It’s been on your bucket list for years: write a book. You have the idea, but you haven’t put it into action. When will you know that it’s time to take that item off that bucket list and get that book out?
Almost everyone has a book inside of them just waiting to be written. Those books will only be successful, though, if they’re written when you’re ready. So how do you know you’re ready?
You’ll know you’re ready when you are confident that your book will be good, and the mark of a good book is that it provides value to you and your reader.
Some authors are only focused on their readers. They don’t think about how their book might impact them and their own work. Other authors are focused inward, and only think about what telling their story will mean for them. They don’t consider their readers at all.
Are you ready to write your book?
To answer this question, you’ll have to first answer a few key questions about your prospective book.
WHY are you writing your book?
The most important question about your book is why. Why are you writing this book, and what will you get from writing it? To approach the question another way, what will your book help you accomplish? Most writers write a book to accomplish something in one of three main areas: their brand, their business, or their impact.
Authors who hope to use their book to build their brand view their books as a marketing tool. Brand-building books establish authority and credibility, raise viewership, and increase name and brand recognition. Brand-focused books can be used as tools for giveaways and brand introductions, as well as establishing the author as an expert in the field.
Other authors write books to increase their business. They hope that readers will pick up their book, read it, and then head to the author for their expertise and service. It is possible to use your book to make money in multiple ways!
Finally, authors focused on impact hope to help their readers to grow. Impact-focused authors usually achieve business and brand goals with their books as well, but are driven by the impact their words and expertise have on their readers. Impact can be harder to measure through statistics, but can be incredibly meaningful for authors and readers alike.
WHO is your book for?
Published books should not be written solely for the benefit of the author. You want to write a book because you have an audience in mind. Your audience might be small, but it’s still an audience. Books written without considering an audience at all are simply personal journals.
If you’re ready (or almost ready) to write your book, you probably have a pretty clear idea of who your book is for. Your book’s audience is probably similar to your business’s target client. Depending on your book’s goal – brand, business, or impact – your audience’s demographics may shift slightly.
Your book’s goal drives your audience because, in order to achieve your book’s goal, you must get your book into the hands of the people who can help you realize that goal. If you want to sign five new clients as a result of your book, your book needs to land in the hands of folks who are open to working with you. If you want to speak on a panel at a conference, your book needs to be read by the people who choose the conference’s panelists.
WHAT is your book’s focus?
As you think about your book’s focus, consider narrowing it down to one big idea. If have two or three big ideas that you’d love to combine into one book, stop right there. Your ideas are probably better served by writing multiple books than by cramming all of your valuable thoughts into one.
Here’s a secret: people read books to seek an answer to a specific problem. Readers are overwhelmed when a book tries to fit too many answers to too many problems into one single book. It diminishes their experience as a reader and muddies their ability to move forward with the solution they were looking for in the first place.
HOW will you write and publish your book?
Once you know why you must write your book, who you’re writing for, and what your book’s focus is, all that’s left is…actually writing and publishing!
Are you a person who’s comfortable writing alone? Do you prefer minimal help, and only with certain steps? Or would you like help every step of the way?
After the writing process is complete, how will you move forward with publishing? Would you prefer to manage the project yourself, or are you more comfortable with your book in the hands of experts (that’s why we’re here!)?
A lot of authors believe that they must write their manuscript and send it to traditional publishing houses to try to get a book deal. In our current publishing climate, the traditional route is rarely the best option. Self-publishing is more effective and successful for many authors.
If you’re ready to become a published author this year, our team of talented writers and editors is here to help. Schedule your no cost book consultation today Here.