So you want to write a book? A conversation with Manning author John Berryman
xxxxxxxxxxThis conversation was a "Penny Chat" with Manning author John Berryman on the process of writing a book. John is co-author of <a href="https://www.manning.com/books/relevant-search">Relevant Search</a> and had some great pointers on the entire process of writing a book. But first, a word about <a href="https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/penny-university">Penny University</a>, a distributed, self-organizing, peer-to-peer learning community. From it's website:>The name "Penny University" is a reference to the early coffeehouses in Oxford England. These coffeehouses held an important association with the European Age of Enlightenment. For the price of a penny, scholars and laypeople alike would be given admittance to the coffeehouse, enjoy an endless supply of coffee, and more importantly enjoy learning through conversations with their peers. Thus these coffeehouses came to be called "Penny Universities".>Our new group, Penny University, serves as a modern take on this old tradition by connecting those who desire to learn with those who are willing to share what they know. This can certainly be at a coffeehouse, but anywhere else as well, including just a quick Google Hangout.I've been hanging around Penny U for a couple months now and have noticed that it's essentially an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spontaneous_order">emergent ordering</a> of curious learners and teachers where each is learning and teaching simultaneously. The following is the product of the underlining idea behind Penny U. Go check it out and reach out to someone and learn something new!This conversation was a "Penny Chat" with Manning author John Berryman on the process of writing a book. John is co-author of Relevant Search and had some great pointers on the entire process of writing a book.
But first, a word about Penny University, a distributed, self-organizing, peer-to-peer learning community. From it's website:
The name "Penny University" is a reference to the early coffeehouses in Oxford England. These coffeehouses held an important association with the European Age of Enlightenment. For the price of a penny, scholars and laypeople alike would be given admittance to the coffeehouse, enjoy an endless supply of coffee, and more importantly enjoy learning through conversations with their peers. Thus these coffeehouses came to be called "Penny Universities".
Our new group, Penny University, serves as a modern take on this old tradition by connecting those who desire to learn with those who are willing to share what they know. This can certainly be at a coffeehouse, but anywhere else as well, including just a quick Google Hangout.
I've been hanging around Penny U for a couple months now and have noticed that it's essentially an emergent ordering of curious learners and teachers where each is learning and teaching simultaneously. The following is the product of the underlining idea behind Penny U. Go check it out and reach out to someone and learn something new!
xxxxxxxxxx# What to write What to write about¶
xxxxxxxxxxBefore you write a book, you need to have a topic in mind. I was curious if you should write a book without being an expert. John advised against this. While it's possible to write a book on a subject which you're not an expert in, you'll likely spend most your time doing research. And since you're not an expert, you're likely to have holes in your thinking which may be obvious to experts in the field. After you have your topic, you should begin the story boarding process to produce an outline which increases in depth as you begin fleshing out the details and stitching the narrative pieces together. Before you write a book, you need to have a topic in mind. I was curious if you should write a book without being an expert. John advised against this. While it's possible to write a book on a subject which you're not an expert in, you'll likely spend most your time doing research. And since you're not an expert, you're likely to have holes in your thinking which may be obvious to experts in the field.
After you have your topic, you should begin the story boarding process to produce an outline which increases in depth as you begin fleshing out the details and stitching the narrative pieces together.
xxxxxxxxxx# Market evaluationMarket evaluation¶
xxxxxxxxxxThis is where you decide if the world is ready for your book. John says you should ask why the book is needed. Does it fill a gap in the market place of ideas? Who's the target audience? What does a typical reader of your book look like? This is the stage where you answer these questions to ultimately decide if the process is worth pursuing. This is where you decide if the world is ready for your book. John says you should ask why the book is needed. Does it fill a gap in the market place of ideas? Who's the target audience? What does a typical reader of your book look like? This is the stage where you answer these questions to ultimately decide if the process is worth pursuing.
xxxxxxxxxx# Time commitmentTime commitment¶
xxxxxxxxxxWhile times may differ for completing a book, John mentioned that the process for him lasted one year. During which, his Saturdays were spent at coffee chops, and a few hours here and there throughout the week were dedicated to writing and editing. During this year, John also had a few other time-consuming tasks pop up in his life. Because of which, he advised to budget time wisely—something will always come up.While times may differ for completing a book, John mentioned that the process for him lasted one year. During which, his Saturdays were spent at coffee chops, and a few hours here and there throughout the week were dedicated to writing and editing. During this year, John also had a few other time-consuming tasks pop up in his life. Because of which, he advised to budget time wisely—something will always come up.
