Article 2: Write a Business Book in 8 Steps

(as written by a human)

Victor Prince shares lessons he's learned in achieving his life goal—to write a business book— in his 40s after having it on his bucket list for years.

As previously posted in LinkedIn by Victor Prince on July 30, 2015

I’ve had the “I want to write a book some day” item on my bucket list for a long time. Then life happened, and I found myself in my 40s without a book to my name. Last week, my first

book officially released, and, based on pre-sales that have put it on Amazon’s Top 10 Hot New Releases, it looks like my mother won’t be the only other person reading it.

I am writing this blog to help other aspiring authors get past the hump between “life

happens” and a life goal. Here are the eight lessons that got me over the hump to put my first book out at age 40-something.

Tip #1 – Decide You Can:

Writing a business book sounds impossible; that’s why many people never try. It’s been the hardest thing I have ever done, but obviously it isn’t impossible since other people have been doing it for hundreds of years.

A key for me to get over the hump was to do something else that sounded impossible but I knew that other, seemingly ordinary, people do all the time. I stumbled on the Martin Sheen movie The Way about people walking across Spain on the ancient Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail. Something clicked. A few months later, I flew to Spain with just a backpack and broken-in hiking boots. Thirty days, 500 miles and countless blisters later, I found myself in the cathedral in Santiago de Compestela celebrating with other successful pilgrims. (See my blogs about hiking the Camino.)

From that day forward, I have faced any new challenge by telling myself, “I walked across Spain, I can do that.” Writing a business book didn’t look as crazy anymore.

Even if a hike across a country isn’t for you, find something that seems slightly impossible in another area you do like and challenge yourself.

Tip #2 – Writers Write:

You may have the greatest book idea in your head, but nothing exists until you put it on paper ... or at least in pixels. When I was on the Camino, I started writing daily blogs about my adventure. When I look back on those blogs now, I smile and cringe at the same time. I cringe because my writing today is much better than it was two years ago. Like most things, writing gets better with practice. I kept writing after I got back from the Camino. I blogged and attracted few readers, but I kept blogging. Somewhere along the way, I found my writing voice. I learned to write to convey ideas to others instead of writing to demonstrate how clever I am to others. I’ve long had experiences and ideas I thought worth sharing, and by writing regularly, I developed the muscles to translate those thoughts into words on paper.

Tip #3 – Recruit a Posse:

It takes a village to write a first book in your 40s, and I was lucky to have two co-pilots and a big ground crew.

First, like many aspiring authors, once I had an idea on paper, I looked for anyone else I knew who had successfully written a book to ask for their advice. Is there a book here? If so, how do I take it from an idea in my head to a business book in stores? I called an old colleague, Mike Figliuolo, who had written a successful book a few years earlier. Mike not only liked the book idea, he said, he would love to co-author it. Partnering with him was an easy, and great, decision.

My second co-pilot was someone I met while hiking the Camino—the “inspiration” I thanked in the Acknowledgments in the book. The 18 months from book idea to book release had many ups and downs. Every time I hit a low point, she pulled me up and she continues to be my biggest supporter.

Finally, my “ground crew” consisted of all my friends and family who I had told about my book idea as a forcing mechanism to make me stay the course. I acknowledged my “ground crew” in the opening of the book with these words: “To all my family and friends who asked me at some point about how ‘The Book’ was coming along—writing a first book is a lonely, uncharted trek with no guaranteed finish line. Even the smallest gestures of interest and support meant more than you realized.”

Tip #4 – Armor Up:

Publishing a book is a deeply personal experience. When you put your thoughts on paper, you are putting a piece of yourself out there for other people to criticize or, even worse, to ignore. The best advice I got was to realize that criticism, or indifference, is not about you; they are about how well you translated that piece of yourself onto paper. And that is a skill you can improve. (See Tip #2: Writers Write).

Tip #5 – Get a Deadline:

Notice I wrote, “Get a deadline” not, “Set a deadline.” The single biggest thing that moved me from aspiring author to new author was a contractually imposed deadline. Once I signed a deal with a publisher, I had to turn in a manuscript, on spec, on deadline or face consequences. The fear instinct is a powerful motivator. Use it to your advantage.

Tip #6 – Find Your Writing Place:

My home office works for my regular business, but it didn’t work for writing a book. Writing is the most intensive mental work I have ever done. I found I needed to be away from my distractions at home to focus. I also found that new locations spurred my creativity. So I ended up rotating between a few coffee houses and restaurants in my neighborhood, with a friend’s dining room table tossed in as well to keep up the momentum.

Tip #7 – 50% Authorship, 50% Other-ship:

Writing is only part of what it takes to publish a first book. To get anyone to read your book, you have to help market it. Days after I signed my book deal, the publisher sent us different options for the cover design to choose from. Once the book has a cover, Amazon and other online sellers post it for pre-orders, so you need to set up your presence as an author (and affiliate seller.)

Once you finish your manuscript, you need to start calling in favors to get big name people to write endorsements for your book cover. After you get your endorsers, you need to start working on getting blogs and other media to help get the word out about your book. And then on the day the book officially releases ...

#8 – Enlist the Village:

I don’t like asking for favors, and I hate the idea of selling stuff to my friends. But, after some good advice, I decided to ask family and friends for help with getting the word out about my first book. It was less about getting them to buy a copy of the book (although pre-orders and first week sales are the key to cracking the bestseller lists). It was more about sharing my excitement about a big life event. For a first-time author, announcing a book is somewhat like a new parent announcing a new baby. One difference: I put my first words on paper for this book about 18 months ago, so maybe I should have twin books to show for my effort today.

If you have a goal to write a business book, I hope these tips help you. If you know someone else who wants to write a book but hasn’t gotten over the hump yet, feel free to share this with them. Best of luck.

