Most advice for business and self-help authors

I don't promote books.

I leverage books to promote business authors.

Here’s a slice of truth for anyone looking to grow their business through authorship:

It was a great week that ended on a sweet note.

Knowing your exact audience is like having the sharpest blade.

Your author brand will cut through the noise.

The best “promoting your book” thing you can do right now is simple.

Don’t promote the book. Instead, share something that you know your reader wants to know.

Make a chapter or a story into a bite-size piece of content.

Stop rushing the process.

"Hussein, I just want to get this thing done and out!"

Then what?

It will be out, half-assed, and you won't be happy with the result and blame everything but the fact that you should have taken your time enjoying the process and launching on your timeline.

Three weeks before the book launch, you realize you need a website, an audience, an email list, a strategy, and post more on social media to help promote the launch of a book.

Tough. That’s a daunting task.

Here's some honest truth.

Embrace the long game in your author journey.

It's not about the pressure to win; it's about loving the process and evolving into the author, speaker, and consultant you aim to be.

Your wisdom is too precious to waste.

I got to interview my friend Scott McCreight, BSIE, MSCIS, PMP to share his story of grit and resilience.

I was reminded just how powerful we all are while listening to Scott's story during our interview.

People love a good underdog story - or at least, they say they do.

I met my friend George D. Place when he started his writing journey, and I'm so excited for him to publish this incredible book.

You aren't rewarded for simply writing and publishing your work.

You're rewarded for leveraging your expertise to educate, inspire, and guide others.

If you're contemplating stepping into the spotlight or promoting your book or author brand, you don't need another webinar, exhaustive guide, or perfect timing.

Just start.

You'll gain infinitely more by engaging directly with your readers than by pondering the ideal marketing plan.

Connect with just 3 new people in your niche each day, and you're crafting a network that's both broad and deep.

Choose five recent connections and ask if you can mail them a copy of your book as a mere gift.

My best piece of productivity advice for aspiring authors:

Take action on your tasks, observe your progress, adjust your approach swiftly, and take action again.

Waiting around for perfect conditions or more information is the biggest waste of your precious time.

Go for it; overthinking isn't going to save you.

Sit down, write a few paragraphs, and write a few posts about progress.

Share and show your work, get feedback, and work through it.

Thinking my work is an evolving experiment has helped me in many ways.

As a creative, that’s what I’m always searching for.

Freedom to explore different ways to communicate ideas.

Seeking perfection makes me feel slow and indecisive, so I’m not confident in my actions.

"It took six years to sell a million copies."

Ryan Holiday's approach to his work as an author is highly commendable.

Following the publication of "The Obstacle Is the Way," it took six years for the book to become a best seller.

Contrary to wishful thinking, you don't get confidence in your writing by avoiding criticism or waiting for the perfect moment.

You get confidence in your writing when you embrace feedback, commit to continuous learning, and understand that every great author was once a beginner too.

Connecting with people you admire and want to support makes the difference you're looking for.

Explore and experiment, and view this platform as a way to connect and engage with their work.

Believe that what you seek is seeking you.

I define seeking as connecting, reaching out, and supporting and celebrating others.

I know if I put out that energy, something good will return. The way of the world still applies to these platforms.