5 Easy Steps to Book Writing? I Don't Think So

I found an article about book publishing in Inc. online that, frankly, I had to file under "hilarious."

Compiled by Inc. staff members, here is the respected business pub's take on how to write a book:

How to Become an Author in 5 Easy Steps

Find your way onto the nonfiction bestsellers list with these handy guidelines.

Step 1

Ask some questions Are you an expert in your field? Do you have a compelling personal story? Who are the readers? Clients? Employees? Answer these now to avoid headaches later.

Step 2

Write the book Break the project down into bite-size chunks and be patient--a good book can take more than a year to complete. When you're finished, ask six peers to review it.

Step 3

Find a publisher New online print-on-demand services will design, print, and even market your book. Be sure to get an ISBN number, which you need to sell your work commercially.

Step 4

You're an author Copies can arrive within weeks. List the title with Amazon.com and BN.com. Many trade groups also feature online bookstores.

Step 5

Rev up the promotion machine Send out review copies, but make sure you're targeting the right people. And remember: You're not promoting a book, you're promoting yourself.

-- Inc. Staff

I mean, it's all true, in a sense. Completing all these steps will lead to having a book and promoting it. But a nonfiction bestseller? I doubt it.

If you've written a nonfiction book, you know that there's a lot that's not being said here, too. For instance, the hours, nay, days, spent hunched over the keyboard, or the myriad of marketing options to choose from.

Step One is absolutely the most vital: selecting a topic. And this, unfortunately, is where most new business wanna-be authors can stumble...badly stumble.

If you don't have a right-on topic and target audience, completing all the other steps--even if they're easy--will be for naught.

What do you think?