Please Help Me Write My Book for You
 

Hi everyone,

A friend has persuaded me to consider writing a book and I could use your help.

I have over 2,000 business related links in my files and thought that would be the basis for the book. That is a lot of business research just sitting on my computer.

My working idea is to wrap my years of research around simple business topics, like Goal Setting for example. Roughly I have about 9 or so THEMES. Each theme is like a step or part of business. So far I have: 1) Goal Setting 2) Planning 3) Resources 4) Focus 5) Enthusiasm 6) Responsibility 7) Integrity 8) Relaxing 9) Timing

Sort of like Suze Orman's 9 Steps book but more research and reference material of what to do next. My Unique Selling Proposition for the book is the research. Many business books leave you wanting more, so I'd like to tell my readers what comes next. Does that make sense to you?

My target audience is both Entrepreneurs either in start-up or pre start-up mode as well as the Intrapreneur, like myself, who wants to thrive in corporate America. Each idea or step will involve a story or parable type and here is where you can help (and get your name in print, think Chicken Soup here).

I'd like to hear from people who have applied one of the steps. Your quote, short story, little blurb might be included. Take for example, Goal Setting. I set a goal to get my college degree in 3 years, and I achieved it with a double major and with honors. So that is one example of how I used Goal Setting principles for achievement. I use them in my work too.

So if you have achieved a business goal, would you be willing to share that with my readers?

This is a real book seeking a publisher, and I'm working hard on my proposal and pitch. I've set a goal for late March to have the proposal ready and the book outlined and fleshed out, especially the markets.

Interested? First, post what you think about the concept. Can you help me better define the market for it?

And what sort of information would you like to see in a business self-help book. Any and every answer will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

TLC

P.S. I rarely cross-post but am posting this on a couple of other boards today besides my own, with the hope of getting additional helpful feedback, thanks again in advance.




Click Here for the Business Success Forum

A suggestion ...
 

I just released my first book (print, not eBook) and writing it was no easy task.

To clarify your thinking and speed the process up for you, I am going to share with you what I consider the best advice I know for doing this.

Before you actually start to write the book, write the back cover of the book.

Explain the uniqueness and benefits of your book and why the person reading this should be interested.

In other words, SELL your book.

Once you can do this simply, clearly, and concisely (remember, you only can use a limited amount of words) ... then your ideas, your words, and your chapters are more focused and the book will be easier to write.

As good as this advice is, with any luck, you should be able to produce a good book in no time. It will probably only take you a year or two, instead of five. (grin)

Good luck.

Robert Campbell


Timing the Real Estate Market (my first book)

I'd be honored to contribute
 

Hi Ter,

I've known you for a bunch of years now--thousands of internet years, as it were. I've been happy about your victories and upset when you were troubled. You're one of the best people I know, online or off.

Maybe I could contribute something to the Integrity section, as I've always felt that honesty and integrity were two of my best qualities. [BTW, anyone reading this who doubts my integrity is advised NEVER EVER to buy anything from me--OOPS I'm not selling anything, am I? Hee-Hee-Hee! :)]

Best regards from your friend,

- Boyd

Be careful
 

Hi

Just a quick warning which could keep you out of trouble. Last year I produced an e-book which had in it over 3000 links to various websites on a certain theme. Over 12 months of work in collecting and collating them.

A vitriolic objection voiced by the owners of a number of the sites linked to was basically "how DARE you link to me without my permission!"

It blew me away - I couldn't imagine why anyone would NOT want me to send folks to them! Anyhow, just take care:-)

Philip

Re: A suggestion ...
 

Writing the back cover is an excellent idea, Robert, thank you for the suggestion! It will surely help me finetune what I am putting together.

Thanks again for the feedback,

TLC

Re: I'd be honored to contribute
 

Boyd my amigo,

Thank you for the kind words and compliments! I have always appreciated your honesty and integrity on the boards over the years; you are a candid and loyal friend who doesn't hesitate to tell the BS'ers like it is.:-)

I will be in touch in the next week or two, same email address as before?

Love,

TLC

Re: Shhhhhhhhh...You Better Keep Your URL Secret to Discourage More Business :-)
 

Hi Philip,

How dumb is that attitude, huh? "Don't publish my link, I don't want any new qualified traffic coming to my site!"

Idiots.

Anyway, the courts are in our favor on this one, or users wouldn't have Google or any other search engine/directory at the ready access.

The only slightly gray area can be deep linking with news sites, but even those have been overturned in the court system (note Google's recent success with its beta news).

This reminds me of a recent situation I came across in my job selling yellow page advertising for Verizon.

I had my assistant call all of my Providence accounts asking them if they had a website...and a couple of them said they did but they REFUSED to tell her what it was.

Come to find out they thought she meant email address--and about 10 or 15% didn't know the difference between an email address and a web address!

In my experience speaking with over 1,000 offline business owners and managers each year I have found even today there are a LOT of them who are still SERIOUSLY clueless about the Internet, and still many who barely or never go online...too busy running a business or putting out daily fires I guess.:-)

My best,

TLC

I just sent you an email [DNO]
 

dno
> Boyd my amigo,

> Thank you for the kind words and
> compliments! I have always appreciated your
> honesty and integrity on the boards over the
> years; you are a candid and loyal friend who
> doesn't hesitate to tell the BS'ers like it
> is.:-)

> I will be in touch in the next week or two,
> same email address as before?

