15 May How to Write a (Great) Business Book

Have you ever thought of writing and publishing a book? It’s a powerful marketing tool to have in your arsenal, … but it can be a daunting task.

Written by Daniela Cavalletti

5 min read

Why should you write a book? Easy: there are many benefits to becoming a published author. Besides the personal feeling of accomplishment, you’ll get to establish yourself as the expert on your subject. It will be your reputation multiplier and give you and your brand a boost that goes beyond what you can imagine right now.

Publishing a book does many things for you and your brand:

1. Shows your authority, credibility and expertise
2. Raises your visibility and attracts media coverage
3. Potential clients will find you easier online and can easily ‘get to know you’
4. It can launch a new income stream, like a workshop or speaking opportunities
5. You might even attract new highly-motivated employees to your business!  
    

The 3 Ws and H of Writing A Great Book

Let’s face it, though: starting to write a book isn’t easy. It looks like a massive mountain to conquer. The trick is to break the mountain down into molehills you can easily scale.

You probably have a rough idea about what you want to write about. Now is the time to create a document against which you (and later your editor) will be able to check your writing.

It’s time to think about the whys, whats, who for, and the how, of writing your book.

 #1. The Book Pitch – Creating Your Road Map

Many a good book never gets written or published because of poor planning and formulating some important thoughts: 

1. Why are you writing a book?
2. How is it different from similar books on the topic?
3. Who exactly is it for?
4. What will your reader learn by reading this book?
5. How can they apply this new knowledge?
6. Why should they trust you?
       … and so on.

Use our book pitch template to create clarity and structure around the creation of your book manuscript.

Doing this pre-writing work will save you many a headache later!

#2. Broaden Your Horizons

Being a subject-matter expert is not enough to write an engaging book. Besides doing plenty of research to back up your ideas and theories and give them colour, you need a wider world-view. To be able to see your topic from different angle, anticipate questions and needs your readers may have.

Step out of your own ‘knowledge-bubble’. See the world through other people’s eyes in order to be able to closely relate to them.

Check out our article on how to do this in.

#3. How to Get into a Productive Writing Routine

Ok, you’ve done the prep (phew!). On to writing … But you might ask yourself ‘Where Do I Even Begin?!’ You have a fabulous idea, your book pitch is finished, and the book’s direction and purpose crystal clear. But … you find it hard to actually get writing, am I right? 

Fear not: this is utterly normal, and can be fixed.

Follow our handy guide of 13 Expert Writing Tips for New Book Authors, stick to your established new routine – and you’ll be writing effectively in no time.

#4. Keep Your Writing on Track

Life is busy, and throws us the odd curveball; large or small. So sometimes despite all the preparation for your book structure and writing routine, getting down to the actual regular writing bit can be hard.

You might want to find an accountability buddy who keeps you ‘honest’ and on track.

This could be a fellow writer, an author mentor or an editor (you’ll need the latter eventually, so making early contact and pick someone you trust is good planning).

Be careful not to ask Auntie Mary or cousin Steve to be that accountability buddy, though. They might love you dearly and have your best interest at heart. But they likely do not understand how to write a book, nor your topic or audience.

Their well-meant advice and editing attempts might only confuse you and dent your confidence.

#5. How to Create the Front + Back Matter of Your Book

Once you have written the bulk of your manuscript into a first draft, it’s time to think about the other bits and bobs that make up a complete, professional book.

I’m talking about the book’s front and back matter.

Sorry, the … what? Don’t worry, it’ll all make sense in a bit.

Front and back matter are just fancy terms for parts of a book you have seen many times. But in the eagerness to complete your manuscript you might not remember to add these to your own book. However, they are vital to make your book shine – and sell. Clever planning and good timing are of the essence once more. Some of these items are:

• Endorsements
• Dedication(s)
• Copyright + Disclaimer page
• Glossary
• References
• and the very important Back Blurb

Download our Front + Back Matter Checklist to see what you might still need to include in your book – and how you go about it.

Moral + Professional Support

Writing a book can be a lonely experience, but it really doesn’t have to be. Part of establishing a productive writing routine and creating a professional manuscript is to have a support network around you.

While utterly satisfying, writing is hard work; there are no two ways about it. And it can be surprisingly emotional to pour your ideas, knowledge and convictions onto the page for other people to read and – yikes! – judge. So talk to potential writing buddies, mentors and book publishing experts like editors, typesetters and printers early in the process.

Find people you trust and gel with. They’ll help you through the sluggish, scary bits – and will also celebrate the triumphs and excitement with you (book launch anyone?).

Your author’s journey? Don’t go it alone.