Are You Qualified to Write a Book - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Are You Qualified to Write a Book - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career I dont know whether or not Im qualified to write a book! The process of helping others write books to build their personal brand often starts by addressing a curious paradox: Published books establish their authors as experts in their field BUT, What qualifies someone to write a book in the first place? Unfortunately, many otherwise-qualified individuals question their right, or qualifications, to write a brand building book to promote their career or build their business. These individuals are sabotaging themselves before they even begin to build their brand! Where does this self-doubt come from? Origins of self-doubt For many, the origins of their self-doubt lie in their previous writing experiences, especially high school and college creative writing classes. There are 3 refrains I hear over and over again: Im not a good enough writer! This is often accompanied by, I almost flunked freshman English or Im not a creative writer. I dont have the credentials, referring to a lack of a Ph.D. in the field. Im too young, or, presumably, too inexperienced. Lets take a closer look at these objections. Objection 1: Im not a good-enough writer! Lets start by asking, What is a good-enough writer? Is a good-enough writer someone who can dash-off a brilliant first draft? Or, is a good enough writer an individual who will discipline themselves to take the time to: Research the market for what they want to write Plan and organize their thoughts before they start to write Obtain the resources and tools they need to work as efficiently as necessary Commit to consistent daily progress, i.e., work as little as 30-minutes a day on their project Revise and re-edit until theyre using the fewest words, paragraphs, and pages necessary to communicate their ideas without clutter or decoration Avoid unrealistic comparisons Its important to remember that few are born writers. When our high school and college teachers held up the masters as standards for us to emulate, they may have been inadvertently undermining our confidence by setting unrealistic expectations. When we read a classic book, were not reading the first draft that the authors wrote. Instead, were reading words that the author agonized over, often writing and rewriting numerous times. And, what happened after they submitted their final manuscripts to their publishers? Thats right: the manuscripts were edited and re-edited by a staff of editors before the publisher turned on the printing press! Writing is a learned craft The ability to write comes from writing. By writing, you learn how to write. You learn the steps, the tools, and the processes needed to plan your writing, create the first draft, and rewrite it until its right. By writing you learn how to write. If you want to write a book to build your brand, and are willing to commit to consistent daily progress, youll almost certainly succeed. Objection 2: I dont have the credentials Although I hear many bemoan their lack of advanced degrees in their field of interest, outside of the world of academics, there are no minimum credentials, or licenses, needed to write book. To look at credentials issue from another perspective, notice how the presence of advanced degree doesnt guarantee the right to publish a book; every degree-holder doesnt get the right to publish a book! The Tyranny of Knowledge Indeed, as Chip Heath and Dan Heath wrote in Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, knowledge is often an impediment to understanding a topic and sharing new insights. Knowledge often puts blinders on experts who view problems from conventional perspectives and who often assume too much knowledge on the part of their readers. In most cases, in the field strategies and tactics experience are more important than theoretical first principles. You dont need to know how internal combustion engines work to drive to the convenience store (or a local bookstore). Knowing where to turn left, what the convenience stores hours are, and where the local speed trap is located, is usually more important than a knowledge of the Federalist Papers. Never doubt the value of your first-hand experience The value of what you dont know Likewise, dont underestimate   the value of what you dont know; writing can teach, as William Zinsser described so eloquently in Writing to Learn: How to WriteAnd ThinkClearly About Any Subject at All. Just like teaching others is the best way for you to learn more about a topic, writing enhances your understanding of your subject and your ability to communicate with, and serve, others. Objection 3: Im too young When are you old enough to write a book that creates a personal brand for yourself? Is 30 the minimum cut-off? Or, is 40 somehow better? What about 50 or 60? If age is a criteria, of course, the question then becomes, When are you too old to write a book? Is 65 too old? What if youre 70, and a subject area expert with a lifetime of experience and perspectives to share? If the idea of an maximum age cut-off for writing a book appears foolish, then youll probably agree the idea of a minimum age makes even less sense! Conclusion If you have an area of expertise, a unique perspecive, or simply want to share your experiences with others, and youre willing to commit to consistent daily progress, youre probably qualified to write a book to build your personal brand. Do you agree? Share your author qualifications thoughts and experiences as comments. Lets explore the topic together. Author: Roger C. Parker is a “32 Million Dollar Author,” book coach, and online writing resource. His 38 books have sold 1.9 million copies in 35 languages around the world. The NY Times called his Looking Good in Print “…the one to buy when you’re buying only one!” Roger has interviewed hundreds of successfully branded authors and shares what he’s learned at Published Profitable and his daily writing tips blog.