Episode 6 - 9 Tips to Write Your Great Book

I’m Jim House and welcome to the show!  I hope you’re enjoying the interviews with these remarkable authors. It’s been fascinating to dive into their unique process for creating their books and to explore the inevitable impact that emanates from writing and publishing a good book. And I love that, we get to learn from them together.

Thanks for being on this journey with me. One of the promises I made with this podcast is to help you make sure that the great book in your own head doesn’t become a disappointing book in your hands. Did you know that more than 80% of Americans say they want to write a book someday? So there’s a good chance that you may already have a book in the front or back of your mind.

Some of you are working on your book right now. Many of you want to write your book, but you aren’t quite sure how to go about it. And many of you are not convinced that there is a book worth writing inside of you. What I do know about that with absolute certainty is that you are here for a reason. So make no mistake, there is a good book inside of you.

It just might not be clear what that is yet. There are so many good reasons to write a book these days, that range from dramatically helping your business to advancing your mission and purpose in the world, AND regardless of your motivation, whether it’s more money, more impact or both. A good book is always going to help you more than a mediocre one will.

And I have to tell you by way of giving you a lot of motivation, it doesn’t suck being the author of a good book. First of all, it’s enormously satisfying to hold your own good book in your hands. Have you ever imagined that? And still a little surreal, but it’s super fun to be asked to sign your book for people who want to buy it.

But there’s an even deeper level of fulfillment that comes when someone tells you that your book changed their life or their family’s life. That makes all the extra effort that went into writing it worthwhile.  Because so many people want to write a book, but so few actually do, there’s an interesting effect that happens.

And I call it the Astronaut Effect and it goes a little, something like this. When I was a school principal, I went to lots of dinner, parties and events when asked what I did for a living, I would usually say that I was an educator. And if they asked if I was a teacher. I would then say that I was a principal.  When I did, there was almost always a noticeable change in their countenance.

Like suddenly they were so much more impressed me, now, that they knew I was a principal.

It’s much like what I imagine I will do when I finally meet an astronaut in person who’s been to space,

“You’re an astronaut?!” I’ll gush loudly as my eyebrows shoot up, and my jaw drops.

Well, I’ve been very surprised to find that when I tell people that I’m an author, I often get a similar astronaut effect response, although perhaps not quite so dramatic.

And there’s often a little bit of, wow, I wish I could do that. That flashes across their eyes. I’ve dedicated this first book carving episode to immediately giving you tons of value. I’m going to share with you nine tips that will help you dramatically improve the quality of your book. All of these tips, you can start implementing today.

These are not your average self-publishing tips. Some are simple and some are very sophisticated and they’re all designed to help you create a book you’re proud of. And to honor the sacred contract, I believe exists between an author and a reader, and that contract goes something like this.

“If you’re going to invest your precious attention and time to read my book, then I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that that book is a valuable contribution to your life.”

This will be valuable for you. If you’re writing your first book or your fifth, enjoy the tips, and I’m excited to help you make sure that the great book in your head doesn’t become a disappointing book in your hands. Please connect with us@theBookcarver.com. If you’d like to know more about working directly with us.

And so, without any ado whatsoever,  I give you the 9 Tips!