How big do you think? When it comes to thinking about writing a book or planning strategy for a business, it seems we’re constantly being told to “Think Big”. Goals are supposed to be just big enough to make us uncomfortable. I do understand the importance of thinking big: it makes you stretch yourself and test your abilities.

But there’s a downside to thinking big: it can inspire fear. When you think too big or try to do too much, the possibility of failure looms. You fear failing, you fear trying. Next thing you know, you’re frozen with fear. I walk this line constantly. My current writing projects can easily be described as “ambitious” so fear is constantly lurking at the edge of the forest of my mind. Can I really write this? Can I finish it? When the fear rises, I find these two quotes to be helpful:

“‘Come to the edge,’ He said. They said, ‘We are afraid.’ ‘Come to the edge,’ He said. They came. He pushed them… and they flew.” — Guillaume Apollinaire

“You don’t have to save the whole world in a single bound. Small steps, taken again and again, will accomplish far more than any grandiose scheme.” — Ralph Marston

Notice in the first quote that the “they” do not have to start out flying. They are not asked to jump. They only have to “come to the edge”. The rest of what they needed–momentum, circumstance, opportunity (or, in this case, a friendly push)–showed up and took them the rest of the way. In the second quote, again, you see that you don’t have to accomplish the big thing all at once. You start small and you do something small. As you walk you achieve the world along the way.

You don’t have to write a 400-page book or execute a million-dollar business strategy all in one week. But you can write one page. You can send out one email or one letter to promote a product or service. You can then write another page, mail a postcard, or start a newsletter. Before you know it, you’ll be on your way.

I created the How to Write & Publish Books That Change Lives, workshop so you will have the best experts for you with hands on help so you can see how you will bring your book into the world.  I know that what you have to offer the world is amazing. Come join us, and we’ll show you how to write your book, get it produced and share your insight with the many readers waiting for it.

And here’s the best part: as you’re moving along and taking your small steps, you won’t have space in your mind for fear. Every small accomplishment will push it further and further away. Then your book will be written, your business will be successful, and you will be flying. Come to the edge.

© 2011 Sophfronia Scott

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, but you must include this complete resource box with it: Sophfronia Scott is Executive Editor of the Done For You Writing & Publishing Company. Learn what a difference being a published author can make for your business. Get your FREE audio CD, “How to Succeed in Business By Becoming a Bestselling Author” and your FREE online writing and book publishing tips at www.DoneForYouWriting.com.

On the surface of things, now doesn’t seem to be the ideal time to be at your desk writing. If you’re absorbing all the news of negativity, change, lack, fear and uncertainty, then you might think you should be running around, shaking the bushes for business, wringing your hands or even tearing your hair out! But instead of speeding up and raising your levels of anxiety, I challenge you to do just the opposite: slow down. Observe. Now is the time to write.

Right now people want to hear new, helpful ideas from calmer heads. We recognize immediately that a person who has the insight to pen a thoughtful manuscript at a time like this is someone to pay attention to–and do business with.

Recently I received a manuscript from a businesswoman whose industry has thoroughly crumbled. There’s lots of finger pointing going on, especially at the government level. But this shrewd lady recognized, based on her clients’s questions, that there was a need to understand how this happened and what they should do next.

With that idea in mind (and nothing else–she’s not an experienced writer and knows nothing about book publishing) she wrote her manuscript. It’s an excellent book and her business will benefit. When people are running for the exits, she will have clients running TOWARD her because she will have shown that she is interested in helping her clients and she understands what’s going on in her industry. How can you do the same with great results?

1. Get clear on your “why”

You’ll find it a lot easier to get motivated to write if you’re clear on why you’re doing it. Think of the benefits you are offering your reader, and the advantages you will gain for your business.

2. Develop a strategy

You will enjoy those advantages a lot faster if you have a strategy for making it happen. Think about the different ways you can make money with your book. Then develop your plan with the specific action steps you need to take to achieve your goals.

