Beyond Writing: 5 Reasons You Should be a Published Author

 

It is possible you are a very good writer, and you have written many books, but you haven’t published any, because you are yet to see a reason to publish one. Aside from the obvious: Why would you write a book and then not share it to the world? Or why would you write a book and then nobody reads it?  Here are five reasons why you should become a published author:

1. It is an opportunity for you to build a personal brand: The best and easiest way to build a personal brand is to write a book about who you are, what you stand for, your challenges and how you have overcome them; then, get it published. Once you have done that, it would be easy for people to see you for who you are and not make speculations about who they thought you were.
2. It is an opportunity for you to establish yourself as an authority in your industry: The best way to establish yourself as an authority in your industry is to write about what you do. It is easier for people to see you as an expert, when you have actually published a book in that line.
3. It is an opportunity for you to become an inspiration to people: In a world filled with so many people with struggles, and thus, yearning for inspiration, your book can reach millions of people; and you can become an inspiration to some or most of them. That is also one way to change lives and make an impact, without necessarily having to talk to millions of people in a face-to-face conversation.
4. It is an opportunity for you to make a passive income: The royalty you can get from a published book can be a big deal. Even if you don’t sell a large bulk of book at once, you still get to make some money on a frequent basis.
5. It is an opportunity for you to have a legacy: The best part of publishing a book is that you live on through it. You may die, but your book can never die, so far it’s still in existence. So, it is an effective way to have a legacy.

Aside from the benefits and opportunities mentioned above, your writings deserve more than being stuck in a folder on your computer, or on some leaf in your notepad at the corner of your shelf; they deserve to be read and enjoyed by millions of people who can benefit from them. So get a copy of books you have written, and get them published!

Beyond writing is to be a published author.

10 Great Writing Tips from Authors

 

Writing success boils down to hard work, imagination and passion—and then some more hard work. Use these tips as an inspirational guide—or better yet, print a copy to put on your desk, home office, refrigerator door, or somewhere else noticeable so you can be constantly reminded not to let your story ideas wither away by putting off your writing.

 Tip 1: "Introduce your main characters and themes in the first third of your novel. If you are writing a plot-driven genre novel make sure all your major themes/plot elements are introduced in the first third, which you can call the introduction. Develop your themes and characters in your second third, the development. Resolve your themes, mysteries and so on in the final third, the resolution." — Michael Moorcock

 Tip 2: "In the planning stage of a book, don't plan the ending. It has to be earned by all that will go before it." — Rose Tremain

 Tip 3: "Always carry a note-book. And I mean always. The short-term memory only retains information for three minutes; unless it is committed to paper you can lose an idea for ever." — Will Self

Tip 4: "Interesting verbs are seldom very interesting." — Jonathan Franzen

Tip 5: "Read it aloud to yourself because that's the only way to be sure the rhythms of the sentences are OK (prose rhythms are too complex and subtle to be thought out—they can be got right only by ear)." — Diana Athill

 Tip 6: "Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass." – Anton Chekhov

 Tip 7: "Don't panic. Midway through writing a novel, I have regularly experienced moments of bowel-curdling terror, as I contemplate the drivel on the screen before me and see beyond it, in quick succession, the derisive reviews, the friends' embarrassment, the failing career, the dwindling income, the repossessed house, the divorce . . . Working doggedly on through crises like these, however, has always got me there in the end. Leaving the desk for a while can help. Talking the problem through can help me recall what I was trying to achieve before I got stuck. Going for a long walk almost always gets me thinking about my manuscript in a slightly new way. And if all else fails, there's prayer. St Francis de Sales, the patron saint of writers, has often helped me out in a crisis. If you want to spread your net more widely, you could try appealing to Calliope, the muse of epic poetry, too." — Sarah Waters

 Tip 8: "Be your own editor/critic. Sympathetic but merciless!" — Joyce Carol Oates

 Tip 9: "Keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose. If you have the knack of playing with exclaimers the way Tom Wolfe does, you can throw them in by the handful." — Elmore Leonard

 Tip 10: "Remember: when people tell you something's wrong or doesn't work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong." — Neil Gaiman

Even famous authors sometimes have a tough time with writing; they also go through periods of self-doubt. Despite this, they always manage to come up with the goods. So, take a lesson from them and stop putting off your writing plans and get started on your publishing journey today.

