You’ve probably heard that we all have a book within us just waiting to be written. While that may or may not be true, that book will never get written without intentional thought regarding your purpose, audience, structure, and title. That’s where today’s guest comes in. If you’ve ever given any thought to writing your book, you can’t miss this episode. Join us!
Dr. Cori Wamsley helps leaders write books and boost their visibility as authors so they can get booked, get more clients, and make more money. Her bestselling book, The SPARK Method: How to Write a Book for Your Business Fast, helps make writing a book simple and fast so business owners can get their ideas out there to their ideal audience and make an immediate impact. Dr. Cori is a coach, editor, speaker, and author who empowers business owners to get their message heard. She has also self-published seven fiction books, including Confessions of the Editor Brigand, and a self - illustrated children’s epic poem, The Knight and the Ninjas. She co - authored the children’s book, Monkey Mermaid Magic, with her daughter, London, and also illustrated it. Dr. Cori has 15 years’ experience as a professional writer and editor, including ten years with the Departments of Energy and Justice and four years as the executive editor of Inspiring Lives magazine.
Key questions to ask yourself
If you plan to write a book, there are two key questions to ask yourself before writing: “Who is my audience? and, What do I want them to get out of my book?” This process ensures that you, as a writer, have a point to your writing and it doesn’t become an information dump. Your writing should have a flow and purpose as you partner with your audience in providing what they need. As a writing coach who primarily works with business owners, Cori helps them go through these important steps before the writing begins. With each book she writes, she sees her writing as a gift she gives to her audience.
Who should write?
The most important prerequisite for writing a book is that you are actively interested in the subject. You are creating something that will be a lasting part of your brand. A writer should have an internal drive to help people. The interest and drive you have to help and partner with your audience are the telltale signs that you need to write a book.
“Progress - tinating”
Cori explains the origin of this word that she created in the attitude of one of her book characters. The word symbolizes a combination of being lazy in putting something off until later, but it also has an element of efficiency in thinking ahead to accomplish a task. In other words, “progress - tinating” means you are procrastinating for a good reason, one that makes it all worthwhile in the end. As Cori applies this term to those who might be thinking about writing a book, it means there could be a good reason that you are putting it off until later. If you find yourself in this situation, ask yourself if writing a book is what you really want to do and if you’re ready to step into the position of a leader.
Are you ready to write?
Writing means stepping into your role as a thought leader. You have to ask if you’re ready to stand behind your words and share this story. If the answer is NO, then Cori says you might not be ready to write that book yet. One challenge is picking the idea for your book. She suggests identifying who you want to serve and what the market is like for your book. One hack is to look for other books in your niche and see if there is a spot for yours. Cori shares an example of how she helped a client through this process.
How Cori helps business owners write
Cori realized that business owners aren’t trained in the writing process, even though many of them feel that they have a book to share. Since this is her forte, Cori learned that she could help them write their book so they can get back to their business. Writing a book can be an evergreen marketing tool to raise your visibility in your field.
The balance between personal and useful
Some business books are purely anecdotal, which means they are heavy on the personal stories and too light on the information and action steps. On the other hand, some books focus on information and analytics, and their lack of personal connection to the author leave the reader feeling cold. Even though there are different ways to structure a book, there has to be a balance between the personal and the useful. Some of Cori’s clients tell their personal story up front and then teach concepts for the remainder of the book. Others incorporate a personal story and application in each chapter. As a writing coach, Cori gives suggestions to her clients but leaves the structure decision up to them, because the book has to feel authentic to the writer. A writer has to trust themselves in what to share, and it’s important to share some personal stories because it helps the reader see who you are and form a connection with you.
The writing space
Most writers have a favorite writing spot. A good writer has to be open and vulnerable, giving themselves permission to spill everything onto the page. Cori advises people to set up a writing routine and a personal space that suits them. It has to be a place where you feel at home and your creativity can flow. Being creative means opening up and being vulnerable, and the writing process requires similar techniques as relaxation and stress relief. The mood you’re in when writing is reflected in what you write, and your tone will come across loud and clear.
How to title a book
Cori says to wait until the book is fully written, or until at least a few chapters are written before coming up with your title. Titling a book too soon can hinder your writing and send it in a specific direction as you tailor the writing to fit your title. She suggests using a generic title in the beginning and then refining it later when you’ve created the context for the book.
Highlights of this episode:
Resources mentioned:
Connect with Cori: www.coriwamsley.com Find her free gift about choosing the perfect topic for your audience!
Find Cori’s Facebook group, Write That Book, Build Your Business with Cori Wamsley
Be a Boss and Fire that B*tch: Quiet Your Inner Critic & Finally Believe You’re GOOD ENOUGH by Stacy Raske
The SPARK Method: How to Write a Book for Your Business Fast by Cori Wamsley
Fem Five:
Favorite book to recommend for women? “Be a Boss and Fire that B*tch by Stacy Raske.”
Favorite self - care hack? “Listening to myself more and being more creative.”
