The young man bites his lip nervously. Under his breath, he offers a prayer to St Dunstan as he waits for the guild wardens to rule. He’s been working toward this day for years, ever since he was first apprenticed at 13. He’s learned the craft of a Goldsmith, he thinks.
He has created a piece that shows his skill in all aspects of goldsmithing. If his piece is good enough, the guild wardens will rule that he can become a master. The piece they evaluate will then become the young man’s masterpiece.
As a master goldsmith in medieval England, the young man could open his own shop. He could employ others. As a master, he would increase his income and his freedom. His masterpiece proved he was good enough.
During the Middle Ages, a masterpiece wasn’t necessarily a great work of art. It was a test piece used to evaluate whether a person could become a master.
Your Business Book Can Be Your Masterpiece.
We may not call it that, but most of us learn our craft by doing it from other humans and from experience. Newer salespeople learn from veteran salespeople and sales managers. Leaders learn from other leaders and role models. Writing a book can demonstrate our mastery.
When you write a business book, you’re creating a work that others will use to judge your competence. Just like in the Middle Ages, if you pass the test, you gain more freedom and more income opportunities.
So, how do you write a business book masterpiece?
Develop the Chops.
There’s no formal apprenticeship program for you to demonstrate your mastery. Just getting a degree won’t do the trick. You must spend some time doing the work and learning the craft. You must develop perspective, skills, and deep knowledge. You must learn about the people you’re writing for, so you know what’s important to them.
That’s important because when your preparation and your audience’s needs come together, you find your topic.
Write About Something That Matters.
If you want your book to be a masterpiece, it won’t do to solve a trivial problem or help people seize a trivial opportunity. Write a book that may make them rich, or famous, or powerful, or safe. Write a book about something important to them. Write it well enough that they will refer your book to others.
Write the Best Book You Can
It’s probably true that if you can read a book, you can write a book, but that doesn’t mean you’ve mastered the craft of writing. Expect to go through several drafts. Expect to keep making changes until you’re making things different, but not better.
The Good News Is That You Don’t Have To Go It Alone.
Get help from friends. Get help from professionals. Editors and proofreaders will harmonize and improve your writing. Coaches will help you evaluate your manuscripts and improve your work habits. Subject matter experts can help you get the details right. Beta readers like the one you’re writing for will tell you what they like and what they found difficult.
Release It to the World.
All the hard work of putting a book together is a waste of time if you don’t publish your book. Once it’s out in the world, promote it till you puke.
Creating any masterpiece is not easy work, but everything worthwhile you’ve ever done was hard. Do it right, and your book can be a masterpiece that does what masterpieces did back in medieval times. Your masterpiece can open the door to freedom and prosperity.
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If you want help creating your masterpiece, contact me and let’s talk.