3. Assemble your team

When you have the right people working on your project, it helps you prioritize your work in addition to providing guidance and knowledge. You will know, for instance, that you might have to write promotional copy first so a graphics artist can be working on your cover while you write other material.  I had 2 consultations with a pair of entrepreneurs who wanted me to edit the book they are writing together. After much discussion about the outline they  had and the material they know they will use, we finally got to a point where I said, “Okay, there’s really nothing else to talk about. I can’t do more for you until you give me a manuscript to edit.” They knew it was finally time to put it all on paper and this was the kick they needed to get going!

4. Get going!

I created the How to Write & Publish Books That Change Lives, workshop so you will have the best experts for you with hands on help so you can see how you will bring your book into the world.  I know that what you have to offer the world is amazing. Come join us, and we’ll show you how to write your book, get it produced and share your insight with the many readers waiting for it.

Just like the pair above, you have to do it! Remember, you don’t have to write War and Peace. Write your book, your way, with your great voice and your great information. You’ll never know the difference you can make until you do.

© 2011 Sophfronia Scott

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, but you must include this complete resource box with it: Sophfronia Scott is Executive Editor of the Done For You Writing & Publishing Company. Learn what a difference being a published author can make for your business. Get your FREE audio CD, “How to Succeed in Business By Becoming a Bestselling Author” and your FREE online writing and book publishing tips at www.DoneForYouWriting.com.

1.) What is the change you envision for your reader?

How will a person be different after they’ve read your book? Will someone be able to make a decision? Will they take action? Will they have faith where they didn’t before? Will they reconnect with a loved one? That change is the reason people buy books. They want that result, they want to grow. Too many times I’ve asked authors why they want to write a book and heard in reply, “I just want to get the information out there.”

That’s just not good enough. When have you heard someone say they bought a book “just to get the information”? And how will that image be motivating enough to get you writing when the going gets tough? The end point must be more engaging, inspiring. You’ll want to feel that urgency to get the book into the reader’s hands because you know without a doubt it can make a difference for them.

2.) What is the change you envision for yourself?

Speaking of motivation, you won’t finish the book if you don’t have your own incentive. You could be writing the book for business reasons, in which case the change you want could be an increase in clients, speaking engagements or sales. If you’re writing for personal reasons, maybe you’re hoping to teach the material you’re writing about, or start a movement around a challenge you’re struggling with. No one who writes a book is ever the same person again. How will you be different? How badly do you want that change for yourself?

3.) Are you confident in your material?

If you’re not confident, what do you need to do to help you get confident? Maybe you have a grain of an idea that’s intriguing, but untested. You have two months before the workshop. That’s plenty of time for you to get a few people together and teach a simple teleseminar on your topic. Get their feedback. Were they excited about it? Do they have suggestions on how you can improve the material. Did it make a difference for them?

Do you need to do any research? Go ahead and do it–just don’t over-research. You’ll put yourself out of action before you even begin!

4.) Why do you care about this material?

You must be personally invested in your work. In the popular novel The Help, a New York City editor writes to the aspiring writer Skeeter and tells her, “Don’t waste your time on the obvious things. Write about what disturbs you, particularly if it bothers no one else.”

Why is this important? Because your passion, your enthusiasm, will shine through in your writing. The reader will be able to feel it and truly plug into your message. I’ve mentioned before the book The Traveler’s Gift by Andy Andrews.  One of the best things about it is you can tell the author is invested in his material through and through. He’s passionate about it. If you doubt it, just listen to the audiobook, read by the author. He’s bubbling with energy, almost growling with enthusiasm. Can you find such a connection with your material?

5.) What are you willing to do to make your book happen?

Writing a book is a big, important endeavor. You’ll need support. Will you get it? Are you willing to have the tough conversations with your family to ask for what you need to help you get your book done? Are you willing to seek out professionals who will help you? It’s a very specific decision. When you decide to travel and attend a workshop such as How to Write & Publish Books That Change Lives, you are making a commitment to your book and to the change you want to bring about in the world.

I understand that commitment. That’s why I assembled the best experts for you and created a day that will be extremely valuable. I know that what you have to offer the world is amazing. Come join us, and we’ll show you how to write your book, get it produced and share your insight with the many readers waiting for it. See you in October!

Last month one of my sisters, my sister Theo, passed away. It was unexpected, and the grief and shock are still reverberating throughout my being. We were very close in age–in fact this week we would have been the same age until my birthday this month. These past few weeks have been like a black hole. I lost all sense of time as my family and I went to Ohio, where we grew up, and did the things that needed to be done when a loved one is lost.

Every so often I would think about my October book publishing workshop and wonder, “Can I still do this? How can I put my heart into it when it feels like my heart is broken?” I really didn’t know.

Then I got my answer.

In the month before Theo died I had given her a copy of The Traveler’s Gift by Andy Andrews. She read it quickly and we spent many phone conversations talking about the book and how we wanted to use the “7 Decisions” it describes. It’s an amazing book and I was glad that my sister “got it”.

After she passed I went to her house to go through her belongings and prepare for the memorial service. I noticed that The Traveler’s Gift wasn’t among her things and I thought that strange, but didn’t think anymore about it because I was so distracted.

A few days later, at my sister’s workplace, I was given a box of possessions from her office. Inside was a brown envelope with my name on it. When I opened it I found the book and a note from one of Theo’s colleagues:

“Dearest Sophfronia, I’m returning Theo’s book, The Traveler’s Gift to you. I noticed your special note to Theo in the front of the book.”

She went on to say she was experiencing some challenges in her life and my sister had recently given her the book. “She told me how much she liked it. Theo wanted me to read it for help with my journey. I will get my own copy and while I am reading it, I’ll be thinking of our precious Theo and you and your family.”

Standing there in my sister’s office reading this note, I broke down and cried. She only had the book a couple of weeks, but Theo already felt it could help someone else so she passed it on. I didn’t realize it before, but my sister believed what I believed: books can change lives. In one swoop she sent me my answer and some loving inspiration.

I will move forward.

So in my sister’s honor I invite you to join me.

“How to Write & Publish Books That Change Lives”

ONE-DAY WORKSHOP

October 15, 2011

Stamford, Connecticut

www.BookPublishingEvent.com

I’ve planned a full day of high quality content designed to help you conceive your idea, write your book, and then publish and market it for your ultimate success. I’m proud of what this workshop will be and honored that so many speakers have signed on to join me in this effort.

Now, because I haven’t been around to tell you about all this, and you may have missed the earlier preview calls, I’m going to give you new chances to attend in a way that will make it easiest for you.

Here are three things you need to know right now to help you attend:

1.) We’re extending the Early Bird Deadline! You now have until AUGUST 15 to save $100 on your workshop investment.

2.) We’re now offering a payment plan: You can pay in 3 easy payments until JULY 31.

3.) We have added two dynamic new speakers to our super-expert roster! Read about them now at:
www.BookPublishingEvent.com.

I’m posting this today (Saturday) because I want you to be able to take some time this weekend to think about how a book changed your life. Then I want you to think about how the book you want to write can change the lives of others. If you can see this vision clearly, then I encourage you to join us in October. Your book is needed. I know now, more than ever, that none of us is guaranteed another day on this earth. If you can do something to make a difference, I urge you–don’t waste another day. Do it.

Take care, hug your loved ones, and I hope to see you soon.

Best Wishes,

Sophfronia Scott
Executive Editor

‘Tis the season for conferences and seminars! Many of my friends have all been conference-hopping in recent weeks and we’ve been discussing how fruitful these gatherings can be when you can make great and lasting contacts. But how do you come away with something more substantial than a stack of business cards? Here are a few tips to keep in mind.

1.) Speak Up! The Magic of Telling

“Isolation is a dream killer,” says life coach Barbara Sher. One of my friends reminded me of that recently. She had attended an event where, for the first time, she came out of her shell and started telling people what she did. She was met with great enthusiasm and people asking her for samples and wanting to refer her to others. All because she spoke up. Now that doesn’t mean you go up to someone and talk non-stop! It does mean that you go into a conversation with a clear description of who you are and what you do or write.

