In mid-June, I received an email from my next-door neighbor asking for help with a project. Bob had just completed the first draft of a book and was beginning to think about the publishing process. He thought I could help sort out his options. Six months ago, Bob shared his idea for a book so I wasn’t surprised by his request. He wanted to tell a story about the challenges of becoming a Plant Manager, based on personal experience. His interest was to write a novel in the style of “The Goal,” by Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox. It appears that the Covid-19 voluntary lockdown provided him with the perfect opportunity to write his book. We scheduled a Beer Summit for 4:00 p.m. Saturday.
Bob arrived at our side door, off the kitchen, with a six-pack of chilled Pilsner Urquell. That was a pleasant surprise as I had just stocked our beverage center with a few of my favorite brands. He explained that Pilsner Urquell is a brand he came to appreciate while stationed in Germany. Always interested in trying a new brew, I thanked him and grabbed two glasses. After a brief toast, we exited the kitchen door to the deck and found seats on the shaded corner around the fire pit. The beer was a good choice. We began to talk.
He reminded me of his plan to write a book to help launch a consulting career. The opportunity presented itself, so he took it. Bob said that he had been talking to friends about their publishing experience. So far, the feedback he had received was about traditional publishing. He said he wanted to hear about my self-publishing experience. I told him how I had published my book on Amazon, and I volunteered to introduce him to colleagues who had significantly more self-publishing experience. Also, I suggested that he distribute his manuscript to ten or twelve trusted friends to gain their perspectives. Bob asked if I would like to read his draft. I happily agreed.
The following Saturday, we met again to discuss his manuscript. As with our first meeting, Bob supplied the beer, this time a six-pack of Guinness, one of my favorites. We found our spots on the corner of my deck and opened our beers. Small talk followed as we eased into serious conversation.
Bob had emailed his manuscript in MSWord format. I read it in ten-page printed chunks, making notes on those pages. Before handing Bob his marked-up manuscript, I explained that my focus was on the quality of the story, not the grammar, sentence structure, or syntax. I made notations of issues in those areas for his consideration, however.
As I handed Bob the manuscript I complimented him for creating a remarkable story and enjoyable read. I went on to say that my only recommendation was that he consider changing his opening chapter. Bob had used the first chapter to introduce Bud, the main character. My suggestion was that Bob presents Bud’s biographical information in a series of flashbacks to provide perspective as to how his experience informed his problem-solving and decision-making process. By doing so I believe it would generate stronger reader interest by captivating their imagination at a more dramatic part of the story.
Summary and Conclusion
Everyone likes a good story. It is human nature, part of our DNA so to speak. For millennia, humans have entertained themselves by telling stories around the proverbial campfire. One can imagine the origin of the first Fish Story, “you should have seen the one that got away.”
Things have not changed that much in the 21st Century as a good story is still the preferred way to sell a product and to keep one another entertained. In fact, I stress this point with my consultants and coaching clients. If one wants to be considered a Subject Matter Expert, (SME) or become recognized as a leader in their field, they must be able to sell themselves. In other words, we must be effective communicators. Our skillset must include mastery of the written word as well as verbal communication skills. A compelling story can be your launchpad for more effective networking, blogging, and speaking.
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Jim Weber – Managing Partner, ITB Partners
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