Deb Schell’s Journey from Book Writing to Community Building
“I believe that community is powerful to keep accountable for getting things done.” — Deb Schell
In this episode of “Authors Who Lead,” I talk to Deb Schell about her book, “Creator to Community Builder: Find Calm While Building an Online Community”, and the art of community-building, book writing, and the challenges authors face in today’s landscape.
Reviews
Getting positive book reviews is very important but there can be many barriers to readers leaving them such as not finishing the book, not knowing where to post a review, and embarrassment in writing one. Deb talks to us about the importance of educating readers on how to write reviews and how to alleviate the fear associated with crafting reviews.
Member Experience
Drawing from her book “Creator to Community Builder,” Deb advocates for understanding the community’s purpose before addressing technological aspects. For a healthy community, Deb emphasizes connection within the community, psychological safety, and the value of commitment and influence within a community.
Publishing and Promoting a Book
Deb talks about her experience writing, editing, and publishing her book. In promoting her book she highlights unique strategies for success such as hosting a book club, different ways to use email marketing, and pitching guest appearances on podcasts. Just like with building her community with quality people, she “really wanted to make this the best possible book that I can.”
In this podcast, Deb also shares with us:
- That just because something works for others doesn’t mean it’s right for you.
- Before starting a community, ask what they want out of it, who they want in the community, and why.
- Writing a book could be easier for you than building a course for your business.
- Reviews are the most important aspect to focus on when marketing your book.
- That it’s helpful to give readers examples of leaving reviews.
What was your biggest takeaway from this episode? Are you writing a book or starting a community? Share in the comments below!
That’s all for this week. If you have a message inside of you that needs to be written, today is the day to start. Don’t delay — take action.
Episode Resources:
Connect with Deb here:
LinkedIn
Get a copy of Deb’s book here:
Creator to Community Builder: Find Calm While Building an Online Community
