9 out of 10 professionals and small business owners have at least one book or information product inside their head, but lack the time and organizational skills to get it out into digital or print form.
You may cringe when you read this list of ten things keeping you from writing your book, because it rings too close to home for you. You may have already written a book or an e-book, or have come close to starting it. It's hard, we know it, and we've been there too. But go ahead and read this list, see if you can identify, and let's discuss a possible solution to the book writing problem.
1. I can't seem to find the time.
2. Every time I sit down to write I go blank.
3. I need an uninterrupted time period to immerse myself.
4. I need clarity on my message, but there's no one to consult with.
5. I don't know where to start or how to organize all the chapters.
6. I'm afraid of losing clients and having my business suffer if I take time away from it to write my book.
7. I agonize over the writing, the grammar, the sentence structure and punctuation.
8. I know what I have to say, just can't put it into written form without losing clarity and impact.
9. I keep thinking about all the time involved in writing the book, and wonder if it will ever bring me the results I want.
10. Once I get it written, I have no idea how to get it formatted, let alone marketed.
Ok, you know why you haven't started writing your book. Do you know why you need to write a book?
Why You Need to Publish a Book
Here are a few reasons why writing and publishing a book is important to you as an independent professional, small business owner, or solo-preneur:
1. Having a book, whether in digital, soft-cover, or hard-cover establishes you as an expert in your field.
2. People buy from people they know and trust; reading your book is one step in creating client confidence and relationship.
3. Once people buy and read your book, they will want more of what you have to offer in the way of services and knowledge. Your book can attract readers into your sphere of potential clients; once they have bought your book, they are ready to buy other services from you.
4. Having a published book is a great marketing tool, and people will actually pay for your expertise.
5. Books are one of the major sources of passive income for professionals; once it is published it can continue to generate sales for you, over the years and while you sleep.
6. If you don't get a book out soon, your competitors will have the edge, because many of them already have one and even two books out.
7. If you are a speaker, they make great bonus gifts and back-of-the-room sales.
8. They provide a platform for you to expose your readers to your mind and your heart, showing not only what you know, but how much you care. You can reveal your deepest philosophies through your writing, as well as your personal stories.
Three Solutions to the Book-Writing Problem
Of course, there is no problem if you've got a lot of money. You just hire a book writer. There are many of them listed at Elance.com. Some professionals do this, especially when they need to get something published fast and there are not a lot of complex issues to put forth. But is this really what you want to do as a professional who has an important message to convey?
Here is a list of solutions:
1. Hire someone to write your book for you (you can always rewrite it in your own voice and add your own stories). When finished, hire a publisher and then a publicist to market it.
2. Hire a writing coach who will walk you through the steps, chapter by chapter (again, for a substantial fee). Then when finished, hire a publisher and a publicist.
3. Bite the bullet, put your business on hold for a few months, and devote your time to just getting it written. You will have to turn it over to a book designer and get it formatted; search for the right publisher such as self-publishing or print-on-demand services, and then market it yourself.
Expensive? Yes, all three solutions are expensive. They each have their advantages and disadvantages.
The Fourth Solution
There is another solution! What if there was a way to help you get your book down in print and ready for formatting in 90 days?
What if you could do this by following a system that organized you chapter by chapter, included testimonials, input from peers, professional editing resources, design and formatting resources at low costs, and only took a half-hour of time per day?
Could you afford to invest that much time and energy out of your busy day? Would it be worth it to you even if it meant an hour a day for 90 days?
If you already have a blog that you use to communicate with readers online, you can use your blog to write your book.
The blog format is perfect for organizing your ideas, chapters and getting feedback from readers.
If you don't have a blog yet, you may wish to create one. They are simple to set up and use (we recommend Typepad.com). It can be used to stay in touch with clients and to write your thoughts in an informal way. A blog is like having a conversation with people interested in your subject or expertise. Once your book is finished and formatted, you can then use your blog to market it. You already have a built in audience, hungry for your content.
To read more about how this system works and how you can benefit, go to this site: http://www.blogtobook.com ? the way you think about writing your book will shift and you'll see it in a whole new light!
Denise Wakeman of Next Level Partnership, and Patsi Krakoff of Customized Newsletter Services, have teamed up to create blogging and marketing services for independent professionals. Their latest program is the Blog to Book Project: How to Use a Blog to Create a Book in 90 Days or Less at http://www.blogtobook.com. You can read and subscribe to their blogs at http://www.blogtobook.com
one time home cleaning Highland Park ..I'm a writing fool! 2 book proposals, 1 user's guide,... Read More
I started writing as a way of keeping safe memories... Read More
Day after day, writers tend to sit for hours writing... Read More
First, let's tackle the question that is uppermost in many... Read More
One of the nice things about being an author is... Read More
Obtaining the skills for writing good business correpondence is important;... Read More
This article is to help identify which style, technique or... Read More
People want information, they want it quick, frequently in short... Read More
Have you been guilty of procrastinating on your book project,... Read More
It turns out that "tips and templates on how to... Read More
When you get stuck for ideas, and the words won't... Read More
Writing is a personal and introspective process. To share with... Read More
Do you have trouble getting your thoughts and ideas down... Read More
11 Secrets from an Experienced InterviewerOne of the unwritten rules... Read More
I just finished to read a book. A story for... Read More
If Ben Franklin were alive today, he would be...uh, very... Read More
What's the best way to plot?Quick answer: the best way... Read More
The creativity of Jaisini is not designed to be preaching... Read More
It occurred to me one day that I needed something... Read More
If you either want to write a book to help... Read More
So you've got your plot outlined, a title lined up... Read More
If you want happy customers to use your service or... Read More
For several years before I left teaching to write full... Read More
One morning, you open your inbox and find several e-mails... Read More
You must write a hypnotic persuasion letter to help you... Read More
licensed cleaning services Park Ridge ..First drafts are for getting down the ideas. Anna Jacobs... Read More
You have a new website, or a new business, or... Read More
I just finished to read a book. A story for... Read More
A frequent conversation I have with my writing clients is... Read More
Next time you're tempted to use italics for emphasis... STOP!"Why?"... Read More
Although he has his own website, John Grisham probably does... Read More
You can turn your $200 fee to write a press... Read More
Weather posting a page to your Website, writing a letter... Read More
If Ben Franklin were alive today, he would be...uh, very... Read More
Traditionally, business writing uses the "one thing after another" format,... Read More
1. Write it fast, fix it later.2. Commit to writing... Read More
Using a ghostwriter to craft your free reprint articles and... Read More
Everyone has a book inside them, or so the saying... Read More
Freelance writer STANLEY BURKHARDT has a passion for animals. He... Read More
Take out a white piece of paper and place it... Read More
My dad was wrong. I just discovered that I am... Read More
If your dream is to get published, the chance is... Read More
Each author has special editing needs. To save yourself time... Read More
Your struggling to sell just a few copies of your... Read More
There are various forms of structure, including frameworks, work processes... Read More
You know you've got writing talent. Others enjoy your work... Read More
Communication is effective when we follow certain rules. These rules... Read More
If you have an online home based business you know... Read More
In the current job market, many editorial freelancers have turned... Read More
Okay. So I'm not David Letterman. But I doubt if... Read More
Writing |