5 Questions to Ask Before Starting Your Business Book

Thinking about writing a business book? The advantages for consultants, leaders, and coaches are clear: greater authority, another way to reach clients, an additional revenue stream, etc. But, before you jump in and starting throwing words at the page, taking some time to think about the project can help you position yourself for success.

Here are five questions to ponder as you sharpen the pencils:

Is my topic right for a book?

If you have a topic in mind, one of the first questions that can be helpful is to consider whether the topic is right for a book. Some topics may not have enough meat to fill a book-length work. Other topics might do better in another format -- blog posts, podcast, etc. Choose wrong and you’ll often end up putting in time toward something that doesn’t really work well.

Before you jump into a book, make sure that your topic is right for a book. Or that a book is right for your topic.

Why write this business book?

Whenever we write, there are 100s of choices. One of those choices at the beginning is always why *this* book.

For business owners, coaches, consultants, and professionals, this question can be about choosing the best topic for the moment and the best angle on that topic. Think about what makes your book unique and different. A new take on an old topic? A different voice? Why this book and this topic over another book or another topic?

There's also a bit of a cautionary note here. Sometimes, our best ideas aren't our first ideas. If you've grasped onto a topic (maybe a little afraid that you won't think of something better), consider whether this topic or book is really best. Working through whether this is *the* book for you, the time, etc. can help you decide whether it's something to pursue or whether the next topic will be better for you.

What is my goal(s) in writing the book?

Before you jump into a book for your business, make sure you're clear on your goals. Why? Because your goals will influence the decisions you make for the book -- including how to publish it, how to market it, and how to use it in your business. There’s no one set of goals for books. Your goal may be different than the writer next to you and it will depend on what you hope to get from the book, the experience of writing it, and your business.

One of the common mistakes that people make in writing business books is not being clear about the goal. If you want to make money on a business book, your actions may be different than someone who is looking to use it as a conduit to other services within the business. If you want to position yourself as a thought leader, you may make different choices than someone who wants a bestseller status. Of course, multiple goals are possible, but you need to have that direction clear as soon as you can to get there.

How will I decide what to include in the book?

Every nonfiction book has limits. At some point, you have to decide what you're going to include and what you're going to leave out. Some of those decisions can be agonizing, particularly if you have something you love, but it doesn't quite work with the topic, it's too detailed, or it's going to make the book too long.

As you think about the book and start to organize it, it can help to develop some criteria for deciding what goes in and what stays out. That might include audience, the particular direction you are taking with the topic, or other considerations. Having some of those criteria in mind can help you evaluate in the moment, rather than getting stuck in indecision.

What’s my plan for when the writing gets tough?

At some point in every book, the writing process feels like:

Whether you're writing fiction or nonfiction, what will you do when you hit that point? Let's face it: this is the point where most books fall. We hit the hard point and it's easier to procrastinate, do other things, start something new, etc. There's a reason why most people never finish their books and these tough points are a big reason why.

Instead of getting caught in that stuck feeling, what can you do when the writing gets tough? What will keep you moving forward? What will help you continue?

Ready to Write Your Business Book?

There’s no better time to start on that business book that you want to write. If you’re ready to add author to your CV, let us know how we can help you achieve that goal!