greg Dixon provides links to his best resources in one place.

I have helped many people and companies in many ways over the decades.

This page provides links and short explanations of the many resources and personal projects I have created over the years.

Have fun exploring!

What do you need help with? I will likely be able to make at least some suggestions.

LinkedIn is my main target for posting content and connecting with individuals and project teams.

My YouTube channel has hundreds of videos on a wide range of topics, including training, marketing, projects, events, and music. It is an archive of what I have done since 2007!

I started an audio podcast last year with many episodes.

I offer a wide range of publishing and marketing services, especially related to publishing books, courses, and membership programs.

My encouragement to everyone is to preserve family members’ personal stories while you still can.

I offer planning and resources to capture stories and related media, assembling them into montages, websites, Life Vaults, and books to preserve and share legacy.

Playing Music For Fun!

My personal project for 2026 is Playing Music For Fun, where I help people explore music and get past personal beliefs like โ€œI have no musical talentโ€.

You were born musical, and a lifetime of joy awaits you at all levels.

I am looking for musical guests to share their journey on my video podcast.

https://playingmusicforfun.com/

Capture Family Stories While You Still Can! And Make The Adventure FUN!

I asked my LinkedIn community about two book titles. One emphasized the urgency. The other made it sound like a fun thing to do.

Half like the urgency spin. Half liked the fun spin.

One person said she liked the urgency version because she did not think preserving family stories was fun.

More like writing a will or going to the dentist.

Interesting.

While it can be a lot of work, most of the story productions I have done for clients have been fun and an honour.

I think the process of capturing the life stories of loved ones is both Important and Urgent โ€” we are all aging.

But I think people are much more likely to do the work if it’s fun.

A get-to-do, not a have-to-do.

So, I have combined the two ideas into a new book cover.

Capture Family Stories 3D Cover

Capturing personal stories can be as simple as getting people to talk and recording with a SmartPhone. It can all be edited and assembled later.

Collecting and scanning photos can all be a fun get-together.

Also, Family Storie Parties can be done in person or online.

Take turns telling your stories.

While we can dwell on the hard times, I like to focus on the adventures and the amusing stories we all have.

Imagine the lasting legacy of a book or multimedia presentation for personal and public enjoyment.

The book with tons of insights, approaches, and resources will be released soon.

Meanwhile, talk to Greg Dixon about how to get started now.

Greg Dixon can help you with all of the collecting, assembling and publishing steps.

The Four Steps for Preserving and Publishing Family Stories ~ Free Book

(Older couple with a cat) The Four Steps for Publishing Family Stories ~ Oreserve Family Storroes While Yout Still Can~

My encouragement every holiday season is to capture the personal life stories of your loved ones when you get together for family events.

For some, you may never get another chance.

This free flipbook will give you some ideas about how to start, including:

  1. Planning the Stories to Collect and Publish
  2. Collecting Information and Media
  3. Assembling Story Productions
  4. Sharing (Publishing) Family Stories

You can view in full-screen mode for easier reading.

Most things you can do with your SmartPhones and free resources such as Google Drive and Google Docs.

I can help with all of the steps.

Do you know of any Legions, Senior Care Centres, Service Clubs, or other organizations that would be interested in a project to feature the personal stories of the people in their community?

I am available to speak to groups.

Greg Dixon, Chief Enabler
Shared Visions Unlimited Publishing

Tell Your Own Personal Story While You Still Can!

Arch of colorful trees over a ocean inlet with mountains. Tell Your Own Story While You Still Can!

What will people say about you at your memorial?

Will they genuinely know what was important to you?

Or will they make it up?

The time to write and preserve your own personal story is now, while you have your health.

I can help you collect the fragments of your life in words, images, and video.

Then we can assemble into story productions in various formats, such as a personal website, video montage to show at family gatherings, a secure multimedia portal, and/or a printed book.

Most of the Story Productions I have created so far have been personal stories, initiated by the person or by a family member.

Greg Dixon
Shared Visions Unlimited

Capturing and Publishing Family Stories For Fun!

American Thanksgiving and the Holiday Season are coming up soon.

Consider giving your family and loved ones a Story Production to capture personal and family stories as a lasting gift.

We are not getting any younger, and sometimes the opportunity to capture personal stories passes us by.

I have some regrets in that area.

Collaborate with me to capture and preserve the stories, photos, video, and audio in Google Drive folders.

I can conduct interviews and facilitate family storytelling sessions. You never know what will come out of the woodwork!

Then we organize our content into various story productions in different formats. Simple photo and video montages are good for presenting at memorials, weddings, anniversaries, and other special occasions.

A personal or family website is perfect for sharing stories publicly.

It is also possible to have the family update and expand the content over time, making the website a living legacy.

A Life Vault is a multimedia portal that supports multiple levels of access, allowing you to share only certain stories with family and friends.

The stories can also go into books that can be printed or viewed as eBooks and Flipbooks.

Let’s start with identifying and capturing the most important stories.

I am offering a third off the package price with the coupon named ๐—š๐—ถ๐˜ƒ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ธ๐˜€. Learn more about the offers and see sample ๐—ฆ๐˜๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜† ๐—ฃ๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐—ฑ๐˜‚๐—ฐ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป๐˜€ at:

https://www.sharedvisionspublishing.com/storyproductions

๐—š๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ด ๐——๐—ถ๐˜…๐—ผ๐—ป
๐—ฆ๐—ต๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ ๐—ฉ๐—ถ๐˜€๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป๐˜€ ๐—จ๐—ป๐—น๐—ถ๐—บ๐—ถ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฑ M๐˜‚๐—น๐˜๐—ถ๐—บ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ๐—ถ๐—ฎ ๐—ฃ๐˜‚๐—ฏ๐—น๐—ถ๐˜€๐—ต๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด

The Four Steps For Publishing Family Stories Book

The Four Steps for Publishing Family Stories Book.

This free Flipbook will help you get started capturing your family stories.

« Older posts