📚 First-Time Author Interview: Essential Questions Before You Publish Your Business Book
Thinking about writing your first business book? Before you dive in, there are crucial questions every aspiring author needs to ask. In this episode, I’m interviewed by Carrie Birmingham, a first-time author working on her upcoming book about co-founder conflict, who asked me all the tough questions about my journey writing “LEMONADE Plan.”
Critical Questions We Explore:- Is the massive investment of time and energy actually worth it?
- What benefits exist beyond obvious book sales (spoiler: the money isn’t in the book!)
- How do you maximise the authority and business benefits once published?
- Should you tell people what you’re working on or keep it secret?
- How do you navigate the overwhelming publishing process?
- What mistakes should you avoid in your first book journey
- Why writing a book is really about 3 different audiences (and yourself is #1)
- The power of building a proofreader network early in the process
- How to use AI tools like Claude as your “first reader” and editor
- Why book writing feels solo but is actually a team sport
- The real timeline and investment required (it’s different than you think)
- How to overcome imposter syndrome and get your message out there
Whether you’re just considering your first book, halfway through writing, or ready to publish, this honest conversation reveals the realities, challenges, and unexpected benefits of becoming a first-time author.
Carrie specialises in helping co-founders navigate conflict and is addressing a critical gap in the market with her upcoming book - perfect example of finding your unique angle as an author.
🎯 Chapter Timestamps: • 00:00 Introduction to the Journey of Writing a Book• 02:27 Understanding Co-Founder Conflict and Its Impact• 06:00 The Importance of Writing for Clarity and Growth• 08:11 The 3 Audiences for Your Book• 11:39 The Role of Blogging in Preparing for Book Writing• 14:45 Exploring the Investment in Writing a Book• 15:45 Benefits Beyond Book Sales• 20:01 Personal and Business Benefits of Writing a Business Book• 23:09 Maximising Authority in Business• 28:00 The Importance of Feedback and Sharing Ideas• 29:41 Using Claude AI as Your ‘First Reader’ Proofreader• 33:41 How to Make the Book Launch Actually Happen• 33:59 Navigating the Writing Process• 39:28 Authoring a Book Feels Like a Solo Activity But It’s a Team Game• 41:09 The Purpose Behind Writing a Book• 41:41 Wrap-Up: Book Writing as Part of Your JourneyConnect with Carrie Birmingham:Carrie Birmingham Consults - Specialising in complex workplace problems and co-founder conflict resolution:https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-birmingham/Get “LEMONADE Plan”:Get “LEMONADE Plan”:Available on Amazon - https://lemonadeplan.com/book**Tags:** business book writing, first time author, co-founder conflict, startup problems, business partnerships, author interview, book marketing, self publishing, business authority, entrepreneur advice, small business systems, conflict resolution, business relationships, writing process, book launch strategy, AI writing tools, Claude AI, business growth, startup advice, author journeyPopular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.
The Brothers Ortiz
The Brothers Ortiz is the story of two brothers–both successful, but in very different ways. Gabe Ortiz becomes a third-highest ranking officer in all of Texas while his younger brother Larry climbs the ranks in Puro Tango Blast, a notorious Texas Prison gang. Gabe doesn’t know all the details of his brother’s nefarious dealings, and he’s made a point not to ask, to protect their relationship. But when Larry is murdered during a home invasion in a rented beach house, Gabe has no choice but to look into what happened that night. To solve Larry’s murder, Gabe, and the whole Ortiz family, must ask each other tough questions.