I’ve worked out why you haven’t started your book.
I’ve just spent the day in a business accelerator program (Dale Beaumont’s Business Blueprint program). It’s a full on day with three sessions over 6 hours.
I am always energised by these days, and often surprised about the disconnect between the desire of business people to write and publish a book and taking action about it.
I’ve realised that there’s a missing link between wanting to write a business book and actually writing, publishing and marketing a business book, and it’s having the right mindset.
We’re all familiar with having a mindset for growth, success, leadership, achievement, balance, purpose and more, and writing + publishing a book may well be a part of any one of these. Somehow though the book part doesn’t happen.
Why is that?
What is it about writing, publishing and marketing a business book that’s so hard?
Initially I thought it was about understanding the whole process, and most business leaders just think about the writing part not the rest.
Then, as I worked with directors and business owners on their business books, I came to realise that understanding the process was only part of the challenge. After all, we’re all smart, action-orientated business leaders after all.
They have the right mindset.
Knowing what to do and in what order is important, but successful business book writers have something else.
So what makes up a business book mindset?
1. Purpose. You have a clear purpose to why you are writing your business bookand can clearly articulate this.
2. Focus. You know or are willing to take a deep dive into precisely who your target audience is, what their challenges are and how your specific knowledge/insight will help them with their challenges.
3. Discipline. You are committed to allocating the time needed to plan, write, learn and action (or delegate) the critical tasks to take your writing through the production, marketing and promotion stages
4. Commitment. You understand this is a long game and that your book is a key tool in how you can share and leverage your knowledge over time to hundreds or thousands of people.
5. Energy. Your book will require a consistent and persistent application of your energy. This energy needs to see you through the writing, production and marketing of your book over two years (or more) . . . this is how much exposure/leverage you can propel IF you have the stamina.
6. Passion. Your business book is the manifestation of your knowledge and insights, probably built up over many years if not decades. Be honest with yourself. Do you like playing with the idea of writing a book much like a puppy plays with a slipper or are you serious about sharing your passion/knowledge?
7. Accountability. You take action rather than finding reasons as to why it’s not the right time. Research from the USA has uncovered that over 80% of business want to write a book, yet only 1% ‘get around to it.’ Which one are you?
8. Investment. You understand that the business book writing, publishing and marketing journey will require an investment, but you’re not sure how much, over what time. In short, you don’t know what you don’t know. You need a trusted adviser, someone that has worked with your peer group, someone like you.
You also need to decide whether you want to make this investment and what ‘return’ you are seeking . . . and this is a much more challenging question to answer.
And, lastly . . . you need to have to appreciate the power of a book to change the world, even in a small way. You need to believe that sharing knowledge through a book is a powerful way to make a difference, leave a legacy, some insight, a message . . . a presence.
If you’re still not convinced about the importance of books read Umberto Eco’s Chronicles of a liquid society, especially the section titled On Books, Etc.
Eco is an exquisite writer.
And this is last business book mindset insight I have.
If you want to write well…read and read widely. When I am not writing I am reading and learning not just facts and figures but the difference between ordinary writing and writing that makes a difference.