What book writing team? Isn’t writing a solitary experience? Can’t I do this all by myself? Yes, you can do it all by yourself, but you’ll be missing out on a lot. Consider this.
- Crowd. What makes you want to write a book in the first place? You want to tell a story but to whom? Do you have a group of friends and family around you who are supportive of your project? Are you trying to tell a specific group something important? Looking outward to your crowd or audience will develop your inward focus and bring out the best in your writing.
- Cheerleader. There is someone in your life – a spouse, a family member, a best friend, a mentor – who believes in you and will not let you back down on a challenge. Find that person and when the chips are down, listen to their encouraging voice to rise and get back to work.
- Client. Picture one person you are writing for and mentally develop your story. That person doesn’t have to be a paying client, but it should be someone who personifies the delivery of the message. Think bullseye.
- Colleague. This isn’t someone who is there to pump you up. They’re usually a peer who gets what you’re doing because they’re doing something similar. You casually check in with each other to make sure the world is still turning on its axis, and you go your separate paths. Think of a school of fish. This person is swimming next to you and gives you signals that you’re going in the right direction.
- Critic. Don’t cringe. Stand up, square your shoulders and get ready for feedback that will save you mistakes, time, and money and more times than not, will make your story better. Listen carefully, respond politely and remember that it’s about the work and not you.
- Class. A lot of writers are adrift in their stories not knowing how to structure it, improve it, or sell it. A writing class will introduce you to the work and business of writing. You’ll meet other writers, gain knowledge, and come away with more than you thought.
- Cause. This goes back to the “why” you’re writing. If you don’t identify why you’re doing this, you’ll lose interest and never finish the project. Identify the compelling reason you’re writing and associate the passion you have with the process. It’s fundamental.
- Corrector. This is another word for editor. Don’t want to pay an editor? Okay, but understand that grammar mistakes, punctuation, spelling, and content confusion are on you. If your book doesn’t make sense to an editor, it’s not going to make sense to your audience. Get a pair of fresh eyes on your manuscript.
- Coach. A coach holds you accountable. Are you whining about not having enough time to write? Give it to the coach, and he’ll help you structure your time. How many athletes train without a coach? Think about it.
- Counselor. This is someone who understands the legal aspects of your book as in all things involved in ownership like copyright, publishing rights, plagiarism, video and audio rights, royalty distributions to your heirs.
Frederick Jones is an attorney, professor, and bestselling author of Publish Me Now. He is the founder and president of Publish Me Now University™ and creator of Write Your Worth™ seminars. To learn more about his Write Your Bestseller course, go to bit.ly/2bookyourbusiness to start writing and publishing today.