Why You Should Write A Book
James Taylor interviews Honorée Corder and they talk about why you should write a book.
In this episode, we cover:
- Why you should write a book
- The power of writing a book series
- The expert or reporter model
Resources:
For More of Creative Life Podcast By James Taylor
Artificial Intelligence Generated Transcript
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James Taylor
Hi, I'm James Taylor business creativity and innovation keynote speaker. And this is the Creative Life, a show dedicated to you the creative. If you're looking for motivation, inspiration and advice, while at home at work or on your daily commute, then this show is for you. Each episode brings you a successful creative, whether that's an author, musician, entrepreneur, perform a designer, or a thought leader. They'll share with you their journey, their successes, their failures, their creative process, and much much more. You'll find Show Notes for this episode as well as free training on creativity over at James taylor.me. Enjoy this episode.
Hi, it's James Taylor here. Today's episode was first aired as part of International Authors Summit. This inspiring virtual summit reveals the secrets of making marketing and monetizing a best selling book. If you would like to access the full video version as well as in depth sessions with over 40 Best Selling authors that I've got a very special offer for you just go to InternationalAuthorsSummit.com, where you'll be able to register for a free pass for the summit. Yeah, that's right. Over 40 New York Times and Amazon best selling authors, book editors, agents and publishers, sharing their insights, strategies and tactics on how to write and market your first or next best sellers. So just go to InternationalAuthorsSummit.com, but not before you listen to today's episode.
Hey, it's James Taylor here and delighted to welcome today Honorée Corder. She is a strategic book coach and the author of more than 50 books including you must write a book vision to reality, the successful single mom book series and the divorce Phoenix. She is also how l rose business partner in the Miracle Morning best selling book series. Honorée provides group and one on one strategic book coaching to business professionals who want to write publish and market their books to bestseller status, create a platform and develop multiple streams of income. She also does all sorts of other magical things. And our badassery is legendary, and it's my great pleasure to have Honorée join us today so welcome
Honorée Corder
thank you so much for having me. I'm delighted to be with you and that's a mouthful
James Taylor
so share with everyone what's going on in your world just now
Honorée Corder
I'm in the process of moving from Austin, Texas to Nashville, Tennessee. I have my next book with the advanced reader team we just launched two Miracle Morning books my daughter graduated from high school we're adopting a puppy and we're homeless right now other than that nothing
James Taylor
I'm using music cities magnets for you Do you find being in those those kind of environments those types of cities have strong music elements is that conducive to your creative process?
Honorée Corder
I'm I'm an introvert. So my creative processes whatever coffee shop or couch I'm situated on, but yes, I like to meet other creative people. I'm married to someone in the music business. So we tend to live where there is music.
James Taylor
So take take us back, where did it all begin for you? Where did becoming a writer becoming an author start?
Honorée Corder
Um, it be. It started when I met Mark Victor Hansen other conference and I was sitting in the back of the room taking notes from all the speakers and he came to the back and of course, I knew who he was right? Chicken soup, co creator, and he said, I mark and I said, I know and I introduced myself and he said, Oh, honoree, what do you do? And I said, Oh, I'm a coach and a speaker and I was so proud of myself. And he said, Oh, yeah, so everyone's a speaker. And he said, You must write a book. And I said, Okay, I don't know anything about that. And he said, Well, do you have a speech that you give that's popular? Yes. Write that down. That's your first book. Use that and turn that into your first book. And that's what I did. And when that happened, I neither considered myself or Writer, nor an author, nor legit author, nor a capital W writer, like none, none of that was right in my head. I wasn't like, Oh, of course I have a degree in journalism or English. Like there was. There was no, there was nothing that prepared me for that moment, but I took his words to heart. And I heard that that, yes, there was the difference. The differentiating factor for me could be having a book and it was, and I'm so glad that I took that advice.
James Taylor
So from getting that advice from from Mark, how long before the book was out? Was there a prolonged period of time or was it was a pretty quick process?
