10 Things that Keep You from Writing Your Book? and What You Can do About It
9 out of 10 professionals and small business owners have at least one book or information product inside their head, but lack the time and organizational skills to get it out into digital or print form.
You may cringe when you read this list of ten things keeping you from writing your book, because it rings too close to home for you. You may have already written a book or an e-book, or have come close to starting it. It's hard, we know it, and we've been there too. But go ahead and read this list, see if you can identify, and let's discuss a possible solution to the book writing problem.
1. I can't seem to find the time.
2. Every time I sit down to write I go blank.
3. I need an uninterrupted time period to immerse myself.
4. I need clarity on my message, but there's no one to consult with.
5. I don't know where to start or how to organize all the chapters.
6. I'm afraid of losing clients and having my business suffer if I take time away from it to write my book.
7. I agonize over the writing, the grammar, the sentence structure and punctuation.
8. I know what I have to say, just can't put it into written form without losing clarity and impact.
9. I keep thinking about all the time involved in writing the book, and wonder if it will ever bring me the results I want.
10. Once I get it written, I have no idea how to get it formatted, let alone marketed.
Ok, you know why you haven't started writing your book. Do you know why you need to write a book?
Why You Need to Publish a Book
Here are a few reasons why writing and publishing a book is important to you as an independent professional, small business owner, or solo-preneur:
1. Having a book, whether in digital, soft-cover, or hard-cover establishes you as an expert in your field.
2. People buy from people they know and trust; reading your book is one step in creating client confidence and relationship.
3. Once people buy and read your book, they will want more of what you have to offer in the way of services and knowledge. Your book can attract readers into your sphere of potential clients; once they have bought your book, they are ready to buy other services from you.
4. Having a published book is a great marketing tool, and people will actually pay for your expertise.
5. Books are one of the major sources of passive income for professionals; once it is published it can continue to generate sales for you, over the years and while you sleep.
6. If you don't get a book out soon, your competitors will have the edge, because many of them already have one and even two books out.
7. If you are a speaker, they make great bonus gifts and back-of-the-room sales.
8. They provide a platform for you to expose your readers to your mind and your heart, showing not only what you know, but how much you care. You can reveal your deepest philosophies through your writing, as well as your personal stories.
Three Solutions to the Book-Writing Problem
Of course, there is no problem if you've got a lot of money. You just hire a book writer. There are many of them listed at Elance.com. Some professionals do this, especially when they need to get something published fast and there are not a lot of complex issues to put forth. But is this really what you want to do as a professional who has an important message to convey?
Here is a list of solutions:
1. Hire someone to write your book for you (you can always rewrite it in your own voice and add your own stories). When finished, hire a publisher and then a publicist to market it.
2. Hire a writing coach who will walk you through the steps, chapter by chapter (again, for a substantial fee). Then when finished, hire a publisher and a publicist.
3. Bite the bullet, put your business on hold for a few months, and devote your time to just getting it written. You will have to turn it over to a book designer and get it formatted; search for the right publisher such as self-publishing or print-on-demand services, and then market it yourself.
Expensive? Yes, all three solutions are expensive. They each have their advantages and disadvantages.
The Fourth Solution
There is another solution! What if there was a way to help you get your book down in print and ready for formatting in 90 days?
What if you could do this by following a system that organized you chapter by chapter, included testimonials, input from peers, professional editing resources, design and formatting resources at low costs, and only took a half-hour of time per day?
Could you afford to invest that much time and energy out of your busy day? Would it be worth it to you even if it meant an hour a day for 90 days?
If you already have a blog that you use to communicate with readers online, you can use your blog to write your book.
The blog format is perfect for organizing your ideas, chapters and getting feedback from readers.
If you don't have a blog yet, you may wish to create one. They are simple to set up and use (we recommend Typepad.com). It can be used to stay in touch with clients and to write your thoughts in an informal way. A blog is like having a conversation with people interested in your subject or expertise. Once your book is finished and formatted, you can then use your blog to market it. You already have a built in audience, hungry for your content.
