Today I invite you to follow along as I write my next book. So, yes, you’re getting my book free… in pieces…
I have a couple of goals with doing this. The first is to see how blogging a book can be used to bring in more readers, both to the book and to the blog.
Second is that I hope that you will give me feedback and ask questions. Your questions will tell me when I’m not being clear, when I need to give more information, when something is important to you or doesn’t seem relevant. You might have suggestions of things to include that I didn’t think of. Your input will make the book stronger.
The third reason is public accountability. I am going to try to post a new section every week and hopefully have the book completed by the end of January. The truth is, my own projects come after my clients’ projects and it is easy to push my work to the back burner. I bet that happens in your business, too. In all honesty, I spend way too much time zoning out on Netflix when I could be working on my own projects. (And then complaining that I don’t have time to get my own projects done.) So, if I start slacking, you are cordially invited to kick my butt. (Thank you.)
This image shows how I usually start my books — I do a brain dump: All the ideas I have that I think might go into the book get listed out on a sheet (or more) of paper.
I usually start with a main brainstorming session, half an hour or an hour and just list things out. Then, over the next few days, as ideas occur to me, I’ll add them to the list.
From there, I’ll organize the ideas into chapter topics. Some people like to color code using a highlighter. Some people like to use a mind mapping program like Xmind to diagram out the book. (There’s a free version-yay!) If you’d like to see the mind map for this book, here ’tis. You’re welcome.
One of the chapters will be on using content you already have — whether it is blog posts, podcasts, talks/seminars you’ve given. And you will see in the book where I do that. So the process will be totally transparent. You’ll see how I write a nonfiction book, you’ll get to read along, and I would love love love it if you would tell any of your associates who have written a business book or who are thinking of writing a book for their business to sign on to the blog and follow along. Or share it on social media. And comment as we go.
I will send out an email to people who have subscribed to my list whenever I post a new section. If you’re not on my list, well hell! Why not? You can sign up right over there… look a little to your right… the one that says “Don’t miss a post…” There you go.
Honestly, I don’t know how this will work out as far as getting new blog subscribers or readers for my book, but I think it will be helpful for people and fun for me (very important). Marketing is all about trying things out, tracking and measuring the results.
So, welcome to the start of this adventure. And thanks for being here.
Fabulous suggestion and information shared. Never consider the word “sell”.
Semantics I know, but my mindset is that my job is show other a solution and if it is the right solution, they BUY.
People hate to be “sold”–they love to buy!