Honorée Corder
It was very quick. So I met him in October, and my book was out by the following April,
James Taylor
as quick so when you first published because, you know, you work a lot now, especially in Canada, more than independent publishing or self publishing, printing how you describe it was that very first book self publishing. Do you go with a publisher? Oh, yes,
Honorée Corder
I'm so I did not consider myself a writer. And there was there didn't even entertain the thought, which I think most people do. Right? When they're, I'm going to write a book, I'll get an agent and I'll try to sell it to a publisher never even crossed my mind to do that. And I just had I had friends who had self published books, and like, I knew James Belen check living in Las Vegas. I knew him a little bit. And I had made friends with a couple of other authors and they were doing independent publishing and it never occurred to go the traditional route.
James Taylor
And so is that more from a sense of speed just kind of wanting out there? Or are you are you a control freak? You love just being everything? What was it that drove you to be self published?
Honorée Corder
Oh, it's, it's much different than that. It was really I didn't think anyone would have me never even occurred to me that I would have something to say that someone would want to buy.
James Taylor
Now you see this today having authored more than 50 books, including one of the biggest stories?
Honorée Corder
I know, well, we all start somewhere, right? And so that's the that's the, the The reason I share that is because we all have that Gremlin, right, the person on our shoulder that says, oh, but nobody wants to hear that. Ever. You know, there, there are so many books on the topic that you want to write on. Why would anyone want to hear what you have to say I publish the book because I intuitively knew instinctively knew and strategically knew that having a book would be a good way for me to engage clients, but it did not occur to me to try to take it big time as it were. Now,
James Taylor
yeah, I mean, and as you were writing that very first book, so you had those you know, the, you know, that that Gremlin you had some of the imposter syndrome type thing kind of going on in the darkest Days of going through that and working on that book and all the edits and everything. What pulled you through what took you to the point and just kind of getting getting through and getting the book out?
Honorée Corder
Well, you're making it sound so fancy I didn't I was supposed to be editing. There are so many things I didn't know with that first book. And I wish I'd had someone like me to consult with or talk to or who had a book that I could have followed the independent publishing this Keep in mind, this is 2004 that this this is the timeframe. So independent publishing was not even a thing that people like self publishing was a dirty word like you went and washed your mouth out with soap after you said it. Back in the day and still a little bit today, not as much, but back then I didn't know to have an editor or proofreader. I wasn't talking myself through the process. I literally sat down and wrote the first draft of the book. Be in in the, in the form of my speech, I didn't know any better. So I took a speech I had written, which was linear and progressive. And I wrote that down. I sat at my computer for three straight days and just typed it out. It's 45 minutes speech took me several days to type, I'm not sure why. And then I was so over it, that I didn't touch it again for a few months. And then I called a friend of mine who had published a book traditionally, and in the business realm, and I said, I'd like to hire you as my coach. And I don't know what I don't know. Can I send you what I have? And he said, Well, I don't know. I don't know what to charge you. I don't really do this. That's not really my thing. Send it over. And I think underneath all of it was, what if it sucks and I have to tell her so, so I send it off over email. And we had scheduled a call and I was all excited because it's Friday, it's time for my coaching. Call. With my coach, and I get on the phone and he was like, hey, it's really good. And he couldn't, he didn't or couldn't or wouldn't disguise the other shock. He was feeling that it was actually not that bad in its current state. And that was the beginning of that, of that process for me like, Okay, what do I do next? Why I need a book cover. So I'll have someone design it and that someone wasn't necessarily a graphic designer, so it was terrible. And then I put a copy of the book out and then I met Jeffrey Gitomer, who has written many books in the sales field and he saw my book and I had quoted him in my book and he said, Oh, this this book this your writing is pretty good. But this is terrible. This is awful. Book was terrible. Whatever the format, I mean, I mean, he was just and thankfully I didn't hear you are horrible. I just heard this as hard
James Taylor
as it was working on The crop so you so you
Honorée Corder
didn't take it personal note I didn't hear Andre You're terrible I heard this book is terrible some people hear you're terrible when someone says their book isn't well done, which isn't correct.
