Many students tell me they have a book inside them waiting to come out, but they’re confused as to how to begin writing a book. I have written three books myself, and along the way I have learned a lot about what not to do. I’m happy to share what I learned from my book writing blunders to help you be smarter about writing yours.

For me, the biggest time waster in pulling a book together is when I try to strategize at the same time I am writing and being creative. These two tasks conflict, cannot be done simultaneously and will get in the way of your progress.

The next time I’m ready to begin writing a book, my approach will be to follow these five steps:

1. Create a tight table of contents
I found it much more productive to spend a month or two – or even six – getting very clear on exactly what I wanted to write about. Invest your time in coming up with a very structured Table of Contents, which becomes your outline. Think about all the topics you want to cover and organize them into chapters.

2. Choose 5 – 10 sub-points for each chapter
Under each chapter topic, define the 5 – 10 sub-points you’ll be making. These points need to be super clear, chronological steps that lead the reader through your material one step at a time.

3. Review your outline for consistency
Before you write a single word, look through your entire Table of Contents to be sure it all makes sense and is in the best possible order. You might see steps that need switching because the order is better another way.

4. Flush out each chapter
To make the writing as easy as possible, you want to get your thinking done before you even start. Knowing what you are going to write about makes the process flow so much more smoothly. Sharpen up your vision with plenty of details. To help, ask yourself the following questions for each chapter:

• What is the concept?
• Why is that important?
• How do you do it?
• What story, analogy, personal experience or client example can you share about that to help people relate?

5. Write the book
After completing the first four steps, you are now ready to sit down and write. You have all the strategizing out of the way. What’s remaining is the creative process of putting words on paper and expressing your ideas. Now, you won’t be bogged down by wondering what you want to say – it has all been clarified in your Table of Contents ahead of time. Follow this advice so writing your book will be a much easier and faster journey.

Your Client Attraction Assignment

Do you have a book inside you waiting to emerge? Set aside time in your calendar on a regular basis to come up with your core concept. What is your message? What do you have to share with the world? Invest this time up front and your book is far more likely to become a reality.

This is just one of the many best practices we dive deep into with the students of The Client Attraction Business School, the premier training school for growth-minded entrepreneurs looking to quickly attract more clients and make more money. If you’re interested in finding out more, visit www.ClientAttractionBusinessSchool.com for more details. To speak to an enrollment coach, click here.

Do you have a story inside you, waiting to be shared with the world? Many people have something to say and writing a book is a wonderful way to share that information with your audience. Being an author can help build your business in several powerful ways:

• Build credibility in your chosen field
• Establish yourself as a thought leader
• Set yourself apart from other business owners
• Open doors for speaking opportunities
• Achieve a passive revenue stream
• Work as a highly valuable Irresistible Offer

Since there are so many benefits to becoming an author, you can see why people take on this project. Once written, you’ll need to decide how to publish your book. There are two main ways to go:

1. Traditional publishing through one of the big book publishers (like Random House)
2. Self-publishing on your own or through a professional service

Traditional Publishing
The traditional route requires finding an agent to represent you. Once on board, your agent will pitch your book to publishers. They will edit, design, print and advertise your book to merchants who will buy it for their retail stores.

If you get accepted, this method will get your book on-shelf at the major books stores across the country. However, there are some drawbacks to following this path. For example, it can take years from the time you get an agent, land a publishing deal and see the book in stores. Publishing companies tend not to give big advances, especially for an unknown author, and your piece of the profit for each book is relatively small. Most authors don’t earn a living from their books.

Self-Publishing
With self-publishing, once your manuscript has been written, you can choose to work with a service like Author House which will help you get the entire design and printing process done as well as gain some distribution, all for a fee.

Or if you have resources to do it yourself, you can open a Create Space account, which is an arm of Amazon, to print your books for a very low fee and help with distribution as a separate cost. You will make more money per book, although you may sell fewer books since the distribution will not be as substantial as with traditional publishing.

The big advantage is timing. It takes only a few months to get from a finished manuscript to a printed book in your hands. So, if you have a message that is timely, self-publishing could be the smartest way to go.

Now that you know the two main methods for publishing, you can investigate which route will work best for you.

Your Client Attraction Assignment
Thinking about writing a book? If you have a message you want to share with the world, my advice is to find time to write every day. Even it it’s just 30 minutes, five days a week, you’ll get it done. The main roadblock is that the process requires consistent effort. So, little by little, your book will come alive. Have fun with it!

This is just one of the many best practices we dive deep into with the students of The Client Attraction Business School, the premier training school for growth-minded entrepreneurs looking to quickly attract more clients and make more money. If you’re interested in finding out more, visit www.ClientAttractionBusinessSchool.com for more details. To speak to an enrollment coach, click here.