Influences and Influencers

What I Learned in Writing, Marketing, and Releasing my Second Book

I have now written and published my second book entitled, “Influences and Influencers”. Even with one book under my belt, there was still a lot to learn in writing, marketing, and releasing it.

The reason I wrote a second book was that my mentor and coach, Renia Carsillo, told me that no one ever writes only one book. Even though I disagreed and was out to prove her wrong, the desire to follow up on “What About the Vermin Problem?” finally came to me.

I have a lot of knowledge and experience from over 40 years as an executive and consultant. I could not share that all in one book and so number two came to be.  

There was a big difference in dealing with book number two. Some things were easier to do like writing, editing, cover design, contracting a printer and releasing the book. There were still a number of challenges I had to deal with.

For starters, when I did book number one and started working with Renia I had already thought out the content and actually had a manuscript ready.

For book number two, I had nothing to start with. The first thing Renia and I did was to ideate about topics that I would write about. As a trained and practicing engineer, I did not like doing this in what I considered to be random.

My normal process is to lay everything out and then start at the top and work down. I usually know where I want to wind up and  have a good idea about that. In this case I had no idea about the eventual outcome.

I started to think about topics without having a theme. I listed these and had twice as many as I wound up with and wrote about.

Renia and I then reviewed the topics and discussed the merits or lack of merits for each.
We then decided on thirteen areas to write about. We then grouped these into areas that seemed to make sense for each. Here is what we came up with:

Ethics                                                                                          

  • Politics in business  
  • Walking the Talk
  • Trust but verify
  • Encouragement

Importance

  • Your importance
  • Never forget where you came from
  • What is really important – End result
  • Getting different perspectives
  • 20 – 60 -20 rule, Pareto’s laws

Assistance

  • Having a plan
  • Help is there if you need it
  • Building a business with the right people
  • Who can you depend on?

Once this was done, I started writing about each, in no specific order. I would look at each topic and decide which one struck my fancy and was the one I would work on next.

Each topic was reviewed at least four times before it was finalized. And finalized and issued as an article or a blog. I then started releasing each on a two-week basis. In this way I tried them out and got exposure for the second book, “Influences and Influencers”.

As this was happening, we looked at all the pieces and then reconsidered how to order everything. We then came up with this order:

Section 1 – Life-Learning Lessons for a Successful Career                                                                               

Encouragement is a Needed Aspect of Success

Help is There for the Asking and taking

Section 2  –  The Right Plan                                   

Why Having a Plan is Essential to Knowing Where You are Going  

What is Really important – The End Result          

Section 3  –  The Right Mindset                            

What Makes Us Important                                  

Rules and Laws to Live By                                 

Walking the Talk Sets You Apart                      

Who Can You Depend On?                               

Section 4  –  The Right People                              

Building Your Business With the Right People        

Trust, But Verify: A Critical Business Mantra  

Getting Different Perspectives                         

Section 5  –  Conclusion: So, What Does All This Mean?                   

   It’s All About People                                                          

Now it was back to writing.
I had to develop an Introduction which was section 1. Sections 2 through 4 all need some definition of what was included in each section. And then I needed a conclusion (Section 5) to tie everything together and provide a wrap-up.

As this was happening, we were making a change to the first book. We had decided that the cover was not a good tie in to book number two.

As this was happening, we were making a change to the first book. We had decided that the cover was not a good tie in to book number two. We had a local designer, Marilyn Michaels develop a new cover for book one. She then developed a compatible cover for number two.

As I mentioned in my previous article on writing book number one, having a professional editor is worth the time, money and effort. My editor, Jeff,  was just as terrific editing book two as he was on book one. Once again he adjusted the grammar, clarified my thoughts, verified my quotations and references and made the subject understandable to someone who might have no background about the subject matter.

I had made professional and personal connections from book one and followed up with them and made some new connections for this second book.

Once again I was hooking up with people via meetings and connecting on LinkedIn. I also needed to get some colleagues and associates to endorse the book. so, I asked for a new set of people to recommend this new book. Everyone said yes. I am so grateful to Sally, John, Larry, Mark, Trina, Alexandra, and Chuck for the wonderful things they wrote about me and the book.

Once the editing was finished we decided to use Wordzworth Books in the UK to do the formatting and Kindle Direct Publishing to do the printing.  Working with them brought a new round of reviews and edits. The reviews and editing went well. They did a fantastic job with everything and the changes were few and small.

So here I am getting the word out and selling.

I am promoting my new book through, social media and emails, asking others to help get the word out. Many people are posting about the book and telling their friends and business contacts about it.

I am doing podcasts, and attending zoom meetings. The new book was released for presale on Black Friday with a hard release on December 7th. It is doing well and has become my second Amazon bestseller.

The progression will continue as I blog, post, and conduct interviews. Once the pandemic subsides I will do live presentations and look to do live shows and seminars. There I can share my experiences and expertise and sell these instructional books.

Right now I am in the upper one percent of all Amazon book sales and business books.

Very few write and publish one book, no less two. I am now one of those people. I have important things to share with others. That wouldn’t have been without these two books.

Through this experience I was fortunate to work with some very talented people who made this all happen. They are:

  • Cover Designer – Marilyn Michaels
  • Endorsers
    • John Anthony
    • Larry Richards
    • Chuck Papageorgiou
    • Mark Tietbohl
    • Sally Handlon
    • Alexandra Groezinger
    • Trina Bowden
  • Editor – Jeff Webb
  • Coach and Mentor – Renia Carsillo

In one of the sections I talk about the help we get from others. This book is a living example of that. Without their help none of this would have been possible.

There are many other friends, colleagues and associates who continue to help me.

They are buying, reviewing and promoting the book to others. Without them the word would not get out and the book would not be as successful as it is.

I have completed a podcast with Jonathan Taylor of Cast Polymer Radio about the book. You can hear it at: (https://castpolymer.com/episode-57-how-influences-and-influencers-affect-shape-us/) . We also did one about the first book. You can hear it at http://castpolymer.com/episode-48-how-to-avoid-damaging-business-practices-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/ ). And, the editor for the accompanying magazine will be running an article in mid-December (Cast Polymer magazine) about this.

I also did a podcast with Kevin Lawton of the new Warehouse. It will be ready for broadcast in mid-December

In January I will do a radio interview with Sally Handlon on WDIY in the Lehigh Valley. I will also do some webinars with Larry Richards at the same time. Stay tuned to learn more about these. Meantime I continue to reach out to other venues to get out the word.

So now you know my writing story. From it I hope you will be interested enough to buy my book. Its title again is , “Influences and Influencers”. It is available on KDP Amazon.com. At the same time you can buy the rereleased, “What About the Vermin Problem?”

These are great reads and will be great gifts for friends, family and associates.

Don’t delay. Buy them today. Then, if you would, write me an Amazon review and contact me and let me know what you think.

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