Things Every Smart Businesswoman Should Know
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It’s really annoying, isn’t it? That voice in your head? You know the one. It keeps taunting you that you really ought to write a book. It keeps nagging you to pay attention to that book in you that is screaming to get out.
The thing is, you DO need to write a book and I’m going to tell you why.
First, you need to write a book because your message is important and there are people out there who, whether or not you know it now, need and want to hear it.
Second, you need to write a book because the information you have in your head, on paper, in your file cabinet, stuffed in your drawers---from presentations you’ve given, from courses you’ve taught, reports you’ve written—it’s all valuable and it's all raw material you can mine to create a valuable book. You likely already have a bigger start on content than you realize.
Third, you need to write a book because it will allow you to work smarter not harder. If at one time or another you’ve said to yourself: “I feel like a broken record. If I have to say this one more time I am going to jump off a bridge,” you’re not alone. A book allows you to share your message with many people rather than with one at a time---and it doesn’t require your physical presence.
A book is the tangible translation of that gold mine you have in your head. That gold mine is your intellectual capital and it represents something different to each author:
- it could represent a way to increase your income
- it could be your foundation for spreading a compelling message or starting a movement
- it could be a tool for teaching
Your intellectual capital could represent any number of things. The point is, whatever it represents to you, it is valuable. Publishing a book gives you the power to send your message, whatever that may be, out into the world to get results.
Publishing is the catalyst for bigger and better things.
Publishing a book can boost your core business or core cause by establishing you as an expert in your field.
Publishing a book will connect you with something bigger than yourself. It will build your credibility and connect you with a community of like-minded peers who are ripe for new concepts, partnerships, and possibilities.
Publishing a book will symbolize your passion and accomplishment. It is a crowning personal and professional achievement, representing your commitment, discipline and knowledge. It is part of your legacy.
So once you decide, what next?
Once you’ve made the decision to write your book, there are some ways to make the transition from you, to you the author, go more smoothly.
The decision to write a book is:
- Exciting and exhilarating
- Overwhelming
- Stress-inducing
- One of those life experiences that find you going from euphoria to total depression in three seconds flat
Staying on top of that emotional roller coaster by managing the support of your well meaning friends can serve you well in many ways you may not have considered.
Whether you are writing a book, training for your first triathlon or launching a new business, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of putting that idea out there, into the world.
The good news: your family, friends, neighbors, mailman, hairdresser and kid's piano teacher all love you and are genuinely interested in and supportive of your success as an author.
The bad news: they can support you straight into paralysis because they care so much about you and your book that they bring it up at every turn. Two weeks after you tell them about your plans, don’t be surprised if someone asks you if the book is out yet.
So, you’ll find yourself a very contradictory situation: surrounded by people who so much want you to succeed---at something most of them don’t have the first clue about.
Here are three tips to leverage the well-meaning yet potentially unnerving support of your friends and family to your advantage, and still be on speaking terms with them when it’s time to send out invites to your book launch party:
- Thank them sincerely for their interest and support. Remember, lots of people think it’s really cool to know someone who is writing a book. There’s a certain mystique by association. They WILL tell everyone they know about you. And you don’t know who they know.
- Tell them you will keep them apprised on your progress---then do it via email and blogs. This helps you prepare for the marketing phase of your publishing journey, teaching you how to talk about your book with confidence.
- Steer the conversation from “when” topics to “what” topics. Even though you know this intellectually, you can start to feel like a failure emotionally when your progress doesn’t meet their expectations. Keep in mind. They likely understand very little of the process you are in the middle of or how long it takes.
So, the next time that little voice in your head starts clamoring for attention, listen closely and spend some time considering what a book would mean to you and your business.
Why not make 2008 be the year you become a published author?
Gail Richards is a marketing professional who has partnered with a variety of businesses and more recently, authors, to create marketing messages and visual concepts that demand and capture attention. Using practical, no-nonsense marketing techniques, she helps clients conquer their dread of self-promotion, transforming it into enthusiasm, know-how and confidence.
As an eWomenPublishingNetwork book professional, Gail works with aspiring authors to familiarize them with the overall publishing process. She also partners with authors of books that are taking shape to create dynamic cover designs, back cover copy, and collateral material. She is a graduate of Dartmouth College and a seasoned writer herself, having written countless articles, brochures, direct mail campaigns, headlines, annual reports, print ads, TV/radio ad scripts, billboards, slogans and more. You can contact Gail at Gail@WhizBCreative.com.
