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Lyle McDonald has helped thousands to change their bodies for the better through products, programs and online resources that focus on health, fitness and nutrition. Lyle became interested in sports performance in high school which led him to UCLA to pursue a degree in kinesiology/exercise physiology.  During this time he got involved in competitive cycling and in-line skating which took him deeper into the science and practice of sports performance, nutrition, training, and supplements. His first book, The Ketogenic Diet, was published in 1997 and he has written 10 books since then on various topics of nutrition, fat loss, diet and exercise. Lyle is also a passionate volunteer and advocate for the Austin Humane Shelter and regularly shares his experiences on his website with the shelter and his two rescue dogs Alfie and Norman.

Q:  What inspired you to become an author?

My first book was written back in the 90's; due to my presence online and background I had become a bit of an "expert" on low-carbohydrate diets and set out to write an objective book on the topic, looking at both the pros and cons of such diets.  I actually originally published it through a short-run print house before switching to Vervante and have produced 7 products through them since.

For various reasons, I had become dissatisfied with my short run print company, mainly with having to maintain inventory, pay up front for books and handle the shipping myself.  As print-on-demand services like Vervante offers became more common I researched them heavily and made the switch. 

What I liked most about Vervante was that their setup was easy and they do not charge a setup fee.  They also do not take a percentage of sales like many other companies outside of actual print and shipping costs.  Being able to pay at the end of the month only for products actually sold, plus the fact that they handle returns and reships quickly and easily, sold me. I've never looked back and refer any friends or colleagues looking to get into book publishing without a publisher to Vervante.

Q:  Do you offer digital downloads along with printed products?

I actually do. I had offered digital downloads earlier in my career but became frustrated with piracy so I stopped. Two years ago I started offering them again and am thankful I did. We are moving to a digital age and a majority of my sales are digital only. However, I offer bundles on all of my books where the purchaser can get the hardcopy (for people who want physical books) and the immediately downloadable digital version. I have also recently got into Kindle .epubs and Nook formatted products. So many people are using only phones or tablets, so they need scalable digital files. I really see digital ‘books’ as almost overtaking the physical kind in the future. No need for space, easy to transport, we live in a digital world now.

Q:  What advice would you give to other authors who want to increase exposure and sales?

I am in a different position than most as I’ve been in the field and online for 20 years now. Getting started with writing now is much more difficult, there is much more competition, and it’s a lot harder to stand out.

I have hosted a handful of seminars including in Canada and Ireland, but beyond that I’ve mainly just focused on books themselves. I am lucky that I was on the Internet in 2004, about when it started, so by the time I got around to really writing I was well-known and already had the exposure. Certainly as the Internet grows, my exposure grows by leaps and bounds. Since I focus on nutrition and fat loss books, and given that just about every forum has some type of weight loss related topic, people more or less do my marketing for me.

Writing good content and quality books is the first step, but without marketing you’re a store that nobody can find. YouTube, Facebook and Twitter are more or less mandatory now. Finding folks who are popular bloggers in a niche, who have a following, also helps. Approach them politely and offer to send a book copy for review. If you have an affiliate program make them aware of it. Yes, objectivity can suffer when affiliates are making money off the product but that’s really part and parcel for the Internet now. Even Amazon takes a cut and nobody complains about their business practices. A recent practice is to actually release the whole book or a chapter (usually digitally), for free initially, giving readers a chance to sample it without risk.  If they like it, they will buy it. People are tired of flashy marketing that sells garbage books. Show readers you’re a good writer, don’t just tell them. In the long run that, more than anything, will help with growth. People that like your work tell two friends and they will tell two friends, and so on. In a world dominated by social media, all it takes is for a few people to share your work and it can explode.

Q: What do you wish that someone had told you BEFORE you began publishing books?

My first book was a nightmare since I didn't know what I was doing.  From layout to not getting an ISBN, or realizing how long it took to get them (this was in the mid-90's), my first book's publishing was delayed for reasons that had nothing to do with the writing. To be honest, my first book was such a disaster that I almost gave up on it near the end. After that, trying to write another book gave me anxiety attacks for years. It was all pretty difficult. But that was part of the learning experience and I didn’t have access to resources to help me through all of the problems (again this was the mid-90's).  I had also already been selling my book through a different company to begin with; a lot of the problems were fixed by switching to a better company, Vervante. Now, I mainly try to walk friends/colleagues who are doing their first book through the minefield of potential problems since I think I personally found them all.

The only problem I can recall early on with Vervante was a very old issue with the author interface.  I had some books that never made it to the purchaser but I wasn't aware of it and wasn't able to correct the problem. They really stepped up when they identified the problem. Since that time Vervante has made significant improvements to the author interface and there's nothing I can't check in terms of orders that didn't ship or when I need to put in specific order requests myself. My books are well received, people seem happy with quality of the books and shipping, and that makes me happy.

Five Fun Facts about Lyle

1. Favorite book / author

Robert Sapolsky is the writer I hope to someday be when I grow up.  His ability to take complex scientific concepts and write about them in a fashion that is both non-technical and entertaining is a skill and an art that most science writers lack. He is truly brilliant. I also have a long enjoyment of Robert Anton Wilson, a counterculture author to be sure but reading his work truly gave me a new perspective on not only the world but on how to think about things.

2. What are you reading right now?

I actually just started re-reading Sapolsky’s book Monkeyluv.  I had lent out my copy and never gotten it back. I’m also re-reading The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson, a 3rd generation cyberpunk and author. I love his work.

3. And when you’re not writing?

I watch a lot of Netflix, I love the ability to watch shows from beginning to end. Video games.  Playing with my dogs. I’m quite the introvert so I tend to be fairly much of a homebody.

4. One thing about you that would surprise people:

That despite my often brash online demeanor, I can actually be the best friend anyone will ever have. I’m just 100% or nothing. A friend I will do anything for. Everyone else...

5. What makes you happy?

When I finally finish editing a book!

You can learn more about Lyle and Body Recomposition at www.bodyrecomposition.com.