Books Are Our Message in a Bottle

What a joy it was being part of the Authors4Authors gathering in Nashville last week. This group, hosted by Donald Miller, CEO of StoryBrand and Mike Michalowicz (Profit First) brings together some of the top-selling nonfiction book authors in the world. (More on them below.)

I could go all day about the eye-opening takeways from the generous best-practices shared.

What impacted me the most was the river of deep integrity that ran through the group.

While some of our sessions revolved around how to turn our books into an evergreen business and brand that reach people around the world - that was not the emphasis or the ethos of this group.

Refreshingly so, in an industry where the online noise over-indexes on speed and metrics - promising ways to "write a bestseller in a weekend" and sell "truckoads of books" - the vast majority of these authors spend months, if not years, getting their book right.

For example, James Clear wrote and rewrote draft after draft of Atomic Habits until it was "right and tight." (That's when you know it's right, when you wouldn't change a word.)

I've always loved Naomi Rhode's theme as President of National Speakers Association - The Privilege of the Platform - as it reminds us our goal as speakers is to add value each and every time we take the stage.

As writers, our goal is to add value each and every time we take the page.

Perhaps we can adopt the theme Responsibility To Our Readers.

The congruent character of these creatives was evident in the heartfelt stories they told about their families. Many wrap their schedule around their loved ones, not the other way around.

You've heard the adage, "It's just business. It's nothing personal."

They model that life is personal, business is personal, it's all personal.

Hal Elrod (Million Dollar Morning) drives his daugther to school every day.

Ryan Levesque showed photos of his two sons on his farm in Vermont and spoke of our need to Return to Real, (title of his upcoming book.)

Michael Hyatt (Full Focus and former CEO of Thomas Nelson Books) says the center of his life revolves around his kids and grandkids, all who live within thirty mintues.

John Jantsch talks proudly that his daughter - Sara Nay - is now running his Duct Tape Marketing business and her first book Unchained comes out TOMORROW!

JJ Virgin is in business with her husband Tim Organ and says running their Health Business Growth Collective organization with her best friend is the best of all worlds.

Anjanette “AJ” Harper (Write a Must Read) spoke on how important it is to model diversity and inclusivity in our books - in our examples, characters, and suggested steps.

Following a devastating loss in her family, Sally Hogshead (Fascinate) is focusing on the lessons from loss and gifts of grief by noticing and creating Joy Bubble.

Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE co-authored his NYT bestseller Wealthy and Well-Known with his wife AJ Vaden.

I can speak from personal/professional experience about the joys of working side-by-side with a family member. My sister Cheri Grimm has been running my business for 30 years.

One of the great joys of my life is working with someone I implicitly trust. Someone who has my back and front. Someone with whom I can share the highs, lows, and the in-betweens.

Social media would have us think that accumulation and accomplishment are what matters.

Everyone in that room knew that spending time with friends and family is what matters.

My top take away from these best-of-the-best book stars?

Never lose site of why we write.

Our books are our message in a bottle.

Pablo Picasso said, "The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose is to give it away."

All of these authors are walking-talking-writing forces for good.

They have one foot in the commercial world (making money matters) - and their other foot in the creative world (because they're clear making a difference matters most.

They never lose sight of what a privilege it is to have an opportunity to share messages that positively impact the lives of others.

For example, I first met John Strelecky 20+ years ago early in his career. I was able to help him with his book pitch and introduced him to his first agent, Doris Michaels.

John's books - including bestseller Café on the Edge of the World - have now sold 11 million copies around the world and been translated into 45 languages.

John's body of work has, literally and figuratively, changed - and saved - lives. At almost every event, someone will come up and tell him his book brought them back from the brink.

I hope this is the intent we carry with us as we write - our responsibility to our readers.

As you get your EEE - Expertise. Experience. Epiphanies - out of your head and into the world, ask yourself:

• Am I proud of what I'm creating. Is this my best effort? Is it right and tight?

• Will it add value? Will it inspire, enlighten, inform, enterain?

• Will it help someone feel not so alone? Will they feel encouraged, inspired?

• Have I been raw and real? Have I shared something I learned the hard way so others don't have to learn it the hard way?

• Have I reverse-engineered systems that will save people time, money, hassle?

• Am I honoring the privilege of this platform and fulfilling my responsibility to readers?

It is a gift, a blessing, a privilege to be a writer. May we act accordingly and mindfully.