If you run a business, train people, are a consultant or a speaker, having a book with your name on the cover as author sets you apart from your competitors. It positions you as an authority and extends your reach dramatically.
I was taught that there were two types of people – those that take action and those that, faced with an opportunity, come up with lots of reasons why not! If you’ve thought about writing a book and haven’t yet done it, you’ve probably had a load of reasons why not occur to you – and your subconscious is very good at coming up with rational excuses. Here are some of the most common:
Don’t know where to start
There’s a lot more to writing a book than simply having an idea and typing 40,000 words. If you want a successful book, doing your preparation pays dividends – not least in putting together the whole plan from idea to achieving best-seller status.
However, there are resources available to help you. Some are expensive, some are free and there are plenty of options in between. If you want to learn more about any subject, you invest in training. If you want to get started at zero cost check this out.
If you’re worrying about sitting in front of your screen and suffering from blank page syndrome – that rarely happens with a well-planned non-fiction book. You have a skeleton to guide you, all you have to do is flesh it out. (Fiction is a different animal – and that’s an article for another time!)
Not enough time
Time is one of those dichotomies – everyone has the same 24 hours every day, but some people manage to stuff a mass of activity into each day and others arrive at bedtime wondering where the time went!
I think the answer is using a calendar or diary effectively. Book time – or appointments with yourself – to get specific tasks done. It allows you to tell people who want your time “I’m sorry, but I already have an appointment then.” Most people are happy to pick another time when you’re free.
If you’re serious about writing a book, you’ll find the time – even if that means swapping time sat on the sofa watching TV for an hour developing your book.
Nobody will be interested
In our businesses we all have expert knowledge – and, while there may be books already covering your specialist subject, it’s your unique take on the subject that will make your book different to all the others.
The plus about this as that most people who are interested in a subject buy more than one book about it – usually several.
There’s a big difference between ‘not interested’ and ‘not aware’. Part of your job in developing a book is to identify your target audience and then ensure they know about your book.
Writing isn’t my thing
Writing a non-fiction book is more about sharing your knowledge, experience and expertise. You don’t have to be a great writer – but you do have to have a good plan and a great editor.
If you prepare properly you won’t struggle to assemble your thoughts on each chapter as you’ll have a plan and know where you’re going.
It doesn’t matter if your spelling, grammar and punctuation are a bit sketchy, that’s your editor’s job to tidy things up. A good editor will ensure that your manuscript is easily accessible for the reader with nothing that diverts their attention from the content.
I’ve heard it’s difficult to get a publishing contract
Part of the process of creating a book is understanding the different types of publishing. If you aim to get a contract with a publishing house, you need to know how to do that – and what you get in the way of services and payment. However, it’s far from the only route to getting published – there are several other options, all with different costs, different services and different rewards.
So – are you ready to take action, or are you already coming up with more reasons why not?