Best piece of advice and who gave it to you? “A friend once told me that I get to choose.”
Female CEO or thought leader you’re into right now? ”Brene Brown.”
One piece of advice you’d give your five years younger self? “Stop worrying. You’ll be OK.”
If you’re interested in women’s leadership, you don’t want to miss today’s show. My guest has years of experience as a journalist and an entrepreneur, and she has her finger on the pulse of women’s leadership as it grows and develops. Join us!
Eleanor Beaton is an internationally - recognized expert in women’s leadership and an advisor to growth - oriented women entrepreneurs. She has served as chair of the Visiting Women’s Executive Exchange Program at Yale School of Management and sits on the board of directors of two Canadian venture capital organizations. Eleanor is also the host and executive producer of a top - ranked podcast for women entrepreneurs, Fierce Feminine Leadership. A former journalist reporting for the CBC, Globe and Mail, and Canadian Business, Eleanor was a finalist for a National Business Book of the Year, Canada’s top business book honor. She has won national prizes for her journalistic work, covering key issues related to women in leadership.
Those internal conversations
A big player in the internal conversations we hold about our value stem from the ongoing socialization about what’s appropriate for women leaders to express and how they are allowed to express themselves. For a woman, expressing her expectations, dissent, and ambition is affected by what society allows. There are unique challenges for women in leadership so they are seen with authority and confidence. When we make ourselves wrong so that we fit into an established system, the less sustainable our success becomes. As Eleanor has studied this problem, she concluded that every woman must create her own criteria and boundaries that outline how she will show up with intention.
The new frontier
The business world has become a battleground of transformation for women. We see it in the exodus of women from the business world as more and more women follow the path to entrepreneurship. Traditional business systems aren’t working for many women. The way we determine and measure business success has been largely shaped by men, as the majority of business books are written by men. Women are starting to assert themselves and take their power back in different ways. The business world is a playing field where women can have autonomy and make a difference in shaping and developing something new.
The struggle for women
Most women who start businesses will start service - based businesses because they have a deep, personal connection to their skill set, and many of them go into coaching or consulting. The aspects of developing a business feel deeply personal, and they are challenging; they include establishing boundaries with clients, negotiating price points, and closing a sale. The ways in which women will advocate for their business can vary greatly with the ways they are comfortable advocating for themselves.
The biggest surprise of 2020
Women have discovered and refined their purpose in 2020 because we’ve had to. We’ve had to change our normal coping mechanisms, and we have been forced to look inward and ask questions about why we are here, how we want to relate to people, and what we want to accomplish. Eleanor explains that the two biggest issues for women are access to networks and access to capital. She identifies another issue as access to a success narrative that reflects what we really want. Reshaping the narrative is a look at what we are learning and who we are becoming and not just a look at the external metrics. Women are looking to show up with resilience, grit, and determination to ensure that there is a richness to the process that we can enjoy.
The power of niche
When Eleanor started her business, she realized that she was doing a lot of things to try unsuccessfully to manage her time. She realized that time management wasn’t the issue, but it was a deeper, structural issue in an effort to create more stillness. Niching isn’t just a marketing tactic, but it’s a structural tool that women entrepreneurs can use to reduce the things we have to do and find more time to be. Eleanor shares a personal example of niching down from her business journey that enabled her to do less and focus more. Whether in business or personal life, too much stuff can suffocate us and erode our spirit.
Speak to your people
Fear is often what holds us back from what we need to focus on. We fear that our focus isn’t enough and that we will somehow be insufficient. There is a cultural expectation that tells women not to focus on a niche like it’s something not important enough and deserving of our focus. Eleanor explains that part of the problem with having focus is that it means you have boundaries, and our society isn’t accustomed to women who have boundaries. There is an internally - generated worry that clear boundaries will impact us negatively. We should never feel guilty when we need to say NO.
The importance of peer support
It’s vitally important to spend time with women who share and understand your same level of devotion. Having relationships with people who have similar goals and perspectives can be healing. Relationships and communities are extremely essential for women entrepreneurs, maybe more so than for other groups of people. Those who resonate with you give you support to be understood and to justify your effort.
Highlights of this episode:
Resources mentioned:
Connect with Eleanor: www.eleanorbeaton.lpages.co
Find out how to get Eleanor’s free webinar on Wednesday: www.powerpresenceposition.com
Find Eleanor on Instagram: @EleanorBeaton
Find Eleanor’s podcast: Power + Presence + Position
Diana, Herself: An Allegory of Awakening by Martha Beck
Fem Five:
Favorite book to recommend for women? “Diana, Herself: An Allegory of Awakening by Martha Beck.”
Favorite self - care hack? “Hot baths. They cure most things.”
Best piece of advice and who gave it to you? “A social worker once told me that the circumstances of your life will always support the decisions you make.”
Female CEO or thought leader you’re into right now? ”Bozoma Saint John, Chief Marketing Officer for Netflix.”
One piece of advice you’d give your five years younger self? “Slow down and enjoy the process. All the things you want will come to pass.”