Not expressing our expectations is one thing if there’s no one else involved in getting them met. But if we expect to get the project we want, the gifts, attention, help, answers and service we want (expect), then we have to communicate our expectations when see they aren’t being met.

Several months ago I had a client who came to me for a brochure. I quoted them a price. I told them that price would include the layout, design, photos, copywriting and a final file they could send to their printer to get their copies. They would get a complete brochure. They agreed remarking how great it was that they got it for $100 cheaper than their last guy.

I wondered if I’d left money on the table, so to speak. But I drafted the agreement for just those things and delivered the brochure, as promised, a week later.

I didn’t hear back from the client for a couple of weeks. They paid the invoice, but there was no response to the brochure. So I wrote and asked them, “What do you think of the brochure? Was it okay?”  They called me back and said they loved the brochure, but when would they get the ad file and cover for their website.

I was confused. What ad file? What cover? Well, it seems the “last guy” they had charged them more money because he also sent them a small 2×2 “ad” block they could link to the PDF, and then a cover of the brochure for their “featured photo”. In other words, their last guy charged more because he did more. They thought the ad block and cover was just something that was part of the brochure. They didn’t realize they’d been paying for it. They assumed that just came with the brochure.

Their expectation then was that ALL DESIGNERS and creatives they hired did things the same way. They were happy to pay me for the ad and the cover once I figured out what was going on and they realized the cover and ad were a separate project. That expectation was easily sorted out. But what about the larger jobs?

If your expectations aren’t clearly expressed at the beginning of a project, it’s difficult for the writer or designer to know what you want so they can deliver that. For instance, if you have children would you rather them tell you what they want for their birthday, or would you rather assume, guess or get them what you want them to have? It’s much less stressful to know what they want, right? The same goes with projects you hire someone to do. They know how to give you what you want. But they need an idea of what your expectations are so they can tell you precisely (1) what it will cost (2) what your options are if the cost is bigger than your budget and (3) if they are able to handle the job.

Making your expectations clear at the outset is critical if you want your project to run smoothly:

Tell the designer or writer what you want. If you don’t know what you want, ask them what they can do. For instance, brochures come in different configurations, sizes and formats. There are bi-fold, tri-fold, and about 10 other potential ways to create a brochure. If you’re assuming and expecting a tri-fold brochure, but you TELL the designer, “Whatever you think will work best,” you may be pleasantly or unpleasantly surprised at the results.

Yes, it takes a little longer to lay out your expectations, and to hear what the writer’s expectations are (e.g. I need you to hit all deadlines, I need you to NOT add more  information and changes after I start unless you’re willing to pay for a change order, etc). It’s a two-way process. And, it should be in writing so there are no misunderstandings or confusion over pricing, time, and the final deliverable.

“I’ve always wanted to write a book.”

If not that, then:

“I started a book, but just haven’t had time to finish it.”

If they’ve started a book, invariably, they’ve managed to wring out three chapters before they “get stuck,” or “too busy.”

I hear them. It’s almost universal — that three chapter mark. I’m stuck on the third chapters of several of my own books. It’s a magical number somehow….but that’s another post entirely.

People come to me because they want to know “How to write a book.” It’s like me asking my athletic friends, “How do you train to run a triathlon?”  We want to weigh the cost and decide if this thing we want to do, is doable. It is. The steps are simple. It’s the actual doing them that’s hard. I look at the Couch to 5K list every spring and think, “I can do that. I can run a 5K this year.” The steps are simple. Get up. Start walking, then jogging, then running according to a schedule designed to push your body along and train you day-by-day. The implementation is hard! It’s hard getting up early, running when it’s bitterly cold, or hot, or raining. It’s hard to deal with the pain of muscles being used, of a bad knee or back. It’s implementing the simple plan that trips us up, or discourages us, or ultimately beats us down.

The secret then is NOT in the steps. It’s in breaking down each step into bite-sized pieces you can handle. Once you realize that, you’ll succeed at anything you do. Writing a book isn’t as hard as much as it is time consuming. These five steps are simple enough, but to break each down further is necessary if you want to make it easier.

