Why don't you write a book?
Most people complain it takes too long. They are too busy. One professional coach said she was not a natural writer. An entrepreneur feared it wouldn't sell, or it would be too much effort. A professional speaker says she is so busy marketing herself, she doesn't know where to find the time to write.
These are reasons, but they aren't real, they are myths. You can write a profitable book--even a lot of books--fast!
Fast depends on you, your intention, and attention that you will give your book Fast depends on your creating a blueprint of simple step-by-step strategies to write a fast, focused book.
Getting Your Book Written--Six Myths and Options
1. Takes talent.
Actually, the less writing know how you have, the better. In my innocent beginnings I thought I was a speaker, a trainer, a teacher, a coach. I didn't think of myself as a writer!
Yet, because my audiences kept asking for information to take home, and from encouragement from other writers, I started writing short books, booklets, and special reports. I didn't write the end-all-be-all book of 200-400 pages. Instead, I wrote a series of short books, each taking about a month. No more messy (and unprofitable) handouts. I saw a need and filled it.
While I had heard of agents and publishers, after I checked this traditional publishing route, I found it didn't serve me. First, it takes too long--even two years or more. Second, nobody cares more about your book than you do. You are the one that can get it done and out into the hands of your audience.
When you don't know what you don't know, you can forge ahead with self-publishing like I did. And, you can also consult with an inexpensive half hour phone book coaching session too.
Turn to the talent of others. From knowing Jim Belasco, management consultant some 25 years ago, his "Do what you do best, and hire the rest" statement led me to hire a book designer, graphics person and cover designer. Later, I learned how to do my own with Portable Document Format, Word graphics, and simple cover designs.
2. Takes creativity.
Dan Poynter told me many years ago that information can be repackaged for any particular target audience. It doesn't take creativity, it just takes some editing, rewriting, adding a few new ideas and resources, and putting it together in an organized, short and simple format to please the consumer who wants easy-to-read information.
If you are like me, you can package several of your books and others' related books together for increased back-of-the-room sales. Like my own increased profits, they can provide more than $4000 a month if you put time into getting the word out.
If you are flexible and willing to learn new ways, you can sell even more copies easily with online promotion techniques. For me, the Internet was my breakthrough.
3. Takes time.
Some writers claim it takes 2-10 years to write a quality book. Some say 14 days. Maybe a few months to a year can be your story. It will take longer if you change your focus, your format, or try to be perfect. That's why you need to do some market-driven pre-planning before you write your book.
It's far easier to write your book right to fit your audiences' needs than to write it, and then look for an audience. Each audience has a different problem to solve. Think what benefits your book will fill first, what audience will buy it, along with other "hot-selling point" that help you pre-market and also help you write, focused, organized, easy to read compelling copy. Like me, you can write a series of short books, each taking less time than a month. Just see a need and fill it.
You don't have to write a 200-page book to be a credible author either, and today's online audience of hundreds to 500,000 who see your ePromotion each week, and who prefer short books, especially eBooks, will make it worth your time.
Think of your benefits in writing a book! Your book expresses who you are. Your clients, associates, and companies who need speakers or coaches need your book. Your fiction audience wants new entertainment. A book ensures a constant stream of contacts who consider you a leader in your field. People Online are looking for your topic every day.
Whether you market your book offline or Online, people want your solutions, inspirational words, and stories. What follows? A lifelong, constant stream of income.
Part two of this article is available at www.bookcoaching.com/freearticles/article-140.shtml.
Judy Cullins ©2004 All Rights Reserved.
