Writing a Business Book? Ask Yourself These Questions.

Writing and publishing a book is a goal of many business owners, entrepreneurs, educators and experts. And no wonder — a successful and well-written book can raise your profile, can add to your reputation and authority, and can attract new opportunities.

 Here’s how a book can help boost your career:

• Your book can lead to media exposure that raises your profile and attract new opportunities.
• Your book can turbo-charge the way you market your business by giving you a fresh approach and a new tool.
• Your book can help you land high-profile speaking gigs and keynotes.
• Your book can open up new revenue streams that you had never considered.
• If you are a coach, your book can help you connect with new clients whose businesses also affect others and change lives.
• You can use your book as your calling card though email, one-on-one sales calls, or other outreach to prospective customers.
• Your book can bring new, exciting professional relationships, clarity to your mission, and synergistic boosts to your business.
• You will meet people whose lives are changed by your book.

Yet, writing a book is NOT for everyone! If you are considering writing and publishing a book, it’s important to ask yourself some questions and educate yourself before you dive in:

• Why are YOU writing this book…and are you THE BEST person to write it?

 Are you an expert on your topic or can you research interesting material to tell the story? If you are truly knowledgeable and passionate about your subject, you are more likely to convey that to your readers. That will heighten your credibility and grant you more authority.

 Sometimes I see posts in online forums urging writers to find a “hot topic” to write about, so they can write a bestseller. Honestly, if you don’t know what to write about, don’t write! Wait until your subject grabs you by the throat and won’t let go! Then you’ll know you’ve got the fire in the belly to go to completion.

• Is the timing right for you to publish your book, including previous obligations? 

To write a book, you’ll need several hours a day, a few days a week, every week, for several months. Establish your permanent writing space to streamline and aid the process. Set up your space for comfort and efficiency and assemble all your writing tools and reference materials ahead so you won’t get interrupted. Break the project into small pieces; it won’t feel so overwhelming. Set a firm writing schedule with firm deadlines. 

• Do you have the writing chops to complete a long-form manuscript?

Lots of business people are very good communicators. But blogging and communicating your ideas from a stage are not on par with writing a business book. Do you have what it takes?

• Have you planned out your project?

The biggest mistake that first-time self-publishers make is not planning before they begin. Planning ahead saves you time (researching on google), money (making errors) and builds your confidence as you move through the project (no guessing - it's all been planned).

• Are you ready to write your book?

If you review the questions above and can honestly answer ‘yes’ to them, what’s holding you back? 

The best way to approach self-publishing is to be scrupulously honest with yourself. You must go beyond the illusory, mythical image of what it means to be a published author and cultivate realistic expectations. 

If your passion is writing, speaking, or teaching because you want to make a contribution and impact the lives of others, self-publishing can be a richly rewarding endeavor. Your finished product represents you in the marketplace, so to strengthen your credibility and competitive edge as an authorpreneur, be sure you budget the needed time and resources to fully express your commitment to substance, style, and value. 

At the end of the day, successfully promoting books—whether they are published by a traditional publisher or self-published—comes down to you, the author. You are the most knowledgeable and the most invested. Through your own efforts, you will soon be recognized as a published author and an expert in your field. No one will ever care as much as you do.

If you’re not sure if your book is a good idea, or you don’t have a clear plan, download my FREE GUIDE. 

If you want guidance and help creating a plan, schedule a FREE DISCOVERY CALL with me to see how I can help. 

Plan for Success!

Lindsay