2.) Be a Productive Networker

Your networking will not be productive if you are handing out business cards indiscriminately or asking someone who isn’t the right person to read your work. Or maybe you’re listening only partially to someone and then writing them off if they don’t seem to have what you want. Productive networking is about building long-term relationships. Why long-term? Because it’s highly unlikely that you or your contact have what the other wants at that very moment. The idea is to keep in touch until you do. In the meantime, you want to offer value or be of service so that the other person feels it’ll be worthwhile to stay in touch with you.

3.) Engage in Two-Way Conversations

When the other person is talking, listen up! Who is the person and what do they need? They’ve come to the event for their own reasons. What are they? Can you assist? Get a clear understanding of what the person does and respect it! For instance, don’t push a science fiction novel on an agent who only handles non-fiction. Tell the other person what you’re up to, but don’t babble. Think attraction: be engaging, not desperate!

4.) Maintain the Connection

Ask for permission to stay in touch-don’t just add the person to your email list. Decide how you’ll stay in touch. Occasional emails? A monthly newsletter? In “Making a Literary Life”, author Carolyn See suggests writing notes to a different contact daily. Try to attend events where your most important contacts are involved, even if it means taking a trip. It’s just one more thing that helps them take you seriously.

5.) When the Time Comes, Be Specific!

Use your contact only when they can help you the most. “Ask early, ask often” doesn’t apply here. Know exactly what you want from the person. Tell him or her, in detail, how they can help you. Make it easy for them! If you have developed the relationship well, the person will be more than happy to lend a hand. And when they’ve done so, be gracious-write thank you notes!

One Last Note: Be patient. Building a network takes consistent, persistent effort. If you truly believe in what you’re doing, and it shows in your work, others will believe in you as well.

© 2011 Sophfronia Scott

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, but you must include this complete resource box with it: Sophfronia Scott is Executive Editor of the Done For You Writing & Publishing Company. Learn what a difference being a published author can make for your business. Get your FREE audio CD, “How to Succeed in Business By Becoming a Bestselling Author” and your FREE online writing and book publishing tips at www.DoneForYouWriting.com.

Just got off the phone with one of my Business Book Bootcamp students and wanted to share with you a bit of what we talked about. I think you might be struggling with the same issues.

“You’re pulling your punches,” I told her. “I get the sense that you’re writing this book because you’ve learned something about living life. You think it’ll help others and you’re passionate to share it.” However that wasn’t how the text read. I could tell she was trying to hold back, hiding behind research and a more formal voice that might validate her. The glimpses of her real voice were powerful and I told her so and encouraged her to pursue it. Why? Because that’s what inspires the reader. That’s what makes writing meaningful. That’s how you change lives.

Writing a book is a huge endeavor. It means someone has decided to dedicate a certain amount of time to putting words on paper. But so many people don’t finish what they start. Maybe they’ve run out of ideas. Maybe they lost interest. Maybe they got hopelessly stuck. However I believe the core of all these issues lies in one thing: the writer doesn’t know why he or she is writing in the first place.

All you have to do before you venture into the ever-tangled writing forest is leave a few breadcrumbs behind so you’ll know how you got there and why you’re writing! Lay them out by asking yourself the following questions about your work. Use them to challenge yourself, to get inspired, to put your writing front and center in your life. It’s hard to get lost when you know exactly where you are.

What Do You Have to Say?
Here’s another way to put it: what story are you telling? What is your point in writing this story or work of non-fiction? If you can’t answer in a concise way, take some time to think about your message. It can be a huge one, such as a belief about how we all should live. It can be simple such as, “family is important”. The big message in my novel was about the power of love in a family. I think I will always write about families because I believe the story of our families is the story of who we are in our hearts. I find the subject touching, challenging, inspiring.

