Tim FerrissAn Update on My Next Book
Tim Ferriss
Why the last book failed 0:00
Four-Hour Chef is described as a book that tried to do too much. It felt like three books in one, and the premise was not simple. It sold well to his existing audience, but he says a stranger looking at the Amazon page would not get it quickly.
Keep the idea simple 1:00
He says presentations and books fail from too much information, not too little. The goal is to make one clear image land fast, while still feeling different. He points to Fifty Shades of Gray and Steve Jobs as examples of cutting down to the core idea and the few features that matter.
A book still taking shape 3:02
His current book, about saying no and focusing in a noisy world, is taking longer because he is not sure the pitch is landing. Busy friends want it at once, but most people only sound mildly interested. He is testing whether the title, the description, or the negative tone is the problem.
Printing and timing 5:00
He wants the book done in about eight weeks, but without a publisher there is no outside push. He is leaning toward Author's Equity, and he is thinking through print, Kindle, and Audible. He likes print because it forces single-task reading, and he sees the book as a workbook that should save you far more time than you spend on it.
Release options 7:31
Traditional book production can take a year, though a crash release can move faster if everything is rushed. He is weighing a small print run, print on demand, or waiting on wider distribution. The book has already been cut from 870 pages to about 350, and the remaining pages have been rated highly by test readers and proofreaders.
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