For a leader who has earned an abundance of knowledge and expertise along their entrepreneurial journey, authoring a book can be a powerful way to further establish your authority as an industry thought leader, connect with a wider audience and elevate your brand. However, without the right guidance, trying to write your first book as a busy entrepreneur can feel overwhelming.
Below, 15 Forbes Coaches Council members share tips and insights to assist aspiring entrepreneurial authors in navigating key milestones of the publishing process, from conquering the challenges of completing the first draft to finding the right publisher and distributor and, ultimately, promoting the book so that it reaches the intended audience. Read on to discover practical advice and strategies that can help turn your dreams of authoring a book into reality.
1. Don’t Rely On Your Publisher To Promote Your Book
Do not rely on the publisher or anybody else to promote your book for you. Whatever arrangement you have, you (or your team) will have to do the heavy lifting to market it. So you had better come up with a plan months in advance. The same goes for readings and a book tour, if you want them. – Micha Goebig, Go Big Coaching & Communications, LLC
2. Start With An Outline To Avoid Getting Stuck In The Middle
Don’t get stuck in the middle. Remember that your initial energy and drive won’t last forever. Start with a one-page outline, from start to finish, then drop stories, insights and action ideas into the outline so that you quickly have something (anything) written in each part of the flow. Avoid large swathes of intimidating blank pages, and you’ll rapidly see a path to a passable first draft. – Gary Crotaz, Gary Crotaz Ltd
3. Think Big, Start Small
A tip for all budding authors: Think big, start small. I had a dream of writing a bestselling book that contained a unique leadership model. I started small by writing an article for a local coaching publication. It took me 12 years to go from that small step to achieving the dream. If I hadn’t had the dream, I would have given up. If I hadn’t taken the first small step, I would still be dreaming. – Dr. John Blakey, The Trusted Executive
4. Write A One-Page Pitch That Answers Three Questions
I’ve found that a good first step in exploring a book idea is to write a one-page pitch that answers these three questions as clearly as possible: “What is it about?” “Who is it for?” and “Why me, why now?” This will help you start to articulate the idea in a way that you can share with other people more clearly. I recently used a one-pager just like this to get a contract with a publisher. – Ross Blankenship, Tuesday Advisors
5. Schedule Some Time To Work On Your Book Every Day
Consistency is key. It is hard to find the time to write a book when you have multiple competing priorities. Schedule a small amount of time daily to work on it, and then commit yourself to it. Treat it with the same seriousness that you would a client appointment. – Krystal Yates, EBR HR Experts
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6. Build Your Audience Before The Book Is Finished
As an author, you have two significant areas of focus: writing, and building your audience. Do not wait until the book is finished to build the audience. Connect with people from the outset and create a mailing list that you can use to communicate with them to build interest so that once you are ready, your readers are there. – Kathi Laughman, The Mackenzie Circle LLC
7. Take Small, Consistent Actions Each Day
Small, consistent actions will help you complete your book. When I decided to write my book, I already had a busy career and found out that I was pregnant with my third child. I chose not to postpone the book, but to work on it one step at a time—taking at least one action each day toward completing the book. I came home from the hospital with my baby boy, and that same day, the boxes with my new books arrived. – Masha Malka, The One Minute Coach Corp.
8. Stop Putting It Off
Having used a publisher for two books and self-published two others, I say: Stop putting it off. There is no magical “free time” to get it done. It doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing project, but it can be a compounding one. I wrote my first book in segments of 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Consistency is key. I would finish working, get on the couch with a laptop and type for 30 minutes. In a few months, my book was a reality. – Laura DeCarlo, Career Directors International
9. Write Your Story Before You Think About Marketing It
As an agent and publisher for 15 years, I always coach our authors and TEDx speakers to get their stories written first. Often, authors get locked up in the book marketing and publishing process when they need to complete their project first. Your book is a product and should be edited so that it’s timeless. Create it with future speaking engagements in mind. – Tammy Kling, Voices Speakers Bureau and OnFire Books
10. Define The Intention Of Your Book
For some, the intention is to use their book as a marketing tool to leverage their market position; for others, it may be used as a gateway to other products and services they wish to offer. Understanding your intent behind publishing a book will help you frame a marketing and PR strategy that is best-suited for it. – Stefanie Ricchio, SRBC Inc.
11. Prepare Advanced Reader Copies To Send To Influencers
When writing a book, start by preparing an outline, a synopsis and a strong description of who the intended target audience will be. It’s also important to create a launch plan. The launch plan helps to build excitement before, during and after the book release. Preparing advanced reader copies to send to influencers or celebrities is a great way to get early reviews and spark organic reach. – Lori A. Manns, Quality Media Consultant Group LLC
12. Set A Deadline
Writing is personal, and you’ll never feel finished. When you start, create a clear project plan and select an editor who will hold you accountable for completing drafts to keep your project moving forward. Remember, the world needs your book. – Meredith Leigh Moore, Leverette Weekes
13. Decide What You Are Trying To Accomplish
The most important decision you must make is figuring out what you are trying to accomplish in writing the book. This answer will determine how you proceed. For example, if you’re trying to make money from the book, you should find a publisher that will help promote and distribute it even if they didn’t pay you to write it. If you’re using the book for credibility or leads, self-publishing would be one way to go. – Rick Itzkowich, Vistage Worldwide, Inc.
14. Commit To Consistent Writing
Here’s some crucial advice for budding authors: Commit to consistent writing—even a daily paragraph fuels progress. This practice helps you maintain your mental agility and move your project forward. Have faith in your unique message; your genuine voice is invaluable. Start with a robust framework, then flesh out each chapter. Your authentic voice is your greatest asset. – Farshad Asl, Top Leaders, Inc.
15. Understand What Makes Your Advice Different
There are a lot of books on coaching, business success and leadership. If you’re going to write one, it is important to understand what makes your advice different. Your book will likely overlap with existing titles, but you still need to understand and be able to articulate what makes your own argument unique and even disruptive. It is also important to define your target audience. – Carol Geffner, CB Vision LLC.
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