Big Splash: Writing Your First Book (Penultimate Writing Guide)

Do you have an idea for a book or have one started already? In my view, you should be able to finish and publish it in less than six months, if not faster. I'm basing this on my experience self-publishing 16 books in a three year period and helping first-time authors develop a debut book since 2008. The book you're reading (roughly 100 pages), was conceived, written and published in 15 days. That's how quickly you can publish when you know exactly what you want to say. According to Statistica, about 800,000 paperbacks and ebooks were published in 2016. And with the economics of Print on Demand, that number will only rise in the years to follow. Books Remain Essential. Books are social assets and operate on a substrate of shared knowledge. Books are an important form of cultural currency. Books bestow authority upon their author-creators. They tie deeply into our tribal hardwiring, the way hunter-gathers used to share information for hunting antelope: “try the next valley over. Late afternoon is best, with the wind from the west. Use this kind of bamboo spear, and oh by the way, did you know can use antelope antlers as skewers for the meat over a fire?” Books allow us to have deeper and more extended conversations based on the shared third-party intellect of the author. You’re probably a natural leader and articulate, an expert in your industry or profession. You might speak at conferences or blog incessantly. If you passionate about your subject and want to share that with a broader audience, let's get started.