Too often authors start writing based on an idea they have or solution they think the market needs without having interacted with their target audience or taken the solution into the field.  Then when the final product is a flop they are disappointed and surprised. Today we chat with three incredible authors who have taken their direct experience working in the industry and created books to codify their message and help an even wider audience. We start with Chip Conley who is the Founder of the Modern Elder Academy.  Chip talks to us about not only identifying your audience but coming to understand what influences them.  In addition, he tells us about his experience working at Airbnb and how his time as a mentor-led to writing Wisdom at Work and coined the term "Modern Elder." Next up is Shane Green the CEO of SGEi and has drawn on his past experience at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company to create effective training to create meaningful change to corporate culture.  That valuable experience ultimately became his book Culture Hacker. Shane shares why you need to have a long term vision and how you can use it as a marketing tool. Last but certainly not least is Erika Andersen a founding partner of Proteus International and author of Be Bad First.  She shares how she wrote the book by mapping sections of it to her product offerings. Plus she shares how she uses her books to build credibility and increase brand awareness. When you are ready to turn your experience into a book be sure to read these tips to learn what your book will need from you!