James Taylor
So you had that kind of coach or be a reluctant coach if us to help you with that book. Now you're really known today as well as being being an author also being a strategic book coach. So explain to me because we hear these different terms we hear like, you know, you know, editors and coaches but you know, you're very, very keen on this, this phrase, strategic book coach, how is that different from any other type of coach?
Honorée Corder
Well, so I did a, I did business coaching and executive coaching for a long time. A coach's job is to bring out the best in their clients and get them from point A, which is where they are to point B where they want to go, I understand the coaching process and did that for a very long time with business professionals of all time. disciplines. When I started publishing and publishing prolifically right at nine to 15 bucks a year, some of my professional clients said, well, should I have a book too? And I'd say, Oh, sure. And can we work on that? Also, why not? So I would walk them through the process. And as I started to hit, you know, the 20s, and the 30s, in the 40s, with my books, and I just am working on book 51. Right now. I have a process, that's soup to nuts. And the strategic part comes in, because you have to know what the book is meant to do for you. And you have to know what the book is meant to do for the reader, among other things.
James Taylor
So that very, very, very first conversation you're having is, what is the being a fly on the wall of those chairs, first kind of conversations, what's being said, What are the what are the concerns, what are maybe some of the misconceptions that you have to maybe help That person with an exploring themselves?
Honorée Corder
Sure. So it's Do you really want to book? Or is it a romantic idea? Right? What do you really want to book because it's there are easier ways to spend your time. More fun ways to spend your time and then what do you want the book to do for you? What's in it for you? That's my very first question is what do you want the book to do for you? And if you want to be Hallo rod, then look elsewhere. Right? Because there's only one you there's no other Tony Robbins. There's no other Hello, Rod. So it's where does the book fit into your life and your business? And what do you want your book to do for your life and your business? And also, ultimately, what do you want the book to do for your reader? What do you want the reader to do as a result of reading your book? What do you want the reader to not do as a result of reading your book? And that informs and influences the different pieces and parts of the book itself? What does the book look like within the book in addition to just the manuscript, there are so many other parts and pieces of a book when it's done well, that are strategic.
James Taylor
And what the big gap. So once as people kind of thinking through this, you get a sense, okay, they really this is they want this is not just like a nice thing to have or something that, you know, kind of fancy they've hadn't had they really want this, then and you've worked out that what role the book plays in their life and in their business, and then you worked out what value is going to provide to the to the reader what that gap or those gaps exist between where that person is, and where they want to get to where are the biggest gaps? Does it tend to be more around the craft of the writing? Or is it the marketing or is just unsure about you know, the distribution process where the big gaps
Honorée Corder
are? You mentioned them so there's the How do I get what's in my head out of my head and on paper? And is it valuable to the reader? How do I make it valuable to the reader? Do I write it myself? Do I hire a ghostwriter Do I have a content person? Then how do I make the book readable? How do I make it excellent, because you most likely have some sort of degree. And that degree is what people that is what they pay you for your area of expertise. So you're not going to, you know, you wouldn't trust a doctor who had gone to the, you know, University of the blah, blah, blah.