How to Write a Book in 5 Easy Steps

(1) Decide what you want to write about and why you want to write about it. This sounds obvious, but it’s not. Non-fiction writers usually want to write because:

• They want to make money
• They want to put themselves out in the world as an expert in what they do
• They want to gain credibility for what they do
• They want something to get them on the speaking tour or to get publicity
• They want to teach their readers how to do something
• People are asking them to write
• They want to explain or educate patients, customers, clients etc.
• They have a blog and want to consolidate their wisdom/advice/expertise

Fiction writers want to write because:

• They secretly think they’re brilliant, funny, talented and awesome and want to show their inner self to the world (no one ever admits this, but they all think it — self included)
• They have a great story to tell (or think they do)
• Their friend, co-worker, spouse, kid, or someone they know has written one and if THEY can do it, so can they
• It’s romantic and magical. Would be writers like the IDEA of being a writer.
• It’s glamorous.
• They have no idea. They just want to write a book. (They don’t want to admit it’s a ego/fantasy thing)
• They’re dying and want to leave something of themselves for their family
• They want revenge on someone or something
• They want to get rich quick
• They love the fantasy of the attention and respect they’ll get

There are other reasons, but these are the ones I hear the most. There is no “right” or “wrong” reason to write a book. You just have to know why because that reason is what will motivate you when it gets hard or you get stuck. It’s kind of like losing weight. You can’t just lose weight because you need to. You have to have a reason, like kids or a spouse, or because you’re going to die if you don’t. The REASON you’re writing the book has to be compelling and real. The most common reason for writing a book? “To get RICH QUICK.”

Unfortunately, that happens about as often as winning the lottery. Unless you’re already famous for something, or you have a rare knowledge no one else has that will save  mankind, “getting rich” is not in the cards. The average writer makes from $25 to $300 on their book — depending on the size of their family and social network. Even great writers rarely make more than $3,000, and that’s after you spend at least that much in editing, creating a book cover and self-publishing.

If you want to write a book of any kind, it’s best to have something more motivating and realistic than “to make money.” Otherwise, you’re going to be sorely disappointed.

(2) Create a mind map and do a brain dump. In high school our teachers taught us to “create an outline” before we wrote a paper. That works, but it works better if you know what information you have and what’s relevant before you start writing.

For instance: You’re a pet groomer and you want to write a book on cat grooming. You are the expert on cat grooming. So, you have a lot of options. You can write a book for cat owners about general grooming. You can write a book for cat owners who have “show cats” and want the tips, tricks and inside info on grooming their cats for competition. You’re not sure what you want to do really, so you create a mind map.

In the center of a large piece of paper (or on your computer with a mind map application), you write the words “Cat Grooming” inside a circle. Then you draw a line from that circle to another circle . In that circle you write “Nutrition.” You keep drawing circles and lines from “Cat Grooming” to circles that represent categories. You can add as many circles as you like!

The categories you come up with will generally arrange themselves into chapters, the topics in the chapter and then into comments you want to include in each topic heading. Cat Grooming is the book topic. Bathing might be a chapter and in that chapter you have a paragraph on Selecting a Shampoo, Water Temperature and Blow Drying etc. Don’t restrict yourself to the number of categories or topics. If something comes up, write it down. You’ll go back and forth on these and that’s okay. Use a white board, chalk board, paper, computer or whatever works for you. I like paper and a white board.

(3) Talk it out and transcribe it. Once you have your map, then either use a program like “Dragon, Naturally Speaking” or just talk into a tape recorder and go to Elance.com and hire someone to transcribe your tapes and put them in a word document for you. This is your “brain dump.” You actually take ONE topic at a time and just say everything you know about that. For instance, “Clipping”….begin by talking about everything you know about clipping a cat’s nails. It might be one page or 20. Don’t think about that. Just talk about everything you know or ever heard (myths etc) about clipping a cat’s claws. (TIP: Say the name of the topic: “Clipping Begin” and “Clipping End”  to help you find your topics later when they’ve been transcribed). Do this for every topic and sub topic on your mind map. If you think of another category you forgot, then go back and add it. If you decide a category is not relevant, then delete it. This is loose, messy and creative. Don’t worry about being neat. You aren’t going to include this in the book. It’s for your eyes only.

