I trust you are enjoying our series of Q&A where I respond to questions posed during my trainings, by coaching clients, and by readers just like you.

(If you missed the previous installments, go back and read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.)

Here we go:

Question: I have too much material and am overwhelmed. How do you get through to a focused plan?

Glad you asked. I address that issue in my book, Write Your Book in a Flash.

You get focused by starting your project with an outline. Just follow your outline and you won’t get overwhelmed.

Remember, you aren’t writing the encyclopedia of your topic.

It goes without saying that you want to deliver on your book’s promise, of course.

Give people enough info to get to know, like, and trust you so they want to hire you.

Question: Is it best to include stories of my past experience? So far, I have a lot of them. I’ve heard about an “I to You” ratio. I don’t want to be the hero of every story, but I have 30 years of experience and a LOT has happened that I can share (discreetly, no names, of course).

ANSWER: You can be the hero of some stories, but not all.

That would look egotistical and would bore readers.

You can rewrite some stories so you make the OTHER person the hero because YOU enabled and encouraged them or mentored them.

Put your ego aside.

Variety makes for a better mix of stories, with several points of view.

In my book, I quoted other people saying things that I could have said myself.

I quoted them so readers would see there was a variety of thought and opinion.

Having other voices gives your book MORE credibility.

Be the hero when you need to be – and let other people take the spotlight as well.

As Shakespeare said, “The hand that bears the rose retains the scent.”

If you would like a no-cost book strategy session, I would love to do that.

Please click here to schedule one.

I’m looking forward to helping you.