To read more about how this system works and how you can benefit, go to this site: http://www.blogtobook.com - the way you think about writing your book will shift and you'll see it in a whole new light!
Denise Wakeman of Next Level Partnership, and Patsi Krakoff of Customized Newsletter Services, have teamed up to create blogging and marketing services for independent professionals. Their latest program is the Blog to Book Project: How to Use a Blog to Create a Book in 90 Days or Less at http://www.blogtobook.com. You can read and subscribe to their blogs at http://www.buildabetterblog.com
MORE RESOURCES:
 Film School Rejects (blog) | 'Underworld 4' on the Way With 'Shield' Scribe Writing Moviefone According to the Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision blog, the task of writing the fourth film falls upon John Hlavin, best known as a writer and story editor ... Underworld 4 being scripted by John Hlavin |
Parting Shot: Writing In Alexander for Biletnikoff Award Kansas City Star By Mike dearmond - Posted on 20 November 2009 Danario Alexander is not a finalist for the award given annual to college football's best receiver. ... |
Analysis: Darwin vs. Genesis, a literary smackdown Toronto Star Genesis, it has to be said, is tough to beat as a piece of writing. It contains both the best of the wilderness, emerging over several generations from the ... |
 Film School Rejects (blog) | Mike White Writing New Christmas Comedy Called Santa Wars Fused Film Paramount and Scott Rudin are teaming together for a new Christmas comedy that will feature battling Santas. ... School of Rock's Mike White Writing Holiday Comedy Santa Wars |
 New York Daily News | Martha Stewart pans Rachael Ray's cooking - and cooking writing New York Daily News Stewart told ABC News' Cynthia McFadden that Ray's approach to cooking - and cookbook writing - is "not good enough for me." In her first TV interview since ... |
Late mail on writing The Age He credits his mother for his love of reading and writing. She bore three sons in three years, and as her belly grew so did a line of Russian novels on her ... |
 MTV.com | Lauren Conrad Is Writing A Book On Style MTV.com And when Conrad isn't busy writing books or working on the "LA Candy" movie, she is spending her time designing her clothing line, LC Lauren Conrad, ... Ex-'Hills' star Lauren Conrad is writing a style tips book. Chapter 1: Hire a ... Lauren Conrad is writing a style book Morning Round Up: Lauren Conrad to write a style book PLUS Leighton's latest ... |
Mpls. Teams Needs Help Writing Cinderella Story KSTP.com An inner-city youth football team that helped revitalize a Minneapolis park now needs the help of the community to write the ending to a true Cinderella ... |
 New York Times | Madison Ave. Sees the Writing on the Wall New York Times Jim Wilson/The New York Times The British advertising agency Mother will sponsor an exhibit next month in New York of the work of the ... |
Cassidy: Former Silicon Valley CEO settles into the writing life San Jose Mercury News Writing is not Raffel's first career. Way back in the 1990s, he started Upshot, a No surprise then that Ian Michaels, the startup executive protagonist of ... |
How To Stay Fit While Writing
Day after day, writers tend to sit for hours writing that novel or story, and over time, this can become a potential problem. Their metabolism may slow down and the pounds can inch up.
Dialogue Tags - A Study in Common Errors
Verb and SubjectIncorrect:"I bet you two had a fine time," said Ben.When using tags, it's unusual to have the verb before the subject.
On Writing and Poetry: Harry Calhoun in Conversation
"This is just brilliant. The whole interview is incredible? I'm? REALLY appreciative of some seriously good advice from a fellow writer.
Graphology - Unleash Inner Personality & Talent of Child
|| Graphology & Graphotherapy ||Everybody wants to know more about peoples inner personality, Especially peoples with whom you are dealing and peoples whom you like, dislike, adore & love.Now haven't you ever thought of just knowing a person inside out and there should be a method for this also? Here is the science which can make you read a person like book.
