The Art and Science of Authorship
- Why Write A Book
- Second best credibility source (IF commercially published)
- Established a brand with great effectiveness
- Creates a "downslope" for continuous publishing
- Forces you to connect and configure your own methodology
- Outstanding source of passive income
- Ego and fulfillment
- Ongoing learning (understand what you don't know)
- How to Write A Book
- First have something to say, or don't read on
- Think of the reader and audience, not yourself
- Don't just whine-offer solutions and hope
- Focus on the pragmatic, not esoteric
- Use memorable language, phrases, metaphors
- Do not emulate others' success (Chicken Soup for the Turkeys)
- Discipline, structure, and planning:
- Create calendar time
- Create contingency time
- Undisturbed and unmolested, but above all comfortable
- Use a framework (e.g., 10C/20P÷5PPC)
- Use variants (mini-interviews, case studies, whackos)
- Don't write everything you know, write what the reader needs to know
- Attribute meticulously, but don't borrow too much
- Write conversationally
- How to Commercially Publish A Book
- Create a treatment
- Theme (title and purpose)
- Table of contents
- One chapter in entirety (any chapter, 20+ pages)
- Two paragraphs about all other chapters
- Half-page on your unique credentials
- Several pages on competitive marketing analysis
- Description of primary, secondary, tertiary audiences
- Description of unique marketing assets you bring
- Distinctions of book (e.g., interviews, self-tests, etc.)
- Estimated length and delivery time
- Choose an agent or acquisition editors by name
- Write cover letter and submit treatment
- Multiple submissions are fine
- Don't jump at contract
- If no agent, use a good lawyer (not cousin Louie)
- Understand that you will have to promote
- Beware of advice from others
- 1 book is an accident, 2 are a coincidence, 3 are a pattern
© Alan Weiss 2005 All rights reserved.