James Taylor
We apologize, anyone who's listening who has gone to the University of blah, blah, blah, we apologize. Yes,
Honorée Corder
I am Dr. So and so from the University of blah, blah, blah, calm, and you would say, I think I will go to a trusted medical professional. Therefore, you don't want to go to the University of book writing.com blah, blah, blah. That is that is lower than your professional standard. You want to have the same professional standard for your book that you do for your business. And so that's very important. And how do you make sure that it does resemble? In my words, traditional publishing? Because traditional publishing tends to have the same standard as one would have for their business? And how do you get there? Who are the people that you need to hire? How do you know who they are? How do you know how much to pay them or not to pay them? How do you know if they're any good at what they do? There's a bunch of people you need to produce your book. And then you need to actually publish your book, where do you do that? And how do you do that? Right? And then how do you market your book? When when does marketing take place? Hint forever? It's started yesterday and and goes until you die. Those right that's, that's marketing phase one and two. And then what you know, what are the different ways that you can turn your book into multiple streams of income? So what else can you do with the contents of your book once you've flushed out this great wealth of knowledge that you're walking around with it people will pay you for you can repurpose that content. And so what are the best ways to repurpose that content and all of that is missing. And I didn't even talk about launching the book, there is a specific way to launch a book so that it sells forever online, specifically Amazon, but at the other platforms as well. There's a there's a, you know, there's a way there's a way to do it. And there's a way to not do it. And I see people doing it in a way that is a Dutch is detrimental to their book rather than good for their book.
James Taylor
Now, part of your genius, I think, is that you mentioned they start big Mark Victor Hansen, and obviously with with Hal Elrod as well, is his idea of writing in IndyCar Series. So I'm quoting you when you're getting going in you have this new idea, or you're always thinking, how could this be a 10 book series or is it what is that where does that because that's that that is I guess that is also moving from the tactical to the strategic As well, sure so
Honorée Corder
my first book series was mine, it was the successful single mom. And when I wrote the successful single mom, I had an idea that I would write a book to solve the common problems single moms have, and have the six books which I wrote. The reason that I partnered with how is twofold one, because I was a good person and wrote him a five star honest review. Because I don't honestly I don't leave reviews unless I can leave a four or five star review for an author
James Taylor
and also do authors do read those reviews, they read all
Honorée Corder
three of them and other and other and other potential readers read those reviews also. So if you are if you are a good person, leave a good review for your favorite author. And two, because I had a series so I decided that I needed to start leaving more reviews for other authors because I have a philosophy and part of that philosophy is that you give away What you want more of and I wanted more book reviews and I realized I wasn't reviewing books. So part of the reason I work with Hal is because I left a review for him. And the other part is because when he looked at my review, he realized I had a series and he wanted one. I see rather Ah,
James Taylor
I didn't realize that I didn't realize that was an older thing. So how had he written the Miracle Morning? First already? And then he's with you and then then it can that that will fit now and I'm wondering then when you when the sample of successful single mom, did you have, you know, all six ideas, you know, kind of just like you had them in your head or you can get mapped out or what was it very much okay, I have these first two ones. I think this is going to be a series.
Honorée Corder
Well, I didn't book series wasn't in my head. I was just trying to be the most helpful to my reader. I'd like to say that I was the strategic genius and thank you for using that word earlier. I'd like to say that I just kind of sit up here and just throw it And they're all brilliant and amazing. But really, I didn't think anyone was going to read the successful single mom, then some people read it. And they started writing and asking me questions. So then I was doing a blog in conjunction with it and writing for Huffington Post, and realize that there was an opportunity for me to turn my knowledge I was writing from a place of, I've been there, I've done that. And I figured out what works for me, let me share it and see if it will work for you, which is one of the two places that I suggest someone can write from, which is the place of expertise, which is I figured it out. So here's my formula, or in the case of Napoleon Hill, the reporter, yeah, I haven't quite figured it out. But let me go interview a whole bunch of people who have and then I'll report that and that can also be a book. So if someone is wondering, oh, Do I have enough knowledge or experience? Well, maybe you don't, but you can also gather that and then share it with other people. That's another option.
James Taylor
I love You work with are in more in that kind of there are that kind of expert. They're there. They're the business professional. They're the speaker, they can have seen as being, you know, maybe a leader in their field in their industry. And I'm guessing with them when you even if you if you have a conversation about book series, it must come up like, what is the first book? What is the first domino? Do they want to have so much in the head?
