Your book!

I have more and more clients who have a book inside of them, dying to get out. In fact, two of my clients have set deadlines for when their first book will be PUBLISHED! This is so exciting!

But it made me realize that if they are coming to me for help that there must be many more people who are just letting that book dream die inside them.

I never seriously considered writing a book until I had an unrelated conversation with my coach. I had mentioned that I needed a process for my business. She pointed out that I HAD a process that I take my clients through, helping them go from a business idea to the success they always imagined. She said, “put it down on paper. In fact, why not turn it into a book?” That was the birth of my first book..

What must YOU do to start your book? Here are must-do steps:

1. Write a short summary of your idea. What do you want to write a book about?
2. Create an outline. What aspects do you want to address? Putting a rough outline down on paper will help you start considering how you want to craft it.
3. Consider everything you have written, or will write, as potential material for your book. I learned that many of the articles I had written were exactly the things I worked with my clients about! So, not only was I able to use old articles as parts for my book, but every NEW article I wrote, I also considered how to adapt for the book.
4. Determine if you will self-publish or find a publisher. It all depends on the size of your market and popularity of your topic which you will choose. I knew my market would be small, so I never even considered finding a publisher. And I LOVED doing it all, myself! I learned so much and enjoyed the learning curve.
5. Get support. Ok, resources: Definitely get Peter Bowerman’s book, “The Well-Fed Self-Publisher”. I tell EVERYONE who wants to write a book to get this and read it. It became my bible. Dan Poynter is also a name to check into for self-publishing topics. I found the YahooGroups listserv Self-Publishing invaluable!
6. If you choose to self-publish, this means YOU will be the publisher. Beware of companies that claim they will help you self publish. These are considered ‘subsidy publishers’. To learn about these, read Pete Masterson’s article on Subsidy Publishers.

There certainly are more specific steps, but this is where to start. If you imagine it, you can make it happen! And that means having a book released for 2010! It just takes planning with the vision.

Margie

Author of “Just Jump: The No-Fear Business Start-up Guide for Health and Fitness Professionals“