 

There has never been a better time than now to realize your dream of becoming a published author. Let your voice be heard and let your story be told. Never let your passion for writing wane. Let Sons of Issachar Publishing help make your dreams come true.

 

How to Write First Thing in the Morning

As I write these words, it’s a little after 4:00 a.m. and my wife and kids are sleeping. The house is dark and quiet, with no TV or music playing, no conversation to distract the voice in my head.

It’s the perfect writing environment, for me at least.

When we write, we are speaking with a voice in our heads, and that voice is communicated through our fingertips and onto paper or the digital whitespace. The more noise that’s around us, the more difficult it is to hear our voice.

That’s why the morning has always been my favorite time to write, before anyone awakes, before traffic starts up or the chickens start making crowing noises. It’s the still of early morning that allows my voice to come through.

 

Why Write So Early?

Sure, it can be done at any time of day. For some people, noise is a welcome relief from the heavy silence. For others, the quiet of late night is preferred. I won’t argue with these people, as everyone has to find a writing time that works for them

 But here’s why “first thing in the morning” works for me (and that doesn’t have to be 4:00 a.m. — it can be whenever you awake):

 It’s quiet. For me, that’s super important. There’s no better time than when the world is still asleep.

Work hasn’t gotten in the way. By mid-morning or afternoon, a ton of stuff has come up that must be done now … pushing back the writing. First thing in the morning, nothing has come up to push back my writing.

Life hasn’t gotten in the way. It’s not just work that pushes back writing, but everyday stuff, like errands and paying bills and parties and family and kids. If you wait until the evening to write, what happens when a social engagement comes up that evening? Writing gets postponed.

Tips for Writing Early in the Morning

So you want to write in the morning … but need some suggestions? No problem. Here are my favorite tips:

Wake earlier. If you normally wake up just in time to start getting ready and then head out the door, you’ll need to wake earlier to make time for writing. That’s why I wake at 4:00 or 4:30 … it gives me a good two hours. Wake just a little earlier at a time — see my tips on doing this here.

Topic. Don’t wake up in the morning with no idea what you’re going to write about. Have your topic chosen and give it a little thought the night before. It’s great to sleep on it anyway — let your subconscious do the work for you.

Research. Do your research the afternoon or evening before. That way, you’re ready to write and don’t have to be distracted by going online to look something up. Just look everything up the day before, and save it all to a text file, so you can write without having to go online.

Start with an outline. It’s hard to just start writing with a blank screen staring at you. So I start typing out notes or an outline, so that it gets my brain and my fingers moving. Once I’ve done that, the actual writing is much easier.

Don’t check email. Whatever you normally have the urge to do first thing in the morning … resist the urge. For me, that’s email. But that can take an hour of your time, and then your morning writing time has been pushed back again. Instead, close your email program and just have the writing program open. Resist the urge!

Have it open. I like to have my writing program open (I use WriteRoom, for its lack of distractions) so that it’s right there when I wake up. I put the title on the screen, along with any research I might have done the day before. Then everything is ready to go … I just need to start writing.

Get a glass of water or coffee. Before I start writing, I make my coffee and drink a glass of water. The water gets me hydrated, and the coffee makes the morning writing experience that much more enjoyable.

Focus. While you’re writing, resist the urge to go on the Internet or play games or watch TV or get up and do something else. It takes a lot of practice, but with practice, you’ll get good at focusing on the writing at hand. Practice makes perfect.

Check email (or another reward) when you’ve done an hour. If you tell yourself that you will be able to check email (or whatever it is you have the urge to do) after one hour of writing — or until you’re done with the thing you’re writing, whichever is sooner — you’ll be motivated to get your writing done. Then you can reward yourself with email (or whatever) and feel good about it.

I think you’ll find that writing early in the morning is a habit that will make you a better and more productive writer.

