The Extraordinary Business Book Club

Explore the importance of focusing on the process of writing a book, rather than just the end goal. Reflect on the 10th anniversary of Practical Inspiration Publishing. Learn about the first step in writing a business book and upcoming workshops. Discover the value of exploratory writing and the importance of reading widely. Receive well-wishes for the year ahead and support for aspiring authors.

Andy Brown, an author experienced in testing and articulating business book ideas, discusses the concept of the emotional overdraft and the hidden costs of business growth. They emphasize the power of discussion and writing, and the process of exploring ideas and getting started with writing. They also touch on business book recommendations and engaging newsletters, and recommend three new business books to check out.

Kathryn Bishop, CBE and Gillian Camm are seasoned members of both private and public sector boards. And they've learned that effective governance comes down not to rigid structure and process but to one of the most ancient human skills of all: conversation. Conversations on the right topics, with the right people, in the right way. So it made sense of course to structure the book around the various types of conversation essential for strong boards; but what they hadn't expected was that their collaborative writing process would itself embody the honest, energised, respectful conversational style they were advocating in the book. Essential listening if you're a board member, a writer, or simply a human being who needs to talk to other human beings to Get Things Done.

Naren Aryal, laser-focused on the business of publishing for business, shares insights on developing Amplify Publishing Group, the unique goals of business authors, and the importance of targeting a specific audience for your book. They discuss publishing options and current trends in book writing, establishing trust with readers, the success of 'Becoming Coachable,' and recommendations for new reads.

This episode compiles the best insights from previous guests on writing business books. Topics include individuality in business, the persuasive power of stories, the importance of personal connection, and assembling an expert team for your book. The episode emphasizes that writing a business book is a business activity.

Luan Wise, an expert on social media, shares insights on writing and publishing business books. Topics include social media tactics, challenges of writing about a constantly evolving topic, collaboration with academia for research, fitting writing around the day job, and advanced procrastination strategies.

'If I'm not doing my own writing, I'm not properly thinking.' You'll be familiar with the idea of visual identity in branding: but what about verbal identity? John Simmons, director at Interbrand, recognised that the language you use as a business is just as important - if not more so - as the logo, colours and fonts. He also realised that most businesses were doing this badly. In this week's though-provoking conversation, he talks me to me about human-to-human business writing, the value of learning to write well, and the joy of it. In his Dark Angels workshops he delights in introducing business people to their own creativity and building their writing confidence. Because when we write well, we think well, and when we think well, we are powerful.

Josh Bernoff, expert in writing business books, emphasizes the importance of differentiation. He encourages authors to think of their book as part of a larger ecosystem and create immediacy to capture engagement. This conversation is a treasure trove of actionable advice for writing a business book that makes a difference.

Ginny Carter, experienced ghostwriter and award-winning author in her own right, discovered when judging the self-help category for the Business Book Awards that authors were consistently making the same mistakes. The answer was obvious: write a great self-help book explaining how to write a great self-help book! In this super-practical episode, Ginny pinpoints three critical missteps often made by self-help authors, demystifies storytelling, and introduces her ingenious 'chunking' technique as a way of structuring your content in a way that's more effective for the reader. Whether you're an aspiring self-help author or a seasoned pro, this episode not only celebrates the profound impact of self-help literature but also delivers invaluable insights to take your own writing from good to great.

'The problem that you have here, it's not a writing problem. It's a thinking problem.' When Adrian Hornsby faced the challenge of how to convey complex business information in a way that resonated with readers, he drew on his background in writing fiction for theatre to bring dense business concepts to life. But he quickly learned that using a story to convey information was the exact reverse of what he needed to do. The result is the award-winning Disruption in Action, winner of the 2023 Life and Work Business Book of the Year award. As well as a masterclass on storytelling, we talk about learning from feedback and the decision of Adrian and his co-authors to self-publish and the advantages it brings, as well as the challenges.