What are the challenges you face as a writer in your genre?
The biggest challenge I face is competition. There are thousands of
books written about personal development. So it's difficult to establish
yourself as someone with an original concept.
Everyone knows the big guns in the business, such as, Stephen Covey
(RIP), Tony Robbins, Les Brown, Brendon Burchard and others. Their phenomenal
success has inspired hundreds more to emulate that kind of achievement. Wouldn't
we all want Tony Robbins' acres of beachfront property in Fiji
I've often wondered why so many new voices can still find success in
this field. I think part of the reason is because the fans of this type of book
or public appearance enjoy the variety. If you've read Covey's books, you've
probably read Burchard's. If you've seen Les Brown live then you've probably
been to other live events.
I also believe there is a need for multiple perspectives to continuously
feed the business world. Corporations are always looking for fresh voices to
push their sales forces. Companies in the network marketing industry rely on
big events to get a wave of activity from the field. An up-and-comer in the
industry with a book and a decent stage presence can find himself speaking to
2,000 people. Sometimes the books are offered to the associates as an incentive
to attend the event. It can be lucrative for the speaker.
The other huge challenge for someone writing in personal development is
the answer to the question; what next? Do I want to expand the book into a web
site, an interactive web site? Do I want to turn my ideas into a business model
and focus on promoting my ideas as a personality? Do I want to create a
commodity or just remain a faceless author?
If you write in this genre for the sake of writing you can find yourself
with insignificant sales numbers and no following to promote or support your
next effort. On the other hand, making a commitment and investing in the
business of 'you' is a big step, one that is hard to turn back from. It takes
too much discipline and time to forge the next level, so if you're not ready,
maybe you should never write the book.
The biggest obstacle to overcome is looking like 'more of the same' -
everyone is a coach, everyone is a trainer, everyone has something to sell. But
not everyone has a deep foundation of belief in the core principles of their
ideas, belief so strong that it transcends the limits imposed by competition
and other negative influences. Belief in your own success is self-fulfilling.
The stronger your commitment, the more ferociously you will push yourself. When
you begin to realize success, it will reinforce your beliefs which will drive
you even further. You have to accept that patience is part of determination, so
it's really about never giving up.
Guest post by Joe Hefferon. Buy Now @ Amazon Genre - Personal Development. Rating - PG.
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1 Comments
Thanks for the insights Joe, I really love the last paragraph, its strikes a chord within me.
ReplyDeleteFor me, writing, training and coaching is something I love to do, because I do love people, life and the world in general.
That love and the fun I have spreading it, keeps me going and makes it easy for me to enjoy the step-by-step progress I make in building my brand, be it with writing books/ebooks, coaching or training.
And I hold the firm belief, that if you set your direction right and found the right core beliefs, Joe mentions - your bound to be successful.
I love to hear from you. So feel free to comment, but keep in mind the basics of blog etiquette — no spam, no profanity, no slander, etc.
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