 

Credit: Write to Done

5 Things Every Author Needs to Know about Book Cover Designs

 

Even though people are always told not to judge a book by its cover, the truth is most people still do - which is why authors must pay extra attention to their book cover before the book gets published. So, below are 5 things every author must know about book cover design before publishing:

1. It needs to have the right thumbnail size: In this case, if your book is going to be published online, like on Amazon, Iwe, Smashwords or Kobo, you need to know the exact thumbnail size of the site, and tailor your book cover size to suit it; that way, the book title and other relevant details would be visible.
2. Don’t be too literal: It is advisable to either state the title or use an interesting concept as an image; or use an image that depicts the book, but with a different title. For instance, if the title of your book is “Umbrella”, don’t use an Umbrella as the book cover’s image; it will come across to your readers as being too boring.
3. Avoid being too sentimental: Of course, once you have a book, it becomes yours and it is easy to attach feelings to it; but using the face of someone you know, like a relative or best friend, when it has absolutely nothing to do with the book, is not advisable.
4. Have a lot of design concepts to choose from: Ask your graphics designer to design three or more book covers for you and choose the one you think is best.
5. Ask for feedback: After you have decided on one, ask for feedback - from your friends, colleagues or even strangers to know their opinions of how the book looks, and if they would be eager to buy one if they see such a book cover. Also, don’t take feedback too personally; rather, use it as a means to get a winning design.

Asides from the tips listed above, always remember that your book cover should evoke an emotion that is part of the story your book tells, and have fun while choosing the book cover that best suit your needs.

The 10 Biggest Mistakes New Authors Make

 

I have to preface this post by noting how easy it is to make mistakes when you’re on the road to becoming a published author. This is an emotional journey, and ego can sometimes get in the way. Then there’s the many details you must hold, which even publishers get wrong from time to time. I’ve experienced firsthand the pain of a few or more projects that went to print with pretty egregious problems. And it hurts. Sometimes entire print runs are destroyed as a result. These top 10 mistakes are among the most common I see in my work with authors. Some are about mindset and others are more technical oversights. If you’ve made any of these mistakes, you’re in good company. The best we can do is learn, and spread the word so others take heed.

1. Believing what they want to hear.

This one’s tough to begin with, but writers need to hear it. Many authors get derailed from their projects or coaxed into doing something with their books that goes against their better judgment. This can happen with traditional publishing when an agent or editor tells you to change your project because they’re sure they can sell your book. It happens with subsidy publishing companies that try to sell you all sorts of stuff you don’t need. At this stage of the game, as hard as it might be, it’s time to start to treat your book like a product, not a baby. Having too much emotional attachment can lead to problems.

2. Not taking advantage of every available digital platform.

A lot of authors decide to publish their e-book right out of the gate with Kindle Select, forgoing opportunities to publish on Nook and other digital platforms because they figure all that really matters is Amazon. This is a lost opportunity. If you’re publishing traditionally, this one won’t apply to you, but no matter how you publish your e-book, publish widely. Especially now, when plenty of readers are choosing not to buy from Amazon.

3. Deciding that they don’t need a marketing campaign, or starting one too late.

Marketing starts way before your book is published. Many new authors decide they’re not going to market their book, until their book comes out and nothing is happening. It’s not selling and they don’t know what to do. Then they try to hire a publicist, but it’s generally too late. I’ve worked with a number of women who’ve had to come around to the idea that they are worthy of spending money on a marketing campaign. These are extra dollars, and the psychological barrier can be high, but really all authors in this day and age — self- or traditionally published — should hire a book publicist.

4. Believing that more is better.

More is not always better, and you want to be careful about what you’re signing on for. Many subsidy publishers, for instance, offer publishing packages that include a host of items, which sometimes sound so impressive that you feel like you’re getting A lot for your money. However, things like your Library of Congress number, your ISBN, or filing your copyright are services that cost the publisher next to nothing. Be wary. I’ve seen subsidy publishers offering things like book trailers, postcards, and even trips to Book Expo in New York to the tune of thousands of dollars. Don’t get stars in your eyes. Use your money wisely and shop around.

5. Going renegade.

This is easy to do. Many authors go renegade because they’re trying to save money. They feel that they’ll “figure it out” as they make their way through the publishing process. I assure you that going renegade will cost you in the long run. Invest in a single consultation with an expert to better understand your options and what makes sense for you. Be realistic about how much you actually understand about publishing. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Don’t overspend for no good reason (point #4), but don’t skimp on getting necessary help, either.

6. Not doing enough research on who they’re publishing with.

Many authors just follow ads to a certain publishing solution and stop there. It’s important to do due diligence and research. There are thousands of posts online about the difference between CreateSpace and Ingram Spark, for instance. There are a whole host of partnership publishers (like She Writes Press, Turning Stone Press, and Inkshares) popping up all over the place. Many of them are mission-driven and operate totally outside of the traditional or self-publishing model. Ask for references, and make sure you feel good about the company you’re going to be doing business with. You might also want to check the author-advocate site Editors & Predators just to see what’s what.

