Write Your Book in a Year and Finally Become an Author

You dream of being an author – of looking at a bookshelf and seeing your name on the spine of a book. People tell you again and again “You should write a book!” Deep down you know you’re meant to write a book. Being able to look yourself in the eye and claim the title author is a moment you dream about every day. You know there’s a book in you and you must get it out.

But you can’t seem to get the book written.

As persistent as the dream is, the fears that accompany the dream are just as powerful. You’re strolling along, minding your own business, dreaming of the book you’ll start writing as soon as you get home. But then you get home and all your other obligations take precedence over your book.

It happens all the time – our brilliant ideas for a book, the book we so desperately want to write – get waylaid by all our other obligations.

On top of that, there’s this voice in our head that loves to steer us to the dark corners and convince us that we’re less than capable of writing a book. And that’s on a good day…when it shows up in the middle of the night? Yikes. It sets in, tearing us, our ideas and our fragile ego to shreds.

How do you win the battle between the part of you that wants desperately to write a book and the part of you that is sure this idea of yours is pure crap?

You’ve tried the cheap, lone wolf route

Despite your fears, this urge to write a book persists. You’ve valiantly tried many things to honor this impulse. You have:

• taken classes.
• joined online forums.
• proclaimed your intention on Facebook and Twitter.
• read books about how to write a book.
• read books like the book you want to write.

Take a minute now to write down all the things you’ve tried to get your book done. Looking your list over, are you satisfied with your progress? If not, read on, because I have something that will help you finally become an author.

These approaches seem useful, but rarely do they bring you across the finish line. Frankly, cheap solutions bring cheap results – no investment means no book. It doesn’t take long for that insistent, negative voice to convince us that watching TV or scrolling the Facebook feed one more time is a much better way to spend your creative energy.

But the problem is, your book idea simply won’t go away. It keeps coming back. You keep seeing a need for it in the world. Or…worst case scenario, you see your brilliant idea put into the world by someone else. Argh! There’s nothing as frustrating as being beaten to it by someone else.

It’s enough to drive you crazy, isn’t it? I say enough. But I want to make one thing crystal clear: it’s not because you’re a loser. Writing a book takes plenty of good, hard work. Frankly, not everyone can do it.

Truth is, writing a book is a big deal. There are thousands of people out there who want to write a book but a very small percentage actually pull it off. Why?

What’s so hard about writing a book?

You know are driven, but you just don’t know how to pull it off. And it’s not your fault. Everything seems to conspire against us getting our creative work out of our heads and into the world.

What does it take to write a book? Here are some of the obstacles I’ve coached my clients through:

Writing a book takes an enormous amount of focus over the long term. For those of us who suffer from ‘bright shiny object syndrome’ focusing takes a lot of effort.

Writing a book forces us to take a stand in our original impulse. Standing up and speaking out goes against everything else that tells us to sit down and fit in. This isn’t easy, but it’s worth it to finish your book and become a thought leader in your field.

Writing a book is important, but so are your other priorities. Raising a family, making a living and enjoying your life all take time, too. It’s easy to think ‘some day…’ but the daily insistence to write your book doesn’t believe that. You have to consistently hack out time and space to do your deep thinking and great writing.

Writing a book is a bunch of hot air until you actually do it. Writers feel an odd social pressure when they announce that they’re writing a book. People who hear this are suspicious and give you looks that make you think you’re a nutcase. Having someone on your team helps you feel sane.

You’re not crazy!

Some days you may think you’re crazy for even wanting to write a book. Your idea, well, it’s kind of different.

Of course it’s different. If it weren’t, it wouldn’t be worth writing. When you step up to author your own book, you join the ranks of other leaders like Ernest Hemingway and Seth Godin who also had to fight to get their words out into the world. But aren’t you glad they did?

Authors stand among those who lead the world to think and live in new ways. We need those new ideas more than ever. And that’s worth battling against all the inner and outer obstacles that conspire against us doing our great work.

It helps to have an ally who can walk you through the process. When asked about their writing process, authors always mention with profuse thanks their support system. And the acknowledgement page of a book? That’s no joke – the people named there really do make all the difference.

