Today I’m happy to host James Ranson, author of ‘Don’t Write A Crappy Book’.
The Right Way To Be Proud Of Your Book
One of biggest mistakes authors make that lead to writing crappy books is not writing a book they’re really, really proud of. This may seem counter intuitive, because anyone who writes a book is usually very proud they wrote a book. But you can be proud of writing a book yet not be proud of how the book came out.
It’s a little bit like making a “rough mix” as a musician. If you record something in a rough mix and you hand it out to people, saying “Hey, here’s my music! But it’s a rough mix, so don’t expect much,” you’re apologizing for the poor quality of what you created before your audience has even had a chance to hear it. So they are essentially pre-sold and pre-framed to not think it’s very good, and to notice the parts where it’s not very good. If you’re trying to build a business off of that book, but you treat the book like a rough mix, that book’s not going to help you.
To write a book you’re really, really proud of, you need to write a book of unquestionable quality. To do that, you must first know where you are in your business and if your business is ready to support a book. If you’re still in survival mode, living paycheck to paycheck, you won’t have time to do any deep thought around what you write, or research about how to make the book accessible to your audience or helpful to the people you work with. And you won’t have any money to invest into making it good. So you’re probably going to write a crappy book by default. If you ARE in survival mode, that’s fine. Just don’t write a book yet. Wait until you are out of that phase, in a place where you have some extra time and money to write and build some strategy around that book.
Another thing that to consider is time. Are you in a huge hurry? Because I promise you (and I’m sure some of you understand this because you’ve done it), any time you try to do something fast, you’re going to have to slow down at some point to make up for it. Either you’ll need MORE time because you won’t be able to work as fast as you think you can, or you’ll make mistakes from doing it quickly, and then you’ll have to take more time to go back and fix them. Any time you try to speed up, it’s going to make you slow down. And any time you try to take a short cut it’s going to cost you more in the long run. So give it the time it needs to attain the quality that you want.
Ultimately, writing a book you’re proud of enables you to share that book proudly with your audience, and to use it to grow your business with confidence. A book you’re not really proud of, because you rushed through it or your business wasn’t ready to support it, will sit hidden on your shelf instead.
Don’t Write a Crappy Book
Book Details:
Book Title: Don’t Write a Crappy Book by James M. Ranson
Category: Adult Non- Fiction, 210 pages
Genre: Business, Authorpreneurship
Publisher: Master Wordsmith Media, in association with Thanet House Books
Release date: Oct 1, 2018
Tour dates: Oct 8 to 31, 2018
Content Rating: PG for occasional mild swearing (hell and damn, mostly, one instance of “shitty”)
Book Description:
A great book can launch your business into the stratosphere. Unfortunately, most self-published business books rank somewhere between “meh” and “flaming pile of crap.” But your book doesn’t have to suck!
In “Don’t Write a Crappy Book,” editor and entrepreneur James Ranson unpacks the most common–and toxic–mistakes that first-time nonfiction authors make. Peppered with wisdom from a panel of industry experts, this book debunks the dangerous myths that can torpedo your text and offers clear, practical guidance for writing a book you’re proud of. This is the resource for the aspiring authorpreneur who wants to write and publish a book with minimum hassle and maximum results.
This book will teach you:
– How a self-published book can make or break your business (and the THREE factors that determine which it does)
– The biggest blind spots no one tells authors about (and how to look for them BEFORE it’s too late)
– How to write a first book that will get positive reviews on Amazon (and why that’s a better goal than becoming a bestseller)
– When writing a business book is the right move for you (and when you should NEVER write one)
– How to self-publish on Amazon to actually get good results for your business (a lot of it happens before you even start writing!)
– What NOT to do when you’re looking for an editor (and how to find a great one)
– Why trying to write and publish a book in 90 days or less is a recipe for disaster (and why no one tells you that!)
– How to avoid do-overs, sunk costs, and other self-publishing headaches (and how to get out of them if they sneak up on you)
Stay out of the crap pile! Discover the secrets to creating a highly valuable book that will expand your influence and grow your business for years to come.
To read interviews and guest posts, please visit James M. Ranson’s page on iRead Book Tours.
[click_to_tweet tweet=”Win the ebook Don’t Write a Crappy Book by James M. Ranson or a $20 or $10 Amazon GC @TheMasterWords @iReadBookTours https://goo.gl/1h1Qeq #JamesMRanson #DontWriteACrappyBook” quote=”Win the ebook Don’t Write a Crappy Book by James M. Ranson or a $20 or $10 Amazon GC @TheMasterWords @iReadBookTours https://goo.gl/1h1Qeq #JamesMRanson #DontWriteACrappyBook”]
James Ranson, The Master Wordsmith(TM), is a Wall-Street-Journal-bestselling editor, ghostwriter and book coach who has helped over 200 consultants, coaches, speakers and other thought leaders create high-quality books. Clients of his have gone on to sell thousands of books, receive book deals from publishing houses, and be featured in regional and national media outlets. In addition to his own clients, James is a writer and book doctor for Thanet House Books, and is on recommended professional lists for Scribe Media(formerly Book in a Box), My Word Publishing, BrightFlame Books and Authors Unite. His second book, Don’t Write A Crappy Book!, will be published on October 1, 2018. A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, James lives in Atlanta, GA, with his fiancée and a very needy cat.