7. Believing that “traditional” is better, no matter what.

This mindset will limit your publishing opportunities. I’ve seen authors languish for years (literally) in the space of trying to find an agent or waiting for an agent to secure a publishing deal. Traditional publishing is also suffering in two distinct ways: the barriers to entry are so high that it’s alienating its base; and it’s so focused on author platform and “big books” that it’s losing relevance fast. Many more authors than ever before are opting out of traditional publishing for more control and better profit margins on their sales. It’s cool to aspire to traditionally publish, but if you’re not getting bites, don’t let your book die on the shelf just because you harbor some sort of judgment about alternative publishing paths.

8. Failing to get sample product.

If you’re going to publish with a hybrid or partnership press, or even if you’re going to print your self-published book with CreateSpace or Ingram Spark, get samples! If the company won’t provide them for free, invest the $10 to order one of its books from Amazon. You want to see how the books look and feel. Most authors I work with do not ask for samples, and this is putting a lot of faith into the hands of a company that’s producing something so important to you.

9. Not hiring professionals.

A lot of self-published authors skimp on editorial and production, but it’s such a bad mistake. Every book should be copyedited and proofread — ideally more than once. There are so many elements to track when it comes to book design, and it’s incredibly easy to make mistakes. Over the course of my career as an editor and publisher I’ve seen all the many mistakes that get caught post-production, and this is with a professional team working on books. Things like running heads, pagination, tables of contents aligned with chapter titles and page numbers — the list goes on and on. Have someone who knows what they’re doing review your laid-out pages too. It’s crucial to review, review, and review again prior to printing your book.

10. Choosing a print run over print-on-demand (POD).

Some authors should get a print run, but most should not. Unless you absolutely know you can sell 1,000 copies within the first year of publication, don’t get a print run. And brace yourself for the fact that selling this many copies is a lot harder to do than you might think. Too many authors naively believe that they will easily sell thousands of copies. I’d urge you to start to consider that selling 1,000 copies as a self-published author constitutes a success. Many of your sales, you must remember, will be e-books. POD is awesome because you only pay for what you sell, so, for the vast majority of you, POD is a smart business decision.

Ready to start your publishing journey? Our team at SOI Publishing can help you make the best publishing decisions. Talk to us. Let's make your book the next bestseller.

 

Culled from Huff Post

Why Should Authors Care About Digital Marketing?

 

One of the biggest challenges for independent authors is getting their book in front of readers. There are millions of books published every year, and unless you’re very famous independently of your book, odds are that you’re nervous about how to get people interested. That’s where digital marketing comes in. You’ve probably heard this term before, especially as you travel down the road of independent publishing. You’re probably asking questions like: What does digital marketing entail? How does it get books in front of readers? And how could it work for me?

Digital marketing is simply getting your book information in front of Internet consumers, typically in the form of online advertising. So why should you develop a digital marketing strategy?

People Are Online

Consumers spend 5 hours per day on mobile devices. That’s right—5 hours. This is the majority of people’s leisure time, so the best place to find that perfect reader is during their daily Facebook scroll or YouTube binge.

No Need for Marketing Studies

In the past, if you were manufacturing lip gloss and wanted to advertise to TV-watchers, you’d have to pay someone to do a market study of various TV shows, figure out which audiences buy a lot of lip gloss, and take out ads based on that information. The Internet has changed that. Now, Facebook will tell you that there are 3.7 million people who love James Patterson and exactly who they are. If you’re a thriller writer, you’ve just found your audience without expensive market studies.

Digital Marketing Is Less Expensive

Most digital advertising on any social media platform can be adapted to all budgets. Remember that TV ad I mentioned earlier? Not only did you have to do a market study to see if it’s worthwhile, you also had to spend thousands of dollars on the slot and production. Very few independent authors have that kind of cash just lying around. Digital advertising doesn’t have these kinds of requirements. You can adapt the advertising to fit your budget, and though you may find more success with more money, you can still get your book in front of more readers with small advertisements than with no advertisements at all.

