This is Episode 2 in my book writing journey. In case you missed the previous entry, here it is:
A book is like a child. At the beginning of a child’s life, you give everything. Every detail of their everyday is crafted with the utmost care so they’re as happy and comfortable as possible.
In the same way, I spent weeks outlining every single chapter, section, and sub-section of my book. Crafting every piece with the utmost care, so they connected to each other in a logical way, and felt part of a larger whole. I spent sleepless nights then filling in the words until, after months of toil, my vision finally came together!
BUT as we all know, a child eventually grows up. And a book … eventually takes on a life of its own.
When I started to re-read my manuscript from the beginning, I realized how many gaps there were! These were the most egregious ones:
Gap #1:
The Introduction
I put so much pressure on myself to get the introduction right – because if I didn’t, who would want to read the rest?
My original introduction jumped straight into my story as a shy kid who was terrified of talking to anyone, and the teacher who changed my life forever. But upon re-read I realized: Who cares?
I don’t mean anything to the reader at this point, so my struggles aren’t relevant. I decided to revamp the introduction to highlight struggles the reader likely feels: not being heard in a noisy world, feeling like they’re speaking but not having impact – all the reasons they opened the book in the first place.
Then I end the introduction by showing how I close that gap: I don’t just teach communication technique. I teach how to think – critically and holistically so we intuitively understand what good communication is, and how to effortlessly deliver it.
Gap #2:
My Section on Communicating Data
My book is about effective communication for business leaders in any industry, technical and non-technical. I wanted to include a section on communicating data, since data has become a fundamental part of modern decision-making, but I really struggled with where to put it.
After a lot of trial and error, I decided to add it to my section on slide design. My reasoning: when presenting, we need data to show sources other than ourselves are making a claim, and to make our assertions more clear and precise.
- If I say something is “better”, for example, how much better? I need data.
- If I say something is a “premium” market, what exactly does that mean? I need data.
Numbers facilitate comparison, letting us evaluate current progress vs future goals, so we can make specific, well-informed decisions.
Gap #3:
My Section on Delivering Presentations
Because I spent so much time teaching this material for years, I’d forgotten what was common knowledge. I unintentionally skipped over certain steps throughout the book because I assumed they were known.
For example, in my chapter on presentation I realized I forgot to discuss:
- Why you should take the time to know your audience
- How to understand an audience’s needs if you can’t speak with them directly
- How to customize a presentation for different audiences
- How to speak to mixed audiences (containing people with a variety of goals and challenges)
I had to completely revise the chapter to add in the new material, and make sure it seamlessly connected to the rest.
Ultimately, I am grateful for this writing experience. By forcing me to account for every gap in my knowledge, I became a better speaker, teacher, and trainer – because my understanding of the material became that much deeper.
What’s the next phase of book writing? Doing even more revisions and then … hiring a professional editor. More updates to come!
Follow me on LinkedIn for more updates on the book and its release!