What it takes to write a book

Although there’s a rumored 82% of all Americans who want to write a book, only a very small percentage will pull it off. I’ve coached hundreds of writers since 1999, and while everyone is different, they all share the same qualities:

• they clearly understand the ‘why’ behind writing the book.
• they figure out what works for them to do their best work and stick with it.
• they are highly motivated to finish their book and see its impact in the world.
• they borrow from success in other areas of their life to build confidence as a writer.

You can share these qualities, too. And you can be that author making a difference in the lives of your readers. I can help.

Become an author this year

Imagine answering the ‘what do you do’ question with, I’m an author.

Feel that for a minute. SO much better than ‘I’m writing a book’. The difference in people’s responses is palpable.

Imagine holding your book in your hand. Knowing all the love and commitment you poured into those pages. Better yet, imagine handing your book to someone. Knowing it will make a difference in their lives.

Imagine standing in front of an eager audience, sharing the concepts you care about so much in the book. And then having life-changing conversations with people afterward.

It’s time to stop imagining, roll up your sleeves, and write your book this year, with me at your side.

Authors outlining their books at my Claim Your Authority retreat

Write Your Book This Year Program

It’s time you got the right kind of support to write your book this year. Write Your Book This Year is a program I’ve designed based on what I’ve seen work over and over for my clients – the ones who can point to their books on the shelf or on Amazon and say, that’s mine.

Write Your Book This Year is a customized approach to getting and staying on track. After twelve months, you’ll have your manuscript complete and ready for its next step.

This is not a class you get lost in. This is not an e-book you forget to download. This is not a shortcut and it’s not cheap.

It is effective, it is empowering, and it is designed to help you write your book this year, in your way, with my customized support.

My Write Your Book This Year program is unique. You get one-one attention from an author and certified coach who has been there and knows how to lead you there. Write Your Book This Year is a customized mix of my tried and true coaching practices blended with your needs.

Apply now. More people will want this than I can work with.

Don’t wait, because I really can only work with a few authors, and once the slots on my calendar are filled, I won’t be able to add more.

You will want to feel like Cheri Ruskus of Business Victories, who not only got two books out, but also launched a lucrative and powerful branch of her business as a result of working with me.

Your book coach

What qualifies me to help you write your book? I come at this from two powerful angles – as a certified coach with over thirteen years’ experience coaching writers and as a published author who has repeatedly finished and published books and e-books.

I’ve spent hundreds of hours in conversation with my clients and I know the patterns and problems that every single writer faces. I help diffuse the bombs waiting in the writing process. Better, I know that your book has to come out in your way and your style. My coaching skills allow me to help you customize a writing practice that allows you to get your book done in your way.

I stay on top of publishing industry trends – not easy in today’s shifting publishing world. I am connected with industry experts and am always able to point my clients to the right resources at the right time.

I’ve been writing and publishing on this topic since early 2001. My own book - Create Your Writer’s Life – has been called ‘the best book on writing’ by people who’ve read many of them. I’ve published five e-books, two blogs and a historical novel, Chasing Sylvia Beach. I know the writing process – both fiction and non-fiction – from the inside.

I invest in my own success as a writer, speaker and coach. I pass all my learning on to you when it’s relevant to your goals.

The relief my clients feel by having an ally in their book writing process is enormous. They know that no matter what challenges they face, they have me on their team helping them get to the finish line with triumph.

Apply today to ensure your spot on my 2013 calendar.

Over time, my encouraging voice replaces that snarky voice that tells you why bother. You’ll love this shift! Then there are results you couldn’t even anticipate, like what Janice Johnson experienced from our work together. Here’s what she had to say about our book coaching:

Together, we’ll map out the tactics that will work for you. You’ll get – and stay – on track. Not only will you feel the satisfaction that comes at the end of writing a book, you’ll enjoy the process – your way, your style – along the way.

Some of the work we’ll do together:

• choose which book is right for you to focus on now, because you probably have more than one book idea simmering!
• develop and commit to a writing practice that works for you in your schedule.
• design accountability so you make progress in a satisfying way on a weekly basis.
• clarify your concepts so you know they’re unique, clear and meaningful to your readers.
• brainstorm titles and marketing strategies when appropriate.