You Can Boost Book Sales and Your Online Platform Simultaneously

If you decide to market your book on social media platforms, you get the double benefit of driving social media users to buy your book and generating awareness of your social media profiles. Because they are seeing these ads from your author page, readers who buy the book will be more likely to follow your profile and learn about your new projects—which makes your book marketing for the second book faster and cheaper.

You Control the Content

Did you start an ad, only to think of a better idea or notice that no one seems interested? Then change it. Unlike traditional print or TV advertising, you are not stuck with bad ideas or ineffective ads. The ease with which an ad can be updated or adapted is a huge benefit to advertisers of all sorts.

Once the writing is finished, finding ways to get readers interested in your book is your number one task. Learning about tools such as digital marketing will provide insight when you talk to book publicity and book marketing firms about plans for your book and expand the ways you can reach your book’s newest reader.

Source: Ingramspark

Book Marketing Tips For Self-Published Authors

 

In this post, you will get ten book marketing tips to help increase your book sales as an independent author.

Self-publishing is not a new phenomenon anymore as it has now become an integral part of the publishing landscape.

However, there is one component that remains a stumbling block – getting your book to sell.

Book marketing is tough, hard work, time-consuming and can even be dispiriting. If that’s not enough, it can also be expensive.

We all hear about the ones who ‘got lucky’ such as Amanda Hocking and E L James, but these are rarities. However in saying that, they didn’t achieve success without a lot of hard work either.

Self-published authors have no choice but to face up to the onerous task of promoting themselves.

However, traditional publishers are now cutting back on their book marketing budgets, so more and more of their authors are having to use social media to ‘flog’ their wares as well. It’s becoming a level playing field.

So what can you do to give your book a chance? Here are ten ideas.

1. Write a great book.

It may sound silly, but it’s the very first ingredient in getting a book to sell. Knowing what readers will like isn’t easy, so don’t expect that just because you’ve written a book, it will sell.

In my case, my favourite book is my very worst seller, so what would I know?

2. Social media is a must.

If no one knows about you or your book, how can they buy your book? Social networking is a ‘one thing leads to another’ tool, so by continually expanding your contacts you help build your author brand. Another good reason to exploit social media is that it is free.

3. Don’t try to sell – try to market your book.

Do not use social media to sell books. Selling is not marketing. ‘Buy my book’, ‘Check out my book’ and ‘My book is free today’ messages are 100% guaranteed to make you look like a spammer.

Could you imagine Neil Gaiman or Dan Brown sending messages like this?

Talk about yourself, other people, post intelligent comments and interact and get known.

Marketing is about ‘brand recognition’, so your objective is to become known as an author. When you are successful at this, your books will then hopefully sell themselves.

4. Use every contact point you can find.

Set up accounts on all social media sites related to books. Goodreads, AuthorDen, Shelfari or any other you find. Also use sites such as Stumbleupon, Pinterest, Google+ and Facebook. All of these will add to your search engine listings and get your name ‘out there’.

Set up a Google Alert for your name so you can be notified whenever your name is listed on a new search engine entry. Remember that you are marketing yourself as an author, not direct selling books.

So remember to write an intelligent and informative bio or description for these sites. If you are an author, show people why when they first read your bio.

5. You must have a blog.

While a website is a useful central resource for information about an author and their books, a blog is much more dynamic and should be the conduit through which all book marketing is driven.

Having new informative blog posts circulated through a number of social networks is a great way to expand your reach and attract new readers. Also, regular blog posts will be indexed by Google and Bing and help bring new potential readers to your blog.

6. Giving away ebooks is cheap marketing.

Free books should never be seen as giving away money. They should be viewed as an introduction to your writing and your name to new readers, and the more, the better.

Even if an author has only one title, a free book offer can help build a base of readers for the second and third books.

I use Kindle’s KDP Select program, and when I offer any of my titles for free, I’m pleased if 500 readers download the book. I’m even happier when 5,000 do. And thrilled if 20,000 do.

The more, the better. There are 6 billion people in the world, so you have plenty of market left.

7. You should budget for paid promotion.

Pay for some exposure, but within reason and your budget. There are many options available to buy advertising or promotion, and high traffic sites can boost exposure for your name and title.

I’ve used a number of sites, and while some have been more successful than others, it’s a long-term game of building your author brand.

8. Keep your cool.

Always be positive and never enter into conflict on any platform on the Internet.

