Expert To Author: How To Turn Your Know-How Into A Bestseller

Do you have information that can help others prosper? Do you want to share it with a larger audience? Then it’s time to write your book. You know, the one you’ve been noodling around in your head for months or years.

When you share your expertise in a book, you’ll earn increased respect and prestige. With a good marketing campaign, you’ll find that the media—radio, TV, blogs, newspapers, magazines—are more interested in what you have to offer. (Do a good enough job, and you might even be invited to write a regular blog or column.)

The hardest part of writing a book is getting started. Sound obvious? It’s not. First, niggling fears of not being good enough spell trouble for even the most successful people. (See “Overcoming Fear of Writing.”) And time. A book takes a lot of time, and where will you find it in an already busy schedule? Even with a ghostwriter or editor, you’ve got to do more than dump information. You need to share your unique perspective.

For others, the mystifying process of how to get published stops them cold. Add in the modern dilemma of whether to self-publish or go the traditional route, and the hurdles get higher. (More on that in a moment.)

The solution? Take it one step at a time. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Use some psychology and eat that elephant one bite at a time. These seven steps will get you well on your way to writing a bestseller:

1. Before you write anything, get clear on the takeaway value of your message. What will the readers get out of it? A book isn’t just about sharing your expertise but how that information will help your readers.

2. Who is your audience? Please don’t say everyone! I used to think that everyone was my audience because, goodness knows, everyone could use a writing tune-up. But now I’ve fine-tuned my audience, and my message is much clearer. Figure out who will appreciate your message the most and write to them. Any extra fans you pick up along the way are gravy.

3. Check out your competition. Not only will you need this information for the book proposal (for traditional agents and publishers), this research helps you determine the gap you can fill. You need to know what’s out there, what’s good, and what can be improved. For example, when I was researching my books, I often found that the competition was too technical, too long-winded, too corny or too serious. At the same time, keep an open mind and respect what’s good about the competition. Both the good and bad about your competition will help you determine your niche and how to fill it.

4. Keep a pad of paper handy. Jot down every idea—“good” or “bad”—for a month or two. Take advantage of the out-of-the-blue ideas that come to you when you’re relaxed or not consciously thinking about the topic.

5. Start small. Start with articles on the Web and/or in magazines, association newsletters, op-ed pages—anywhere you can get your ideas published. (Each article is a bite out of that elephant.) Not only have you started writing (the biggest obstacle of all), but you’ve written content for your book. Just make sure to retain the copyright, and you’re on your way.

6. Get an editor. This is especially important for self-published books, but even with traditional publishing, you’ll want to send in the best manuscript you can. Good editors do more than dot Is and cross Ts. They help you organize your material and identify when you’ve fallen victim to the curse of knowledge. What’s that? The curse of knowledge rears its head when you write from an expert level that’s over the head of your readers. It can be difficult to step back into beginner’s mind, the place where most of your readers reside, and a good editor can help you get there.

7. Self-publish or traditional publishing? Consider these factors.
Self-publishing
Pro: na. Fast and easy. You pay, you get what you want with quick turnaround. nb. Higher return on each book sold (though this needs to be weighed against initial costs and how effective your marketing campaign will be.)
Con: na. You have to pay to have your book published.nb. Most bookstores won’t carry your book.nc. Your online presence on major bookseller sites is limited to Amazon.com.

Traditional publishing
Pro:na. You get paid to have your book published. Advances help pay for your time upfront. With reasonable success, you’ll also receive royalties from sales.nb. Cash in on cache. Traditionally published books deliver more prestige.nc. Bookstores are more likely to carry your book.nd. Online giants like Barnes & Noble and Borders will consider your book.ne. It’s easier to get PR, media coverage, and acceptance from speaker’s bureaus.nf. Publishers still offer some editing and marketing help (though today this isn’t guaranteed).
Con:na. You often need an agent just to be considered by a traditional publisher.nb. Once you have a contract, the process can take a year (or longer).nc. You’ll probably have to edit your manuscript more.nd. You receive less per book sold, and only once your advance has been repaid.

You didn’t get to be an expert ove
ight, and you won’t be an author ove
ight. Just take it step by step and before long, your book will be finished. And, with any luck, you’ll have writer’s cramp from your book signing. n