As you think about your message, realize that ideally you shouldn’t have to write it down. It should come from the core of your being and you understand it because it is a part of your natural thought process: it is who you are. Take another look at what you have written in the past because your message may be showing up already in your work and you haven’t noticed it yet. This is the way the playwright August Wilson once described the story that was at the core of his whole body of work: “I once wrote a short story called ‘The Best Blues Singer in the World’ and it went like this: ‘The streets that Balboa walked were his own private ocean, and Balboa was drowning.’ End of story. That says it all. Nothing else to say. I’ve been rewriting that same story over and over again. All my plays are rewriting that same story. I’m not sure what it means, other than life is hard.”

Who Will Benefit from Your Words?
You will find the motivation to return to your desk each day when you think about what may happen when someone reads your work. Will there be women who can be healthier mothers because you are writing about battling post-partum depression? Will there be men who might feel closer to their fathers because you’re writing the next Field of Dreams? When you think of your reader, it takes some of the pressure off of you because you realize the importance of getting the message to him or her. You think less of how you’re coming across.

Are You Writing in a Medium That Best Suits Your Message?
I used to write poetry. I loved it too, but somewhere along the line I felt the things I had to say became harder and harder to fit into the confines of verse. I moved over to prose and never went back. I wrote for magazines and experimented with essays before settling into novel writing. August Wilson had written poetry and was working on a novel, but his talents glowed when he wrote for the stage. If you’re having trouble completing a project, consider whether you are writing in a medium that is right for you and your message. Don’t be afraid of experimenting with other forms. You can always go back to what you were doing before if it doesn’t work out.

Step Down from the Soap Box
Writing is already powerful. The fact that people are reading what you write means they are already interested, maybe even absorbed, by what you have to say. You don’t have to get up on a soap box and belabor your points to get them across. A simple story can speak volumes about the big picture if you let it. Mr. Wilson once told The Paris Review, “I think my plays offer (white Americans) a different way to look at black Americans. For instance, in ‘Fences’ they see a garbageman, a person they don’t really look at, although they see a garbageman every day. By looking at Troy’s life, white people find out that the content of this black garbageman’s life is affected by the same things – love, honor, beauty, betrayal, duty. Recognizing that these things are as much part of his life as theirs can affect how they think about and deal with black people in their lives.” Get it? Small story, big picture.

One Last Note
I know I’m waving the “big theme” flag here, but what I really want for you is for you to feel the passion of what you’re writing. You may be passionate about a big message or you may be passionate about the simple question of “what happens next?” in your story (and you really want to know the answer!) Just connect with that passion and go with it because to me, this is how books get finished-when someone really cares enough to want to get to the end.

© 2011 Sophfronia Scott

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, but you must include this complete resource box with it: Sophfronia Scott is Executive Editor of the Done For You Writing & Publishing Company. Learn what a difference being a published author can make for your business. Get your FREE audio CD, “How to Succeed in Business By Becoming a Bestselling Author” and your FREE online writing and book publishing tips at www.DoneForYouWriting.com.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Part 1: What is a Platform and How Can You Identify it?

There’s a lot of information out there on the “how” of social media: How to set up a Twitter account, how to tweet, how to build a Fan Page, etc. But there isn’t a lot of information on why you’d want to use social media. You might say, “Well, everyone is doing it and having great success!” I would observe that not everyone is having great success; in fact, many authors I speak to are still trying to find their way online.

One thing that I’ve noticed when it comes to social media is that most of the time we think that it’s ok to just jump in, and that’s true – up to a point. You’d never think of driving from San Diego to New York without a roadmap or GPS, so why would you endeavor to promote yourself online without first mapping out a strategy and surveying the terrain?

Why does any of this matter? Well, I will tell you that the more work you do in preparation for your campaign, the less of an effort it will seem once you get started. Also, the more work you do now can and should save you considerable wasted expense later. You will know exactly where to spend your time and money and you will have a campaign that will not only feel seamless, but also move more quickly towards your success. Sound good? Then let’s begin!