Connect with the Author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook
sounds like some good advice that applies in general, not just to writing.
Valuable insight into writing a book, Corinne. I see so many people around me turning into published authors overnight just to update their profile with the ‘Published Author’ badge!! I so wish they read this post.
I wish they read it too, Meenakshi! Thanks so much for your comment. 🙂
I couldn’t agree more. I knew someone who would ask me to review his book and he would write one a month and none was worth a read. Yes, I had to be blunt with him and talk about quality vs quantity. He stopped asking me and I am good with that.
So, bang on James and good to know about your book!
Thanks so much, Parul! Quality beats quantity every time. 🙂 Hope you enjoy reading my book!
Oooh yes. I agree wholeheartedly. Just about everyone seems to be a writer these days. Some books seem to have promising tittles but once you get to them you realise it’s a waste of time – the material is plebeian, the editing is pathetic and that just puts you off. I’ve become wary about the books I pick up these days. It is beyond me why someone would be in a hurry to see their name in print rather than bringing out a top quality product.
You’re telling me! I’ve had a really hard time wrapping my head around why so many authors choose speed over quality as well, and I’ve set up my business and mission to stand against that trend with everything I’ve got. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts! (And great use of “plebeian” as well! A great word that you don’t see very often.)
Interesting book review .A good help to decide what to do with the ebook one write.Luckily Amazon KU and Anazin prime reader has both been kind to me even thought my nonfiction books are not best sellers.
Glad you enjoyed the post, and that Amazon has been helpful for you. 🙂
That makes total sense, Corinne! I fail to understand why people are in such a rush to see their names on book covers. If they do want to become famous they need to understand that it should be for good writing. Nowadays self-publishing is the easiest thing to do and so anyone who fancies the idea of becoming a writer can do so, with little or no talent for it.
Preach, Kala! Glad you’re with me on that.
That is sound advice! Each of the e-books I’ve written has driven me to tears. It’s a long, hard process to research, design and format a book (even if you use a canva template) if you want a book that you’re proud of. And even though all my e-books are currently free, I could very proudly charge for them, knowing the immense value they offer and the amount of research and hard work that has gone into them.
Thanks so much for these thoughts, my gypsy friend. It really is all about the value our books provide–and the hard work that enables them to do so.
Absolutely valuable stuff to follow for everyone who writes—be it for books, blog posts and just about anything. I guess most of us who write tend to overlook the importance of revisiting our draft and edit mercilessly. Thanks for sharing this post, Corinne. We need these reminders from time to time.
You’re so right, Esha. Revising and editing are SUCH important steps! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Thats so well said. Amd I would apply this to any form of content, in a book as well as to other forms of publishing…. Focus on quality must be the mantra.
I can think of few better mantras than “focus on quality!” *assumes meditation position*
Very valuable post, Corinne. Excellent pointers. Though writing a book is not on my cards right now but your pointers are very useful, to be referred later.
No worries, Vartika–feel free to reach out to me when the cards come up right for your book! Thanks for reading in the meantime.
During my forest A2Z challenge this year, I wrote on the theme A dollop of Bengal. While trying to convert it into an ebook for the ebook carnival, I just didn’t like the final outcome. There’s a huge difference in a blog post and a book. So I wrote my debut novella – a detective thriller with a female protagonist Raya Ray. The book was a huge success and has been in the out of stick stage since two months. Yet I’ve not uploaded it on Amazon. Because there’s a difference in the free and paid version. I’m still working on it to make it a novel. Also, I intend to write more books on this detective. Five years down the line, I don’t want to turn back and say ‘Did I write that piece of crap!’.
I feel the post was written for me, to validate what I strongly believe in.
Pardon the typos since I drafted the message from my mobile today.
I’m so glad the post spoke to you, Sonja. Best of luck with your series!
Ah! Yes. I guess many people end up writing crappy stuff, just because they want the book out on time. This could apply to the A-Z challenge posts which have been converted to a book. I guess that’s probably one of the reasons I could have been sleeping on my second book, written through A-Z Challenge 2018. I still haven’t uploaded it on Amazon, though its ready to be read.
Valuable post this, Corinne.
So glad you enjoyed the post, Natasha. I’ve found that writing a book often involves a decision between writing it fast and writing it well! Thanks for your thoughts. 🙂