Your Book – Write it or Hire a Writer?

You have a message or a story that lives inside you, something you deeply wish to share with others. It’s part of the human experience that as we look at our lives and world long enough, there is wisdom – or at least a few great stories – which we want to send out into the world.

Maybe you built a career or business around that message. You’d like to write a book, but writing isn’t your thing. That’s okay, because there are other ways to get it done.

Why write a book? You have something to say. After that, you have an audience. If you don’t have an audience, that’s not the end of the world because with time and effort, you can develop one.

Writing a book is an investment for the future with current time and money. In order to have the most impact from that investment, you really need to understand your who, why, and how. Look at it from your perspective and your audience’s perspective.

• Who will benefit and how will they benefit?
• Why do it? Why invest your time and money? Why make this particular effort at this time?
• How do I get my book created? Do I write it myself or hire a writer, editor, or coach?
• How do I spend my time, money, focus and intention to create this project?

What’s your story? Let’s look at the variety of scenarios you might fall into as you ask yourself, “Is it time to get my book written – with help?”

•  You have an idea, but not the time or skill to develop and write the book. You might have a platform. You might not. Maybe you don’t even know what a platform is. Don’t worry.
•  You have notes and research, but don’t know how to craft it into something desirable for your audience.
• You have a draft written, but you need help fleshing it out and putting the polish on it.
• You want to write it yourself, but you know how helpful it would be to have a coach to hold you accountable and guide you along the publishing journey.
• Your business or career depends on you being an authority. Maybe you are a coach, guide, speaker, trainer, or maybe even a comedian. Your gift is your voice, but you want a book to sell or give away at events, so people can continue their experience with you.

Questions to consider:
What is my message?
Who is my actual or imagined audience?
What is the angle?
What will I do with the book once it’s ready? Will I sell it, give it away to clients or family and friends, use it to grow an audience, or some other reason altogether? Maybe at the end of the day, it would just be nice to see your ideas written down.

What it is and What it Isn’t

A book doesn’t have to be 300 pages, but it can be. It can be a short, powerhouse of a read. Think of the One Minute Manager, Siddhartha by Herman Hesse, Walden by Thoreau, any one of a hundred books on spirituality, or any of Seth Godin’s business and marketing books.
The e-book culture we live in means your book can be digital or paper, concise or flowing, long or short.
E-books, especially, can be shorter and targeted around one angle of a question. Best of all, they can be expanded into a series with each book covering a different corner of the puzzle. It’s up to you.

Traditional or Indie?

Publishing your work independently no longer holds the stigma it did years ago, and is often the most effective way to deliver your message. There are no gatekeepers or waiting times. When the book is written and ready to go, it can be sent out into the reading world as quickly as you desire. There are Print on Demand (POD) options to get paperbacks and even hardcovers.

Going with a publisher is also a valid option, but takes much longer if you are able to get a publishing deal. If you already have a publisher ready to work with you, that simplifies the process.

Either way you go will be a personal and financial decision. A good coach, familiar with the industry, can guide you in your decision.

Write it Yourself or Hire a Writer

If you’ve made it this far, you probably have a book inside you. Now comes the task of finding the right help in creating it. Maybe you want to write it yourself but need developmental or editing assistance. Maybe you just want to share the story with the world, but don’t know how to craft a book. Either way, that’s where I come in. As a writer and facilitator, I love to dig deep, bring out the richness, insight, and information you want to share to capture your message on the page. This is your book so you should work with someone who gets that and honors that. At the same time, you should trust that I have spent years honing a skill and quality that will let your message shine.

So, when and why do you hire a ghostwriter, editor, or book doctor?

A ghostwriter can step into the project all along the way. To collaborate with you involves asking plenty of questions, gathering information, and crafting all of it into your book. Working with a ghostwriter requires a serious commitment from both people. The writer must be skilled at listening deeply as well as bringing out the story or message in a way readers will enjoy – and in your voice. As I mentioned in the beginning, there are many scenarios you might find yourself in when you want to hire a professional.

What about developmental editing? Or content editing? This is a before and after situation. Developmental editing is best when it takes place before the book is written. It involves vetting your idea, fleshing out an outline, and determining who the audience is.

Content editing comes when there are pages to comb through, critique, and work into good shape.

Copyediting and proofreading, which you will need, require an adept eye for things like grammar, punctuation, consistency of tone and point of view.

Ready to Have a Conversation and See if We Can Work Together to Create a Book you are proud of?

Go to the Contact page and fill out the contact form.  I’m excited to speak with you and hear your story!