I came across marketing expert and coach, Tara Kachaturoff, on Connie Ragan Green’s 30-day blog challenge. Her post today, “Marketing Your Book – The strategy may be in “why†you wrote your book,” suggests that authors and would-be authors look at the reasons why writing a book was important in the first place. Tara explains, “You can often find hints of marketing strategies that might be a good fit.”
She concludes, saying, “I believe there is value in taking time to explore your original intentions as you may find some highly aligned and inspirational strategies that are perfect for you!”
Tara’s insights are right on the money. What she opens the door to here is the deep dive, what I call the “inner journey.” In particular for conscious creators, visionaries, thought leaders, and paradigm-changing authors, writers, messengers, healers, and soul-preneurs, this sort of reflection creates the foundational inner work that strengthens the creator and the project. But why, you may ask, does that matter?
What I have discovered and observed over my time in corporate book publishing and a decade-long self-employment journey helping all kinds of clients with their words, is that all the fantastic outer stuff is great. But using those juicy marketing tools alone can result in “bright shiny object syndrome” without the foundational grounding of this inner journey. Both creator and creation become like a tree without roots, and just as unlikely to thrive.
Think about it. Without examining your underlying motivations, your vision, aspirations, and goals, without the inner clarity that comes from envisioning your path and ultimate destination (or at least the next few steps), then you risk traveling the road that old saying describes: “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.”
Ideally this inner work and inner journey takes place before the book is published. But as Tara observes, it can be powerful at any point in the process. I like to point out the importance of this by saying “the inner journey IS the journey.”
Safe travels to all!
Post 14 in the 30 day blogging challenge. Follow the great collegiality on Twitter at #blog30.
This is true for really any endeavor. A great reminder Bobbye. Thanks!
Terrie, It’s great that you had someone bring out that inner message for you. Amazing how it can be transformative, yes?
Melanie, yes, some bigger vision can be a powerful motivation and source for momentum.
Connie, Thanks for stopping by to comment. The inner journey offers amazing potential for people to strengthen themselves, their business, and their products/creations.
I appreciate all of you and the community growing up around the 30-day blog challenge.
This rings true for me. I had struggled to write a book a few years ago. It never came together, but the process taught me much about myself. I’ve just now finished my first book based on my blog, and it was a joy to write. My ‘inner journey’ continues to be special.
Your post pigeon holes right in to the heart of the matter, Bobbye. Without a meaningful or concrete “why”, there’s really no foundation for creating much of anything, let alone a book.
I believe people need to get “attached” to your vision or aspirations in order for you to flourish. Otherwise, you’re just a factory – a production mill.
Very insightful piece!
Melanie
Very interesting. I found my inner reason when the wonderful man who taught me how to do an interview grilled me on why I had written the book.
I was impressed with myself (not in a bad way) when I realized the two primary reasons I had gone into it. And that realization really did change how I looked at everything.
Great post
Terrie