“I want to write a book, can you help me?”
Before I answer that question for you, I’ve got a question I want you to answer. Why do you want to write a book?
There’s no “right” answer to that question, but there are a lot of good answers. Here are some I’ve heard from clients over the years.
It will help me move to the next phase in my career. That’s a good answer if you’re clear about what the next stage is. Clients have wanted to use a book to improve their reputation, increase their fees, or add paid speaking as a revenue stream.
I want to pull together everything I know about a topic. This is a good answer if you’re a consultant or subject matter expert who’s been mastering knowledge in a particular field for years. Writing a book will help you rediscover things you haven’t thought of for a long time and discover the connections between ideas.
I want to learn everything about a subject. This is a variation on the last reason. If you’re fascinated by a subject, writing a book is a great way to learn a lot and master the material.
Writing a book is one of my life goals. This can be a good reason, too. But if this is your answer, you need to also ask: “Why do I want to write a book now?”
Bottom Line
There are lots of good reasons to write a book. What they all have in common is that they’re strong enough to sustain you over months of hard work.