Getting Started

One of the first things you’ll want to do when you start down this path of social media promotion is ask yourself: Why am I doing this? Well, you might say, to promote myself. Exactly! But (other than book sales), what is the motivation behind that promotion? The reason I say “other than book sales” is because you must have a broader scope to your work than just selling a book. If your single focus in promotion is to sell a book, you will be sorely disappointed. Your focus must be larger, such as:

· Expanding my business
· Increasing my speaking gigs
· Growing my platform

Then you’ll have a much better chance of success online and you’ll be ready to dig into online promotion. Let’s first look at growing your platform.

What’s your platform?

Before we can launch into what your platform is, you must first have a good grasp of what a platform is. A platform is not who you know, but who knows you. It’s your area of influence. Still unclear on this concept? Take heart, most authors leap into marketing without knowing what a platform is or how to grow it. First, let’s look at what might be considered to be a platform:

1) Your business: this is pretty obvious. You have a business and your business is your platform. Your reach and your influence are through your customers.

2) Your speaking: any speaking you do, whether paid or unpaid is considered a platform.

3) Newsletter subscribers: these are people who want to know what you’re doing; they are your tribe and also part of your platform.

4) Existing fan bases: any connections, whether through speaking, your newsletter, or any other fan base can be considered part of your platform.

5) Associations/groups: do you belong to any type of related association? These people and this affiliation can also be part of your platform. Though perhaps less direct and immediate, I’ll walk you through how to solidify these contacts and bring them into your funnel.

6) Work you’ve done in the past: anything related to what you’ve written about now is part of your platform. Teaching, classes you’ve taken, speaking, or just life experiences as it relates to your topic can also be woven into your platform.

Identifying your platform

For non-fiction authors, the goal of identifying a platform you either have or wish to grow is pretty easy. But for fiction authors it can be a bit more challenging. Yes, you too must have a platform and generally, it is tied closely to your genre.
Every author, whether fiction or non-fiction needs a reach, and once you define where these folks are and how to get to them, you’ll begin to connect with readers both current and future, who can help you to expand your tribe. First, let’s look at defining those readers.

Let’s say you’ve written a fiction book and you are new to the industry and perplexed as to how you might go about expanding your readership. I suggest if this is you that you find other, similar authors in your market and research them online. Becoming your own detective is really the quickest way to piece together a platform and learn how their platform might help you build yours.

For example, if you have written romance you can research the top 15 authors in your market. If you do this, I suggest looking at the midlist authors, not the top sellers like Danielle Steele, etc. who, through years of publishing, have grandfathered themselves into a mega-platform. Instead you want to look at authors who are likely on their own, meaning without the resources of a personal assistant or staff of a thousand. Research these authors and see where they end up online. Do they have Fan Pages on Facebook? Are they on Twitter? What groups do they participate in, etc.? Now you’ll start to get a sense of how a platform is built and what you need to do to grow yours.

If you’ve written non-fiction and the idea of a platform seems foreign to you, then I suggest that you do the same thing. Follow your market, research others who share your specialty and uncover the different ways that they expand their reach via their platform.

Next time, we’re going to dig into your platform even further. We’ll look at the steps necessary to grow a platform and how to break this down into a manageable action plan.

Reprinted from “The Book Marketing Expert newsletter,” a free ezine offering book promotion and publicity tips and techniques. http://www.amarketingexpert.com

But what if you could cut out the physical part entirely? What if you could create a real life, professionally designed book and have it distributed to millions of readers for less than $500?

BookBaby.com has made it possible–and you can do it right now. This new service is coming from CDBaby.com, the company that revolutionized the music industry by giving bands and singer-songwriters an easy way to promote and sell their music online. The result: over $160 million in sales paid out to artists worldwide.

BookBaby digitally distributes the works of independent authors, poets, memoirists, and publishers, making their eBooks available to digital retailers like Apple iBookstore, Barnes & Noble.com, Sony’s Reader Store and Amazon.com.

I first heard about BookBaby from my husband Darryl Gregory, who has sold his music on CDBaby.com for years. At first I thought I would submit books I’ve done that don’t have digital versions such as my Doing Business By the Book. But once I explored BookBaby’s site, I realized an author can do so much more!

