The biggest news in my world over the past few weeks is (drum roll, please!) … after five years of writing, plenty of learning and growing, and a whole lot of help from amazing people, I’ve finally launched my first book; “Smashed Avo to Smashed Goals - the fun and easy way to buy your first home”
Writing and launching a book can be an incredibly rewarding experience, but it's also a lot of hard work. As someone who has gone through the process, I wanted to share my journey with you and offer a few tips for those who are keen to follow a similar path.
My journey began because quite frankly, I was annoyed that there was no one, single resource for First Home Buyers in New Zealand and I wanted to do something about it! I spent a few months months outlining and researching, and eventually started writing the first draft of my book in the Summer of 2018.
As anyone who has ever written a book will agree, it's not an easy process. There were many times when I doubted myself and wondered if I would ever finish, especially as Covid-19 came and went and the property market boomed, our business grew, and I wasn't able to prioritize writing the way I wanted to. But I persevered, and after months of hard work, I finally completed the first draft.
Once the first draft was finished, I knew that the hard work was far from over. The editing process was just as challenging, if not more so, than the writing process. I enlisted the help of some incredible humans who helped with some touch up copywriting and editing, and spent countless hours revising and polishing my manuscript.
When the editing was finally finished, it was time to start thinking about the launch. I reached out to bloggers and book reviewers in my genre, and started building an audience through social media and email marketing. I also created a launch plan, which included a launch party and a book signing event.
Finally, launch day arrived. I was nervous and excited all at once. The incredible My Mortgage Team, friends and family joined me at the Cambridge Raceway on March 30th for a night of fun and interactive activities to celebrate the impact this book will have for First Home Buyers in NZ. I've now distributed more than 3/4 of the books I had published, and already have some fantastic feedback.
I've been absolutely buzzing after the initial feedback and excited to work with more first home buyers across Aotearoa to help make the process easy, exciting and a whole lot more fun!
For all the photos of the evening, click here
Looking back on my journey, there were many things that I learned along the way. Here are a few tips for those who are considering writing and launching their own book:
Set realistic goals and stick to them. Writing a book is a long and challenging process, but setting achievable goals can help keep you on track.
Get feedback from others. My pre-readers, copywriter and editor provided valuable feedback that definitely helped make my book even better.
Build an audience before you launch. Start building your audience early through social media, email marketing, and content marketing.
Plan your launch carefully. A well-planned launch can help generate buzz and excitement around your book.
Finally, don't be afraid to ask for help. Writing and launching a book can be a daunting task, but with the help of friends, family, and other writers, it's definitely achievable.
In conclusion, writing and launching a book can be a challenging but rewarding experience. With the right mindset, hard work, and a little bit of luck, anyone can make their dream of writing a book a reality.
Check out my webinar on the steps I used to write my first book, here in the shop.
Good luck, and happy writing!
