Three Hard Questions You Must Answer Before Writing and Publishing Your Book

You're not going to be the next JK Rowling, nor will you be the next Stephen King.

It's a hard truth to hear, yet it's something I share with my clients BEFORE we start their book writing and publishing project.

In fact, I'll take it one level deeper and share this. I tell them to rip those rose-colored glasses off and see this for what it is. Writing and then publishing a book is hard work. It's not for the faint of heart or those hoping to make a quick buck.

A "successful" book isn't solely measured on where it lands on the Amazon ranks, nor does it hinge only on the number of copies sold.

If you're thinking about writing a book and have visions of grandeur and raving fans, think again. There's a deeper reason why your book must be written, and there's a way to find that reason in a silly simple way. Here are the questions you need to answer to ask yourself to guarantee the success of your masterpiece.

Question #1: Is there an audience for this book?

Many would-be authors decide to write a book without ever exploring this question.

So ask yourself how big this audience truly is. Is it a niche or a broad market? Is it an audience that has the means to take action and hire you? Or is it the type of audience that would download your book and never take action?

Hiring a ghostwriter is a costly undertaking. It's an investment, for sure. So the biggest question to ask is about the size of the audience.

Here's what I'd do: Find the people already talking about what you want to write about. Are bloggers, podcasters, existing Amazon books, and influencers already in that space? Have they mentioned your book idea?

Google is your best friend here. Search for keywords related to your topic and see who comes up in the results. You can tell quite quickly if there's an audience for your book or not.

Question #2: What do you want your readers to do when they read it?

What do you want your readers to do? Do you want them to hire you for services, buy your products, or share the book with friends and family? Maybe all of the above?

No matter what it is, make sure it's clear, simple, and actionable. The easier it is for people to take action after they read the book, the better.

Here's what I would do: Brainstorm a list of things you want your readers to do. Then pick the top three and focus on those. Please make sure they are realistic and that people can actually take action on them.

For example, if you're writing a book about how to start a side hustle, don't ask your readers to hire you as their coach. Instead, ask them to join your email list or sign up for an upcoming webinar.

Question #3: What will this book do for your business?

The single biggest reason for a leader, entrepreneur, or other fast-moving types to write a book is, frankly, to positively impact their business.

Will the book lead to paid speaking engagements? How about an additional revenue stream? Or perhaps your book will showcase you as an authority in your space and help you recruit and/or grow your team.

Whatever it is, make sure to keep it in mind when writing your book. This will help you stay focused and ensure that you stay on track throughout the project.

Here's what I would do: Write down a list of the benefits you expect to get from this book. This could include additional sales, speaking engagements, more clients, or whatever else you need. Then develop an action plan with specific steps to turn these goals into reality. Then ask yourself if your ghostwriter is prepared to help you achieve those goals.

The final word

Writing a book is a long journey; success doesn't come overnight.

But if you take the time to ask yourself these three questions before starting your project, it will help you focus on the right things when writing your book and give you better chances of achieving success.

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