Ready to Write a Must-Read Book? 4 Methods for Getting Started!

Have you ever wanted to write a book? Do you have a great idea, but no idea how to find the time to start? In her book Write a Must Read: Crafting a Book That Changes Lives—Including Your Own, AJ Harper addresses questions like these. With years of experience as a ghostwriter, AJ has developed a practical, step-by-step method other aspiring authors can use to get started on their own “must-read” book. She recently joined me on my Mindfulness Manufacturing podcast, where she shared some tips even the busiest manufacturing leaders can use to commit to crafting their own “must-read” book.

Must-Read Tip #1: Have a Reliable System

Much like manufacturing, writing a book requires developing repeatable, reliable processes. Throughout your writing process, you’ll likely encounter challenges like time constraints and schedule interruptions, as well as internal issues like self-doubt or tough feedback from your own inner critic. When you have your own strong and repeatable process for committing to your book, you can overcome challenges like these.

Must Read-Tip #2: Find Time to Write

To write a book, you need to find time to write! However, this be easier said than done, especially if you’re in a fast-paced industry like manufacturing. You might not have time to write thousands of words every day, but that’s perfectly okay. As AJ stresses in her podcast episode, writing doesn’t have to be daily and you don’t have to get down tons of words every day. As long as you’re finding regular chances to write—and the definition of “regular” is up to you and your own unique writing system!—you’re still working toward your end-goal of writing your book.

Must-Read Tip #3: Remember the Details

While you’re in the process of writing your book, you might encounter ideas or experiences you want to include. If you don’t have time to write down the full idea, you can leave yourself a note with the main bullet points, or create a note in a voice app. Details play a key role in strong storytelling, so remember to note the details as you see them.

Must-Read Tip #4: Reader First!

This is one of my favorite tips from AJ. While you’re writing your book, approach it with a “reader first” mindset. Instead of just thinking about your objectives and what you want to say through your book, think about your readers, how you want to make them feel, and what you want them to get out of reading your book. This allows you to better understand your audience, so you can create a valuable experience for your readers.

Bonus Tip: They Haven’t Read YOUR Book

While you’re writing a book, it can be easy to feel discouraged when you see books with similar concepts as yours, or when your inner critic distracts you with thoughts about how your ideas are nothing new. But remember: the world hasn’t read your book! Even if similar ideas have already been shared, you can still bring your own unique voice and perspective.

Learn More on the Podcast

To hear more about crafting a must-read book with AJ Harper, check out her episode of the Mindfulness Manufacturing podcast here.

At Manufacturing Greatness, Trevor Blondeel works with manufacturers to connect the top to the shop. If you’re ready to improve your own organization, contact Trevor to learn how Manufacturing Greatness can help you build stronger leaders and develop a dynamic, high-performing workplace.

Mindfulness Manufacturing

Our show is about providing listeners with real stories that come from a place of experience, transparency, and authenticity. Most importantly it’s about what we learn from these stories and applying Mindfulness in our everyday work and personal lives.
Our intention is to create an environment where people can learn through open honest discussions on how we apply Mindfulness. Although our experiences and stories come from time in a manufacturing environment hence the title “Mindfulness Manufacturing”, we still see our discussions and topics relatable to any organization or profession.

When a mistake occurs on the plant floor, your mind might jump to one question: who caused this issue, and should I write them up for their mistake? But there’s a more productive approach you could be taking—and in this episode of Mindfulness Manufacturing, guest Dr. Jake Mazulewicz breaks it all down!

With a background as a firefighter, EMT, and military paratrooper, Jake knows the challenges of high-hazard industries, and works with organizations to reduce errors and create safer, more reliable workplace environments. In this episode, Jake shares why you can’t procedularize everything, including the way you handle errors and accidents, and offers great insights and stories about how to use connection and curiosity to improve safety, address errors, and strengthen your organization.

3:35 – Procedures and policies are the work that is imagined, and on the floor is how the work actually gets done

4:19 – The work as-done is almost always radically different than the work as-imagined

5:20 – Even when you have standards and people show up wanting to do a good job, you can still see issues that need to be addressed

6:44 – There will always be areas that absolutely need to have procedures in place

8:02 – There are also adaptive jobs, which leans less into procedures and more intro troubleshooting and tacit human knowledge

10:56 – In an ideal environment, both mechanistic and adaptive models are used and respected and needed

12:11 – There are four levels, ranging from strict procedurals to looser guidelines that show what to do, but not how to do it

15:36 – Tacit knowledge gets shared through conversations

16:22 – A way to share important information is to have frontline experts record videos sharing their insights to problems, especially those that are not covered in procedures

19:44 – Through conversation and connection, more knowledge is shared

21:58 – Debriefing also plays a central role

23:45 – If you have strong discipline, you’ll find more freedom

25:31 – In most situations, errors are signals, not defects

27:07 – When an error occurs, be curious and find the deeper cause of the problem

Connect with Jake Mazulewicz

Find him on Linkedin

Visit his website