📚 First-Time Author Interview: Essential Questions Before You Publish Your Business Book

Thinking about writing your first business book? Before you dive in, there are crucial questions every aspiring author needs to ask. In this episode, I’m interviewed by Carrie Birmingham, a first-time author working on her upcoming book about co-founder conflict, who asked me all the tough questions about my journey writing “LEMONADE Plan.”

Critical Questions We Explore:

• Is the massive investment of time and energy actually worth it?
• What benefits exist beyond obvious book sales (spoiler: the money isn’t in the book!)
• How do you maximise the authority and business benefits once published?
• Should you tell people what you’re working on or keep it secret?
• How do you navigate the overwhelming publishing process?
• What mistakes should you avoid in your first book journey

What You’ll Discover:

• Why writing a book is really about 3 different audiences (and yourself is #1)
• The power of building a proofreader network early in the process
• How to use AI tools like Claude as your “first reader” and editor
• Why book writing feels solo but is actually a team sport
• The real timeline and investment required (it’s different than you think)
• How to overcome imposter syndrome and get your message out there

Whether you’re just considering your first book, halfway through writing, or ready to publish, this honest conversation reveals the realities, challenges, and unexpected benefits of becoming a first-time author.

Carrie specialises in helping co-founders navigate conflict and is addressing a critical gap in the market with her upcoming book - perfect example of finding your unique angle as an author.

🎯 Chapter Timestamps: • 00:00 Introduction to the Journey of Writing a Book• 02:27 Understanding Co-Founder Conflict and Its Impact• 06:00 The Importance of Writing for Clarity and Growth• 08:11 The 3 Audiences for Your Book• 11:39 The Role of Blogging in Preparing for Book Writing• 14:45 Exploring the Investment in Writing a Book• 15:45 Benefits Beyond Book Sales• 20:01 Personal and Business Benefits of Writing a Business Book• 23:09 Maximising Authority in Business• 28:00 The Importance of Feedback and Sharing Ideas• 29:41 Using Claude AI as Your ‘First Reader’ Proofreader• 33:41 How to Make the Book Launch Actually Happen• 33:59 Navigating the Writing Process• 39:28 Authoring a Book Feels Like a Solo Activity But It’s a Team Game• 41:09 The Purpose Behind Writing a Book• 41:41 Wrap-Up: Book Writing as Part of Your JourneyConnect with Carrie Birmingham:Carrie Birmingham Consults - Specialising in complex workplace problems and co-founder conflict resolution:https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-birmingham/Get “LEMONADE Plan”:Get “LEMONADE Plan”:Available on Amazon - https://lemonadeplan.com/book**Tags:** business book writing, first time author, co-founder conflict, startup problems, business partnerships, author interview, book marketing, self publishing, business authority, entrepreneur advice, small business systems, conflict resolution, business relationships, writing process, book launch strategy, AI writing tools, Claude AI, business growth, startup advice, author journey​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​