The Difference Between Good Authors and Great Authors

I’ve been through it all when it comes to learning the differences between the authors who write a great book, launch and go bestseller, then leverage their book to become the platform that creates a difference in the lives of many people compared to those who launch and go nowhere or never finish their books in the first place.

When I first began as a book coach in 2009 I managed to find plenty of clients who wanted my help, but one by one they made excuses as to why they couldn’t finish what they began. This happened 46 times.

So I thought the answer was to transfer my knowledge to more people in the hopes that a few might finish. I launched $500 book-writing programs and promoted them to the masses, teaching through a high quality series of documents and instructional videos that contain a lot of the same lessons I teach today. I sold the program to 256 potential authors. Only one launched a bestselling book that actually delivered them a successful business while the rest fell by the wayside. I see this ratio holding true with all of the hundreds of similar book-writing programs promoted on Facebook because many of their customers apply to us after not completing them. I couldn’t continue because selling services to people who I knew wouldn’t be successful does not feel like integrity.

Then I launched our Your Delicious Book and Three Days To Done programs, combining my Difference Process for Writing a Book That Matters with personal attention, quality coaching, developmental editing, a dedicated art director, and marketing support services that can take anyone who has a high quality book idea and turn them a bestselling author. Counter intuitively I combined a marketing engine that attracts a lot of interested applicants with a super-selective application process that rejects far more of them than we accept. So far we’ve created 85 bestselling authors in 18 months. Out of these 85 a subset have gone on to make either a difference in the lives of many people or to work intensively to transform a roster of clients. They’ve generated a combined millions of dollars of revenue for themselves at the same time, matching the energy that they put into their book with the ability to be there to help everyone they need to in this lifetime.

Our June and July authors-in-transformation are two of the strongest groups we’ve put through our programs to date. I’m convinced every single one of them has the ability to make it big with their books. That’s because every single author who didn’t finish their book, or who did finish their book but went nowhere, has taught me more and more about how to pick the right people who will go on to make a big impact in the world.

So what are the characteristics of the strongest of the strong? We’re at the point where we can spot it in their application-before we even get them onto their phone interview. These qualities shine through everything they write as they get in touch with us and are turning into the strongest inline and ideal reader profiles I’ve seen.

1. They really (really) want to make a difference. Writing a book is a massive accomplishment in itself. But it takes a dedicated, focused, ambitious, and goal-oriented person with a strong desire to make a difference to create a book that propels a message into the world and to then use that book consistently to change lives for the better
2. They’re not making as much money as they’d like to be. Those who follow our current programs properly, attend a Difference Press Summit to develop their book marketing plan, and implement it effectively end up with a busy client roster, writing and speaking opportunities abound, and $10k to $25k/month+ in revenue. The “hungrier” authors-in-transformation are the ones who are really planning their outcome and doing everything it takes to achieve it.
3. They have high-quality, impactful ideas on topics that will create change for a significant group of people. I don’t want to blow anyone’s cover just yet, but when we next call for new applicants I’m going to share some key book topics where we’re seeing high concentrations of demand
4. Commitment to going big. The fear can be there, but they’re feeling it and going for it anyway.
5. Their desire to help people transcends their desire to hear themselves talk. As you know, some folks write a book to remind them they are experts. A service mentality always outperforms an ego-based one.

 

This list doesn’t just denote a successful author, but a successful entrepreneur. Do you feel you share these qualities? What other qualities do you feel deliver success in our field?

I’m starting a discussion on my Facebook page here.