By Mindy Gibbins-Klein

In a market that is already competitive, there are bound to be concerns about a shrinking demand. But less money flowing around doesn’t necessarily mean that companies won’t spend, they will if those companies stand out above all others and provide real value.

That is why business owners should be making a big impact by being bold and opinionate in order to stand out in an increasingly competitive environment. Business leaders need to be able to share experiences and knowledge and more importantly be able to share their wisdom and views on key issues within the market if they are to rise above their competition.

But the time isn’t ‘write’....

I have had so many people come to me and say that they don’t have time to write their books, or that they have written them only to have them declined by the publishers. In my opinion, every book deserves to be published and I have seen many authors get over their writer’s block and have a complete manuscript in as little as 40 hours!

The key is a great plan, good structure and technique – plus a little persistence! Here’s a few tips to help get yourself to publishing stage and ready to roll in 2011!

1) Plan Plan and Plan again

One of the first tips of the key to the success of a completed book is the planning. Why do books need extensive editing? Why do most people never start or finish writing a book? Why do they lack flow, tone, style, content and description? The answer is simple, as it almost always boils down to the lack of a good plan, a lack of publishing and marketing knowledge and self-doubt and indecision. But racing at full speed into a ‘best-seller’ without any clear plan or direction can be equally as dangerous if the book ends up being more of a ‘brain-dump’ than a well thought through expression of the author’s values, experiences and beliefs.

2) Don’t try the DIY approach

Seek advice from a professional book coach and/or editor, as this is a great way to reduce the number of hours spent on getting a book published. You can gain the essential knowledge and expertise to write your book faster and better than those who struggle on by themselves.

3) Consider many ideas before homing in on final angle

I would advise that anyone who is considering writing a book to consider all the possibilities rather than homing in on one topic too soon. I’ve known many authors fall into the trap of thinking ‘I don’t know what I’m going to write about but I know the title!’ and this is a classic example of narrowing the focus too early on in the process. Often this can mean the best ideas are disregarded from the onset, hampering the success of the book to really reflect the values and opinions of the thought leader.

4) Make a first draft

Completing a quick first draft will help get you on the right track and enables you to plan out the structure of your book. It will also help you to see if any sub-themes work well or need altering to ensure the book flows as succinctly as possible.

5) Book yourself a place at the top in 2011

With all the buzz around social media and blogging, many now think that blogging online is enough. I disagree. Writing a book is still seen as an exceptionally powerful strategy, and many successful business leaders have written books. However, the average business executive simply doesn’t realise the value that it can bring, not only to their organisation and successors, but in raising their profile and credibility with their target audience too. Why not set yourself the challenge of writing your book and really raising your profile in 2011?

About the author

Mindy Gibbins-Klein (MBA, FRSA) is an international speaker and thought leadership strategist. She is the author of four published books, the latest of which, 24 Carat BOLD: The Standard for REAL Thought Leaders (£10.99, Ecademy Press), outlines the four attributes found in true thought leaders. Mindy is best known as founder of The Book Midwife® and co-founder and managing director of Ecademy Press, an independent publishing house. The Book Midwife company coaches who specialise in fiction as well as non-fiction.

www.ecademy-press.com/

www.bookmidwife.com/