> Love,

> TLC

Re: Shhhhhhhhh...You Better Keep Your URL Secret to Discourage More Business :-)
 

Yeah, pretty staggering, isn't it!

P

I got one! I got one!
 

A few years back we were going to link to a certain site. They asked that all links to them be via a small graphic.

Two graphics to choose from...

One with the words "Member of..." written on it. And another generic graphic without membership claims. We chose the generic one because we were not members (which required payment)

They emailed us and told us we were violating their copyright and we could only use the generic graphic if we were paying members.

After informing them that we did not want to use the graphic with the word "Member" on it because that would be lying, they got even more huffy about it.

Highlight code. Cut. Problem solved.

I can understand a desire not to be linked to if the linking site is totally unrelated. Such as a sex site linking to your tea-towel embroidery business. But when a themed site links to another site with the same theme, and the linked to site gets their knickers in a knot, then someone is a few milligrams short on magnesium me thinks.

Michael Ross


Join us. Join us now. Click here.

Re: I got one! I got one!
 

Heh heh - dontcha love 'em?

My example I think I may have told you about, Michael. It was the e-book about ferrets entitled "The Ferret Owners Guide to the Internet - Over 3000 links to everything you could possibly want to know about pet ferrets"

Pretty clear - an ebook full of LINKS, right? Well, we got run out of town PDQ. We were accused of stealing content (but we're only linking to YOUR site, bonehead). We got lots of the "how DARE you link" complaints. Even - "you're using up my bandwidth", can you believe!

We were on the wrong end of a carefully orchestrated, nasty little campaign which resulted in our hosting service shutting us down. 12 months and thousands of hours of my wife's labour of love, gone in 48 hours!

So, TLC, you never know where these clowns are hiding - as I said, just be careful!

Cheers

Philip

> A few years back we were going to link to a
> certain site. They asked that all links to
> them be via a small graphic.

> Two graphics to choose from...

> One with the words "Member of..."
> written on it. And another generic graphic
> without membership claims. We chose the
> generic one because we were not members
> (which required payment)

> They emailed us and told us we were
> violating their copyright and we could only
> use the generic graphic if we were paying
> members.

> After informing them that we did not want to
> use the graphic with the word
> "Member" on it because that would
> be lying, they got even more huffy about it.

> Highlight code. Cut. Problem solved.

> I can understand a desire not to be linked
> to if the linking site is totally unrelated.
> Such as a sex site linking to your tea-towel
> embroidery business. But when a themed site
> links to another site with the same theme,
> and the linked to site gets their knickers
> in a knot, then someone is a few milligrams
> short on magnesium me thinks.

> Michael Ross

Not really, Michael.... here's why. : )
 

Hi Michael;

> I can understand a desire not to be linked
> to if the linking site is totally unrelated.
> Such as a sex site linking to your tea-towel
> embroidery business. But when a themed site
> links to another site with the same theme,
> and the linked to site gets their knickers
> in a knot, then someone is a few milligrams
> short on magnesium me thinks.

In the example you mentioned, the site was obviously being anal about the non-payment for a membership.

However, "not" wanting someone to link to my site would not make me (or anyone else) short on magnesium. *g*

Today, many of the search engines look at the QUALITY of the pages that link to you in determining your ranking - not just the quantity.

More is better is an old technique whose day has passed.

So, as I seek "linkback," I'm going to look for sites that have ranking that's close to my own or better to bring my ranking up. If a tons of people with low ranking trade links with me, I stand to lose ranking while they gain it. That forces me to work harder to keep mine high.

I've seen it happen time and time again in my daily work. When I am hired to redesign a site, or do other graphic work, I add a "design (or graphics) by LindaCaroll.com" link at the bottom of their site... and add them to my page. Then, we watch their ranking and listings go up almost immediately. So far, the record response has been a noticable improvement within two weeks. From not listed in Google and Yahoo to page two listings.

When it comes to linking, who is more important than how many.

It isn't magnesium, but the result can be darn close to electric. : )

Linda




More about search engines here..

Little mix up
 

Linda:

> So, as I seek "linkback," I'm
> going to look for sites that have ranking
> that's close to my own or better to bring my
> ranking up. If a tons of people with low
> ranking trade links with me, I stand to lose
> ranking while they gain it. That forces me
> to work harder to keep mine high.

I'm not talking about trading links. In my example, the link was one way... from me to them. And this was back in '99 I believe... might even have been '98. (Internet time is so hard to keep track of. :o))

Michael Ross

Re: Be careful
 

> A vitriolic objection voiced by the owners
> of a number of the sites linked to was
> basically "how DARE you link to me
> without my permission!"

A backlash for increasing their traffic? That's a strange reaction. I suggest you make each link in your ebook go to your site and redirect it (html or cgi) to the target URL. Then if you get flack from anybody, you can instantly shut down the traffic by updating the link on your site.

FYI, I promise not to complain if anyone adds a link to my site in their next ebook. :)

Frank


Learn to make fun balloon animals.