What's included

• Defining your story and goals

  We'll start with a discussion that defines your project. What do you want to share, teach, or deliver? Let's talk about your unique insights that people need to hear. Then we'll define your audience. What's their level of expertise? Are they novices or experts? We'll move on to establishing exactly what specific new knowledge or skills your expertise will help them enjoy. We'll review the materials you already have available. Presentations, process documents and frameworks, previous articles, interviews, or blogs are all valuable starting points. Of course, if you've got a rough draft or notes for your new book, all the better. This conversation will define your special value proposition, your personal goals, the assets we have to work with, and the metrics that will define success for you.

• A guiding document

  Based on our conversation, we'll arrive at a guiding document... essentially, an outline for your project that defines the structure, goals, and voice. It'll be designed so that readers will understand what to expect, stay engaged as they read, move logically through the material, and ultimately receive what was promised: New knowledge, insights, processes, or skills.

• Chapter One

  Then I'll deliver your first chapter for you to review. This should reflect the structure, style, and voice that best represents you and your unique expertise. Once you're satisfied, we can move on to the rest of the book.

• Ongoing milestones

  I'll deliver the balance of the book in milestones that we define together. A chapter at a time, a certain word count, whatever keeps you confident that progress is being made. You can review the milestones and offer feedback along the way. I'm happy to do research via appropriate, vetted resources. If necessary, we can meet up on Zoom calls for collaboration.

• Final pass

  Once all the milestones have been delivered and we have a completed manuscript, you can do a final front-to-back review and provide any final notes. I'll integrate those notes, and you'll have a completed manuscript. Generally, clients then take that to a line editor for a final "second set of eyes" on spelling and punctuation, and to doublecheck adherence to any style guide you prefer. From there, you can pursue approaching traditional publishers, or self-publish.