I still have not yet sent this book to my publisher (still making changes) but am already thinking about what I would do differently next time. So for any of you who are thinking of writing a book someday, take a few tips from my adventures in birthing a book.
- Set aside big blocks of time to write. I would set aside 2 week time periods, spaced apart from each other by a few weeks, as dedicated time to work on various phases of the book. Probably a 2 week time for the first outline, a 2 week time for the first draft, and a 2 week time for the content edit (post-feedback from readers, see below). During those times, nothing else. No blogging, no client work, no eZine. Be completely immersed in the book.
- Get feedback earlier. One of the best things I did when writing my book was to send out chapters to my target audience to read. No, not for PEER review — that is when other experts in your field read your book — and I found that to be not as helpful (most other financial and legal experts chastised me for giving legal advise, instead of telling people to just go to an attorney. Hey, dudes, I’m writing a book?! What is it supposed to be, 200 pages of "see an attorney"??!). Have the people who you think would buy your book read an early version. They will tell you if they would buy this book, if they would recommend it to their friends, if they need more information or find things confusing, and if it meets their expectations. People want to help.
- Teach the book first. I would take my outline and teach the book via free teleclasses, podcasts, videocast, radio show, and/or blog posts. Not only do you get feedback from teaching from an outline to your target audience, but you have to organize your thoughts. But these formats are much less formal than writing a book, so it goes faster.
- Get a thick skin. I’ve had people tell me they hate my ideas. That it should not be in a book. That they think my writing needs work or is too informal. That the book is too long and too short. That the book is too nice and too scary. The book is too advanced and too simple. After letting a few emails drive me to tears (or make me think of quitting), I’ve really had to learn what criticism to take to heart, and when to let it just wash over me.
- Know that it is hard, and that is part of what makes it great. Not because any part of it is hard, but because a book is so gosh darn big and long of a project. But that is why we respect authors so much — because we suspect that writing a book is really hard.
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