This article is for those who have been thinking about writing a book, but don’t know if it’s the right decision.
Generally speaking, there are two reasons to write a book:
1. It will boost my career / business
2. I just really, really want to
Let’s unpack those.
It will boost my career / business
Most of my clients have decided to write their books for this reason. For some it was to build their professional profile, increasing awareness and credibility to the work they do, and positioning them for speaking and media engagements. For others it was to bring new leads into their business, attracting higher level clients and increasing attendance to their trainings. Others used the creative book writing process to turn new content they had been mulling over into a concise, well-thought-out model which they went on to build a business around.
I just really, really want to
A few of my clients have decided to write a book simply because it’s something they really wanted to do. They weren’t looking to boost their career or business, their books didn’t even have anything to do with business – they simply had a story they wanted to share. Writing their books was in many ways a cathartic process that shared with the world a profound story, which readers were inspired by. Then, for a select few, writing a book is simply something on their bucket list and they want to tick it off.
Is writing a book the right decision for you?
Let’s see.
1. Will it boost your career / business?
If ‘yes’, I suggest strongly considering writing a book.
If ‘no’, refer to question two.
2. Do you want to write a book?
If ‘yes’, I suggest strongly considering it.
If ‘no’, don’t write a book. Even if it will help your career / business, if you don’t want to do it, don’t do it. There are other ways to add momentum to the work you do.
3. Can you make the time around your other commitments to get it done?
If ‘yes’, what are you waiting for?
If ‘no’, you either don’t really want to write a book (even if you just answered ‘yes’ to question two), or your life is going through an unusually crazy time of upheaval and change and you don’t have the time or mental headspace to write a book. If that is your situation, wait until life gets less hectic to embark on the book writing journey.
A few things to consider
Patience:
Writing a book is an intricate, fascinating (to me!) task, and there are so many threads to get right. Have patience with the process and edit your book three times more than you think it needs.
Dedication:
Writing a great book takes dedication. I only work with clients who are committed to making their book the best it can be and are willing to give it that extra time and attention to make it brilliant. I’m not interested in helping people slap a book together – in my opinion it’s better to have no book at all, than a poorly done book. If you want to have real impact with your book, be committed to making it the best it can be.
Enjoy it:
Writing a book can be super fun! My clients tend to feel overwhelmed and unsure at the beginning of the process, with no idea how to start. I begin by unpacking their book with them, explaining the six-month book writing process, and then taking them through it – and they find it far more fun than they were expecting! I get a great kick out of that.
The Time Commitment:
People often ask, ‘how much time do I need to set aside each week to write my book?’ To give an accurate answer I need to know your content writing skill and experience, your story writing skill and experience, your editing skill and experience, how refined your book idea is, how fast you write, how you overcome being stuck and unsure of what to write next, and a whole host of other things. For those writing their book with my mentorship, because I am there to help at every step of the way, I know that four dedicated hours a week will see them completing their book in six months.