(4) Arrange your content into Chapters. Once you have your “brain dump” transcribed and laid out, then arrange it into chapters. This is where your Table of Contents and your outline come into play. Once all your chapters are organized and structured into a word document, walk away and leave it alone for a week.

Come back the next week and read it from beginning to end. Do not stop to change anything. If something doesn’t read or sound right, make a note right on the page. (Print it out or use Track changes in word). Once you’ve read it from beginning to end and made all your notes, then walk away for at least 24 hours, if not 72. This gives your brain time to assimilate what it’s read.

Finally, come back and start rewriting, polishing, and moving the content around until it reads like you want it to.   This may take only days, but it usually takes months. It’s not a race. Keep going through each chapter, then the book as a whole until you are thrilled with what you’ve produced. Celebrate. Then….

(5) Hire an editor to do a hard edit. It doesn’t matter what level your writing is at when it comes to editing. You need someone trained in editing and someone outside of yourself or family to take a long, cold, hard, impersonal look at your book. They’re not just looking for commas and misspellings. Hard edits involve:

• reorganizing information
• improving the clarity
• suggesting (or even just rewriting) certain paragraphs or chapters
• making sure the transition from paragraph to paragraph and chapter-to-chapter is smooth
• ensuring the text is readable (subheads, bullet points, flow)
• fact checking source material
• ensuring timelines, dates, names and events are consistent and realistic
• deleting repetitious or extraneous phrases and sentences
• challenging the writer to take risks, push, go deeper or rewrite entire sections

Expect to pay $2,500 to $5,000 for a good hard edit.  When a good editor returns your manuscript it will look like they’ve bled on it (if they use red ink), or it will look like you didn’t have two good sentences to string together and are a worthless hack. DO NOT FREAK. This is NORMAL, even for great writers. That’s why you pay them so much $$!!

Make the corrections, listen to the suggestions and go through the entire book again. You may do this 1-5 times or more depending on the complexity of the book and how well you follow your editor’s suggestions. When you’ve gone through this several times you’ll eventually see how the suggestions and edits actually have improved your writing. Once this process is complete, so is your book!! Congratulations! Now go celebrate. You’ll need it for when you start the next phases — publishing, distributing and marketing!

What is Scope Creep?

Scope Creep is when a client pushes their vendor (graphic person, writer, provider etc) to do more work than they initially agreed on, without compensation or acknowledgement. For instance, a client hires me to write a white paper. Halfway through the project  asks if I can also take part of that paper I’m writing and create a teaser email or sales letter that they can use to send to their client list. If I were to write that sales letter independent of the current project, I would charge $150. So what they’re asking me to do is work for free on another job just because they’ve hired me for this job! They may not see it that way. They may think of you as an hourly employee who must do anything they ask, while they’re working for you. It’s up to you to educate them about that. That’s what a contract or agreement is for.

The email was not part of the original project, but the client wants it anyway and asks me to do it without offering any additional compensation. If I agree then I’ve made the client happy (they’re saving $150 after all). But having done that, the client then decides that a landing page, with “just a few paragraphs of copy to get readers to sign up and download the white paper,” would really be awesome. If I keep doing more and more for the client without compensation, then I’m hurting myself and losing paying business. Why would the provider pay me if I’ll do it for free. But many providers don’t see it that way. They think the client will be angry or offended if they say “No,” or charge more. They feel that way because they lack or have a hard time enforcing personal and professional boundaries. They don’t respect their time or value, so why would anyone else?

With Scope Creep no additional compensation is offered when additional, uncontracted work is requested. What is happening with Scope Creep is the client is asking for, and receiving, extra value for no additional cost. If this is a new client, or a good client the provider (me) may decide to provide the extra value or services at no cost in order to generate good will and client loyalty. That’s the idea, but not the reality. Instead of feeling grateful or appreciative, the client will simply assume that this is how you work — that you give them what they want without charging extra. They don’t realize (usually) what they’re doing. However, some do know exactly what they’re doing and they take advantage of you.

What causes Scope Creep?

Lack of boundaries by both client and provider are “to blame” for scope creep if you want to put it that way. Either both parties aren’t able or willing to respect business boundaries, or neither party is even aware the boundaries are there. If there’s no agreement, terms or contract chances are there are no boundaries. If only one party has boundaries and expresses and enforces boundaries clearly, scope creep is stopped before it becomes an issue.

