Cobbler’s Kids Get Shoes

It’s cold here in Washington DC, but things are smoking hot inside The Author Incubator. On December 16th our 10 newest authors will be releasing their books and this time, I’m one of the authors!

I’ve got a confession to make about my book. This is the 4th book I’ve written and it’s one of hundreds I’ve played a roll in but this was simultaneously the hardest and the easiest book I’ve ever written.

It was easy because it only took me 2 days to do (well 2 days plus 41 years and 9 months!) but it was hard because, well, I’m a book coach right?

I’m supposed to be the queen of overcoming the obstacles to writing the book you were born to write and yet this book has been on my “to do” list for about 4 years!

I’ve been procrastinating and making up excuses about writing this book because I was scared. Scared of what you’d think of it. Scared it wouldn’t be good enough. Scared to put myself out there even though I spend all day telling other people to do it!

I even wrote another book in the meantime as a way to distract myself from this book which I knew in my heart needed to be written.

I’ve avoided talking about this book with my coach and I have lived in fear of people asking me about it since I’ve had the first chapter up on my website for almost 2 years!

So today I wanted to share with you how I was able to overcome my resistance to writing the book I know I was born to write.

There were 2 big leaps I had to make to bust through and get it done. I’m sharing them in hopes they might help you crack through and hatch your book:

1. RELEASE THE BLOCKS – Step 6 in my 10 steps to writing a book that makes a difference is to release the blocks. In part, this step is about writing an outline, but like all my steps there is a meta meaning as well and what this step is really about is celebrating writer’s block. Yes, I know that’s counter intuitive, but one of the things stopping me from writing my book is that I tell people when they have released their blocks the writing will flow from a place of joy and ease.

Every time I sat down to write my book it felt like a struggle. I didn’t want to white knuckle my way through my book while telling others they could download theirs from some universal source in the sky.

Until I was willing to be an open channel for the message to come through me, I wasn’t going to be able to write this book. When I relaxed into the role of scribe for the Universe, things got infinitely easier. My book is 32,000 words and I wrote it in 16 hours. The average rate for transcription is 33 words per minute, and for composition (a.k.a. writing something new) is 19 words per minute. I was typing at 34 words per minute – faster than the average rate of typing when you are just transcribing say, a written letter to a typed one! This book came through me, but I didn’t struggle for a second in the process.

2. FRAME YOUR OUTCOME – Step 3 in my 10 steps to writing a book that makes a difference is to frame your outcome. I was all over the place here.

I wanted to use my book to establish my credibility, but 50 best sellers in, that goal no longer made sense.

So then I was going to use it for lead generation, but frankly, I have more leads than I can handle.

The truth was I didn’t actually know why I was writing a book except that I should.

Enter my friend Gary Henderson. Gary suggested I create a program where in 3 days people write their book. To be honest when he suggested it, I didn’t think it was possible to write a good book in 3 days. It sounded like marketing hype to me. But I know Gary from my Mastermind group and I made a commitment in this group not to argue, but to take as many suggestions that came up.

Do you know why I made this promise to myself not to argue and to take advice from people who are smarter and more successful?

First, because everyone in the group has incredible integrity and massive success. I’m probably the least successful person in the group and I like it that way. Once I’m average with these people, I’ll find a new group where I can be the weakest link!

Second, I paid a lot of money for this Mastermind. Three times more than I actually had in my continuing education budget for the entire year. And spending that amount has challenged me to step up my game. There is something amazingly powerful about making a massive investment in yourself. I’m seeing it pay off in ways I never imagined.

So I changed the story in my head from “I really should write a book about writing a book because what if someone asks me and I don’t have one… it’s going to be really embarrassing.”

To this story:
“I’m going to create a 3 day program like Gary suggested and make myself the first student. If I can create something repeatable, I’ll not only have a new book, I’ll have a new program that will help people make a difference even faster!”

I had what I was looking for – a clear outcome framed for my book! Even if it failed, I would have been able to fully test Gary’s idea. It was a win-win.

Now that I’ve finished, I know the THREE DAYS TO DONE approach works. In fact, I’ll be hosting 5 authors-in-transformation from Feb. 2 – 4 in San Diego. Participants will walk in the door with a book idea and walk out with a finished manuscript, a cover, and even an author head shot. If you want to be among the first 5 people I teach this technique to, drop me a line. We still have 2 spots open. Maybe one is yours!

Want a sneak peak at my new book before it hits Amazon? Just drop me a reply to this email and I’ll send you an Advance Reader Copy. Can’t wait to hear what you think! One of my early readers said:

“I have over 200 books on writing and have never run across some of the things you talk about. And having done your program, I understand not only how important, but necessary the steps are to make the process fast, easy and productive with a solid product at the end. I loved how I felt you were right there beside me. I loved the comfort of feeling like I’m understood, mixed with knowing that you will hold my hand throughout the whole process, cheering me on while providing the wisest, most sage advice that really works!”

Mark down December 16th from 4pm – 5pm ET on your calendar. I’ll be interviewing all of our new authors about how they were able to make their dreams of writing this book come true.

P.S. It’s Thanksgiving in the U.S. and I’m saying thanks by offering a new free video training. I just redid my website and launched it at www.TheAuthorIncubator.com. You can sign up right from the homepage to get tips on how to break through the obstacles to getting your delicious book done and out there making a difference!
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