Arguing, criticising and being obnoxious are sure-fire routes to failure. Never ‘flare’ on the Internet as comments made in a temper will last forever and tarnish your reputation. Ignore bad reviews, nasty comments and trolls. Rise above their level, always.

9. Keep writing.

Write another and much better book. Quite simply, the more books you write, the better you get, and the more chance you have of making book sales.

10. Stay positive.

Don’t check your book sales hourly. It’s depressing. Do it once a week, or even better once a month. You might get a surprise.

Marketing a book takes time and patience, so stay positive and think about what little things you can do each day that will help find new potential readers.

Source: Just Publishing Advice

The Little Known Secret to Writing a Bestseller Nonfiction Book

 

If you’re a writer, it’s fair to assume you’d like to write a bestseller. In my 12-plus years of experience as an editor for a major publisher, bestseller status is the Holy Grail of the writing trade, and it’s not just an ego thing.

Hitting the bestseller lists is an emblem of the impact a book is having.

Bestsellers are not just about fame and money; in fact, writing a bestseller guarantees neither. They are about having an impact on society.

Bestsellers are world changers.

By definition bestsellers are rare. Whether it’s the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, or Publishers Weekly, the value of these lists is in direct relationship to the fact that they are limited.

So what does it take? How do you make it onto a bestsellers list? In this post I discuss the key elements to writing a bestseller, including a little known secret that can have a significant effect on book sales. Mind you, this post is not about how to buy your way onto a list. It’s about how to get there organically.

The makings of a bestseller can be divided into internal and external factors. Internal factors are those within an author’s realm of influence. External factors are those beyond the author’s control but which an author can still capitalize on.

Platform

An essential internal factor is platform. Platform is an author’s ability to promote his or her own book. The bad news is it takes time to build a platform. The good news is, if you’re willing to work hard over a period of time, an influential platform has never been more accessible than it is right now. Check out Author Media’s terrific platform-building tips.

Excellent Writing

Another important internal factor is excellent writing. It’s true that many well-written books do not hit the bestsellers list. It’s also true that most books that hit the list are well written, especially those that stay there for a while. In short, if your book is not well written, it probably won’t hit the bestseller lists. My favorite books on the craft of writing are Stein on Writing, Bird by Bird, and The War of Art.

The Wild Card: Luck

One external factor is luck. How big a role luck plays in the life of any bestseller varies, of course, but let’s face it, some books get lucky. Oprah selects your book for her Book of the Month Club. A video or blog post goes viral. You can’t predict these things, they just happen. It’s important to note, however, that luck is often a friend to books that otherwise are worthy of attention.

The Little Known Secret: Write a Book the World Needs

This is the external factor that many authors don’t consider and is so, so important. If you write an excellent book and have a decent platform that you then leverage to promote your book, chances are the book will do fine. It will sell moderately well, and both you and your publisher will be happy.

To write a bestseller, though, often you have to say something unique that the world is ready to hear. In ancient Persia when recently crowned Queen Esther is deliberating about whether to intervene for the Jewish people before the king, her guardian, Mordecai, asks, “Who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther’s moment had arrived. Bestselling books are often those that have been written for such a time as this. Write a book whose moment has arrived.

How to Write a Book Whose Moment Has Arrived

Let me sketch out some possible steps for writing a book whose moment has arrived:

1. Study all the bestselling books on your topic. Obtain a good working knowledge of the main things that have been said in your field of inquiry.
2. Survey and interview lots of people. Do your research. Ask anybody and everybody what their thoughts are about your particular topic, particularly those who have written about it.
3. Ask, “What hasn’t been said or emphasized that should be?” Based on all your research and intuition, what does the world need to hear?
4. Ask, “What would constitute a watershed message in this area?” The message has to be both unique and sincere. We all know when someone tells us something that sounds too good to be true or smells of ulterior motives.
5. Test the waters. Write some blog posts or articles that deliver your message. Don’t worry about letting the cat out of the bag. If your idea has legs, people will want a book-length treatment of it.
6. Write the book. You’ve done your homework, composed your message, and refined your delivery. Now go, brave writer. Who knows but that you have come to your royal keyboard for such a time as this?

One More Thing

Let’s say you do all the above, and your book fails to hit the bestseller lists. Then all you’ve done is created a signal contribution to your field that will still help quite a few people. That’s worth doing no matter what.

Credit: Chad Allen