• It is critical to have a strong why and purpose for writing your book.  Why are you doing this? What is the motivation?  Writing is a very long, tedious and personal process.  There will be many times, you are considering throwing in the towel and giving up.  Don’t worry, this is part of the process.  A strong why will keep you grounded and focused on the outcome.
• It is critical that you know who you are writing for.  There is a saying that if you try to be everything for everybody, you will be nothing for everybody.  Who is your target audience?  What is their struggle and core problem? How are you solving it?  Why are you qualified to do so? How will you hook them? What stories will you tell them, and what lessons come from those stories?
• Writing is the process of rewriting, over and over, and over again.  Your first, second, and third passes will not be the end product.  Just remember that as you continue to write and rewrite, your message will continue to develop and get better.  Just keep writing.
• Be careful about asking for feedback.  So many authors are excited to share their books with friends and family, However, your friends and family may not be the demographic of reader you are writing for.  They also may not be authors.  Be very careful to elicit feedback from people that your book does not serve and speak to.
• Consider the method of how you “write” your book.  People laugh when I tell them I run a painting company and am a bad painter.  I also run a roofing company and am scared to climb on roofs.  I also am not a great writer.  I actually spoke my book to develop the first manuscript.  I spent 25 hours with my publisher speaking out the stories, lessons, and concepts of the book.  They then transcribed the calls into the first manuscript.  From there I was able to continue to capture, craft and communicate the message.
• You will get out what you put in.  I have seen so many “write a book in a weekend” seminars and lots of other types of programs that encourage an aspiring author to write something fast and cheap.  If you write fast and produce cheap, expect the results of your book.  The more time and energy you spend developing your message, the better your book will be.  The more money you spend, to hire a professional team, the better your book will be.
• Find a mentor.  Just like in business, it is important to learn from the lessons of others who have been there and done that.  The same goes with becoming an author.  Reach out to an author you admire, and ask them if they can connect.  I have done this many times over the years, and have been amazed at the response. One author in particular who has invested so much in me is Mike Michalowicz
• A book will not sell itself just because you wrote it.  Marketing and selling your book, and doing so consistently requires daily effort to promote yourself as an author and your message to your key audience.  How will you get in front of your audience. Will you speak at events, appear on podcasts, perform paid online marketing?  The options really are endless.  Like anything, create a strategy, test it, measure the results, rinse and repeat.  Don’t be afraid to try new and different out of the box ideas.

If you are an aspiring author, please know that I am proud of you.  The world needs to hear your message.  I believe in you, and I am supporting and encouraging you along the way, wherever you are in your journey. Keep writing.  Your book will be here before you know it!