Three Warning Signs You’re Not Ready to Write Your Book
We’ve always believed that everyone has a story to tell—one that can inform, enlighten, teach, and/or inspire others. But from our years in the field, we’ve found there are times when would-be authors might want to hold off on writing.
Here are three times an author coach may be the better choice than jumping into writing your book.
Your story adds nothing new.
Many consultants and business leaders want to be esteemed as thought leaders. By definition, a thought leader is the go-to person with deep expertise on a narrow subject. Now, if you’re one of those people who’s been told, “You should write a book! I would read it,” maybe it’s time to do just that. And if you can find 5,000 other like-minded people who agree with that sentiment and have a platform and marketing plan to reach that specific audience, so much the better.
But consider these two points which are particularly relevant to business and self-help books.
First, your intended book should include original ideas. Thought leaders are innovators who come up with new ideas or look at and/or blend existing ideas in a novel way. For example, perhaps you want to write a leadership book on a specific topic. Google “leadership book about” and insert your area on expertise. Then ask yourself, “What would differentiate my book from the others on the same topic? What insights or experience do I have that could add value to this topic?” If several unique qualities don’t jump out at you, consider working with an author coach to further narrow your topic.
A second point to consider is if your success happened under niche conditions or a time that readers won’t be able to replicate. For example, a book called “How I made millions investing in Yahoo … in January of 2000” might be interesting to those interested in tech and investment history. Then ask yourself, “Can I make this relevant to readers today?” The answer is YES if you can teach readers how to identify opportunities and market conditions to find the next big thing.
You have SO MUCH to say.
I often think out loud, meaning I can talk at my wife for hours until I finally refine my thoughts. Others process the same way, and this practice is considered common (if not also utterly annoying to our significant others). However, when it’s time to write a book, you need laser-beam focus on your story or topic, lest you end up rambling in your approach and boring yourself and potential readers into a coma.
“Half the world is composed of people who have something to say and can't, and the other half who have nothing to say and keep on saying it.” ~ Robert Frost
For example, let’s say you want to write a book about completing the Appalachian Trail in four-and-a-half months. Including information about your favorite shoes, the reason you carry beef jerky, and the best weather app may be essential topics if they’re clustered into a chapter about the must-haves for the challenge. But hold off on writing until you’ve created a workable, logical outline.
Instead of using a loved one as a sounding board, consider investing in an author coach to sharpen your focus, improve your organization, identify your key reader, and determine what does and doesn't belong in your book. Your loved ones will thank you. (And before you get snarky, my wife is my editor, so she knows that pretending to listen is part of her role.)
Your goal is self-enrichment.
People write books for different reasons, like making a profit, sharing knowledge, providing entertainment, offering hope, gaining catharsis, and attracting customers to their businesses. All perfectly solid motivators. But the best books go beyond that: They enrich the world.
What do you think when you see a former top celebrity hawking products in print media or television ads? They’ve run out of money. The same is often true when celebrities write a “tell-all” book in their later years. This is a way to make some Benjamins and relive their glory days. And I’m not criticizing those motivations.
“The unexamined life is not worth living.” ~ Socrates
But I’m reminded of the three questions Terry Borton originally used as a facilitator in the 1970s: What? So what? Now what? Unless a book offers insight-worthy moments of reflection known as “now what?” it won’t inspire others to make the world a better place, offer critical insight, challenge the status quo, elevate spirits, or instill hope.
Even memoirs and autobiographies can provide lessons on how to or how not to live. If you’re thinking about writing your story and worry that it may come across as loud horn-tooting, an author coach can help you balance sharing your significant accomplishments with inspiring lessons for readers to apply.
Happy writing!
Scott