You can do your whole book, soup-to-nuts, on BookBaby and put it into digital distribution without ever producing a physical copy! They provide cover design, formatting and even ISBN’s. This means your book can be seriously published for less than $500. (This includes paying for extras like cover design!)

If you’re a business person you can already see the tremendous advantage here: You can use this publishing format as a testing ground for new ideas. If something sells well, you can always produce a physical version of the book later. In the digital world you can have a book done practically at light speed. Of course you still have to write it. If you need help with that, I’m available for book coaching or you can still join our Business Book Bootcamp. If you ever needed an incentive to finish your book, this may be what you’re looking for. So check out BookBaby. It could be the greatest thing for authors since the typewriter.

© 2011 Sophfronia Scott

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, but you must include this complete resource box with it: Sophfronia Scott is Executive Editor of the Done For You Writing & Publishing Company. Learn what a difference being a published author can make for your business. Get your FREE audio CD, “How to Succeed in Business By Becoming a Bestselling Author” and your FREE online writing and book publishing tips at http://www.DoneForYouWriting.com.

Recently I wrote here of the tough nature you’ll need to get to the finish line of publishing your book. I think on some level we do have an inkling of how difficult the job will be—that’s why so many want to traditionally publish. Secretly they really just want someone else to produce the book AND foot the bill! But most of the time that’s not going to happen, especially if you lack the true commitment to your subject matter that creating a book requires. Now, what exactly does that kind of commitment look like? I’ll give you an example of someone who overcame tremendous obstacles—perhaps similar to your own—to bring his book into the world.

Next week, Radio Master: The Life and Times of Sports Broadcasting Great Ted Husing hits the book marketplace. The book’s back cover features glowing endorsements from broadcasting celebrities Larry King, Jim Nantz, Bob Costas, Keith Olbermann and Dick Enberg. Radio Master has a handsomely designed hardcover and book jacket. It looks like it was published by one of the top New York City houses.

But it wasn’t.

Over ten years ago my friend John Lewis, an actor, visited me in my office at People Magazine and told me about his idea for a historical book about sports broadcasters. He had a stack of haphazard notes and a few sample paragraphs. I was doubtful and told him so. Though John had written successfully for the stage, it was obvious this kind of writing was not second nature to him. His idea was interesting but unfocused. It was possible to end up with a book, but for that to happen he had to do a mountain of work. I didn’t know if John could, or was willing, to do that.

However I underestimated what this book meant to John. And, honestly, I don’t think anyone other than John can truly know why this book is so important to him. His actions spoke for him. Here’s what John did over the course of these 10+ years to get Radio Master published.

He Learned the Craft

John set about learning everything he could about book publishing. He read books, sought advice from friends and, when I started offering classes on the subject, signed up and absorbed everything like a sponge. He learned how to write a book proposal, how to write query letters and how to approach an agent. He even managed to sign with an agent, but they were unable to sell the book. John didn’t stop there. He decided to self-publish.

He Did the Work

By this time John had narrowed his focus to write only about Ted Husing. He began the work of contacting Husing’s surviving family members, interviewing them and doing the heavy-duty research that writing this kind of biography requires.

He also began to build his platform. He launched a podcast, Sportscaster Chronicles, and regularly featured the top broadcasters working today. Some of his interviews with elderly announcers such as Curt Gowdy turned out to be the last ones they did before passing away. John also developed a blog around his podcast and developed Twitter and Facebook accounts for everything.

John worked on his writing, pounding away at the book day after day, week after week. At one point he experienced the writer’s nightmare: he lost a ton of work after accidentally wiping out his computer’s hard drive! Still he persisted: he found a company to recover the work and he moved on.

He Made and Nurtured Connections

The beauty of doing the podcast meant that John was getting to meet all the best people who could help him promote the book when it was done. That’s how all those great names ended up on his back cover. And get this: they called him!

The Final Stretch

Last year John presented me with a manuscript of over 700 pages and asked if I would work with him to cut and edit the tome. I have to admit I read those pages in shock. They contained a beautifully written, fascinating story of New York City in the 1930s and 40s and the rise of sports on radio. John had done it.

