Oct 26

Written by: karen
Tue, 26 Oct 2010 05:30:57 GMT 

1. Don’t get on your soap box. Detailing your personal philosophy with little reference to how it ties into your business philosophy doesn’t appeal to anyone. Readers are interested in how you can benefit them, not in “you”.

2. Don’t bamboozle or bore the reader. Writing a business book doesn’t have to be written in passive boring business language. Bring the material to life with real life examples and case studies that illustrate your ability to solve a particular problem. Don’t use excessive jargon to look impressive, instead explain yourself in easy to understand terms. No one likes a smart arse!

3. Don’t talk about yourself too much without offering genuine value. I’m often asked, “How much should I include?” The fear is that if the author gives away too many trade secrets the readers will just do it themselves. Fact is they don’t. The more you give and the more value you provide the more likely they are to come knocking on your door. Holding back information is short-sighted. It will not encourage the reader to trust you further and recruit you in helping them solve their challenges.

4. Don’t be vague. In black and white vague equals weak and impotent. If there is a study that backs up your ideas seek permission and quote it. Be precise – it has far more power. In addition there is often a temptation to target everyone with a pulse. Don’t. Focus on your niche. Work out who your ideal client or customer is and talk directly to them.

5. Don’t fill your book with fluff. This will just damage your book. If you can explain the basis of your book in five minutes or write all the salient points on the back of an envelope you are going to struggle to find useful content for an entire book. Keep it tight or consider a different marketing approach.

6. Don’t ignore marketing principals. A book is like any other product or service – you can publish and be damned if you like but unless you have established if there is a genuine market for your message, you may end up very disappointed. Find out what your customers and clients want to know and tell them in a book.

7. Don’t look amateur. If you self-publish, then you better make damn sure it looks professional. Pay for the expertise to ensure that it doesn’t scream “self-published” – even if it is. That means having it professionally edited or at the very least proofread. Also make sure you have it professionally designed and focus on creating a good title and eye catching cover.


Karen McCreadie has written over 30 books including a step by step guide called How to Write a Book in 33 Days.

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