It always boils down to doing something with integrity and decency or doing som cuts her and there just to deliver and keep ‘em happy.

A friend of mine is in a similar situation regarding a book-project, and his publisher pushes in the same way.

Remember that when you publish a book it’s a legacy of who you are and what you did in your life. Think about it from your kid’s and future generation’s perspective. Do it right or don’t do it at all.

I always try to not be short sighted when I do something. I believe that is what you try to do as well. Keep the perspectives and you know what to do.

I’m shocked I’m reading this from you. Didn’t you have a talk with Rand about full disclosure and not trusting when people plug products? And doesn’t your agent get paid when the book hits the shelf?

I would be a little dubious about his intentions on what is best for YOUR book.

Can’t say I disagree with Chris there, but it’s a very endearing quality in a blogger that they have pride in their product and brand enough not to “sell out” to sell books.

But we all already knew you were awesome

That’s the problem of using a publisher instead of self-publishing. You aren’t going niche anymore, but selling a watered down summary of a book that is marketed to the same guy buying a ‘get rich on ebay’ or ‘get rich in real estate with no money down’.

But as far as joel osteen, I’m not going to rag on the guy but he’s definitely helped repackage religion under the ‘prosperity gospel’..with the help of megachurches like Willow Creek in IL and Saddleback in CA. Apparently there is a desire for that because those 3 churches probably have combined 125k people coming to their services. I guess it’s better than the trust in Christ, repent, and turn away from sin. Joel Osteen thinks he needs to spice it up a bit. Ok for a ‘make money book’, probalby not ok when you’re talking about the Bible.

Shoe - Plz dont write the same old book as everyone else. You’ve always been true to form, and I think thats why people are really anticipating your book. They expect your level of honesty and detailed knowledge to be between the covers of a book, not a fluff piece some agent pushed you to crap out just to get them a commission.

It boils down to doing what you want. Do you want to write the same book as everyone else, or do you want to go outside the box and be a true leader. Do you want a fast buck telling your story, or do you want to make the book worth it to every single last person who buys it…

I work in publishing and I see both sides. Author’s want to ‘keep it real’ but sometimes those types of books work, but most times they flop.

What I’ve come to realize is people (in general) are pretty clueless sometimes. I like Seth Godin, I think the guy’s a genius, but look at his books. He takes one simple idea and writes a book about it and people eat it up. It’s almost like he takes common sense adds a little ‘design’ to it and people think it’s the greatest thing…ever!

So, bottom line, if you want big royalty checks then listen to your publishers….they know what they are talking about.

I think one of the better ‘how to’ internet marketing books that was published by a big company was Tom Antion’s ‘how to market your small business online’ (or something). He leans towards information marketing, but it’s still lays the groundwork for some basic concepts….and because he plugs a lot of his autoresponder/shopping cart continuity services in there, i heard he made an absolute killing. Way more than a royalty check from the publisher.

I did this for my book - write the main points and then follow up with more details on your book’s blog - you’ll get endless questions on top of what you write no matter what you do.

Plus it’s sooo becoming a soundbite world, no need to have a long book because no one has time to read it all - it amazes me when people come out with books over 180 pages with small type - no one will finish that thing and it’s mostly written masterbation after 100 pages.

The last 10% for me was the hardest, just because you question yourself so much because you’re not sure what finished is suppose to look like (especially with self help)

Shoe, I hope you don’t fold to peer pressure! I would love to see an original book, not a regurgitation of someone’s book already on the shelves!

I think there’s a key dilemma for publishers and authors when people need to take action based on what’s in the book. The nitty-gritty details become dated, although it would perhpas be most helpful to have them. Leaving them out means the book will have a longer shelf life, but that also would make it like all the other books. In the end, you’ll never be able to tell somebody how to succeed keystroke by keystroke, you need to tell them the things they need to do as habits of the mind. And even if you could tell someone how to succeed keystroke by keystroke, when that information becomes obsolete tomorrow because of some change in the way the web or the world works, your reader has been done a huge disservice if you’ve set them up to fail because the book’s methodology is obsolete with respect to some critical point.

A naval strategy manual that advocated triremes would be obviously outdated the moment an aircraft carrier appeared on the scene … but what if nuclear subs were not a known fact, and one had never been seen in the wild? The triremes would be outclassed and not even know it. That, I think, is the danger of excessive specificity.

