How to Start Writing Your Business Book

by | Dec 1, 2016 | Book Marketing Basics

Reading Time: ( Word Count: )

Reading Time: 3 minutes

In a recent post, I talked about the how writing a book can transform your business. Now that you’ve made the decision to write a business book, you’ll need to start pulling it together. If you’re stumped on where to start, this post is perfect for you!

I don’t have the time.

You’re a business owner, so naturally, your time is stretched thin, no matter what you do. There are a lot of books out there that talk about how to maximize time, how to make more of your day and so on. The truth is, time still seems to fly no matter how carefully you manage it. If you’ve ever thought “I don’t have time to write a book,” then think again. You don’t have time not to write a business book. As business owners, you probably already have content. Perhaps you’ve written white papers, blog posts, or other articles. You may even have some guides you created for staff training or client use that can be massaged into a business book. And of course, there is always the option of a ghostwriter if you truly are busy. Ghostwriting, or ghosting, is a fantastic way to get a book done quickly. And if you’re worried about the ghost knowing your “voice,” keep in mind that’s what they do. Ghosting is a fantastic resource for any business owner and when it makes the difference of getting a book out there or not, it’s a great investment.

Putting it all together

A huge part of my last article talked about setting yourself up as a much-needed resource in order to grow your business. So now, let’s take a closer look at creating the structure and identifying content you could incorporate into your book.

What do you want to accomplish?

Before you start the actual writing, it’s time for you to decide what you want to accomplish by publishing a business book. Is it to get more business? More speaking? More media coverage? It may be all of these things, but it’s important to define what your goals are as they relate to this project. Then, you’ll be able to craft something that feeds your specific needs.

For example, let’s say that you have decided you want more speaking events. You’ll want to include a section in the back of the book that tells people what topics you can speak to and how to reach you. If your goal is to get more customers, include a coupon for a free something. Maybe it’s a free consultation or thirty minutes of free tech time if that’s the market you are in. Remember that to pull a book together is a fantastic accomplishment, but you want to be sure you’re making the business book work for you, too, by building towards your end goals

Content, content, content

Before you start writing, I strongly encourage you to start pulling any and all existing content. If you’ve already got it on hand, you can easily re-purpose it for future use; no need to reinvent the wheel. If you’re not sure where to start, then consider these items as possible ways to gather content:

  • blog posts
  • white papers
  • audio or video recordings
  • presentations you’ve done in the past
  • handouts
  • articles written for publications or websites
  • newsletters
  • social media updates (because these might help spawn book content, too)
  • training manuals
  • client guidelines

Gather all of this content together and then see what fits with the book and what does not. You may be surprised how much you have on hand. Even if some of it is very old, can it be updated to reflect current thoughts, trends, or offerings?  Start organizing it into topics – and you’ll be well on your way to writing a book! Then, once it’s been reviewed by a professional editor, you’ll be able to start taking the steps for publication, and transforming your business!

4 Comments

  1. Traci Freed

    Good tips for getting started writing your business book. I recently read an interesting article that expands on this and outlines a method for writing a business book. It covers everything from idea to finished book and provides information on the steps in the business book writing process, including preparation, positioning, book outline, writing plan, editing and publishing.

    It’s worth a read if you are an entrepreneur, executive, consultant, etc. that is thinking about writing a nonfiction business book. You can read the article here: scribewriting.com/tips-writing-book

    Reply
    • Penny Sansevieri

      Traci, thank you so much for sharing that article. I’m always watching for great resources for authors. Also, I have a book out that goes into detail about how you can write your business book! It’s available on Amazon here. Regardless of where you are in the process, I’d love to hear about your experiences writing. And of course, if I can help you with any of your book marketing strategies once you’re getting closer to pulling the trigger, please reach out!

      Reply
  2. Salvonia

    Good day
    My dream is been always to write two books, one a christian book and a wrote to a business venture. My challenges is the spelling I don’t want to make full of myself I really need assistance. I have a Diploma in HR so I don’t know nothing about being an author but it’s been my dream, how I go about it ? but I go back to college to study or can I do without going back to college. I need advice urgently.

    Reply
    • Penny Sansevieri

      Salvonia, thank you so much for reaching out. I’m always happy to discuss book ideas. Also, I have a book out that goes into detail about how you can write your business book! It’s available on Amazon here. Regardless of where you are in the process, I’d love to hear about your experiences writing. And of course, if I can help you with any of your book marketing strategies, please contact me here to set something up!

      Reply

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. What Indie Authors Can Learn About Branding from IHOP | Author Marketing Experts, Inc. - […] you are a business book author and decide that you want to venture into the indie author romance market…

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *