Take 10 seconds and sign up for my free "5-Bullet Friday" newsletter: go.tim.blog/5-bullet-friday-yt/ Each Friday, you’ll get a short email from me with five things I've discovered that week, sending you off to your weekend with fun and useful things to ponder and try. 🙌
Your message points were like a (loving) right hook that left me seeing more clearly that 'yes' I need to write the book! Actually two books. Thank you for the context of writing for two friends ears...I relate, since my two stories (memoirs) would definitely benefit a few specific people who often say to me 'would you write your story already 'cause I need to read it in full!'. I am grateful for your short video Tim.
I agree. I have to constantly remind myself that even if only one or two people are going to benefit from what I've done, then all the hardship, sweat, self-doubt and pain will be worth it.
0:55 “A mediocre book is more of a liability than no book at all. You can’t take it back.” 4:38 *Assumption 1:* “It was extremely brutal and difficult to write the book. We’re talking repeated moments of doubt, of ‘I should throw in the towel, I’m going to have a nervous breakdown.’ *Repeatedly.* That has been more or less the case with every book I’ve written; and I’ve written 5 by now.” 4:45 *Assumption 2:* “I was probably going to hate the book itself - which I did, which has largely been true for every book I’ve done. “Assume that up until a year after the book has come out, you are going to be disappointed with what you’ve produced.” 5:00 *Assumption 3:* Given #2, that if I would write the book, If it even changed the life one or two people, it would justify all the pain, all the self loathing, all of the loathing of the book, all of the opportunity cost of putting it together. 5:20 *Assumption 4:* “That it was less painful for me to to just get it out; to throw a Hail Mary and hope for the best; rather than to keep it in my head and wonder ‘what if?’.” 5:38 4 HRWW was rejected by 27 publishers. Then once it was picked up, the first print run was about 10,000 copies. You don’t even get national distribution with that. 6:03 “I don’t think you get to millions of copies in 40+ languages trying to write a book for the world that is going to help your business...instead, check all the boxes I mentioned. I wrote this book for two friends, very specifically....by personalizing it in that way, and talking to them in a very conversational way.”
Tim 12 years ago my son was born and unexpectedly had to have open heart surgery. I quickly realized what I thought was a business was a job. Long story short...read your book. Feb of 2021 "New Retired" with a almost a larger monthly income than my yearly income back then. Ty sir. One life truly changed.
Great tips, Tim! These videos all helped out quite a ton while I was writing my 1st self-published book _The Maker’s Field Guide_ in paperback form - as well as the recently updated & expanded 2nd edition hardcover - which raised $140k on Kickstarter & Indiegogo collectively. I'd highly recommend considering crowdfunding your book for anyone who’s considering the self-publishing route, but doesn’t have the capital backing to either a) get the book mass manufactured or to b) sustain a living while finishing the manuscript. The great thing about crowdfunding is that you can consider the pre-sold books sort of as an "author's advance," to help while you complete, polish and edit the manuscript. Just make sure to have a compelling video!
Love the strong opinion and passion of advice and I would LOVE to see a conversation with an author who could believably argue that just writing is the most important-- that a mediocre book is NOT less on your record than not writing at all.
I been contemplating it for a less than 4 days to write the book. N just heard ur tribe of mentors book during work. I got up to tim urban before i wrote on my notes. Okay yeah ima start today and see what u have to say about book writing.
Tim is truly miserable writing and creates great material so if that's a worthwhile trade-off to anyone then his level of perfectionism is good advice. When I read that 99.9% of authors lose money and sell a few hundred copies I realized I should either not write or write in a way that was fun and free so that I came out better off financially and emotionally, regardless of the response. I write a book a year on average, aware and comfortable with the reality that in most cases I'll sell/give less than 1000 copies per book. I do it to stay in touch with myself around the ideas that seem most relevant to stay in touch with, loving the value they bring to a few people and making zero effort to market them. My shortest book took two weeks. I self-publish and after giving the first edit away to a few people and asking for feedback, I make the second edit, motivated by people enjoying the first edit. This works. I also wrote two local books on landscaping in my county, which brings in $150k a year in work without any marketing, which I would not have done if I had not made writing about other topics a hobby. Roughly two months of my time has brought in $1.5 million and counting, while being the best OK books because they are the only books about my specific county. My most recent and exciting project is "An Introduction to Life," which is a compilation of all the things I would have liked a competent adult to bring to my attention growing up. I can't wait to see who it touches, since writing it has been somewhat of a gift to me as a reader.
my Book MAAGNET was born in my mind , i meditated on it and worked really hard and finally got it published , the contentment you get when people start reading your book is worth all that hard work and time you have invested in your book. i recommend serious readers should consider writing their own book if you become a MAAGNET writing a book becomes so easy !
Great video. I find his comment that a mediocre book is worse then no book interesting. Seth Godin has a great piece in his book, This is Marketing about the value of shipping good enough work. I expect that Tim means that if your book is related to your business then a mediocre book will be a liability because people may misinterpret it which could be the source of a lot of ongoing headaches down through the years. Still great advice. Wish I'd watched this before I started :)
In my country shitty books are coming out in record time. And Good books too. And a perfectionist writer I am being tempted to publish one soon. Now I Know I cannot take it back.
For the period of a year can you make this your priority. I what way did you reformat something about your life. Are there lessons learned that need to get out of your mind? Could it change the life of one or two people?
Yes it seems that the question is bad, because what you have to say may lean itself better to a book/show/movie etc so i can see how that works better.
Maybe some big Tim Ferris fan can help me. I'm looking for a book that was mentioned in his podcast about how to write. The book itself had a picture of a cd rom on the front. It was mentioned in one of tim's podcasts but I can't remember which one.
I started kindle publishing at the beginning of the year. I have written almost 10 books this year. Around 20K words each. It was soul destroying. Takes a hell of alot of will power!
I just realized ima write the book and i know u know what this is about. But im thinking its gon be book 1. Im 23. I am seeking ur knowledge on this.. 🎉
Not sure if he will answer the question but, is the goal to loose belly fat or is it to get health to keep weight off in the long term? If it is the latter then the number one goal should be creating a habit of say walking up to 40mins a day, slowly cutting down on sugar, eating nothing after 12am if you get up early etc. I hope that helps.
Thank you for the key information within this video, also appreciated your interview with Marie Forleo. The past 9 years I have spent intensely recovering from being born into a cult environment, child bride to an abusive man, and the journey of leaving both with my 2 children - the most challenging and simultaneously rewarding years of my life. The lessons I have learned are screaming to be shared and I'm finally at a place where I can look fear in the face and proceed afraid. :) I don't yet have a strong support system while I write, so that is my first priority - setting myself up to succeed. Here goes...
I hate writing, it's like pulling teeth to get a sentence out. Unfortunately, it's a calling, a duty, an obligation. I'm hoping whatever I did in a previous life to deserve this suffering is rewarded in the next.
The only reason why I would write a book is because my cousins keep telling me that I should write a book, because I write a lot, lol. But I know that's not a right reason to do it. Plus, english is not my first language. So I'll have to put extra work on it. And pay really well some one to check it out, and pulish it. If anything, I'll write it for the meme of it, and go tru the process of making 10 copies just to give out to family, as a joke. U know? And yes, it will be a mediocre book, I know ;) ♡♡♡
Why write it in english and not in your native language if its going to make it harder? I love the idea of doing it even when knowing it may be a mediocre one.
why do people feel the need to drop F-bombs to try and make their point more 'forceful'? all it does is make the person look ignorant. cursing is not a sign of intelligence.
Lukas Piala - because I'd like to listen to the man talk if he could do it without cussing like a sailor. it's completely unnecessary. it does not make his point more forceful. it only shows ignorance and inability to use REAL words. I am reading his book now (4 hour work week) and he also cusses in it, totally unnecessary and gives nothing extra to the book. I like to listen to his stuff but I can't because my young daughter would have to listen to his trash mouth. now so what? why does it bother you so much that I dont want to hear him or anyone else using gutter language that adds NOTHING to the subject????
counting strings - you are the perfect example of my point...you complete drooling, ignorant, wet lipped, imbecilic moron. since when does filthy language determine authenticity? LOL what a stupid nonsensical argument...but then I must consider the source. to answer your question, YOU are a real idiot.
Take 10 seconds and sign up for my free "5-Bullet Friday" newsletter: go.tim.blog/5-bullet-friday-yt/ Each Friday, you’ll get a short email from me with five things I've discovered that week, sending you off to your weekend with fun and useful things to ponder and try. 🙌
Your message points were like a (loving) right hook that left me seeing more clearly that 'yes' I need to write the book! Actually two books. Thank you for the context of writing for two friends ears...I relate, since my two stories (memoirs) would definitely benefit a few specific people who often say to me 'would you write your story already 'cause I need to read it in full!'. I am grateful for your short video Tim.
I just started writing last month and I'm really eager to finish the book. I sense something special ahead
Good luck my friend
how's it going?
How’s it going?
How's it going
Can I read it?
It's a journey that's for sure. I just published my first one. The Stoic Body.
Congratulations!
i am sure it took a lot of effort from you. congrats!
I saw it am going to read it
I agree. I have to constantly remind myself that even if only one or two people are going to benefit from what I've done, then all the hardship, sweat, self-doubt and pain will be worth it.
Markus Junnikkala I wrote a little book just to do it. It is the best feeling in the world when soemobe says they love your book.
It's the best fuel
0:55 “A mediocre book is more of a liability than no book at all. You can’t take it back.”
4:38 *Assumption 1:* “It was extremely brutal and difficult to write the book. We’re talking repeated moments of doubt, of ‘I should throw in the towel, I’m going to have a nervous breakdown.’ *Repeatedly.* That has been more or less the case with every book I’ve written; and I’ve written 5 by now.”
4:45 *Assumption 2:* “I was probably going to hate the book itself - which I did, which has largely been true for every book I’ve done. “Assume that up until a year after the book has come out, you are going to be disappointed with what you’ve produced.”
5:00 *Assumption 3:* Given #2, that if I would write the book, If it even changed the life one or two people, it would justify all the pain, all the self loathing, all of the loathing of the book, all of the opportunity cost of putting it together.
5:20 *Assumption 4:* “That it was less painful for me to to just get it out; to throw a Hail Mary and hope for the best; rather than to keep it in my head and wonder ‘what if?’.”
5:38 4 HRWW was rejected by 27 publishers. Then once it was picked up, the first print run was about 10,000 copies. You don’t even get national distribution with that.
6:03 “I don’t think you get to millions of copies in 40+ languages trying to write a book for the world that is going to help your business...instead, check all the boxes I mentioned. I wrote this book for two friends, very specifically....by personalizing it in that way, and talking to them in a very conversational way.”
Tim 12 years ago my son was born and unexpectedly had to have open heart surgery. I quickly realized what I thought was a business was a job. Long story short...read your book. Feb of 2021 "New Retired" with a almost a larger monthly income than my yearly income back then. Ty sir. One life truly changed.
Great tips, Tim! These videos all helped out quite a ton while I was writing my 1st self-published book _The Maker’s Field Guide_ in paperback form - as well as the recently updated & expanded 2nd edition hardcover - which raised $140k on Kickstarter & Indiegogo collectively. I'd highly recommend considering crowdfunding your book for anyone who’s considering the self-publishing route, but doesn’t have the capital backing to either a) get the book mass manufactured or to b) sustain a living while finishing the manuscript. The great thing about crowdfunding is that you can consider the pre-sold books sort of as an "author's advance," to help while you complete, polish and edit the manuscript. Just make sure to have a compelling video!
I always thought I wouldn’t be able to
Write a book for the longest time. Now here we are 5 years later and I was right.
Love the strong opinion and passion of advice and I would LOVE to see a conversation with an author who could believably argue that just writing is the most important-- that a mediocre book is NOT less on your record than not writing at all.
I been contemplating it for a less than 4 days to write the book. N just heard ur tribe of mentors book during work. I got up to tim urban before i wrote on my notes. Okay yeah ima start today and see what u have to say about book writing.
Tim is truly miserable writing and creates great material so if that's a worthwhile trade-off to anyone then his level of perfectionism is good advice. When I read that 99.9% of authors lose money and sell a few hundred copies I realized I should either not write or write in a way that was fun and free so that I came out better off financially and emotionally, regardless of the response.
I write a book a year on average, aware and comfortable with the reality that in most cases I'll sell/give less than 1000 copies per book. I do it to stay in touch with myself around the ideas that seem most relevant to stay in touch with, loving the value they bring to a few people and making zero effort to market them. My shortest book took two weeks. I self-publish and after giving the first edit away to a few people and asking for feedback, I make the second edit, motivated by people enjoying the first edit.
This works. I also wrote two local books on landscaping in my county, which brings in $150k a year in work without any marketing, which I would not have done if I had not made writing about other topics a hobby. Roughly two months of my time has brought in $1.5 million and counting, while being the best OK books because they are the only books about my specific county.
My most recent and exciting project is "An Introduction to Life," which is a compilation of all the things I would have liked a competent adult to bring to my attention growing up. I can't wait to see who it touches, since writing it has been somewhat of a gift to me as a reader.
Kurt Vonnegut also advised to write with a single person in mind. Thanks for all the great videos and books Tim!
You are absolutely brilliant! I loved this advice and your candid sharing!
my Book MAAGNET was born in my mind , i meditated on it and worked really hard and finally got it published , the contentment you get when people start reading your book is worth all that hard work and time you have invested in your book. i recommend serious readers should consider writing their own book
if you become a MAAGNET writing a book becomes so easy !
Heart ❤️ of a fighter is what I admire in a writer. 😎 🙏😇.
"Writing is frustration. Frustration and humiliation." - Philip Roth
Loving the format of these short videos, Tim!
Great video. I find his comment that a mediocre book is worse then no book interesting. Seth Godin has a great piece in his book, This is Marketing about the value of shipping good enough work. I expect that Tim means that if your book is related to your business then a mediocre book will be a liability because people may misinterpret it which could be the source of a lot of ongoing headaches down through the years. Still great advice. Wish I'd watched this before I started :)
Tim you should create an online course on lifestyle design! Build your business around your lifestyle
I like that your VA has written the description! hehe
In my country shitty books are coming out in record time. And Good books too. And a perfectionist writer I am being tempted to publish one soon.
Now I Know I cannot take it back.
It would be great to change the angle of the second side camera. There is a lot of empty space and you are on the edge of it. It looks a bit odd.
Just focus on the message 😊
It was less painful to put it out than keep it in our head.
very nice.
I wrote my book. I been having a lot of doubts but I had to leave it out of my mind.. thank you!
For the period of a year can you make this your priority. I what way did you reformat something about your life. Are there lessons learned that need to get out of your mind? Could it change the life of one or two people?
Yes it seems that the question is bad, because what you have to say may lean itself better to a book/show/movie etc so i can see how that works better.
Tim, thanks for these videos.
agreed, less painful to put it out than to keep it in my head
It's all comes down to the "What's Your Why?" question.
Love the random side shots, Tim 🤗😛
Maybe some big Tim Ferris fan can help me. I'm looking for a book that was mentioned in his podcast about how to write. The book itself had a picture of a cd rom on the front. It was mentioned in one of tim's podcasts but I can't remember which one.