If the client or provider has boundaries they’ll ask for or insist upon an agreement. Why? Because they understand that expectations between providers and clients are best spelled out in writing. That way they both know that what they agree to in writing, is what they can expect to get.

If a client has good boundaries they are easily able to say, “I’d love to do that for you. What a great idea. It’s outside the scope of our current project, but I’d be happy to quote you a price on doing it as a separate project.” Or, if they are comfortable doing a little extra, even though it’s outside their current agreement, they will say, “I love that idea. You know, it’s outside the scope of our current agreement, but I think it’s something that will really help kick start your project. I’m willing to do this as a one-time gift because I’d like to be considered for your next project.”

Boundaries aren’t hard and fast rules. They’re just ways of living and relating that let other people know how we want to be treated and how we’ll allow ourselves to be treated. You can shift or flex your boundaries if you choose to. If you totally abandon your boundaries scope creep will become a real issue — and you’ll feel more like you’re being taken advantage of, used or abused and not appreciated.

So be careful. Know exactly how much you are willing to flex and stick with it. I base my ability to “flex” on a percentage of the cost of the job. One of the best tactics I’ve ever heard is, “Don’t give up something without getting something in return.” If a client wants something from me they’re not able or willing to pay for, we negotiate an exchange instead. It makes clients respect you. If they don’t like it and don’t respect you, then they leave, and you’re better off. Now you have an opening for a client that does respect you!

How Do I Prevent Scope Creep?

Start by drafting an agreement or “terms” or a contract with your client or provider. Spell out in detail exactly what you’re getting for what you’re paying.

List the terms of cancellation as well, just in case things don’t work out. I have a policy of  a non-refundable deposit, plus a 15-day walk away notice. If my clients aren’t happy or aren’t getting what they want, they simply give me a 15-day written notice and they walk away from the project. They can keep what they’ve paid for, otherwise I retain the copyright. I have that same right to walk. If a client isn’t meeting their deadlines, or giving me materials I need, or is a chronic Scope Creeper, I will walk and they know that ahead of time.  Good fences make good neighbors.

If you don’t believe it, just check out the number of magazines, books, booklets and other paper products in your local store, your doctor’s office, or even in the waiting room where you get your car fixed. Paper is not dead and it will be around for at least another decade or two.

I’m considering buying a new car in 2013. When I went to various dealerships in two towns the dealers offered me glossy paper brochures and booklets on their vehicles. There’s the website if I want that, but walking out of those showrooms with all those brochures connected me to their product in a tactile, immediate, physical way that no e-reader alone can do.

Last summer a friend of mine was building a Koi pond for his Koi (big goldfish). He spent time online looking up designs and various packages, but what caught his eye was an “Ortho’s how-to” paperback book he found at a home improvement store. It was the paperback book he took out to the yard and scribbled notes on and took back to Lowes when he was shopping for parts. Why? Convenience. Ease. He didn’t want his iPad broken or cracked around the construction site. He used it too, but the paperback book was the workhorse of the project.

I’m not saying people don’t use tablets and pads. They do. But there’s a huge advantage to being able to offer both the paperback and the digital version of a book, or to be able to hand your prospect a tangible chunk of personalized information in a format they’ll read.

Booklets (15-to-50 pages) cost, on average, about $2.15 apiece to print. They cost, on average, $500 to $2,500 to design, write and produce. That’s a small price to pay to be immediately share photos and information with an interested prospect, especially if you’ve priced the cost of a full-page, or even quarter-page ad in your local paper lately. Yes, digital is awesome, but only if your audience packs a tablet or iPad 24/7.

5 Reasons Why Your Business Needs a Paperback Book or Booklet

(1) Time. When you’re talking to people face-to-face it’s a lot easier and more practical to pull out a booklet than to turn on your iPad or Tablet. A booklet or brochure or paperback book requires no time commitment from either person, and it doesn’t require you be there to walk the person through the information.

If I’m talking to someone in line at the grocery or the bookstore, or wherever it’s much more practical to just say, “If you’re interested, here’s more information,” and then hand them the book to look at and take with them. With the tablet you’ve both pretty much got to commit to the next 10-20 minutes to stand there and flip through the tablet’s digital book. If you’re talking to two or more people who’ve expressed an interest, all the better to have a couple of copies on hand to pass out.

