Day 1 of the 12-Day Content Creation Challenge

Why Do You Want To Write A Book (And Why Does It Matter)? By WBR Content Developer Ivan Meakins

If you have aspirations to write a best-selling business book it’s time to stop fantasising about “when” that might happen and start to get clear on “why” it matters to you.

Your “why” is the fuel that will bring your book to life.

Every day enthusiastic entrepreneurs roll up their sleeves and get stuck straight into the book writing process, and if that’s you, it’s likely that you’ll face three major hurdles:

You’ll quickly lose interest because you can’t imagine the outcome (you’re too caught up in the details).
Procrastination will kick in because you have no idea what chapter will follow (or what it will contain) and without that knowledge it takes a lot of effort to sit down and write.
The dreaded writer’s block descends, largely because of the lack of planning mentioned in #2.

By getting clear on your objectives before beginning the writing process you will craft a book that delivers great value to your readers and your business (instead of one that rambles on aimlessly).

What’s your why?

Why does your business exist? The businesses that capture hearts and minds tell a powerful story. Why do you do what you do? Do you have a passion for helping others overcome a specific struggle?

Once you have the big picture it’s time to drill down.

Ask yourself powerful questions

What is the real reason that I want to become an author?
What is my primary objective?
What are my goals and ambitions and how will this book fuel them?
How will this book drive my business forward?

Give your book and your business the best opportunity to thrive by getting clear on your intended outcome.

Start with the end result in mind

Using your book as an outlet for “creative expression” is not enough if you also expect it to function as a sales tool for your business. You must be clear on your commercial objectives before you start to write.

Do you want it to bring in new leads and clients?
Is it part of your onboarding process to help clients understand your values?
Is the purpose of your book to build credibility and help you stand out from your competition?
Do you intend to use your book to build a personal brand?
Is your book a recruitment tool to attract the best talent?

Fast forward

Look at it this way, if you don’t know why you want to write a book and have no clear objectives how will you measure success? Your goals need metrics; how many copies do you want to sell? How many leads do you want to generate?

Without taking time to explore and plan your ideas I can guarantee that any book you start writing will never reach its full potential (if indeed you ever finish it!); that’s a tragedy you can easily avoid.

If you are looking for more inspiration on finding your WHY, why not join us for a brand and content strategy session? Click here to sign up and we will see you there!

Meantime, WBR Senior Editor Kat Lewis is brimming with genius ideas to help you get out of your own way and bring your book to life in 2022. Read on.

New Year’s Resolution To Be An Author? Five Ways To Make It Happen By WBR Senior Editor Kat Lewis

There’s no doubt that you’ll be raring to take action on your book dreams after reading Ivan’s article on getting clear on your “why”, but what about when you wake up at 3am and start talking yourself out of it?

Two things might happen:

You listen to the fearful voice and let your ideas gather dust (never to be seen again, sob) like the 75 per cent of the UK population who don’t even set new year’s resolutions or goals (or the one per cent who do but then let them slide).

You could proudly stand with the remaining 24 per cent of the UK population and refer back to your big goal which in turn fuels the emotional fire you need to pursue your desire. Instead of hiding under the duvet you smile at the fearful voice and remind yourself of all the wonderful tactics you’re using to bring your book to life.

Here are my top five ways to quiet the fear and strengthen your commitment to becoming a best-selling author in 2022.

Write down your new year’s resolution to publish a best-selling book. People who write their goals down are more likely to see them through.
Revisit your goal daily; put it somewhere visible (no more hiding your ambition); you might like to create a vision board or a mood board with imagery to represent your goal.
Build emotional intensity around your goal; imagine how you will feel when you are holding your newly published book in your hands. In your mind see the front cover with your name and photo on it, your life’s purpose committed to print. Imagine the feel of the book cover, the weight of the book in your hands, that fresh from the printer’s smell. This is your book published in 2022. Get into all the feel good feelings. When you associate your resolution with these feelings you will feel highly motivated to write (and publish) your book.
Find an accountability buddy; knowing you have someone to talk to helps keep you on track. You might choose your partner, a friend, a business connection or if you are part of our 12 day challenge post in the Facebook group and find the right match for you. You are far more likely to follow through on ideas when you have someone to encourage you.
Write down your obstacles and come up with creative solutions. Do you lack time or writing experience? How could you overcome this? What support do you need to complement your skillset and make your book the best it could be? Would you struggle to define the structure? Unsure where to find a reliable publisher? Clueless when it comes to marketing? There is a solution to every problem if you really want to hold your book in your hands this time next year (and meet all those amazing objectives you decided on when you read Ivan’s piece on getting clear on your “why”).

10 second takeaway

I know it can feel like it takes a lot of energy to follow through and fulfil your ambitions to be a best-selling author so start by taking one step today. Jump into the Facebook group, share that your goal is to have your book in your hands by the end of 2022 (or sooner) and find an accountability buddy to support you.

And, if you would love to publish a book in 2022, schedule your WBR content and planning strategy session here and we’ll show you how to make it your reality.

PS – Tomorrow we’ll be exploring how you can continue to create valuable content that your audience can’t wait to devour.