I’ve been coaching writers of all genres and levels since 1999. It’s been a privilege to help people get started with their writing and to help them birth books. My author hall of fame includes:

Ready to join the ranks of these and other authors I’ve helped finish their books? Apply for the Write Your Book This Year program.

Apply now.

A one-year investment that lasts a lifetime

Imagine people reading your book and loving it. Relish the feeling of satisfaction that comes from opening a fan email from a reader or seeing the five-star reviews add up on Amazon…worth every moment of effort it takes to focus, follow through and finish.

How many years have you thought about doing this? How much money have you spent on cheap solutions – or free ones – and where have they gotten you? Exactly. Not where you want to be – with a finished book in your hand.

What might happen when this book gets out into the world? What’s the value of having a book as a positioning statement for your business? Enormous. Think about it for a minute – what are some of the things you want your book to do for you?

The only thing worse than the challenge of writing the book is living with an unborn dream inside you for the rest of your life. The cool thing about working with me is that we’ll focus on a book, but other powerful things may come of our time together.

Seem expensive? Let’s look at the cost of what you’ve tried ‘on the cheap’.

Erosion of self-trust. I know how it feels to walk around with an unborn dream inside you. This lack of action just keeps adding to the inner critic’s smug assertion that you are a loser and you’ll never write a book.

Confusion about your idea. The longer your idea goes in circles in your head, the more you start to doubt it even makes sense. You start to wonder if your idea is sane, let alone good.

Someone else publishes your great idea. We know that success favors those who leap, not those who sit on the sidelines. DO NOT wait until someone else publishes their version of your great idea. That’s soul-crushing.

You know that investing money in something you care about stimulates you to take action. Being willing to invest a meaningful amount of money puts you at an advantage to make it happen. Whether we like it or not, money motivates us . Whenever I’ve invested in my professional growth like this, I have seen quantum progress and results.

You decide: what’s it worth to have this monster out of your head out and on the page? What’s the value of holding something you’re so proud of you can’t wait to show everybody? That’s right – priceless.

Apply today and let’s get started.

Everyone has their own motivation to finish their book, but here are some of the opportunities your book may open up for you:

• paid speaking engagements
• other book deals
• syndicated columns
• possibilities to repurpose the content of your book for classes or licensing opportunities
• a solid position as an expert in your industry
• collaborations and partnerships that make your work more fun and easy
• the opportunity to live the kind of lifestyle you want
• developing new projects that are important to you.

Right now, my novel Chasing Sylvia Beach is helping me secure speaking gigs in Paris, Chicago, and San Diego…and that’s just the beginning. I’m amazed at how much easier it is to get paid speaking gigs with my book as my calling card. I’ve dreamed of this for years and now it’s happening.

My clients are securing speaking gigs and relishing the credibility and visibility a book gives them. And, they’re depositing money in the bank from book sales and the opportunities that they’re gaining from this.

The value of the money and potential that your book will open up is extraordinary. We can’t even imagine all the things awaiting us on the other side of the finish line – but that’s okay, because we’re ready to focus on your book now. Those other goodies will come later.

This level of coaching means I can only work with a handful of authors. Apply today to ensure your spot on my 2013 calendar.

This might not be your year to become an author

Still not sure if this is right for you? This program is not for you if:

• You don’t already have an idea in mind for your book, even a glimmer of one. You probably have a couple of ideas, and that’s okay. I am an expert in helping you choose the right book to focus on.
• You aren’t willing and able to make room on your calendar for our work together and to write your book.
• You and your critic aren’t willing to be called out when you surrender to procrastination and resistance – I am an expert at sniffing out and eliminating false excuses. You’ll love this part the most, trust me.
• You don’t believe in investing in support to achieve your goals.
• You and your inner critic have already over-booked yourself so there’s no chance you’ll be able to write.

The quality of what I offer in this program allows me to work with only a handful of authors-to-be. There are more people want to do this than I can actually work with. But I’m setting it up so that these authors get the best of my coaching time and attention. Because of that I have to cap the number of people I can let it.