He’ll be the first to tell you that the publishing process has not gone smoothly. I’m not sure it has for anyone! But the fact of the matter is that last week John Lewis had a wonderful launch party for Radio Master in Midtown Manhattan. Family, friends and notables attended. He read from his first chapter, often fighting back tears as he did so. To me those tears represented his commitment to his book and the persistence that has brought him to this point. It was a wonderful testament.

Do you have the same commitment? Are you willing to do what it takes to publish your book?

© 2010 Sophfronia Scott

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, but you must include this complete resource box with it: Sophfronia Scott is Executive Editor of the Done For You Writing & Publishing Company. Learn what a difference being a published author can make for your business. Get your FREE audio CD, “How to Succeed in Business By Becoming a Bestselling Author” and your FREE online writing and book publishing tips at http://www.DoneForYouWriting.com.

First you sweat over how you’re going to get your book written. Then you sweat over how you’re going to get it published. Maybe you go for a traditional publisher. Maybe you decide to publish your book on your own. One way or the other you make a decision and you make it happen. You finally enter the publishing process and as it begins you feel a huge wave of relief like the warm waters of the Caribbean lapping at your feet. You’ve done it. Your book is finally going to be real.

But every so often I hear from first time authors whose books are in the last stages of publishing and they tell me of fears, frustration and exhaustion. “Is it really supposed to be like this?” they ask. Well, yes, yes and yes. Think about a marathon runner crossing the finish line after 26.2 miles. What does he or she look like? Every runner, professional or amateur, looks like they’re about to collapse. They definitely don’t look like they’re about to jump up and run another one! They are happy and proud of the accomplishment, but the running was still tough especially at the end. The publishing process is like that. No one talks about the end of the process so I’ve decided to do that here. When your time comes and you hit the wall, you’ll know how to get to the other side.

The Reading Road

How many times have you read your manuscript? Before you submitted it for publishing you probably read it a dozen times making sure it was as polished as it could be. Then your manuscript reached the hands of an editor and you passed it back and forth between you as you made changes. You read it many more times. Then the copy editor got involved and started asking about the placement of commas and name spellings and sentence fragments. You read the manuscript again and again and now you’re feeling cross-eyed.

The book gets formatted and as you’re reading through the page proofs you’re seeing mistakes that you’ve never seen before: typos, spelling mistakes. Were they there before or did these somehow get put in when the book was formatted? No one knows, but now you have to go through the book again. At this point you’re not sure if you can stand to look at it again.

None of this is unusual. Frustrating? YES. But it’s a lot easier to take if you know to expect it. Remember this is a marathon. You’re going to have to read your manuscript over and over again before it’s finally printed. Get used to that idea now. If you don’t you might be tempted to just skim through the pages each time the manuscript comes back to you. After all, you’re paying other people to make sure it’s perfect, right?

But the truth is no one is going to catch everything. You have a better chance of catching more because you know your work. Plus no one will be as invested in the book as you are. Do not abdicate your reading responsibility to someone else.

Before the book goes to press the publishing company may have you sign a form saying you’re okay with the file the way it is and it is ready print. It’s your signature going on the form—not your editor, not the formatter. And you might be responsible for paying for any changes made after that. Again, you will be REALLY tired of reading your book at this point. But you owe it to yourself to take a breath, pour yourself a cup of coffee or tea, and read it again.

If you’re still not happy with it, do something about it. It’s okay. The finish line is ahead. Don’t forget your dream of being a published author is about to happen. This last bit of work is totally worth it. Focus on the book and your goals, not on blame and frustration.

You can do this. Especially now that you know what to expect.

© 2010 Sophfronia Scott

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, but you must include this complete resource box with it: Sophfronia Scott is Executive Editor of the Done For You Writing & Publishing Company. Learn what a difference being a published author can make for your business. Get your FREE audio CD, “How to Succeed in Business By Becoming a Bestselling Author” and your FREE online writing and book publishing tips at http://www.DoneForYouWriting.com.