

Ask HN: Feedback on my book proposal - BrandonWatson

I'm putting together a book proposal and some sample content and wanted to do a quick test with this group since many of you would fall into my target market.  Please comment if the description and concept are interesting enough that you would pick up the book or be interested in knowing more about the project.<p>Working Title: The Failing Point<p>Subtitle: Hard earned business lessons about what not to do<p>Description
A business book for entrepreneurs and business leaders filled with lessons learned over a career working for some of the greatest companies and leaders, and companies and leaders of whom you’ve never heard. There are many books which attempt to lay out the steps the author thinks you should take to make you a millionaire or an overnight success. This is not that book. This is a set of essays on topics related to getting started, creating a product, building a team, starting a business, raising money, driving revenue, and operating the business. They say you learn the most from your mistakes.  If that is true, this book is a trove of learning for the reader.  Hopefully the reader can avoid failure and some of the common mistakes I, and many I have known, have made along the way.
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skmurphy
There may be other ways to package this knowledge depending upon your goals.
Can you structure 10-15 key points as a 45-60 minute talk? How about in an
interview format? Are there sample chapters or example content in either
<http://bwatson.typepad.com/> or <http://www.manyniches.com/> If you want to
do a book the easiest way is to self-publish. The challenge with the title is
that--in my experience--entrepreneurs want a "to do" list not a "not to do"
list. Although both are very useful.

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BrandonWatson
I am definitely working on the plan as to how to go about presenting all the
content in alternate formats from a book. I want to build a community around
this, since I believe that there is a lot of learning to be had from the
collective so long as there are specific measurable outcomes that have or have
not occurred.

Here's a little sample. All content is copyright. Please send feedback...don't
be afraid to be brutal. That's the only way it gets better. There are 7
chapters envisioned, each with anywhere from 5-8 essays.

[http://www.manyniches.com/wp-
content/uploads/2009/05/booksam...](http://www.manyniches.com/wp-
content/uploads/2009/05/booksample1.pdf)

I own the domain www.thefailingpoint.com and www.failingpoint.com and plan to
put content up there shortly. Am still designing what that will look like.

I find your point about entrepreneurs wanting a "to do" and not a "not to do"
list very interesting. As I was testing this idea out, I found that my target
customers in their mid careers were far more receptive to this idea than
younger potential customers.

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edw519
"Please comment if the description and concept are interesting enough that you
would pick up the book..."

Sure they are, but that doesn't matter. What matters to me is _who_ tells
their story. I'd rather hear about the failures of someone who eventually
succeeded that someone who's still struggling.

Make it like "Founders at Work" or "How to Get Rich" and you'll do well.

~~~
BrandonWatson
I purposely left out the context around the "who" is writing it. I'm not an
internet babillionaire. I've been involved in some good exits, have degrees
from well known schools, etc. But I've also made a ton of mistakes, and have
seen companies with whom I was working make mistakes, and haven't really seen
a book lay out those mistakes, why they happened, and what could have been
done better.

~~~
edw519
Great. Give us access to a sample chapter. Good luck.

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Cjmiller
I am looking for someone to help write my book proposal. You can contact me at
Cjmiller3134@gmail.com

