The Official BNI Podcast: Episode 906 – "You Have a Book Idea. Now What?"
Release Date: April 16, 2025
Host: Dr. Ivan Misner
Guest: Dr. Heidi Scott Justo
Dr. Ivan Misner, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of BNI, hosts Episode 906 of The Official BNI Podcast, featuring Dr. Heidi Scott Justo, a seasoned writer, editor, and communications consultant. In this engaging episode, Ivan and Heidi delve into the critical steps and considerations for professionals contemplating writing a book. The conversation is rich with actionable insights, practical advice, and motivational anecdotes aimed at guiding BNI members and aspiring authors through the book-writing journey.
1. Establishing a Clear Purpose: The Business Case for Your Book
Heidi emphasizes the importance of being pragmatic from the outset. Before embarking on the writing process, authors must define the business case for their book. This involves understanding how the book will serve their professional goals and contribute to their legacy.
"You really need to have a purpose and clear reason for writing it because rarely are you going to make a significant amount of money from the book itself."
— Dr. Heidi Scott Justo [02:52]
Heidi advises authors to consider whether the book will act as a comprehensive brochure for their business, enhance their reputation, or serve as part of a larger legacy project, as seen in her collaboration on "Infinite Legacy."
2. Identifying and Understanding Your Target Audience
A recurring theme in the discussion is the necessity of pinpointing the target audience before writing begins. This focus ensures that the content resonates with readers and meets their specific needs.
"Identify the target audience before you start writing. And you want to keep that reader in mind the entire writing and revising process."
— Dr. Heidi Scott Justo [04:56]
Ivan adds that while a book can cater to multiple related audiences, maintaining a unifying theme is crucial to avoid diluting the message.
"I would say you can [have more than one target audience], but they're still going to be related... Even a self-help book can be for a very broad audience, but there's still some unifying theme."
— Dr. Ivan Misner [05:24]
3. Navigating Publishing Options: Traditional, Hybrid, and Self-Publishing
The trio explores various publishing avenues, highlighting the pros and cons of each to help authors make informed decisions.
Traditional Publishing
Traditional publishing involves partnering with established publishing houses like Simon and Schuster. While it offers professional distribution and marketing, it often requires patience and perseverance due to high rejection rates.
"If you're going to go traditional publishing hybrids a little quicker and a little easier, but it takes a lot of money and self-publishing is pretty inexpensive through Amazon."
— Dr. Ivan Misner [08:20]
Heidi cautions that publishers rarely accept books that have been self-published unless they achieve extraordinary success, citing examples like Harry Potter and The Martian.
"They became such hits and I want to say the Harry Potter series may have been as well. They became such huge hits that then the publisher came on... they're really the outlier."
— Dr. Heidi Scott Justo [07:48]
Hybrid Publishing
Hybrid publishing is a blend where authors invest financially in their book's production while benefiting from the publisher’s distribution networks. Ivan notes that this route requires significant upfront costs but offers better royalty rates compared to traditional publishing.
"Hybrid is you're basically paying for the book and they're doing all the distribution and you get a larger percentage, but you also have to pony up a fair amount of money."
— Dr. Ivan Misner [08:02]
Self-Publishing
Self-publishing, particularly through platforms like Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), is presented as the most accessible and cost-effective option. However, Heidi underscores the necessity of having a robust marketing plan and an established audience to succeed.
"The best approach for self-publishing is Amazon's KDP. If you're going to self-publish, that's a great place to do it."
— Dr. Ivan Misner [08:20]
"You have to have a marketing plan and your audience already in place really for any of these. But especially with the self-publishing route as well."
— Dr. Heidi Scott Justo [10:29]
Ivan further highlights that achieving bestseller status is significantly easier with a large social media following, implying that self-published authors should focus on building their online presence.
"If you have a good social media following, you can push a book to a best sellers list... You've got probably a better chance of winning the lottery than pushing a book to the bestseller without a group of followers."
— Dr. Ivan Misner [10:40]
4. Overcoming Common Roadblocks: Time Management and Perseverance
The conversation shifts to the practical challenges authors face, particularly among busy professionals who constitute much of the BNI membership.
Finding Time to Write
Heidi stresses the importance of dedicating specific blocks of time exclusively for writing, treating these commitments with the same seriousness as client or medical appointments.
"If you're serious about writing a book, then you need to diligently block time in your calendar, like your weekly calendar... treat it like a doctor's appointment or a client appointment that you'd never just not show up to."
— Dr. Heidi Scott Justo [11:35]
Ivan shares his personal strategy of reserving Wednesdays as writing days, minimizing interruptions to maintain consistency.
"My Wednesdays are writing days and I try not to let anything interfere with that... Otherwise it's time for me to write or research."
— Dr. Ivan Misner [12:40]
Perseverance Through Rejections
Drawing from personal experiences and literary legends, Heidi and Ivan encourage authors to persevere despite setbacks. They cite Dr. Seuss and Jack Canfield as examples of authors who faced numerous rejections before achieving monumental success.
"I think wasn't it Dr. Seuss who got rejected maybe close to 50 times?"
— Dr. Heidi Scott Justo [10:08]
"Dr. Seuss and Jack Canfield with Chicken Soup for the Soul got rejected many, many, many times... the series has sold three quarters of a billion."
— Dr. Ivan Misner [10:14]
Heidi advises against deprioritizing the book project, especially when nearing completion, to avoid indefinite delays.
"Writing a book is a marathon. Don't give up on mile 25. Don't deprioritize it... because I've seen a lot of people, they're so close and then they deprioritize it."
— Dr. Heidi Scott Justo [13:15]
5. Final Thoughts and Encouragement
As the episode nears its conclusion, Heidi shares a poignant reminder about the long-term commitment required to finish and publish a book. Ivan provides practical resources, promoting Heidi's consulting firm for listeners seeking assistance with their writing projects.
"And having it done professionally really makes a difference. No doubt."
— Dr. Ivan Misner [15:00]
The episode wraps up with Heidi encouraging authors to persist and prioritize their writing goals, while Ivan teases future collaborations and projects.
Key Takeaways
- Define Your Purpose: Understand the business case and how your book aligns with your professional objectives.
- Know Your Audience: Clearly identify and keep your target readers in mind throughout the writing process.
- Choose the Right Publishing Path: Weigh the pros and cons of traditional, hybrid, and self-publishing to determine the best fit for your goals.
- Manage Your Time Effectively: Allocate dedicated time slots for writing to ensure steady progress.
- Stay Persistent: Overcome rejections and setbacks by maintaining unwavering commitment to your book project.
For more insights and resources on writing and publishing, visit Career Path Writing Solutions and stay tuned for upcoming episodes of The Official BNI Podcast.