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# Solo vs Solo vs collaboration¶
xxxxxxxxxxThis may differ for many folks, but John was convinced that writing with a partner is the way to go. Writing is a team sport, he said. So choose someone you trust and are close with that will hold you accountable and motivate you. The collaboration acts as social pressure to keep pushing onward when things get difficult, boring, etc. This may differ for many folks, but John was convinced that writing with a partner is the way to go. Writing is a team sport, he said. So choose someone you trust and are close with that will hold you accountable and motivate you. The collaboration acts as social pressure to keep pushing onward when things get difficult, boring, etc.
xxxxxxxxxx# Role of publisherRole of publisher¶
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I was very curious about this process. Does the publisher reach out? Do you reach out? How does this connection happen? In John's case, a publisher reached out to someone in his network and that person passed on the opportunity but mentioned John, and his co-author <a href="https://twitter.com/softwaredoug?lang=en">Doug Turnbull</a>, who accepted the challenge. The role of the publisher is to find reviewers, keep a schedule, and in general coordinate efforts across various tasks and people. I was very curious about this process. Does the publisher reach out? Do you reach out? How does this connection happen? In John's case, a publisher reached out to someone in his network and that person passed on the opportunity but mentioned John, and his co-author Doug Turnbull, who accepted the challenge. The role of the publisher is to find reviewers, keep a schedule, and in general coordinate efforts across various tasks and people.
xxxxxxxxxx# Align your book topic with your Align your book topic with your work¶
xxxxxxxxxxAligning your book topic with your line of work can help you make more money in the long run, whether through direct monetary benefits like consulting gigs or through making a name for yourself in a particular field and consequently leveling up. The money you get paid from authoring a book isn't as much as you'd think, John said. After all, the publisher gets ~90% of money from sales, leaving only 10% for you (or you and your collaborators!). Your best bet is to align your topic with your line of work and therefore earn more money indirectly—that's how you maximize your payout.Aligning your book topic with your line of work can help you make more money in the long run, whether through direct monetary benefits like consulting gigs or through making a name for yourself in a particular field and consequently leveling up. The money you get paid from authoring a book isn't as much as you'd think, John said. After all, the publisher gets ~90% of money from sales, leaving only 10% for you (or you and your collaborators!). Your best bet is to align your topic with your line of work and therefore earn more money indirectly—that's how you maximize your payout.
xxxxxxxxxx# Why write a anyways?Why write a book anyways?¶
When John told me why he wrote this book, it reminded me a lot of one of my favorite authors Christopher Hitchens and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hty8vc5sy_w">why he said he became a writer</a>—because you're so passionate about the subject matter that you *have* to write; you have no other choice. And this passion, John said, is key to keeping you motivated. If you're writing about a topic that you're only mildly interested in, then you'll likely lose momentum. But if you're writing about a topic that you are absolutely passionate about, then you just may finish the book after all. Also, writing for money isn't enough to make the process worth it either. A prerequisite to writing a book seems to be an undying passion about the subject matter. When John told me why he wrote this book, it reminded me a lot of one of my favorite authors Christopher Hitchens and why he said he became a writer—because you're so passionate about the subject matter that you have to write; you have no other choice. And this passion, John said, is key to keeping you motivated. If you're writing about a topic that you're only mildly interested in, then you'll likely lose momentum. But if you're writing about a topic that you are absolutely passionate about, then you just may finish the book after all. Also, writing for money isn't enough to make the process worth it either. A prerequisite to writing a book seems to be an undying passion about the subject matter.
xxxxxxxxxx# Why write a anyways?Why write a book anyways?¶
When John told me why he wrote this book, it reminded me a lot of one of my favorite authors Christopher Hitchens and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hty8vc5sy_w">why he said he became a writer</a>—because you're so passionate about the subject matter that you *have* to write; you have no other choice. And this passion, John said, is key to keeping you motivated. If you're writing about a topic that you're only mildly interested in, then you'll likely lose momentum. But if you're writing about a topic that you are absolutely passionate about, then you just may finish the book after all. Also, writing for money isn't enough to make the process worth it either. A prerequisite to writing a book seems to be an undying passion about the subject matter. When John told me why he wrote this book, it reminded me a lot of one of my favorite authors Christopher Hitchens and why he said he became a writer—because you're so passionate about the subject matter that you have to write; you have no other choice. And this passion, John said, is key to keeping you motivated. If you're writing about a topic that you're only mildly interested in, then you'll likely lose momentum. But if you're writing about a topic that you are absolutely passionate about, then you just may finish the book after all. Also, writing for money isn't enough to make the process worth it either. A prerequisite to writing a book seems to be an undying passion about the subject matter.
xxxxxxxxxxThanks, John! This gives me a ton to think .Thanks, John! This gives me a ton to think about.