Writing a book seems scary.

And this fear triggers 4 major mistakes.

How to write and launch a book in 2023 (without feeling afraid)?

The 4 most common mistakes:

 

1. Writing alone
2. Forcing a structure
3. Unique knowledge points
4. Focusing on the Big Numbers

Let’s break them down:

1) Writing Alone

The first thing I’ll tell you:

Most people think writing a book is an individual endeavor.

It’s not.

The reality?

When you talk to the most successful authors, they all start by talking about other people.

• How they worked with a group.
• How they collaborated
• How they had a ton of help

And this is what I always tell people:

Writing is NOT something you do alone.

You do the typing yourself, yes.

But you DON’T write a book as an individual.

No…

It’s a collaborative effort.

2) Forcing a Structure.

This is a big one for most people.

They think they need:

• a table of contents
• perfect structure
• rigid outlines

All this stuff, before they ever start.

But I would flip that around.

Analogy:

“You start this process with a compass, not a map”

And when I had the chance to interview Daniel Pink (who also happens to be my neighbor), he shared something interesting:

He starts with 2 things:

1. A notepad
2. A list of questions

And then he thinks about who he can talk to about those questions.

As I said earlier…

Books are not to be written alone!

3. Unique Knowledge Points

This is for my non-fiction writers.

I studied 150+ best sellers and found this:

Stories account for 80% of their written content.

NOT unique knowledge points.

So if you want to write an exceptional book:

– Identify
– Teach
– Tell

All through storytelling

It’s the proven formula for success.

4. Focusing on Big # ’s

People often worry:

“Is my book going to sell 1,000,000 copies?”

And that’s not the best mindset.

Here’s why:

Books are sold via word of mouth.

You want to find your first 200 fans and friends, and have them help spread the word.

It happens in phases.

And that’s a good thing ( I promise ).

The 4 major mistakes authors make:

1. Writing Alone
2. Forcing a structure
3. Unique Knowledge Points
4. Focusing on Big Numbers

 

So let’s break this cycle and utilize a community-driven approach for your next book project.