It sounds great, doesn’t it? Within the next year, you could be a published author. No matter who you are or what you know. Regardless of your education level or area of expertise. Is this a script for a late-night infomercial? It sounds too good to be true, right?
Wrong. In today’s digital age, it is a new reality for anyone wishing to pursue it as a goal. The resources are available. The information you need is available. And if you are available for the challenge, you, too, can join the ranks of a growing number of published authors. This article is not a comprehensive plan; no single article can explain every step of the process. But this is how you can begin.
 

Build Your Writing Skills

Authors obviously must possess some writing skills. Although your draft manuscript will be subjected to a few editorial processes, you must give the editor something with which to begin. And the better your writing, the better your book. Famous author Jerry Jenkins said that the number one killer of self-published books is writing quality. Therefore, you should work at building your writing skills.
The best way to do this is by getting some help. In our digital age, writing help is at your fingertips. Google search writing helps and look at all the resources that are available. Admittedly, some are more scam than help, so you must be discerning. Begin with some of the more popular, highly rated books on writing. Choose books from notable authors and glean from their knowledge on writing.
There are writing courses available at local colleges and universities, as well as online courses from notable experts. Again, choose wisely here. Take the time to read reviews about the courses before choosing one. Start small before investing a significant amount of money in a writing course. Seek the help of a company that helps writers from start to finish. They can provide resources and guidance on everything from writing skills to choosing a cover for your book and more. There are crucial advantages in working with the same organization for all your book-related needs.
Of course, the best way to build your writing skills is to practice them. Write. Write articles on topics of interest and publish them online in places where you can receive some feedback. This can be painful, but just as the odor of a rose multiplies when it is crushed, we learn best from our mistakes. Take the criticism and leverage it to increase your writing skills. Keep writing and keep asking for feedback.
 

Choose a Topic

As your writing skills improve, it’s time to begin the process of choosing a topic. This needs to be more of a process than simply a shot in the dark, especially if you are writing a book to showcase your business knowledge. Choosing a topic for fiction or other genres has their own system and can be much simpler. But when writing a book to help grow your business, some research is required. Obviously, you will want to write about something related to your business, but how do you choose what resonates with your target audience?
You must first recognize who makes up your target audience before you can narrow your focus on a topic in which they will be interested. This also requires some research and information gathering on your part. But once you have discovered who they are and what interests them, their pain points are relating to your industry or business niche, then you can begin researching topics of interest.
Once you have a list of possible topics, narrow down to two or three top choices that are currently popular. Then, immerse yourself in everything currently being written or produced on these topics. Gather resources and information that you can use as you prepare to write your own book on the subject. Somewhere through this process, you will choose the one topic that seems to resonate strongly both with you and your audience. Pursue that topic in your research and preparations.
 

Choose a Team

Now that your writing skills are improving and you have a handle on what your book will be about, it’s time to gather a good team around you to help. Every author needs a team of talented people who can bring their skills to bear on the project with the goal of improving your work.
A book writing mentor is an invaluable resource. Someone to shepherd you through each phase of the process and provide encouragement and accountability will prove to be vital. You will need a skilled editor to help shape and hone your work to its highest possible form. The team to gather must include someone who can prepare your work for publication, which includes formatting, choosing a cover image, choosing publication channels and formats, and promotion.
When all these important team members can be found in place, it simplifies the process. A talented group who are already accustomed to working together will make the process of getting your book published go much smoother. They can work with your growing skills, and your business idea, to produce a book that will accomplish your goals. You can become a published author in 2019. This is how you begin. Let’s get started!