What should I choose - a website or a book?

[gene2009]

Damn, I again stay at the crossroads. What should I choose of the following 2 projects?

1. Try to run my new website.
The advantages are;
a. I’ve registered the domain and paid my hosting out too.
b. i've done all preparatory works.
c. this isn't my 1st site and i know how to deal with it.
I hope that will bring me money to reach my goal. It'll also help making new friends for me, i hope..

The difficulties are;
a. i dislike speaking about myself, but i'll have to do it at the site.
b. my English is bloody bad though some people say my articles sound good.

or

2. Try to write a book in my native, Russian language.
The advantages are;
a. no one book was written on this topic in my country. There were written a few books on the same subject in English, but still no in Russian.
b. i love and know the topic my book would be about.
c. It''s a great feeling to know the project is finished and you created the real product.

The difficulties are;
a. It’s difficultly to publish the same kind of books in my country.
b. One author told me he almost had no money interest with his 3 books.

I cannot run these both projects together. I want to focus on one only. Please I’d like to get your opinion on it.
Thanks.

[Sandstone]

That's a tough choice.

It sounds as though you would have more enjoyment and fulfillment from writing the book. Is that correct?

I am thinking that there would be faster financial reward from the website than the book. Not necessarily a greater reward just quicker.

Is there one option that is more time sensitive than the other?

Which project would take longer to complete?

I guess most importantly, which one do you WANT to do?

[SleepBro]

That's the most important question!

[Aminka Ozmun]

It seems that what you really need to do is be a pioneer and build up a Russian audience or introduce and distinguish yourself to a much more populous English readership.

But I'm not sure why it's got to be a choice between a website or a book. Seems like in this day and age no matter what you do -- build up a Russian "fan base" or become popular with an existing and experienced English one -- you need at least a website!

[WarrenG]

Originally Posted by gene2009

1. Try to run my new website.
The advantages are;

a. I’ve registered the domain and paid my hosting out too.
b. i've done all preparatory works.
c. this isn't my 1st site and i know how to deal with it.
I hope that will bring me money to reach my goal. It'll also help making new friends for me, i hope..

Practical stuff.

The difficulties are;
a. i dislike speaking about myself, but i'll have to do it at the site.
b. my English is bloody bad though some people say my articles sound good.

Enjoyment related.

2. Try to write a book in my native, Russian language.
The advantages are;
a. no one book was written on this topic in my country. There were written a few books on the same subject in English, but still no in Russian.
b. i love and know the topic my book would be about.
c. It''s a great feeling to know the project is finished and you created the real product.

Enjoyment related.

The difficulties are;
a. It’s difficultly to publish the same kind of books in my country.
b. One author told me he almost had no money interest with his 3 books.

Practical stuff.

I recommend writing the book. The domain isn't that expensive, and hosting you can use for other stuff as well as this project so it's not just wasted money.

Money-wise, I doubt the website has a greater chance of making you money -- though it's hard to say without knowing the topic and your marketing plans and what not. You'd have a better idea of that.

But the book could lead to other opportunities too. If you haven't written a book before, then getting one published will help you get the next one published, plus you'll have some contacts and experience with publishing houses.

Originally Posted by Aminka Ozmun

But I'm not sure why it's got to be a choice between a website or a book. Seems like in this day and age no matter what you do -- build up a Russian "fan base" or become popular with an existing and experienced English one -- you need at least a website!

I was thinking this too. You could definitely set up a site to promote the book, and give more information about it, and you already have the hosting.

[gene2009]

Thank you for your responses friends.
I've decided to run the site first. I'll run the site for 6 months. And then i'll see if the site has brought me something good. If not, i'll make a switch and start my book.
Writing the book seems easier than running the site because i'll do it on my mother language. The book sounds as one time act; write, sell and forget. It sounds ok, but i'm worrying somebody has begun writing the same book already.
Probably, the site may bring me more good things if i'll be able to overcome my damned hate to speak of myself. Maybe that site will become the gate to the world i dream about.

[Andrew Brunelle]

Why not run parallel sites in both languages. It probably won't cost much more and it will just be a little bit more work if you know how to make a site. You can also work on the book after you get your site(s) established. Not to mention that you'd probably have a bigger following after creating a website so your book will be easier to publish. Steve's site was massively popular before he put out his first book and he sold many more copies than he would have otherwise.

Sharing personal information is part of the territory if you want to build trust with your audience. If your English is bad, you can always improve it. And there is no shame in putting that you are not a native speaker if you truly don't think your English is that great.

Writing a book is not as easy as it seems. There are a lot of extra steps, maybe even book tours. You have to find someone who will publish your book, or you could self-publish, but that gets expensive, especially if your book doesn't sell. Writing a book isn't always a path to riches either. Most of the time, it is not, so that the publishers can keep you writing more and more. And writing $1 Kindle books is not a very optimal way to earn money. You'll probably be lost in a sea of other $1 Kindle books.

Start the website and see how it goes, then write the book after you've got some traffic flow, some people to actually sell the book to. Then you probably won't need a publisher, especially if it is an ebook.

[gene2009]

Thank you, Andrew. I'm not interested in running the website in my native tongue. Because i can't find any affiliate product for Russian speaking visitors. Ok, my words sound strangely, but i've never had a success deal with people from my home country. I've been doing all my success businesses with folk from other countries.
It's not very hard to write the book because i'm in that topic, and i write in Russian ok. But you're right it'll be very hard to publish the book in my country. And i don't have an idea how much money i'll collect with the book.
The site's topic is sailboats. The book's subject is the history of one type of tall ships.
Yeah, i'm going to build the website and within 6 months i'll probably be back to writing of that book.

[Clint Cora]

I think you can do both. As you write the book, document your experiences and even little parts of your book on the website, assuming that they are related areas. For the website, you want to improve your English if it's the English speaking market you are targeting.

I hate to say it, but a poorly written website in English will turn people off (or in any other language for that matter). Don't go in unprepared and just based on what some people said of your articles. Get feedback from English readers to see how much editing you need.

[gene2009]

Originally Posted by Clint Cora

I think you can do both. As you write the book, document your experiences and even little parts of your book on the website, assuming that they are related areas. For the website, you want to improve your English if it's the English speaking market you are targeting.

I hate to say it, but a poorly written website in English will turn people off (or in any other language for that matter). Don't go in unprepared and just based on what some people said of your articles. Get feedback from English readers to see how much editing you need.

Thank you. I also leave poorly written sites in seconds Better do nothing than do it bad.

[Brutha]

b. my English is bloody bad though some people say my articles sound good.

Your article sounds good isn't feedback that tells you that your articles are good. It's something that people say to be nice.

"Reading your article helped me to archieve better results in my life" is the kind of feedback that get inspired by good articles.

[Fred Tracy]

Run the website, then use it to promote the book.

cha-ching!

[danthony]

I think a blog will only establish your authority if done right and you can use it to promote your book properly in time.

[shadowfax]

I would see what you are most scared at doing and focus on that. Embrace the fear as a learning and growth opportunity. Both situations are going to he hard in the money earning scenario. So do it to get something else out of it then whether the money comes or not, you are a better person inside.

[danthony]

Yes, pick something and run with it. No easy answer here but taking action is key. Why not do both eventually?