Exposed! The Secret Surrounding My Book Deal With Wiley Publishing

 

If you're thinking of writing a book someday, and you'd like to be approached by a book publisher like I was, there's one thing that you need to do, and it's huge.

 

Revealing the huge secret that you're about to discover has caused me several sleepless nights. In today's transparent and super-connected world, we're all supposed to be openly sharing our secrets of success.

 

My friend, Chris Brogan, (and a huge supporter of what I do) wrote, "I think if you want to be something other than another drone bee in the pile, you must contribute above and beyond. You have to give something useful. Same with everything in life. It's not enough to show up and be a great person. "  Read CB's post.

 

Chris writes about "sharing" and "openness" a lot. Whenever I hesitate to reveal something that a competitor may use, borrow, or steal, I think to myself, "What would Chris do?"

 

Chris would share what he's learned, because;

 

A. It's the right thing to do. (In his mind)

 

B. It comes back to him in spades.

 

Chris is a pretty successful guy. I believe what he says works. (Okay, Chris. I'll help you down from the pedestal I just built.)

 

The Secret

 

If you'd like a major publishing like Wiley to approach you someday, and offer you an $$ advance, here's what you need to do;

 

Keep writing.

 

That's it. Keep writing. Even if you've never had formal training.

Now, if you've taken Journalism classes at college, that is an advantage. Here's a perfect example why;

 

They grow a little, and still we watch: for things that could harm -– kitchen chairs they could topple from, the things they can choke on: the impossibly stupid stones or grapes or nickels or anything they might swallow in a flash, before we can stop it. And later, we watch them jump into the deep end, and we catch the first glimpse of the kindergarten bus rolling toward your stop. And school plays and what's-your-homework and a one more birthday candle on the cake, year after year.

We watch their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road, the site of them running across a field or dancing across a stage or whatever it is that they love to do. We watch where they put their stuff so we know where to tell them to find it later. We watch the back of their heads when they leave and they don't turn around — which makes you wonder, for a minute, When did they stop looking back to you?

–  From my friend, and absolute favorite writer, Ann Handley (She took a Journalism class or two.)

 

Read the rest of the post that she wrote about her son's high school graduation.

 

Ann got a book deal with Wiley Publishing, too. I'm reading her book now, and it's amazing.

 

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Just keep writing. get to know other writers…bloggers. Spend a couple of hours a week reading some posts at Copyblogger.com

That's what I did.

And still do.