Top 4 Lessons learned about launching an eBook

Launching my eBook Simple Steps To Creating Your Portable Office has been a huge learning experience. Thankfully a fun learning experience… enough so that I want to try it again soon!

Lesson #1: Take it one step at a time

If you look at the process as a whole - writing, editing, proofing, launching and promoting an eBook can seem to be a huge project and it is. It was such a relief to look at the entire process from beginning to end and break it out into smaller more manageable chunks and assigning target completion dates to each step. Once I went through that process with my coach it seemed very doable and I began to look forward to the process.

Lesson #2: Have 2nd & 3rd sets of eyes proof for you

After writing and editing both my ebook and my website I got to the point where I felt cross eyed and realized I needed a break. So I stepped away for a few days so I could come back fresh and also enlisted the help of several people to critique my ebook and website. It is amazing what a different perspective can do for you in a project like this.

Lesson #3: Have fun and learn lots!

This really can be a fun process and an incredible opportunity to learn lots of new things. Take your time, enjoy the process and use the opportunity to create a product you can be proud of and are excited to promote and talk about. I learned a lot about me, even more about my chosen topic and had the opportunity to interact with friends and acquaintances as they helped me proof and critique to make my eBook the best it could be.

Lesson #4: Keep it simple - Don’t over analyze

Here is that simple theme again! Don’t over analyze, don’t over criticize and don’t over complicate things. The process is actually quite simple but does not always feel that way so keep it simple, work with a mentor or a friend who will hold you accountable and keep you on track and will remind you to

Keep it Simple!

September 10, 2008 | Filed Under Project Management, The Blue Jeans VA | Leave a Comment 

Simplify & Systematize

So I have been noticing a theme in my little corner of the world lately…

"Our life is frittered away by detail… Simplify, Simplify." ~Thoreau

From writing my ebook to business planning to marketing plans I am learning to simplify, simplify.

Its not always easy either! There are some projects and ideas that seem overwhelming with information overload. It is times like this that I know it is time to stop… take a deep breath… and gather my scattered thoughts and take it one step at a time.

This is when I realize and remember just how important it is to set up a system, but where do you start? Sometimes I’ll try an outline and take a look at the steps involved… but honestly most of the time that is just too complicated and is not a good way to capture the fleeting gems quickly enough. That is when I break into my bag of tricks and pull out the power tool ‘Mind Map’.

This super cool tool helps me gather each thought and idea ( great ideas of course:)! ) and get them down on paper all in 1 place. Check out the definition and example of a mind map at Wikipedia . They can be hard to explain so it is usually best to see an example in order to get the ‘picture’.

For creative thinkers, entrepreneurs, renaissance souls and multipreneurs thoughts and ideas can scatter here, there and everywhere so capturing them and putting them onto paper is essential. When I have a new idea my brain can go a little nuts. I have learned that it is just best for everyone concerned to take a second and write it down so I wont obsess in my efforts to not forget.

Mind maps allow these scatters thoughts and ideas to come into a cohesive form. When you use a problem solving and organization tool like a mind map you can start to see a pattern, a series of steps that must be taken from Point A to Point B without jumping to Point F first. A simple tool that can make a great system!

See? Simplify & Systematize… that seems to be a theme.

July 25, 2008 | Filed Under Entrepreneurship, Project Management, The Blue Jeans VA, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment