How Do Experts Write Books?
Writing a nonfiction book is hard. Writing a nonfiction book while working as an academic researcher publishing groundbreaking research on racial disparities in endometrial (uterine) cancer, running a research center, coaching hundreds of women of color in academic medicine, and being a parent to two children under the age of ten is even harder. Yet, in the thick of an already professionally and personally fulfilling life, Dr. Kemi Doll decided to pursue even more, and write a nonfiction book based on her expertise.
The book that Dr. Doll wrote is called, A Terrible Strength: The Hidden Crisis of the Black Womb and Your Survival Guide to Healing (Harmony Books). Working with Jane as her writing coach, Kemi was able to write this book in just one year. In today’s podcast episode, Jane and Kemi discuss what was required to write a book based on Kemi’s expertise in gynecological research that includes evidence-based arguments combined with original research and personal narrative while also working as a researcher in academic medicine and running a nationally-recognized coaching business.
There are hundreds of medical experts who have expertise that could be distilled into a book. Many indeed do write books — some with the help of research teams, co-authors, or ghostwriters. There is nothing wrong with that approach, but Dr. Kemi Doll chose a different path. She decided to write this book as the sole author. That doesn’t, however, mean she did everything alone. In this episode, we’ll discuss the support Kemi actively sought out, starting with Jane as her writing coach.
The Path to Writing a Book
How writing a book compared to writing successful grant proposals, op-eds, and journal articles in academic medicine. Jane and Kemi discuss how Kemi built a strong writing habit by writing regularly in her job as a physician-researcher. They also discuss the stylistic differences between a book and the other genres in which Kemi was more accustomed to writing.
Why learning how the publishing world works — and how it’s radically different from academic medicine — helped to relieve Kemi’s stress about the writing and publication process. There was a bit of a learning curve when Kemi first encountered the norms of the literal publishing world. In this episode, you’ll learn how Jane coached Kemi through her anxious thoughts about timelines, communication styles, and publishing etiquette.
Why Kemi knew she would work with a coach, and why high-achieving Black women often hesitate to ask for help (it’s not for the reasons that you think). You might think that with all that Kemi’s already accomplished, she wouldn’t need any help. On the contrary, Kemi actively sought support for key moments in her writing process. Jane and Kemi have a candid discussion about why it’s hard for high-achieving Black women to find the support they need and how she worked to create a constellation of supporters.
How Coaching Helps Experts Write with Ease
How we created time for writing in Kemi’s busy schedule and managed her cognitive capacity so she could complete a book in one year while finding joy in the process. Kemi did not quit all of her jobs and rent a villa in Tuscany to write her book. She also didn’t write it in a series of all-nighters, in the margins of all of her other commitments. Learn how Jane collected data from Kemi’s life to create a writing plan and schedule that enabled her to achieve her goal of writing her book in one year, while also having a great time writing.
The one area where Jane struggled to effectively coach Kemi. As hard as she tried, Jane could not coach Kemi over this hump…until she did. You’ll have to listen all the way to the end to discover what Kemi didn’t do while she was writing, and how she made up for it at the end.
If you’re a professional who’s built a career on your expertise, a nonfiction book might be in your future. You could write one to share your knowledge with a wider audience or build your legacy. No matter the “why,” this podcast episode will help you to understand the “how.”
