If you own a business and you’ve been wanting to write a book, you might be wondering, “Where do I find the time to do that?!”
In 2016, I conducted interviews with business owners who all wrote books to ask them how they did it. Many of the authors I interviewed are bestselling authors who all grew their businesses while writing their book at the same time.
In today’s post, I am going to share how these growing entrepreneurs were able to not only write their book while growing their businesses but also raised a family, networked and stayed sane during the writing process.
I want to show that if they can do it, you can too. I also want you to pick up golden nuggets that you can begin implementing today to move towards your goal: becoming an author this year while growing and maintaining your business and family life.
Angel Tuccy and Eric Reamer, Best-selling authors of Lists that Saved My Business and radio show hosts, Experience Pros
“All the content for [our book came from] different workshops that we had put together and training that we had been doing for our clients on marketing, relationship marketing. So we pretty much already had it all, we didn’t have to create anything new. What we had to do was pull it all out, organize it, reform it and turn it into a book style instead of workshop handouts.
“Mostly the books were written in 15-minute increments at a time because, we would do it in-between meetings, while we’re waiting for something and had to kind of squeeze it into everything else. We didn’t take a month and go on a retreat and write it. We didn’t have that luxury. [We used] every spare moment [to write], instead of reading or checking our Facebook or watching TV, those things could be put on hold, [our book] is what we’re doing.”
Carey Conley, Coach and Best-selling author of Vision is Victory: Where Hopes and Dreams Become Action and Achievement.
“Before [you] attempt [to write a book], [you] have a really strong vision of the why. What’s the intention around the book and to have a deadline because I think you and I both would agree that most say that they are going to do it, but it just becomes one of those things they never get around to. Or they get started and they never finish. So having a strong vision, a strong why, is really important if you really intend to have a book come out.”
Nikki Rausch, Sales Coach and Author of Buying Signals: How to spot the green light and increase sales.
“The way I got [my book] complete was [that] I put time on my calendar. I actually scheduled time in my week to write and that’s the only way I got it done. Because I’m like every other business owner, I’m busy. And, if I didn’t put it on my calendar, I wasn’t doing it. As soon as I put it on my calendar, I got it done pretty quickly.”
Sheryl Wolowyk, Coach and Bestselling author of From Dreamer to Doer: Moving Your Business from Concept to Cash.
“I put myself in another program where there was a deadline and we had to get our book done in four months’ time. And it was pretty intense because I own multiple businesses and I had to really pour through that but because there was deadlines and checkpoints, because there was a coach that you would check into with calls. And they would teach you some things but they would also tell you how many words you should have done or how many chapters you should have written, it helped me pace my book in getting it done. I met the deadline, I think, because there was structure and accountability so, I highly recommend that process.”
Traci Bogan, Coach and Co-Author of The Backpack Diaries.
“You’re talking to a person who never passed one English class or got anything greater than an C. You’re talking to a person who is dyslexic and who never read a book starting off to write a book. So for me to step into that arena and literally put a hat on my head that had a recipe card that said, ‘I am a best selling author’ and I duct taped the card to the hat. I literally wore that hat while I was writing. I declared I am a writer. I declared I can do it. And I set an intention every time I sat down to be in a space of birthing that book from my imagination, my experience from backpacking around the world to a book that people could not just read and enjoy, but to literally have a virtual experience.”
Polly Letofsky, author of BUZZ: Your Super Sticky Book Marketing Plan and owner of My Word Publishing.
“Writing is a discipline. And people say if you don’t have that disciple, the whole house will be cleaned and restructured by the time you write your book. Because you’ll sit down and “oh wow, the fridge needs cleaning”, “oh I need to vacuum”, “oh I need to sit and watch this commercial”, “I need to…” you know, etcetera, etcetera. So, you’ve got to discipline yourself and, if that means connecting with a fellow writer to keep you on track. It’s a support system like anything else that you do. Whether you join Weight Watchers or a Running Club. It’s the people around you that are your support group and it’s the same with writing. It’s discipline.”
Buzz: Your Super Sticky Book Marketing Plan Book
Laura Bush, Ph.D., book writing coach and author of Faithful Transgressions in the American West: Six Twentieth-Century Mormon Women’s Autobiographical Acts.
“Pacing the writing itself and taking it in smaller chunks not trying to eat the whole elephant at once ah so that they can create manageable amount of time to write. I often challenge my clients to write two hundred and fifty words a day, which is treatable by stages or at least and half an hour, sometimes fifteen minutes, to get it in somewhere. And you sketch it on your calendar for when you’re going to do your writing on your book. You will not make it a priority until you put time on your calendar to write on your book.
“You have to make it your priority or put something at stake or you’re going to put real money down or you going to make it public to other people and tell them this book is coming out now. That will help you prioritizes and really connect to something.”
Kerrie Flanagan, Author of Write Away; A Year of Musings and Motivations for Writers and Publisher of Hot Chocolate Press.
“There is so many benefits for been in a writers group and I have been with this group getting close to 20 years now. I know we meet every Wednesday from 7 to 10pm and the benefits have been amazing because without my writer’s group, I would not be where I am today. I know that for a fact because there is that accountability piece and also just to know that they are there and I can bring something each week and get their feedback and encouragement and support.”
That concludes the Author Roundup and I sincerely hope that you have enjoyed today’s post! If you want to learn more about each author, please check out their books and their websites by clicking on their names and books!
If this has intrigued you and you want to learn how you can begin to put this into practice, I want to invite you to my new Free 60-minute Workshop called How to Write Your Book without Sacrificing Your Time or Biz where you’ll learn:
- How to ADD more time into your day so you can accomplish all that you value (your family, your business and your dreams!)
- Shift your mindset to match an Author’s mindset to create more time without sacrificing clients, family life, or fun!
- Stop wasting time with simple, action-oriented strategies. Your family doesn’t need to even know you’re writing a book!
- Work in The Zone for maximum results so you can spend more time with those you love (while fulfilling your dreams at the same time!)
- Repurpose content for your book that you didn’t know you had, which cuts down time and energy on your end!
How to Write Your Book without Sacrificing Your Time or Biz Free Workshop is occurring next week at TWO different times:
Tuesday, May 23 at 2pm ET, 11am PT
Thursday, May 25 at 6pm ET, 3pm PT
It’s YOUR time and YOUR year to become an author! Gain the credibility and authority that you deserved! It’s time to find higher paying clients who love you and become loyal fans to you! Begin building your speaking platform to present to your ideal customers who are excited to buy from you!
There will be a FREE gift at the end as a thank you gift for saying YES to yourself and your book. You’ll have a chance to ask questions LIVE as well from me!
What are you waiting for? Become an author in 2017 by learning simple strategies that will change your life and your writing time! Sign up for the Workshop!