I’d really hope there was some substance in the book and not just topics on how to get rich quickly. You have far more talent than gets shared on your blog and some of that should be coming out in print. You can pretty much figure your golden with what ever you publish, but like you mention Ron Paul, there’s the work and effort that comes from your heart, and then there’s the pandering to the masses approach. Both will sell, it’s just a matter which message you want to put forth.

Write what people need to hear instead of what they wish to hear. Your core audience is the people who follow you on this blog and you’ll get hell to pay if you write the “same old same old” because we have high expectations from you :.)

I get about 2-3 uniques everyday from the pic in the gallery. Its not alot but what the hell thats 2-3 uniques that I probably would not get otherwise?

If it’s not going to be original save your readers the trouble and don’t even write a book.

mAN, if the frontpage of the book was you w/adsense check, i wont buuy it..

1000x views than any other gallery pics?
Worth submitting some original pics in there!

Here is the formula - read most any self help book and the whole goal is to build a long term relationship with the reader by inticing them to find out more next time you write. Whether that be in another book or on a blog.

The secret is to give away at a few juicy case studies with full disclosure of timeline and net gain result. Then tell the reader that they can find more examples (in my next book) or more immediately on the web (exactly what Tim Ferriss did) - in the world of making money this works well because the tactics are always changing with new case studies. Different tactics work for different products/services.

These books basically rev you up emotionally. They either set you up to read more or prequalify toward enhanced or related products which you can either sell yourself or make money through affiliate money.

See Tim’s NO2 muscle strength product example in his book. In Seth Godin’s case he gives away free ideas with reasoned perspective so that you keep coming to him for free ideas.

People are always looking for the easy way and that’s what sells books, ebooks, web course subscriptions and so forth. Look in any business opportunity magazine and that’s what you’ll find in the vast majority of the advertisements.

Thanks for sharing,. Shoe! The mere fact that you’re telling this story means that we’re not going to get a meaningless offering from you. Consider that one copy sold!

Man, I wrote a book and have the first draft complete. Over 200 pages! Now I have to find the time to go back and do the rewrites. That’s the toughest part because after writing the first draft I’m burned out.

Hahahah Can we submit new photos? I had a good month last month and wouldn’t mind posting a screenshot for your gallery Hahahaha

Ha if I could get a check big enough to show I would send one.

Man, I hate the way that Joel Osteen blinks his eyes all the time - freaky

Nice guy just trying to get his message out - but still freaky….

Hey Shoe,
When you decide could you let me know, so I know whether or not to buy it?

Joel Osteen is good people, no doubt. He isn’t shy about being successful either though.

Your book agent wants to take advantage of any and all popularity you have right now to maximize profits of course. Don’t write the book for him, write it for your readers and yourself.
~Terry

Business books are long copy sales letters.

I may have to agree, that even I have discovered, that getting money doesn’t come with NO WORK. From all the nonsense blog I read from you, I feel that this one is actually a really good one because you have confided your honesty. I had figured out that you’d put a blog and didn’t have an idea of what you were going to become. I’ve had a love and hate situation with you, but I have come to an understanding that you are consistent and you must’ve had a plan. Don’t follow the pattern of “I DID NO WORK AND GOT RICH” because the rest of the people are under the notion the working is overrated nowadays and don’t seem to associate that one works triple as hard as someone that works in an office from home. People need to know that all of this [getting rich online] is serious business, not just some scam or something that isn’t true. We are in the internet age and people need to understand that it’s SOMEONE OUT THERE…Help the cause!

I really like Joel Osteen.

As far as the book goes I think you have to think about quality. You can do what everyone else does if that’s who you think you are Shoe. But c’mon - that’s not you man. Remember the movie Troy? “Are they going to remember your name?” Well, not if you don’t give them something to remember.

Anyway… I see what you are saying and agree. Joel Olsten is preaching from the same book of rules that every other religious leader has for centuries so what make him the latest “it” person. Like you said it is all in the delivery.

You could do that as a marketing strategy, but why? You always talk about how much work it took to earn that $xxx,xxx check, so why lie and put it on the front of a book? I think releasing a book is a good idea, but I wouldn’t put “earned from no work” on it, unless that is really what happened.

So you don’t want us to buy books ?

Tamish, he is establishing his credibility by highlighting the challenges faced by an author confronted by deadlines. This is guaranteed to make us want to buy the book even more!

I think it is better you stick with the Original Book,because to GET RICH RICH as everybody wanted could be browsed in the internet.

Sucess will draw curiosity.

I would recommend you not to listen to your book agent and to write a quality and original book.