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, by Anne Lamott
I started kindle publishing at the beginning of the year. I have written almost 10 books this year. Around 20K words each. It was soul destroying. Takes a hell of alot of will power!
i have 20k words now. i think it is going to be a bestseller and win awards. fingers crossed
i think i have promoted this book so much - in my capacity as non-influencer, i will be embarrassed if i dont finish it.
Thanks, so I won't bother than, it was a very remote desire that I know I'll probably drop it for anything else, can't think of it a priority
I just realized ima write the book and i know u know what this is about. But im thinking its gon be book 1. Im 23. I am seeking ur knowledge on this.. 🎉
I was thinking later on I'll write my book. Like after 14 -25 years. But starting tonight
Great video 💖 TY🙏
Hey Tim
What’s the easiest method to lose belly fat?
Thanks
Not sure if he will answer the question but, is the goal to loose belly fat or is it to get health to keep weight off in the long term? If it is the latter then the number one goal should be creating a habit of say walking up to 40mins a day, slowly cutting down on sugar, eating nothing after 12am if you get up early etc. I hope that helps.
Ethan T thank you Ethan :)
swardinc thank you very much swardinc. Healthy body is the real wealth :)
Thank you for the key information within this video, also appreciated your interview with Marie Forleo.
The past 9 years I have spent intensely recovering from being born into a cult environment, child bride to an abusive man, and the journey of leaving both with my 2 children - the most challenging and simultaneously rewarding years of my life.
The lessons I have learned are screaming to be shared and I'm finally at a place where I can look fear in the face and proceed afraid. :)
I don't yet have a strong support system while I write, so that is my first priority - setting myself up to succeed. Here goes...
Go for it Sharon! You deserve it!
I always though Tim Ferris wrote the 4 hour work week because of the personal issues he was experience when launching a product called brain quicken?
I hate writing, it's like pulling teeth to get a sentence out. Unfortunately, it's a calling, a duty, an obligation. I'm hoping whatever I did in a previous life to deserve this suffering is rewarded in the next.
who's Andrew Ogasee ?
The only reason why I would write a book is because my cousins keep telling me that I should write a book, because I write a lot, lol.
But I know that's not a right reason to do it.
Plus, english is not my first language.
So I'll have to put extra work on it.
And pay really well some one to check it out, and pulish it.
If anything, I'll write it for the meme of it, and go tru the process of making 10 copies just to give out to family, as a joke.
U know?
And yes, it will be a mediocre book, I know ;)
♡♡♡
Why write it in english and not in your native language if its going to make it harder? I love the idea of doing it even when knowing it may be a mediocre one.
“ I’m start writing in a few minutes.”
This look suits you better. :)
#timferriss 4 Day changed my world. Thank You.
Ha, I like the new look (shaved head / goatee). Then again, I'm probably biased. :-)
not gonna write a book, ok got it lol
I should write a book
2 years later... Any progress?
@@tonymp I've changed it to a blog
You've got to get rid of that new, grating intro music Tim
wat the intro music is amazing
Agreed, that music makes me think I’m about to watch a hipster travel blog
why do people feel the need to drop F-bombs to try and make their point more 'forceful'? all it does is make the person look ignorant. cursing is not a sign of intelligence.
Vaquero 357 And so what? Why do you care so much?
Lukas Piala - because I'd like to listen to the man talk if he could do it without cussing like a sailor. it's completely unnecessary. it does not make his point more forceful. it only shows ignorance and inability to use REAL words. I am reading his book now (4 hour work week) and he also cusses in it, totally unnecessary and gives nothing extra to the book. I like to listen to his stuff but I can't because my young daughter would have to listen to his trash mouth.
now so what? why does it bother you so much that I dont want to hear him or anyone else using gutter language that adds NOTHING to the subject????
I know huh? What the fuck is wrong with them?
steven day - great one more idiot.
counting strings - you are the perfect example of my point...you complete drooling, ignorant, wet lipped, imbecilic moron.
since when does filthy language determine authenticity? LOL what a stupid nonsensical argument...but then I must consider the source.
to answer your question, YOU are a real idiot.