Written Communications - 6 Tips on Language & Tone
In most aspects of business, we will be expected to write a message to a client or customer, in the form of a letter, memo or e-mail. Language and tone in these communications is vital to the relationship with the recipient, and can mean the difference between a sale and a lost prospect.
7 Journaling Tips
Set your journal or diary where you will see it everyday, i.e.
Its All About YOU!
The Hottest Word on the WebDid you know marketing people and copywriters are developing a science about writing for readers in this new medium called the Web? In fact, they use carefully selected words to catch a reader's attention. Here are a few:NewTrueAuthoritySexualGuaranteedBonusFirstQuickNowCatchFastPersonalSpiritualSuccessFreeThese words are not in any order of importance or frequency.
Turbo Charge Your Career! Write And Produce Your Own Stage Play!
Have you ever wondered how you can adapt your screenplay or novel into a stage play? Do you have a story that you yearn to see on stage? Or, maybe you're an actor frustrated by the barrage of fruitless auditions and dream of performing before a live audience. If so, writing and producing your own stage play just may be the ticket to turbo charging your career.
Creating a Writing Space
It's important to have a space set aside in your home for writing. It can be a big cushion in a corner of your closet with a notebook and pen, if that's all you have room for, or perhaps the back seat of your car because that's the only place you can get some peace and quiet, but it should be all yours, waiting for you whenever it's time to write.
How To Build A Successful Freelance Editorial Career
In the current job market, many editorial freelancers have turned to freelance work as a matter of survival. I receive many queries from applicants regarding this part of the market.
A Writers Inner Battle
There is a psychological nuisance so powerful that can deflate the drive, self-esteem, and human spirit of many aspiring Writers of any age. These Writers are faced with an obstacle that make them stop, think twice and question their right to be a part of a respected community.
Ten Quick Tips for Inexperienced Writers
One of the biggest problems that inexperienced writers have is simply knowing how to get started. If you've unsure of your writing skills, then here are some quick tips to help you get started.
Bring Out the Natural Writer in You
Think you can't write a book that will sell? You aren't a natural writer? In fact, you don't really like to write?Putting a book together can be daunting. But no, you don't need to hire a ghostwriter.
Top Ten Tips (Part 2)
Golden Rules For New Writers - Things you need to know before you begin.Rules govern everything we do in life; even if those rules are of theunwritten kind we abide by them and expect other people to do the same.
What is Screenwriting?
Simply put, it is the art of writing scripts for a visual medium. Unlike a play where the action is "talked out," the action within a screenplay is "acted out" visually.
Hero's Journey - The First Threshold
Beyond three and four act story structure, lies the Hero's Journey.The Hero's Journey is the most usable story structure consisting of at least 106 stages and the template for successful contemporary stories, from Star Wars to Al Pacino Scarface to The Incredibles to War of the Worlds to The Dirty Dozen to Midnight Cowboy.
Turning Your Journal Into An Idea Bank
A few magazines refer to their written idea sources in assigning articles to reliable, experienced writers, or even allow those writers to peruse them for topics to write about.And for awhile, I kept an idea book that was similar to a writer's journal.
Put a Spin on Your Idea!
Eight or nine times out of ten, picking up and leafing through a magazine's or book's table of contents, you will find at least one or more articles or chapters that will catch your attention immediately. Never mind that that article or chapter's subject had been written about many times before.
Writing Is Not Life-threatening
Some writers complain that writing is arduous work requiring long hours and little pay, which is often true especially for freelance fiction writers. Today, everyone wants to be a writer and with word processors and computers it is easy to put thoughts down, but it is not always effortless to be published unless one self-publishes or uses a vanity press.
Top 10 Common English Goofs by Web Authors
In reviewing and browsing web sites over the years, I have compiled a list of the most common misuses of English by web authors. Here they are in Letterman (reverse) order.
