By The WBR Team
So you’ve built a thriving business. You’re a leader in your industry with a wealth of experience and knowledge that could change the game for others. There’s a book screaming to get out – a powerful message with the potential to elevate your authority and impact.
But here’s the catch: you barely have enough hours in the day to keep your company running smoothly, let alone carve out massive chunks of time for writing.
The age-old question arises: Do you write the book yourself, or do you delegate it?
The DIY route: for the hands-on leader who wants full control
Famous editor, Joseph Epstein, wrote that “81 per cent of people feel they have a book in them and should write it.”
Yet, less than one per cent of those people actually fulfil their dreams of becoming an author.
If you truly want to get past the starting line and you’d prefer to do this on your own, here are a few actionable tips to avoid getting bogged down:
1. Embrace the micro-sprint
You might not have hours to dedicate towards writing your book, but you can make the most of the few minutes you’re able to squeeze out each day. Schedule micro-sprints throughout your day – 20 minutes before your first meeting and 30 minutes on your lunch break – to focus solely on your book.
2. Write content chunks, not chapters
If you’re struggling with writer’s block and you’re looking to beat the blank page, a great way to start would be to break down your book into bite-sized content chunks. These could be specific anecdotes, key lessons learned, or even chapter outlines. Once you have a library of these chunks, you can start assembling the puzzle into a cohesive whole.
3. Dictate, don’t type
One common barrier to writing a business book is that many leaders overtly focus on the writing aspect. But what if you could just speak?
As humans, many of us can churn out brilliant ideas on the fly when speaking. We’ve all experienced those Eureka moments – those flashes of sheer brilliance when a big idea strikes you like lightning. That’s easy to express in speech when you’re in full flow. However, expressing those ideas in writing can be much more challenging.
Invest in a voice recorder and dictate your thoughts, ideas, and stories while you’re on the go – during commutes, while exercising, or even in the shower.
AI tools like Cliobooks.ai and Otter.ai can help you capture your ideas and tone of voice. Clio helps you plan and structure your book, then listens, types and edits as you speak your content, turning it into a refined book manuscript.
With Otter.ai, you can record your content, and it then provides you with an audio transcription. From there, you can either enlist the help of an editor or refine the draft yourself to create something truly unique, valuable, and downright captivating.
4. Hire a book editor
Even the most skilled writers can benefit from the keen eye of an editor. When it comes to writing a book, it’s easy to become too close to your draft and thus, miss flaws, repetitions, or structural weaknesses. A professional editor provides objective, unbiased feedback, brings a fresh perspective and can identify issues that you ordinarily might overlook.
Ultimately, the goal of writing a business book is to connect with your audience on some level, and nothing disrupts this connection more than errors and inconsistencies. An editor helps ensure that the reader’s experience is seamless and enjoyable, which is essential for building a loyal reader base and achieving success with your book.
Plus, hiring a professional can save you time that could be better spent on the book’s strategic aspects, such as content direction and key messages.
The delegation route: for the time-crunched leader with a clear vision
If time is your most precious asset and you’d like to author a book without spending hours at the keyboard, you’d need to work with a team of experts.
Here’s how to delegate the writing process without sacrificing your core message:
1. Vet your team with a detailed checklist
When assembling your team, it’s crucial to ensure they’re the right fit for your project. You can use this specific checklist of questions to vet potential team members/editors:
- Can you provide examples of books you’ve written in my industry?
- How do you adapt your writing style to match the author’s voice?
- What is your process for incorporating feedback?
- Can you work within my timeline?
Of course, these questions aren’t the only ones you should ask, and you’d need to carry out further research to ensure that whoever you’re hiring is a perfect fit for you and your book.
2. Leverage project management tools with precision
Writing a business book involves a lot of moving parts, and it’s often easy for tiny details to fall through the gaps.
Choose a project management tool that allows for detailed task assignment and progress tracking. Tools like Trello, Asana, or Monday.com can be highly effective, but it’s how you use them that counts:
- Task assignment: Break down the book-writing process into specific tasks (e.g., research, chapter drafting, editing) and assign them with clear deadlines.
- Milestone tracking: Create milestones for each major phase of the book (outline completion, each chapter draft, first full draft, final edit) and review progress in regular team meetings.
- Feedback loops: Set up a process for feedback on drafts that allows for comments and revisions to be easily tracked and implemented.
Ideally, if you’re working with a team of experts, they should already have all of these in place. At WBR, we’ve created a comprehensive content creation system that leverages the best of project management technologies and methodologies.
Our system establishes clear milestones for each critical phase of the book – from the initial outline to the completion of each chapter, and right through to the final edit and then onto design and publication.
3. Don’t be afraid to provide specific, actionable feedback
Specific feedback minimises misunderstandings. Instead of leaving your editor guessing what “doesn’t work”, detailed comments clarify exactly what needs to be addressed. Platforms like Google Docs and Microsoft Word have built-in commenting features that allow reviewers to highlight specific sections of text and attach comments.
If something isn’t working, explain why. For instance, instead of saying, “This paragraph is confusing,” you could say, “The transition between these two ideas feels abrupt. Could we add a sentence to bridge them more smoothly?”
Whenever possible, also provide examples to illustrate your points. If you suggest adding a real-life example, briefly outline what that could look like or reference a similar case. This will help your team effectively make the required changes.
If you have multiple comments, consider their priority. Is this change essential for clarity or accuracy, or is it a stylistic preference? This can help the editor determine what to address first.
How Write Business Results can help
We offer a proven, award-winning system for transforming your ideas into a bestselling business book without having to write a word.
Our team works closely with you to uncover your unique ideas, knowledge, and experiences.
We then turn these into a high-quality, well-written manuscript with a solid structure, your most compelling content, and a true reflection of your tone of voice.
Ready to turn your business expertise into a bestselling book without the writing grind?
Book a free Content Clarity call today to see how we can help you.