(The original version of this post appeared on LinkedIn on July 20, 2015)

The next article to be posted here will discuss some of the findings in comparing the previous article (by AI) with this one above. Stay tuned! Oh, and please feel free to send in or add your observations in the comments below!

I asked ChatGPT to write a column on business book writing... any thoughts on the result? Read here:

Writing a book for a business audience can be an excellent way to establish your expertise, enhance your credibility, and reach a wider audience. Whether you're an entrepreneur, a consultant, or a thought leader in your field, writing a book can help you showcase your ideas, insights, and strategies to potential customers, clients, and partners. In this column, we'll explore some tips and best practices for writing a book that resonates with a business audience and achieves your goals.

1. Define your purpose and audience.

The first step in writing a book for a business audience is to define your purpose and audience. Why are you writing this book? What do you hope to achieve by publishing it? Who is your target audience, and what do they care about? Answering these questions will help you shape your book's message, tone, and structure.

For example, if you're writing a book to promote your consulting services, your focus may be on providing practical, actionable advice that can help businesses solve common problems. On the other hand, if you're writing a book to position yourself as a thought leader in your field, your focus may be on exploring cutting-edge ideas and trends that are shaping the future of your industry.

2. Focus on the reader.

As you write your book, keep your reader in mind at all times. What do they need to know? What questions do they have? What challenges do they face? By focusing on your reader, you'll be able to craft a book that speaks directly to their needs and interests, rather than just promoting your own agenda.

To do this effectively, you may need to do some research on your target audience. Conduct surveys, interviews, and focus groups to gather insights into their pain points, aspirations, and attitudes. This information can help you tailor your book's message to their needs and make it more relevant and engaging.

3. Create a clear and compelling structure.

To keep your reader engaged and focused, it's essential to create a clear and compelling structure for your book. This means organizing your content into logical sections and chapters, with clear headings, subheadings, and transitions. Use a strong introduction to hook your reader and establish your main theme, and conclude with a powerful summary that leaves them with a lasting impression.

In addition to the structure of your book, pay attention to the tone and style of your writing. Avoid jargon and technical language that may be unfamiliar to your reader, and strive for a conversational, engaging tone that makes your ideas accessible and relatable.

4. Provide value and insights.

One of the key reasons readers turn to business books is to gain insights and learn new ideas that can help them succeed in their careers or businesses. To provide value to your readers, focus on providing practical advice, case studies, and real-world examples that demonstrate your ideas in action. Draw on your own experiences, as well as those of your clients or colleagues, to illustrate your points and make your book more engaging.

5. Edit and proofread meticulously.

Before publishing your book, make sure to edit and proofread it meticulously. Typos, grammatical errors, and inconsistencies can undermine your credibility and distract from your message. Take the time to review your work carefully, and consider hiring a professional editor or proofreader to provide a fresh perspective and ensure your book meets the highest standards of quality.

6. Promote your book effectively.

Finally, once your book is published, it's important to promote it effectively to reach your target audience. Use social media, email marketing, and other channels to get the word out about your book, and consider hosting book signings, speaking engagements, or webinars to build buzz and engage with your readers.

In addition, consider leveraging the power of reviews and endorsements to build credibility and increase your book's visibility. Reach out.

I hope to hear your comments, which may be featured in my follow-up post.

How to Just Write

It’s advice that is often necessary but does not always appear easy. Just write. How many times have you heard someone complain that this is useless? Or impossible? And yet it is so simple, it really is doable. What isn’t is what is added in your mind: just write perfectly; just write impressively; just write a polished manuscript in an instant. That, my dear reader, probably won’t happen.

The idea of ‘just writing’ is like freewriting exercises that can improve your creativity and increase your capacity to express yourself during regular short intervals of no more than 20 minutes. Writing whatever comes to mind without stopping until your set time is up, is a regular practice for writers and will allow you to exercise your mind ‘s ability to jump over the ‘writer’s block’. The main goal is not to get the best words out, but to write without concern for style or grammar or even being viewed by another person; the focus is on flow. You will naturally find yourself dissatisfied with what you wrote and critical of it, but it’s yours to delete, burn or keep once the exercise is done. The point being it is yours to do with what you want but is not expected to be published. Put in a drawer, forget about it, then read it again in a few days, as it may be part of a rough draft.

This method of writing has many other benefits besides the creativity and expression. For instance, it also clears the mind, resolves mental blocks that get in the way of productivity, helps in learning, memory work and absorbing new information, helps with problem solving, and even promotes planned or required writing projects–be it formal writing for work or personal, such as writing a reply to a letter, or even a business plan to secure some necessary funding.

In practice, writing helps people make sense of their thoughts and their experiences. It is a processing system people use to create a narrative or tell a story. It starts with building meaning and relatable stories first with ourselves, then others. Part of this is taking overwhelming events and breaking them down into smaller more manageable events that can then be organised towards a resolution. This is one reason why therapeutic writing has been so beneficial under supervised care, since it may spark strong emotions, or triggers. With direction, writing through these or talking through them can even be healing.

Either way, writing has been a part of the human story with the likes of scripture from your ancient faith, the 17th century diarist Samuel Pepys, the Diary of Anne Frank, right through to your modern-day social media accounts or public webpage posts. The opening up of these new channels of self-publishing has crossed over into traditional publishing, with some collections of blogs becoming books, owners becoming influencers and even thought leaders. The main common denominator is consistent writing. So ‘just write’ is not such bad advice, after all.

Connecting with a writing coach can walk you through this daunting process if it feels like writing is hard. Feel free to get a consult by getting in touch or completing this brief survey to see if a coach can help your needs.

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