Author: Janet Eriksson

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If You Can Teach It, You Can Write It: A Simple Test for Your First Business Book

As a business professional, you may be thinking about writing a book, but you aren’t sure where to start. What should your book’s topic be? What would keep readers engaged? How can you narrow your vast experience into a single book?

Here’s a simple test for selecting your first book topic: Could you teach this topic in a one-hour webinar or workshop? If you can teach it, you likely have a viable book topic.

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Instead of a Book Outline, Start with a Clothesline

You might have heard the first step of writing a book is creating an outline. It’s true that an outline can be a big help in organizing a book. But it’s not necessarily the first step.

Some book topics lend themselves well to outlines, especially how-to books where the steps of a process are clear. But other topics might be more difficult to put into an outline up front. Some books are a process of discovery in the writing.

How can you create an outline up front if you don’t know yet what you’re going to write?

How do you take that journey of discovery as a writer that leads eventually to an outline?

Introducing the clothesline: a flexible, creative, discoverable approach that will eventually emerge into an outline for your book.

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Crunched for Content Writing Time? Write a One-Paragraph Q&A Blog Post

I’ve been asked how to write a short blog post to keep your business blog going when you’re crunched for time—as you might be now during the lead-up to Christmas. You can write a helpful, valuable, one-paragraph Q&A post answering a common client question. Lead with their question, as I did here. Then answer it quickly but helpfully, as you would if they were standing right in front of you. Pair it with a photo, and hit publish. Your blog will be active and visible, and clients will appreciate that one helpful tidbit you share. One paragraph is all it takes to answer a client question and share the answer with your current and future clients. Merry Christmas!

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Capture Last Year’s Highlights for Your New Year Business Blog

January is just a few weeks away. Are you wondering what you’ll be writing about on your business blog in the new year? Take some time this week to pause and reflect on the past year. The questions people asked, the lessons you learned, the highlights, challenges, surprises, and wisdom you’ll carry into the new year, those are all potential blog topics.

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A Simple Thanksgiving Blog Post that Strengthens Connection

November can be a busy time of year: holiday plans, family commitments, end-of-year tasks. It’s easy to put your blog on the back burner to simmer next to the turkey gravy. 

But November is a great time to write a short, simple blog post of thankfulness. Clients love to see how they’re appreciated. And it’s a simple but effective way to keep your blog visible during a busy season.

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