Is Steve Writing a Book?

[bigadam]

Well, I just found this site and I can honestly say that if Steve publishes a book, I will be first in line to purchase it regardless of cost. Then I read in one of his older blogs (2005) that he was working on a book. So I checked Amazon and this site and can't find a book. Is it still being written or does someone have a link where I can purchase it?

By the way, I contributed $10 to the website today...

[Savage]

Yes, I am writing a book. It's tentatively called Personal Development for Smart People. I began writing it in 2005 but put it on hold because I wasn't sure of the best way to release it (ebook, go through a publisher, self-publish, etc). In 2006 I had a couple publishers interested -- one even got as far as sending me a contract --but I had to turn them down because they were thinking too small.

The main reason to release a book is to reach more people, so going with an experienced publisher is probably my best option. I want to work with someone who can take my online work and introduce it to a large offline audience that wouldn't normally read a blog. For that I need a publisher who can effectively leverage what I'm doing online, someone who can think in terms of hundreds of thousands of copies and get the book into all the stores, not just "let's do an initial print run of a few thousand and see what happens." If I'm going to write a book that only sells 5000 copies, I'm better off posting that same content on this web site and scrapping the book entirely.

I recently met with another publisher who's very interested and seems to understand the Internet and blogging much better than those I've previously talked to. I'll be sending them a full proposal soon.

I think it's only a matter of time before I hook up with a publisher who can see the potential for such a book.

[John Wesley]

I'm looking forward to it. Now I understand why you haven't come out with one already. Most publishers don't take internet writers that seriously and think very small.

Have you considered creating other kinds of products like audio cds or dvds?

[Calculusaurus]

I'm looking forward to reading your ideas in an organized front-to-back format. It'll be interesting to see what topics you will include and in what ratios.

I also wonder what sort of reception the book will receive offline. Online, there is certainly a respect for personal development. It's very common to see pavlina, lifehack, or other lifestyle how-to's appear on digg, del.icio.us, etc.

I don't exactly know about the attitude toward personal development in the Barnes&Noble-going crowd, but at least among many people I know there's a general cynicism toward "the self-help section." But I guess if you look at any bestseller list, you'll find plenty of Oprah-recommended personal development books. Perhaps by word of mouth and genuine recommendation, P.D. for Smart People could do a lot to reach the self-help cynics.

[Sam988]

A book from steve?

I would buy it as soon as it launched, no doubt. Looking forward to it


I would most appreciate it if steve developed the polarization theme a bit further on the book.

[Niki]

I would buy it as soon as available. No doubt about that.

It would be really great to read a book written by Steve.

I also think he should do some "tony robbins" like seminars. I mean multiple days, and workshop things and that. But then the Steve Pavlina way. Going more spiritual.

[Savage]

Self-help books can be extremely popular offline. The best-seller lists are frequently dominated by them.

[Akashic_Librarian]

I would buy it the DAY it came out in the UK. No questions asked.

[Michelle]

Me, too. I would devour it like Harry Potter. :-)

[JVanDerHove]

Looking forward to purchasing a copy when it comes out! Your site has made a very positive difference in our (family & I) lives since I came across it a little while ago.

[Savage]

Keep in mind that even if I were to hand a completed manuscript to a publisher today, due to lead times in book publishing, the book still wouldn't be released until 2008 at the earliest. It doesn't quite have the instantaneous delivery of blogging.

[Peter S C]

As others have said, I look forward to buying the book as soon as it is available. There are some classic articles on this site that have helped me immensely.

[Calculusaurus]

Originally Posted by Peter S C

As others have said, I look forward to buying the book as soon as it is available. There are some classic articles on this site that have helped me immensely.

The best are the ones that I have in my bookmarks and read 3-4 times a year. I currently have 2 books in my read-once-a-year list, and I can imagine Steve's book being added to that

[bigadam]

Originally Posted by Calculusaurus

The best are the ones that I have in my bookmarks and read 3-4 times a year. I currently have 2 books in my read-once-a-year list, and I can imagine Steve's book being added to that

And the other two?

[Keith]

Originally Posted by Steve Pavlina

The main reason to release a book is to reach more people, so going with an experienced publisher is probably my best option. I want to work with someone who can take my online work and introduce it to a large offline audience that wouldn't normally read a blog. For that I need a publisher who can effectively leverage what I'm doing online, someone who can think in terms of hundreds of thousands of copies and get the book into all the stores, not just "let's do an initial print run of a few thousand and see what happens." If I'm going to write a book that only sells 5000 copies, I'm better off posting that same content on this web site and scrapping the book entirely.

I'm a bit surprised by this - it seems counter to your usual "ready-fire-aim" and "third alternative solution" approaches. Do you really have to sit around doing nothing with the book while you try to find an appropriate uber-publisher? (BTW "The Power of Now" was initially released as a small print run, then took off like wildfire.)

I'm also surprised that you've decided to post the content on the website or in the book. I would've thought that you could post it on both. Paul Graham did that with his book "Hackers and Painters" (successfully, AFAIK). I certainly both own the book and read the articles on his website.

[Savage]

In my case writing a book very much falls under aim, not fire.

The Power of Now was published by New World Library -- I discussed a publishing deal with them last year but had to decline their offer. They just weren't in a position to effectively leverage what I'm doing online. Eckhart Tolle also went with a different publisher for his book A New Earth -- that one was published by Penguin.

Book publishing may have long lead times, but in the span of cosmic time, it's still just a blip.

[Keith]

Thanks for the prompt reply, Steve.

I'm really most interested in the answer to the second question: have you considered a model like Paul Graham's? It would seem to serve the greater good.

P.S. Eckhart Tolle probably wouldn't have been able to publish a book with Penguin if he hadn't already built his rep through a smaller publisher. However, you're presumably in a quite different position to him.

[Brutha]

Maybe you can get a world record in fasted outselling of an first edition of 10.000 copies?
Halve a year later they will print enough copies.

I would think that this approach would be more effective than waiting for the perfect publisher.

I'm also surprised that you've decided to post the content on the website or in the book. I would've thought that you could post it on both. Paul Graham did that with his book "Hackers and Painters" (successfully, AFAIK). I certainly both own the book and read the articles on his website.

It is difficult to get a publisher to agree to such a model. Since Steve wants a lot from the publisher he won't get them to agree to having the content online for free.