(2) Number of Readers. Newspapers and magazines count the number of subscribers and sales they have, then multiply by three. Why? Because on average, that’s the number of people in the household who will also look at the magazine or newspaper. If you only offer a digital copy of your book, chances are it’s not going to be shared, or sit on a table, or be given to someone else to read. If you have a paperback book, magazine or paper copy of your product and service once the person finishes with it, chances are there will be other readers who see it as well.

(3) Cost Effective Advertising. Because of the “print on demand” services of places like Amazon.com, CreateSpace.com and even Kinko’s and other office print shops, you only order the number of paperbacks you need or want. You don’t have to have 500 copies paid for and sitting around taking up space and becoming outdated. Are you a Little League Coach? Maybe you have a garden club or other organization you want to get information out to. Instead of having 20 to 30 parents telling you that they couldn’t print off your PDF of the rules booklet, why not create a 25-page book and hand it out? Charge them for the copy if you like. I promise that more of them are likely to take the book and toss it in their purse or kid’s sports bag for quick consulting rather than rely on a tablet. Their smartphone may be a great backup for some info, but there’s nothing like flipping to the page they need and then showing it to whomever they need to show it to.

(4) Credibility. The primary reason most speakers, coaches and business people come to me for a book is to increase their credibility with customers, potential customers and traffic on the web. Having a book, self-published or not, tells people you have it together enough to finish something. Given the choice of hiring someone who’s published a book versus someone who has not, the presence of a well-written, well-designed book is often the tipping point for the undecided buyer.

(5) Long lasting connection. Books, like t-shirts, remind us that we’ve experienced something, been somewhere, or have connected with someone, particularly if you personally hand someone a copy of your book. It’s tangible, personal and memorable. When I tell people to “Go to Amazon.com and check out my book,” few do. But everyone will accept a copy of the book. A physical copy of a book has value. They’re more likely to read the first three chapters I give them, get hooked and THEN go to Amazon to buy the entire book.

Some businesses are better candidates than others for a paperback booklet. If you’d like to know if your business could benefit from either a digital or paperback (or both) book, email me today to set up a time to discuss your options.

A ghostwriter is a person who writes your articles, blogs or books and lets you take the credit for the content! I know. In school that was called plagiarizing. Once you’re not in school anymore, it’s called ghostwriting and it’s perfectly ethical and legal.

Why do people hire ghostwriters?

Most people hire ghostwriters for the same reason they hire any professional — they don’t have the time, talents, skillset or tools to do the job themselves. I, for instance, have almost all the woodworking tools I need to build most of the projects I want to build.

Yet, about 75% of the time when I need furniture custom made (desk or bookshelf etc. to fit a certain niche) I either hire someone to build it for me and tell them what the size is and let them come up with a solution, or I give them my design and ask them to build what I’ve envisioned.

When I have time I enjoy making my own furniture and bookcases, but none of them can hold a candle to a professional cabinet maker’s skills!  When people have an idea, a story or a concept they do the same thing. They come to me with their vision, or they say, “This is what I want, go with it!”

I’ve written for many people who are excellent writers and don’t need a ghost writer. They just don’t have the time to write it themselves. They give me a concept or outline and trust me to create what they envision.

The majority of my clients hire me as a collaborator — someone who will work with them to create, polish and focus their writing. Some can write, many can’t. What matters is the concept, the idea. They find working with someone they can bounce ideas off of increases their creativity.

Because I accommodate clients from around the world (at odd hours), my work hours are a little unusual. If I’m speaking with clients at 3 a.m. EST I may not be at my best at 7 a.m. EST. I have west coast clients who need to be able to reach me up until 5 p.m. PST.

While I may respond to your emails immediately if I’m checking email when you write, expect a reply within 24-hours.  If you have a request after 8 p.m. on Thursday, it may be a 48-to-72 hour response time. I check business email at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

While I may be at the computer before or after 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., that doesn’t necessarily mean I’m working on client projects.

With the right planning and schedule your project can be completed during the week, during these hours. If you have a last minute, or rush project, let me know.  I don’t normally work weekends, but for a rush fee I’m happy to consider it.