Many authors, especially first time ones, are so obsessed with the destination of their author road trip that they forget to check that the car is in working order before they pull out of the driveway. On day one they’re more concerned with their book launch and marketing plans six plus months out, than they are with writing a top quality, standout book.

Before a road trip, you fill your car with gas, clean out the interior and the windows, and check your tire pressure, wiper blades, oil and other fluids.

Before writing a great book you develop your vision, architecture and writing plan, you check your “why,” and check your writing habits and discipline.

Prioritizing quality writing above all other things is the hallmark of a true author. And that’s the distinction – an author; versus a person who happens to be writing a book (ex. for marketing or business reasons). I’m talking about an author who is writing a book because that is their craft and they take pride in it.

To clarify, I’m not saying that business, brand, or marketing are any less valid reasons to write a book (for goodness sake I’m a business author a few times over!). The differentiation I’m making is in the mindset with which you approach the book writing process. Don’t confuse your REASON for writing a book with your APPROACH. Your mindset, as we know, affects discipline, habits, productivity, attention to detail, and more.

I’m asking you to go all in, adjust your mindset, attitude, and writing practices accordingly, and write your book as a professional author would; one who writes books for a living.

For example, if you are writing a business book, how might it feel different to approach the writing as a professional author, rather than as an entrepreneur creating a marketing tool? How might that change the emphasis you put on your writing habits and self-education about what it takes to write well?

With this new perspective as a professional author, you might realize that developing, researching, writing, and editing a quality book that means something takes more time than “knocking out a book as a marketing tool.” As a result, you might adjust your writing timeline and expectations more realistically.

I promise you this approach will not take away any of the intended benefits of whatever grand plan you have in place for your book, business or otherwise. As a matter of fact, the approach I’m proposing will likely only better those plans because now you will have a better quality book.  

Therefore, my challenge to you now is to scrap what has fast become a cliche question – “Do you have a book inside you?” in favor of, “Do you have an AUTHOR inside you?” *

*To quote James Scott Bell, author of “The Art of War for Writers.”

PS: If it IS your intention (or resolution) to embark on the journey of writing a quality book in 2019, please consider joining my club of like-minded authors where you will receive expert tools, resources, support and collaboration.

Writing a book? Join the Club: Writers Club Live!