Honorée Corder
Sure, yes. Well, they all have that first book that they want to write. Most people come to me because they have an idea in their head. I'll give you an example, if I may. Phil Hellmuth, who just won his 15th poker World Series of Poker bracelet, just not very long ago, came to me and wanted to write hashtag positivity. It was his philosophy, part of his philosophy as a human. And it wasn't very long into the project when he shared that he had an idea to go further with positivity. So positivity has been released and it's out there. Now that he's won this next bracelet, it's very probable that we'll start working on the next book in that series. And it will become not just one book, but two books, and then on and on from there,
James Taylor
and then the merchandise Siri.
Honorée Corder
There's all these opportunities. And that's why asking the, the pre questions is so important, James, right. Well, it's not just blood, okay, here's my book. And I do have people who reach out to me and say, Okay, my manuscript is almost done. And my English teacher from 10th grade is going to edit it and it'll be ready to go, what do I do now and I say, pump the brakes and get on my calendar. Because we want to make sure that the manuscript that you think is almost finished is actually almost finished and it's going to do for you and your reader, everything that you have in mind and some things that you don't know to think of quite yet.
James Taylor
So what would the honoring of Today say to that array back then on that was just starting to write that very first book. What advice? Would you give that? That maybe bright? Perhaps they were just getting started?
Honorée Corder
Well, I would, I would send her a copy of my book, you must write a book. And I would say, because we know each other really well, when you have questions you can call me. Um, I would say that you, gosh, you know, you're gonna look out girlfriend in a lot of ways. But there are a lot of things that you're going to do wrong right now. And by wrong, I mean ineffective, right. There's effective and ineffective as a coach. I don't live in the world of good bad, right or wrong, I'd say either effective or ineffective. And there are a lot of things that I did that were ineffective. And there were some things that I intuitively did that were effective. I would tell her to write that first book and then immediately start writing the second Because the first book was tall order published in 2005, early 2005 the second book was the successful single mom published in 2009. There was a gap of time there because I didn't think I was an author. I wasn't a writer. But then I had the next idea and I decided to pursue it and because I'd already done it once before, I was like our our topic.
James Taylor
So I'm guessing I mean, that was the value of of bringing in a coach yourself and bring it because you can say it's not just like, okay, here's what to do is also here's what not to do. Because you have, you've got those battle scars, you've gone down some of those roads and, and and you kind of understand where that person what their, their mission, what their objective is in writing the book and where they're coming from. And you can see for you, me, you mentioned just that you're the expert of the reporter model, perfect example. You can understand Yeah, this is where this person is, this is where this person can give the most to the reader to the world and themselves. And this is this is the this is the path We're gonna go down to this Yes.
Honorée Corder
Yes What what to do what not to do and where does it fit in? Is this the right time? Is this the right book? Is this the right title? Is this the right subtitle? Does the book have the right contents? Do you have the right metadata? I mean all of the things I talked to someone the other day, I was like, Look, the book is very simple on the inside, you could redo it and make it more complex but it's doing what you want it to do for you. So why do that? Just write your next book? That was someone who wanted to hire me to redo his book and I said I don't think that's a wise business decision.
James Taylor
Now someone this obviously 51st book is about to come out. Tell us you know, what is your What is your your ritual? Yeah, are you you know, get you get your writing done in the morning kind of get it done and then then you head out or, or has it changed over the years do you do work in batches? What would what is a day or a week of writing look like for you?
Honorée Corder
I from six or 630 to seven or 730 every day, it's the summer my daughter graduated from high school. So I let myself sleep in that extra half an hour. The days that I didn't, I really regretted it. I always have a list of books that I'd like to write. And outlines and ideas that I'm working on. It's just a matter of picking one particular project. And then I write that that hour is inviolate. For me, I put in my headphones, I'm on the couch, I've got a cup of tea and a cup of coffee, and a bottle of water. There's no reason for me to be disturbed. And I just put my head down and I write whatever I'm writing.