You can start any time, but the majority of clients will start at the beginning of the year. My most successful clients know that staringt at the beginning of the year gives a lot more momentum than when we begin later. Make sure you – and your book – get a place on the calendar and start in January.

Don’t wait another year. The world needs your book. Make 2013 the year to write your book, finally.

Let’s get started.

This level of coaching means I can only work with a handful of authors. More people will want this than I can work with. Apply today to ensure your spot on my 2013 calendar.

Apply here.

Answers to questions you may have

What if I want to write a book proposal instead?

I can help with that, too. My clients have found that it takes almost as long to write a winning proposal as it does to write a book. I know. No one wants to think that. But armed with this knowledge, you’ll be ready to set yourself up to succeed, taking the time needed to do it right.

Why a year? Does it really take that long?

Frankly, writing is a slow medium. Slower than we want it to be. Those ‘write your book in a weekend’ workshops do more damage than good. They make us think something’s wrong with us if we don’t whip out a masterpiece in 72 hours.

It’s a nice fantasy that you can write your book in less than a year. But this nice fantasy is actually doing damage.

Having done my own books and worked with other authors, it’s nearly impossible to write at the level you want in a short time. Crafting a good book takes time.

It turns out it’s very common to have a warped perception of how long things will take. This optimism regarding projects is called the planning fallacy. Studies show that we tend to underestimate how long it will take us to complete things. We only do this for ourselves – we can look at someone else’s project and know it will take longer – but for our own, it’s like we’re looking at a warped Salvador Dali clock, thinking it will only take us a few months.

I believe in optimism, and to write a book or make anything, you have to believe you can do it. But thinking it will take less than a year is not only wrong, it does damage.

Thinking it will take less time will put you in hurry mode. Very few people do their best work when feeling rushed.

With this sense of being behind the curve, you’ll feel incredibly frustrated, believing you should be further along than you are.

I see this again and again with my clients, the disappointment they feel from being ‘so far behind’. This distracts them from the real focus: the content of the book.

Like Alyson Stanfield, you’ll be selling piles of your books!

My clients aren’t slouches, either. Like you, they’re highly intelligent, very successful people who have a message they want to share with the world. Even high achievers need time to make this dream happen, because most of them write their books alongside their other work. So don’t think you’re some kind of lame-o because it will take you at least a year to get your book done.

If I give myself a whole year, won’t I procrastinate more?

No – that’s the big benefit of having a coach on your team. You’re building your book week by week. If you blow it off, we both know it and can get you back on track. You’ll love doing this in a sane way that will feel great for you.

If you are looking at ‘write your book in a weekend’ programs, I hate to say this but you’re fooling yourself that you can write something of value in a weekend. Do you really want to whip something out in a few days, put your name on it and throw it out into the world? Yikes! Your reputation is at stake and you want to take the time to do it right.

What if I finish my book in less than a year?

Then you, my friend, are extraordinary, and I will applaud you mightily. In the 13 years I’ve been coaching, most of my clients take more than a year to write a book. But with this program, we’ll accelerate that process. If you finish in less than a year, we’ll roll up our sleeves and get to the publishing part – seeking publication or self-publishing.

Writing the book is only the beginning. There’s a lot of work to do to get the book out in the world. I have helped my clients:

• navigate the publishing and self-publishing maze
• develop and implement solid and authentic marketing plans
• platform building that resonates with you, your book and your audience.

What guarantee can you offer?

I guarantee I will show up every week for you and your book. I guarantee that the quality of my coaching is at the top of the professional coaching industry. Unlike many people calling themselves coaches, I have world-class coach training and experience to back that up. I guarantee that I can offer you the support, expertise and resources you need to stay on track and finish the book.

I will show up for you 100%. I guarantee that I will hold you accountable to stay on track – with love, enthusiasm, and solid calling out when necessary. Together we’ll coax the words out of you so you have your book by the end of the year.

I ask you this: what guarantees will you offer yourself that you will show up?

Write Your Book This Year may not be for you. It’s definitely designed for people ready, willing and motivated to do the work of finishing a book. If that’s you, apply today and be one of the people who can put ‘author’ next to their name at the end of the year.

Apply now.