What Business Leaders Need to Know Before Writing a Book

Business authors are an exceptionally rare breed. They lead companies, hold positions of thought leadership in their fields, and of course, write business books that help other professionals. However, becoming a professional author is no easy task, and there are several things you should know before you embark on your business writing adventure.

From understanding pitfalls that could impede your journey to establishing a feasible timeline to knowing when to tap into the expertise of professional book publishing services, here’s what you should know before writing a business book.

Understand potential pitfalls (and how to avoid them)

As a business leader and a subject matter expert, you know how vital it is to your company’s success that you proactively identify, address, and avoid threats to the business. Similarly, before you dive into your business book project, it’s crucial that you get to know what obstacles could get in the way of completing your masterpiece. By understanding the top mistakes authors make, you can stay ahead of the curve and avoid these errors altogether.

In addition to the pitfalls most authors face, there will be some challenges that are unique to you. They could be related to your writing style or voice (we’re looking at you, passive voice writers!), your personal writer’s block triggers, or uncertainty on how to best organize your book.

Spend some time reflecting on obstacles that could get in the way of achieving your goals, and consider this the first step in your journey to becoming an authorpreneur. The second step for most business authors is putting their time management skills to work to create a realistic schedule for their business book project.

How to create a manageable and realistic timeline

Writing a business book will take time—and lots of it. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as sitting down at your computer and pouring your thoughts and experiences onto a digital page; it requires hard work, diligence, and a manageable timeline. Setting too tight a schedule is discouraging and frustrating for some authors, so it’s important to create a timeline that keeps you working but also provides room for the other important aspects of your life.

Here are a few tips for outlining a realistic schedule for your business book:

• Consider your estimated word count. Think about how long your book will be (checking average word counts by genre sometimes helps) and divide it up by how many words you can reasonably write each week or month. It can take more than a year to finish your first draft, so don’t rush! Give your masterpiece the time it deserves.
• Set aside time for research. Like any nonfiction work, business books often require prework to gather data, statistics, and quotations that support their points. This process can take weeks or months depending on the depth of the research required for your book.
• Allow yourself the personal time you need. Writing your book is important, but so is spending time with your family and friends, or just having a “you” day. Incorporate time to relax and socialize into your book timeline.
• Consider your industry’s busiest season. Even though you’re on your way to becoming an authorpreneur, there’s still work to be done for your company. Adjust your writing timeline to account for when you’ll need to spend more time on your business and less on your book.

Of course, another factor in your overall timeline is the length of your business book. Even the most efficient writers can’t craft a publishable masterpiece in just a few weeks. Be honest with yourself about what will be a reasonable, manageable, and achievable timeline for your book project. And when you inevitably encounter a stumbling block, know when to call in the experts.

When to bring in the professionals

A big part of knowing how to write a business book is understanding your limits. As a business leader, you know that each of your employees has certain skills that make them great at their jobs, but one individual can’t do everything. For example, you wouldn’t have a great salesperson run your human resources department or put your IT specialist in charge of customer relations. Instead, you identify each employee’s strengths and put them into the right seats within your company.

Similarly, the best business authors are able to identify when they could use help finalizing their books, preparing them for publishing, and effectively marketing their publications. Fortunately, professional business book publishing and marketing services exist to help you cross the finish line.

Draft evaluation assistance

You’re happy with your first draft—but will your target audience like it? Does it flow well? What can you do to improve it? To answer these questions, work with a professional manuscript evaluation service. These experts will thoroughly read your draft to identify its strengths and make suggestions to improve its weaknesses. This step will save you time and money down the road because it helps you avoid expensive, time-consuming revisions later on.

Manuscript editing services

Every business book needs multiple rounds of editing to prepare it for publishing. The best business books are edited by professionals who know what to look for—and who have never seen your book before. Their first read with fresh eyes will catch errors and typos you didn’t even know were there.

Design and formatting help

Some of the most important professional book publishing services that business authors use are for the design and formatting of the final product. An eye-catching book cover design is crucial to grabbing your target audience’s attention and turning casual browsers into buyers, and your book’s layout can really make or break your readers’ experience once they’ve purchased a copy. Design and formatting are much more than just plopping content into a template you find online, so it’s vital that you enlist the aid of professional services here.

Professional book marketing for authors

You’ve checked so many things off your book project list, and you’re in the home stretch! After you’ve worked with a professional book publishing service to finalize your manuscript and followed their advice on the self-publishing process, it’s time to market your title.

Effective business book marketing strategies include everything from obtaining positive book reviews and optimizing your listing on web-based retailer platforms to promoting your book on LinkedIn and cross-marketing with your company. The best marketing methods for you will be as unique as your book, and one of the best ways to identify the right strategies is to partner with book marketing experts who can guide you to more book sales.

We’re Your Partners Throughout Your Business Book’s Journey

Just like the best companies are built with strong teams, the best business authors have a group of experts working toward their success. As the gold standard in business books, we’ve got the knowledge, experience, and talent you and your book need to succeed.

Contact Elite Authors today to get started on your journey!