| The answer is "YES". Imagine you are a | | | | can search internet sites like and elance.com, ask |
| recognized domain expert in your industry. You | | | | for recommendations from people in your |
| might be a trainer, facilitator, coach, teacher, etc., | | | | network or approach publishers or your local |
| who constantly imparts your knowledge and | | | | writing clubs for help. |
| experience to groups of people you work with. | | | | 2. Co-author(s)/ Contributors |
| You know that you have something of value to | | | | You can also leverage on other people's |
| share and the only way now is through your | | | | knowledge and writing ability by forming |
| workshops and seminars. There is something | | | | partnerships with co-author(s). You might be |
| nagging inside you to share your knowledge and | | | | expert in one area but you feel that another |
| experience with more people, but in a way that is | | | | person's knowledge would be complementary to |
| not constrained by your physical presence. You | | | | what you have to offer in the book to make it |
| are convinced that one of the ways is to write | | | | more appealing to your target readers. If your |
| and publish a book but before you take the first | | | | co-author(s) can write better or have more |
| step, you reminded yourself "It's an impossible | | | | experience in writing than you, work out a |
| dream. I can teach and share very well but I | | | | win-win arrangement whereby you can contribute |
| certainly can't write or I do not have the luxury | | | | your part of the content and your co-author can |
| of time to write." | | | | write and put the book together. |
| Let me be upfront with this message: "A | | | | Alternatively, you can also think of a common |
| published author is a content expert but not | | | | theme and invite different people to contribute |
| necessarily an acclaimed writer." It is perfect if | | | | their expertise in writing. Your job then would be |
| you have the content and you can write well, but | | | | to compile all the writings together and to create |
| in reality, it is often not the case. What I am | | | | a structure to hold the book. This form of |
| about to share with you now are 3 ways that | | | | leverage is powerful not only in the writing phase, |
| you can still publish a book and share your | | | | but eventually in marketing and selling the book as |
| expertise with your target readers without having | | | | well because every co-author(s)/ contributor(s) |
| to write it. | | | | has a common stake. |
| 1. Ghostwriters | | | | 3. Transcription |
| Many a times, when we are aware that we are | | | | I know of people who can speak for hours when |
| not proficient in a certain task, we leverage on | | | | they start talking about their pet topic but freeze |
| other people's expertise. For example, if you | | | | when they sit in front of their computer trying to |
| know nuts about book-keeping, you will outsource | | | | type what they know. To solve this problem, you |
| the work to an accountant. If designing websites | | | | can leverage on technology tools like transcription |
| sounds alien to you, you will also outsource to a | | | | software. Basically, you talk, it types. Do a search |
| web designer. So what is so different about | | | | on the internet and you will find tons of |
| writing? An average person likes to Do-It-Yourself | | | | feature-rich software performing this function. So |
| (DIY), but the successful ones like to leverage on | | | | now, you can imagine yourself delivering your |
| others. Successful people are aware of their | | | | content to your target audience while a tool |
| limitations and thus they would rather pay and | | | | captures what you have said and converts it into |
| leverage on other people's expertise. They are | | | | text. With a voice recorder, you can also literally |
| aware of the opportunity cost -the time saved | | | | be 'writing' on the go-- as and when inspiration |
| can be better spent generating higher returns | | | | strikes. |
| from their core competency e.g. conducting | | | | After the transcription, you will still need to edit |
| training. I have known of authors who took a 2 | | | | the text because there is no software that can |
| years' break from their career just to focus on | | | | boast 100% accuracy. Next, you should polish up |
| writing their book. Unfortunately, if writing is not | | | | the transcribed writing before fitting it into your |
| their forte, the manuscript that they painstakingly | | | | book structure. Alternatively, if you do not like to |
| wrote might not even make the grade. | | | | use software, you can also outsource to people |
| Therefore, as a content expert, your focus | | | | whose job is to listen to your recordings and type |
| should be on research to prepare the materials | | | | them out. Whichever way you choose, the |
| for your book and also on creating a structure to | | | | purpose of transcription is to play to your |
| hold the materials. Next, you can outsource the | | | | strength in the extraction of your content for the |
| writing to a ghostwriter who will basically act as | | | | book. Furthermore, as we all speak faster than |
| your hands. Of course, you can do some writing | | | | we write, transcription is actually a very efficient |
| yourself to establish a style you desire, and leave | | | | process to extract content. |
| most of the writing to the professional writer. But | | | | To conclude, do not let your limiting belief stop |
| do bear in mind it is important to brief, guide and | | | | you from writing and publishing a book. The key is |
| review the work done by the ghostwriter | | | | to leverage on other people's expertise and tools |
| regularly to ensure that the book is written in | | | | so that you can achieve more than what you |
| your preferred style. To find ghostwriters, you | | | | personally can. |