How To Write a Book

  1. Publish your thesis, preferably without any changes.
  2. Find a collaborator (preferably less senior than you; ideal for big-shots) and then relax.
  3. Alternatively, ingratiate yourself with a big-shot, get them to agree to a joint book project, sit tight whilst they do lots of work, wait for them to get fed-up with your inaction, then quickly take the content they generated in their drafts for your own single author book.
  4. Edit a book and thus have people who would refuse to collaborate with you actually write it. Since you will be the point of contact with the publisher, make sure they omit the word “editor” on the title page.
  5. Combine the above the two: edit a book with collaborators.
  6. Organise a workshop. Goes well with item 4.
  7. Don’t worry if you can not achieve items 2-5; writing a book is something you can do in 6 months spending just a couple of hours a week.
  8. If readers identify mistakes in your book, do not publish online but rather state that this web page will be constructed soon. Make sure, you never publish any mistakes; it only devalues your precious publication.