WARNING READ THIS FIRST
Let me say one thing before we move on: A book is a trade commodity. It is meant to be shared. You can sell it, you can give it away, you can shoot it out of a cannon at half-time, but a book (and the message inside) exists to be shared. If you’re not interested in sharing your story with the world forget about writing a book. Save yourself some money, find a legal pad and a pencil, write out your thoughts, and stick them in a drawer somewhere. I do it all the time. It’s a perfectly valid alternative for everything I don’t want to share with the world, but it ain’t a book.
If you’re still reading, I’ll assume you have something to share with the world.
What is your Why?
What is your Why?
Have you ever asked yourself what made you want to write a book in the first place? That’s your “why.”
There are a lot of reasons why. For most of us they begin with, “I need to.”
- “I need to tell my story.”
- “I need to share this message with someone.”
- “I need to help someone else who may have gone through a similar situation.”
- “I need to teach an important lessons or insight.”
- “I need to reach a wider audience.”
- “I need to explain this in more depth than I could in a sermon, teaching session or blog post.”
- “I need to do it for my own sake. If I don’t get it out of me by writing it down, I’ll go crazy.”
- “I need to feed my muse, my creative spirit.”
- “I need to because God told me to.”
- “I need to use my position or status in the community to reach others for good.”
- “I need to use my business as a platform to reach others for the good.”
- “I need to share the story of this unique person, place, organization or event with the world.”
- It can even be, “I need to make a living.” Nothing wrong with that, as long as it’s really your “why.”
What is your “why”?
If you have several “whys” go ahead and write them down, but decide on the biggest “why.” Narrowing your “why” down to the biggest one is important because it will point in the direction you need to go next.
What is your Goal?*
Your Goal is Your Map
Your goal should sync with your “why,” but it’s not the same thing as your “why.”
For example: If your “why” is “I need to tell my story.” Your goal might be, “publish the best book possible, share with people I know or meet and make it available to anyone who may be interested.”
That’s okay. You’d be surprised how many authors write their books just to share with friends, family, and people they meet.
If your “why” is to reach a wider audience or to make a living, then your goal might be, “publish the best book possible, share it with the widest possible audience and put it into global distribution on multiple sales channels.”
Did you notice that “being on the New York Times Bestseller list” or “making a million dollars” wasn’t included in either of the goal scenarios above?
Making the New York Times Bestseller list or making a million dollars, can be great outcomes, but they’re not necessarily great goals. You can buy your way onto the NYT Bestseller list (a lot of authors have), and you can make a million dollars in book sales by spending two million (a lot of authors have).
A better goal might be, “share a message that a lot of people want or need to hear, present it in a very well done package (my book), share it with as many people as possible, and make sure my book is available wherever and whenever those people look for it when they’re ready to buy.” If you work on your goals diligently, experiencing outcomes like best seller lists and millions in sales are possible.
*note: It’s okay if your book is already finished and published. A lot of authors never really nail down the “why” or the goal before they finish their manuscript or publish their book. Then they find themselves wandering around without a specific direction in mind while their books languish. It’s not too late! Read on …
OBSTACLES
The nature of obstacles is to be overcome
Behind every silver lining, there’s a cloud with rain.
What is the biggest obstacle standing in your way?
- Haven’t finished your manuscript?
- Have “writer’s block”?
- Can’t put two words together?
- Fear of failure?
- Fear of success?
- Fear of others seeing your work?
- No time?
- No money?
- No audience?
- No clue how to go about writing a manuscript?
- No clue how to go about publishing a book?
- No clue how to go about selling your book once it’s published?
Here’s the important thing about obstacles: It’s in our nature to overcome them. It’s in their nature to be overcome. They look bigger on the front side than they do on the backside. All of human history tends to prove that out.
If your “why” is clear enough, you’ll be able to create a goal for your book that syncs perfectly with it.
If your “why” is strong enough, the obstacles standing in your way can’t stop you; it’s not in their nature.
Nothing is ever as easy as it seems, but nothing is impossible. Your “why” will power you through, your goal will be the map, and your obstacles will become nothing more than a part of the terrain on your journey.
And you may want a guide …
Someone who has been there before can be a big help as you make this journey. Seek advice from authors who’ve already successfully made this journey. What did they do right? What did they do wrong?
A trustworthy publisher can make the difference between success and failure. Publishing hundreds of books means they’ve guided a lot of authors down this path.
Let talk about your why and your goal and your obstacles. We’ve been down this road, more than a hundred times.
Just complete the form below. We’ll schedule a time to talk. Let’s make your “why” a reality.