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So if you’re thinking you want to write simply because someone told you it was a great way to build credibility, then don’t. It does build credibility, but that’s not a good enough reason on its own to inspire you through the daily filling of a blank page. Besides, if all you’re turning out is crappy work because you’re doing it for the wrong reasons, it’s not really building your credibility anymore, is it?
If you’re thinking you want to write so that you can sell tons of books and make lots of money, then don’t. While there are those who can make money from the books themselves, they’re also the ones who’re smart enough to have a larger business plan of which the book is only single point of leverage. A book, by itself, will not satisfy a need to make money.
So where do you start?
First, find your passion: What do you want to be known for in 3 to 5 years? Yes, years. This isn’t about what you want others to see in you here and now, although that will happen. Once you’re writing is “out there” in the world, it will stay “out there,” especially in the online and digital world we now live in. So, if you’re discussing a topic just because you can, but don’t want people to really connect you with it, don’t. It won’t serve you – and ultimately, it won’t truly serve them either. Write about what you love, what sparks your internal fire, and what you want to really be known for years down the road. This will serve both you AND your audience in ways you might yet not be able to imagine.
Second, serve others: Who is your target audience and how might you help them? And not just the large group you’re serving. Who is your most ideal target audience? Who is your one most ideal client you’d love to attract? Identify this one person, and speak to him/her in your writing. This will do a couple of things for both you and them: 1. It will make your writing more natural, engaging and easier to write. After all, reading is a one-to-one experience between the author and the reader, so why not write it that way? 2. It will become a natural filter. Your ideal clients will be attracted to your writing, others won’t, so you’ll have more and more of those you really want showing up.
Third, integrate it into the larger context of an overall business plan: What do you want it to do for you and for your business? Keep in mind, I asked about both YOU and your business! You’re an integrated human being, and even professionally oriented writing is personal. Love it and it will love you back. How might your writing bring you something you don’t already have? How might your writing bring you even more of something you already enjoy? How might your writing serve your business? How might your writing better serve your clients? These are important questions to consider. Not only will they help direct your energy as your write, but they’ll help to inspire and motivate you to keep you going.
The truth is, knowing WHY you’re doing anything is one of the most powerful awarenesses we can have for ourselves. Applying it to your writing allows you to harness that energy and reach more people while building your business.
Author Bio:
As the Founder of Authorship for Experts, Lori Anne Rising is an author’s coach and editor who invites experts and thought leaders into influential authorship through inspiration, collaboration and strategic planning. She has been a professional writer and editor for over 20 years, a Certified Life Coach for over 7 years, and earned her MA in Organizational Communications and Leadership Studies from Marylhurst University in 2013. By researching the two most influential nonfiction books published in the last 100 years, she discovered the 10 Timeless Secrets of Influential Authorship. To learn more, visit www.AuthorshipForExperts.com, or be a part of the conversation online at www.facebook.com/AuthorshipForExperts. You can also check out Lori Anne’s latest books and Kindle downloads at www.amazon.com/author/LoriAnneRising.
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