198: Find Your Hook for Your Book and Talk with Kelly Notaras [Storytelling Series]

Writing a nonfiction book and having a signature talk go hand in hand: both are a reflection of who you are, what you do, and why you do it.

Both your book and your signature talk should have a “hook,” which is your particular angle that answers “why me” and “why now” for your topic.

Some of our clients come to us after they’ve written a book to work on their signature talk, so we help them pull out the most important stories and key points.

Other clients create their signature talk first, which becomes the foundation and outline for their book.

My guest in this episode is Kelly Notaras, founder of kn literary arts, which works with authors who are writing nonfiction books.

Kelly and I talk about:

• Why stories about yourself are not self-indulgent and how detailed to get in your stories
• 3 types of nonfiction books you can write: prescriptive nonfiction, narrative memoir, and teaching memoir
• Examples of each type and how to choose the best one for you, especially as a speaker
• 5 elements you can use to find the “hook” for your book
• What traditional publishers look for in authors
• How her book coaches work with authors

This episode is part of our podcast series on Storytelling.

About My Guest: Kelly Notaras is an author, speaker, book editor and entrepreneur. She started her book editing career right out of college by moving to New York, where she worked in the editorial divisions at Avon Books, HarperCollins, Penguin USA and Hyperion Books. She then relocated to Boulder, CO where she became the VP, Associate Publisher at spirituality publisher Sounds True. Kelly speaks regularly at the Hay House Writer’s Workshops, and coproduces the membership-based Hay House Writer’s Community along with Hay House CEO Reid Tracy. But her proudest accomplishment is her book studio, kn literary arts, whose mission is to amplify positive change in the world through the medium of books.

About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals clarify their brand message and story, create their signature talks, and develop their thought leadership platforms. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power because it's through women's stories and visibility that we challenge the status quo and change existing systems. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.

Links:

Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/198

Kelly’s website: https://knliterary.com/

Connect on LinkedIn:

• Carol Cox = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolcox
• Kelly Notaras (guest) = https://www.linkedin.com/company/kn-literary-arts/

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 116: 16 Ways You Can Use Your Signature Talk
• Episode 145: You Need to Create a Framework [Frameworks Series]
• Episode 186: From Hashtag to Podcast to Book: Developing Your Thought Leadership Platform with Elayne Fluker [Thought Leadership Series]
• Episode 193: Five Kinds of Stories to Share in Your Thought Leadership Content with Carol Cox [Storytelling Series]

Become Bookable Live Online Workshop - April 15, 2026
If you want to speak more but you’re not sure where to start or your efforts haven’t produced the results you want, I’m hosting a live online workshop called “Become Bookable: How to Get Speaking Invitations” on Wednesday, April 15th.

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