The Hidden Cost of Writing the Wrong Book
Hello there,
The Most Expensive Book You’ll Ever Write Is the One Nobody Needs
Let’s talk about the wrong book.
Not the badly written one.
Not the one that didn’t hit the bestseller list.
The one that’s perfectly written… but strategically useless.
You know the type:
- It says everything you know
- It proves how clever you are
- It took 18 months and three editors
- Your mum loves it
And yet…
- No one’s hiring you
- No one’s referring clients
- No one’s even reading past page 12
THE ACTUAL COST
The wrong book doesn’t just cost time and money.
It quietly drains your:
Most painful of all?
You start to believe books don’t work.
(They do. Just not that kind.)
THE CURE: WRITE THE STRATEGIC BOOK
Before you write a word, ask:
- What do I want this book to do for my business?
- Who must it reach, and what should they feel after page one?
- What offer or action should it lead them toward?
Books are levers, not legacies.
Use them like tools, not tributes.
ASSET TO BUILD: The Wrong Book Diagnostic
Use this to check your idea before you write – or to course-correct mid-draft:
Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is stop.
DISASTER FARM METAPHOR OF THE WEEK
We adopted a cat once that turned out to be pregnant.
Surprise kittens.
Lovely, but not the plan.
That’s what writing the wrong book is like.
You birth something beautiful…
…just not the business you thought you were building.
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT
One of our Authors recently shared how our playbook (Re-Launch Planning: The art & science of keeping your book top of mind (even years after publishing) helped her launch a targeted campaign for new graduates.
She used AI to generate the content, made some tweaks, and now has a clear plan to reach her audience effectively.
(After all, nothing says true love like helping new grads master Excel!)
Are you an author ready to amplify your book’s impact?
Join Only Authors to get exclusive access to resources like the AI:OS Course and proven playbooks designed to help you create powerful campaigns and grow your influence.
COME TALK TO US ON LINKEDIN
Want more on what makes a strategic book actually work?
- You’ve built the business. Now build the asset that outlives you → https://shorturl.at/d1XTE
- What happens when you’re too clever to be clear? → https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7316369434812538881/
Pop over and join the conversation, or quietly lurk and borrow the good bits. Either works.
TL;DR
- The wrong book costs more than no book at all
- Clarity before cleverness
- Writing is free. Positioning is priceless
- You’re not here to be only read – you’re here to be remembered (and referred)
Until next time.
– Debs
Helping experts avoid book-induced identity crises since 2002
PS: If you’re halfway through writing something and unsure if it’s the right book… Reply and tell me the working title. I’ll tell you, gently but truthfully, if you’re building an asset or a very expensive doorstop.
PPS: Even better, jump on a 30-minute clarity call with me, I’ll tell you to your face!
