Questions For Small Biz Owners to Consider Before Writing A Book

Today, I am the guest on #smallbizchat on Twitter, hosted by Melinda Emerson. 🙂

Learn more about #smallbizchat and more about Melinda and her forthcoming book, Become Your Own Boss In Twelve Months, A Month-to-month Guide to a Business that Works (Adams Media) by clicking on these links.

I previewed the book this year, and I can vouch that Melinda provides practical entrepreneurial Rx for anyone who has ever dreamed of working for themselves. If you are a small business owner or a small business person, you will appreciate her thorough approach that covers everything from personal finance, to marketing and business plans, to financial management, to opening your business, and how to handle customer complaints.

Pre-order Become Your Own Boss In Twelve Months today. It will make a great checklist for your 2010 goals.

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Small Business Owners, Should You Write a Book?

I thought small business owners might appreciate some questions to consider before rushing ahead into writing a book. Because as any author will tell you, writing a book is only a fraction of the job.

In my book, Get Known Before the Book Deal, I discuss four phases of book writing that most folks don’t consider before diving in. Here they are:

Phase 1: Platform development & Building

Phase 2: Book proposal development & Book pitching

Phase 3: Book writing

Phase 4: Book marketing

Remember what Seth Godin says, “The best time to start promoting your book is three years before it comes out. Three years to build a reputation, build a permission asset, build a blog, build a following, build credibility, and build the connections you’ll need later.”

Obviously, I talk a lot more about how to lay the groundwork for your platform in the book over the course of 264 pages. The point I want to make here is that since “writing” a book is such a big commitment, naturally you’ll  want to weigh the pros and cons before you jump in.

Here’s some questions small business owners should consider before investing the time, energy, and money into writing a book:

1. In both the long and short runs, will having a book in the marketplace significantly increase my credibility? (Really ponder this question. The answer might be no.)
2. Is my business well-established enough so that I can take the time away from the day-to-day operations of it to make time for the four phases that are mentioned above?
3. Do I already have a built-in base of enthusiastic fans—who are not friends or family—and who say things to me frequently like, “Wow, you’re good at this. You should really write a book.”
4. Do I have in-depth knowledge on my topic that would lend itself to a 200-300 page book? Or would my knowledge be better passed along in a shorter form, like an article?
5. Do I have a clear understanding of how the publishing industry works? Am I up to date on publishing trends, including what I can expect in terms of an advance, and how and when I will be paid for a nonfiction book?
6. Am I prepared to take a percentage of that advance and invest some or all of it back into the marketing of my book? (Have I considered that advances are now about a half of what they were just a year ago?)
7. Do I already write as well as a professional communicator should? Do I have a grasp of basic grammar, spelling, and nonfiction book forms?
8. Am I prepared to act in a professional manner, not only with clients of my established business, but also in the many new relationships that a book brings like with agents, editors, publicists, author colleagues, etc?
9. Do I enjoy marketing myself so much that selling a product, like a book, would really just be a natural extension of what I already do?
10. If I’m not already a natural marketer, would I feel comfortable being “the face” of my book? And do I understand that if I’m not out there in the world representing my book, then I can expect no-to-low sales?
11. Am I prepared to respond to whatever happens after my book comes out? For example, if a book is not embraced and championed by readers, then will I work anywhere from two to ten times as hard to get the book noticed? Or, if the book is embraced and championed by others, will I be in a position to handle a deluge of demands on my time and attention for months or possibly years after the book comes out?
12. Of course, we all wish for a book to come out and be embraced and championed by readers, but in an increasingly crowded and competitive marketplace, are you sure that devoting your time to the development, selling, writing, and marketing of a book is really the best way to go?

If you decide to go for it, better mark off the next three years, minimum, on your calendar and good luck!

If you decide not to write a book, or at least not to write a book right now, you can always change your mind in the future. But in the meantime, you get to keep all of your precious time and money for the business at hand.

I’m sure, if you read all of my advice in Get Known Before the Book Deal, you will have a clear instinct which direction is best for you, your business, and your family.

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