James Taylor
And you tend to stay writing on that same project until completion or do you take it until you get closer until
Honorée Corder
it until it goes to the editor. And then while that book is at the editor, I'm working on the next one,
James Taylor
got it. And in terms of tools is there a particular tool that you like to use to write with it like a like an Scrivener or all the things that you'll find very useful in terms of the researching stages for your book.
Honorée Corder
I am a Microsoft Word girl I tried Scrivener. My assistant uses Scrivener. So technically, technically my team uses it but not me. I use Dragon Dictate a little bit. In Grammarly. Grammarly is worth its weight in gold, Grammarly the app and I suggest the professional version that you install on your computer and it edits everything that you're typing. And just one tip for people when they're writing is when after I'm finished with the book when the book is done and I'm doing my review of the book, I go through the book again. And then I go chapter by chapter and I take the chapter and I paste it into Grammarly and I let it flush out for me which words are my crutches you've used? Absolutely Li 17 times chapter, maybe choose another word on array. Okay, bye.
James Taylor
That's you. That's your the written equivalent of a verbal tic, I guess you came back time and time. It's an easy, it's an easy one to go. So I actually haven't used them. I've used another one called Hemingway app, which I think is a very simple type version, but but I love them and, and it really does kind of the first couple times you do it, it's pretty appalling. I find myself
Honorée Corder
just like, yes, it's just like when I work with any new author, I will say when you get your book back, it will look like a crime scene. You're going to turn in this beautiful manuscript that you think is finished, and you're going to get that paper that you got back in high school, right with the A plus written in red pencil with the 100 on it and a smiley face. That's what we're thinking when we turn into manuscripts and what we get back is an F it looks like someone playing up in red pen on your manuscript and that's, that's the editors job, the editors job is to take it and make it clean, make it a clean, easy read for the reader.
James Taylor
Now we're going to have a link to your book, especially, you must read a book. We'll talk about that in just in just a minute as well. But if there was one other book that you have to recommend it could be on the craft of writing or the business or writing or even just something to get people inspired that they can do it. What would that book be?
Honorée Corder
I'm gonna go off the reservation a little bit and recommend you are a badass by Jensen cero.
James Taylor
I think I've actually read this one as well. Yes, I think it was. Yeah, yeah. She's, we actually had her on the show on my podcast, as well. She was incredible. Incredible. Yes. So
Honorée Corder
I'm a huge fan. I'm a huge fan of Jensen cero and then relentless by Tim Grover, relentless by Tim Grover is what I listen to when I'm running on the treadmill and I'm not feeling it. I will Put that on and he's like a cleaner doesn't quit a cleaner gets going. I'm like, Okay, okay, I'm gonna do so I listen to those audio.
James Taylor
Great. We'll put we'll put we'll put the links for those as well. And I can find a question for you. I want you to imagine you woke up tomorrow morning and all 5051 books have disappeared. Your your Amazon record is unknown. You're unknown as a writer, you have to start again. What would you do? How would you restart but thankfully, you're going to have I'm going to give you all the skills and all the talents that you have as a writer.
Honorée Corder
Um, I would just write my next book. Yeah, get it happening. I would just Yeah, I would say okay, what I probably not the best on the planet, so I really like excellent. No need for that bonfire. I would sit down and make A list of what I know what I know for sure. Right. As a writer, what do I know? For sure? What do I know works? What do I know, is at our absolute certains certainties. And then I would write, and I would do it in record time, because I have had situations where I've had to pump out a manuscript in eight or nine days. And I've done it, and I know it can be done. So it wouldn't be before I'd be back
James Taylor
Honorée as always an absolute pleasure speaking to you thank you so much for coming on. If people want to just kind of connect with you to learn more about your your coaching, do you do group group coaching you do one on one coaching where's the best place then to go and do that?
Honorée Corder
I can find out more on honoreecorder.com for sure and I have a group class coming up in the fall. So they might be interested in that as well.
James Taylor
Well, Honorée , it's been a pleasure speaking to you today. Thank you so much for coming on. And I wish you all the best with book 51.
Honorée Corder
Thank you so much.
James Taylor
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