The Three Biggest Mistakes Successful People Make When Planning a Book

Successful people are brilliant at many things, but writing a book often exposes some hard truths. For one, expertise, doesn’t make you a writer or a blog automatically translate into a clear, structured, market-ready manuscript. It can be hard, especially when you’re at the top of your game to realise that you need help (especially if you’re surrounded by people who tell you what you want to hear). The good news is that the most common mistakes are avoidable.

So, here are three big mistakes that hold people back before they have even typed the first chapter.

Mistake 1: Believing time will magically appear

High achievers often think they can squeeze in a book. Between calls, between flights or between everything else they already juggle.
But a good book needs thinking space as much as writing space. It needs clarity, reflection and direction. If you are running a business, leading a team, raising a family or doing all three at once, time does not appear out of the blue.

This is where good help and proper support make all the difference. I do say when coaching, that repetition is the key to consistent writing (same, place, same time of day etc.) and that everybody has time to write something, but it’s not easy and there has to be a sacrifice. Whether that’s ego and means letting someone write it for you (by the way it’s not cheating, it’s a strong strategic use of your time and a business expense), or utilising breaks/holidays or family time (which is a premium) something has to go in order for you to find the time.

It will all depend on your deadline and how quickly you want it done and published.

Mistake 2: Starting without a structure

Plenty of people begin with enthusiasm and end up with a scattered document that looks more like a brain dump than a book.
Structure is not optional. It is the spine that keeps the whole thing upright. Without a clear framework, ideas blur together, the message weakens, and the reader loses interest.

A strong structure is what turns raw expertise into a piece of work that actually lands with the reader. You can download my free skeleton here, which is a simple document to help you keep on track.

At all times, remember who you are writing for, which leads nicely into point three.

Mistake 3: Assuming expertise or a good story automatically makes a book worth reading

This is the one that catches people out the most.
Someone tells them they have a great story, or they have years of strong experience, or they have built something impressive. All valid. All valuable. But none of that automatically means readers will buy the book.

Readers do not pay for your life story.
They pay for what your story does for them. There is a big difference.

A good book connects the dots between your experience and the reader’s needs. It gives them clarity, insight or transformation. It earns its place in their hands.

Another common issue is assuming a book will stand out simply because the story feels important to you. The market does not work like that. Every genre is crowded. There are thousands of business books, personal development books, memoirs and leadership stories fighting for attention.

If you want a book that sells, you need to know exactly where yours fits and why someone should buy it.

Look at the books in your space.
Study the themes, angles and messages that already exist.
Then ask yourself one question. What makes mine different?

Most people never do this step. They start writing without understanding the market they want to reach. The result is a book that blends in when it should stand out.

This is where strong support matters. Someone who can help you shape the idea, sharpen the message and position the book so it has a clear reason to exist. You can start by downloading this guide, which gives you a great starting point.

If you want your book to strengthen your brand, open new opportunities and feel like something you are genuinely proud of, avoid the three above.

Obviously I’m going to recommend you work with someone like me (preferably me :)) because, with the right support behind you, the whole process becomes clearer, smoother and far more enjoyable.

Reach out and let’s have a chat.