Do you have a book in you?

80% of people say they want to write a book at some point in their lives.

Fewer than 1% ever do.

Not because they lack ideas.

Not because they aren’t intelligent.

But because intention rarely turns into action without structure, deadlines, and accountability.

The gap between wanting to write a book and actually writing one isn’t talent.

It’s decision and execution.

If you’re waiting to feel like a “good enough” writer before you start,
you’ll never write it.

Perfection is the most common—and quiet—reason books never get written.

After years of working with aspiring authors, I’ve seen this pattern repeatedly:
• The people who wait to “get better” never begin
• The people who begin, imperfectly, do get better

The five writers currently writing their books didn’t wait for confidence.

They didn’t over-polish their ideas.

They didn’t ask everyone for permission.

They made a decision.

They committed to:
– a container
– a timeline
– an outcome

Writing isn’t something you master before you start.

It’s something you learn by writing.

And here’s what most people don’t realise:

Writing a book without intention often leads to frustration.

Writing a book with a business lens creates clarity, authority, and momentum.

In the live webinar happening in two days, I’ll walk you through:
– Why “writing when you feel ready” keeps books unfinished
– How to scope a book you can actually complete in 30 days
– What Book → Authority → Income looks like in practice

Most people don’t fail because they can’t write.

They fail because they never decide.

P.S.: Write your book in 30 days here.

10 Things That Will Work For Writers in 2026

Everyone is talking about what will work in 2026.

Here’s my distilled view after digging into the data, trends, and creator behaviour, specifically for writers and newsletter creators.

1. Creator money will keep growing
↳ Because brands are moving budget to trusted, creator-led distribution—not anonymous media.

2. AI-assisted writing will become default
↳ Because AI will be everywhere; human judgment, voice, and credibility will become the premium.

3. Email newsletters keep winning
↳ Because owned audiences outperform rented platforms when algorithms reset.

4. Writing + video becomes the power combo
↳ Because one strong idea travels further when distributed across formats.

5. Micro-products outperform big courses
↳ Because buyers want fast ROI, not long commitments.

6. Communities get smaller and more serious
↳ Because people want accountability and progress, not noisy group chats.

7. Books will keep the authority power
↳ Because in an AI-dominated world, a book will become a credibility artifact.

8. Done-with-you will beats Do-it-yourself
↳ Because implementation, speed, and structure matter more than information.

9. Distribution matters more than writing skill
↳ Because great ideas still need reach to convert into income.

10. Writers will build businesses training humans for the AI era.
↳ Because people and teams will need to learn how to think, write, communicate, and build trust in AI-heavy workplaces.

The through-line?
Less content.
More clarity.
More outcomes.
More authority.

That’s why the smartest move for many writers in 2026 is still this:

Write a strategic book.

Not to “become an author.”

But to anchor your authority, attract the right clients, and build a business around something solid.

If you’ve been quietly thinking, “Maybe this is the year I write my book,” you’re probably right.

P.S.: Write your book in 30 days here.

7 things I will stop doing in 2026

After six and a half years of writing online, I’ve learned this the hard way:
Growth doesn’t come from doing more.

It comes from doing things that matter.

In 2026, I want to build a $10K/month business on the back of my book, ‘One Book To $100K’

I can’t keep operating like a hobbyist, even if I’m a consistent one.

So here’s what I’m deliberately stopping:

1️⃣ Waiting until I feel ready
Ready is a feeling. Results come from decisions.

2️⃣ Creating scattered content
Everything I publish now points to one clear idea and one clear outcome.

3️⃣ Building multiple products instead of one focused offer
Depth beats breadth. Always.

4️⃣ Selling to people who aren’t ready to buy
I’m done convincing. I’m here to support decision-makers.

5️⃣ Confusing activity with progress
Busy isn’t the same as effective.

6️⃣ Underpricing my thinking
Experience is not content. It’s capital.

7️⃣ Believing that writing more content will solve everything

Less content. More intention. Clearer pathways.

This isn’t about working harder in 2026.

It’s about working at a different level.

Next week, I’ll share the flip side:

7 things I will be doing in 2026 to build a $10K/month business—on the back of one book.

If you’re rethinking how you show up this year, you’re not late.

You’re right on time.

Write your book in 30 days here.

Start everything as an experiment

In the last 5 years, I’ve written and published 4 books.

I also:
– Coach aspiring authors to write their books
– Help coaches, creators and professionals to turn their knowledge into a business

And here’s my real secret
“I treat everything new as an experiment.”

No stress.
No expectations.
Just a hard-earned insight from 6 years of creative work.

– My first blog? An experiment.
– My newsletter? An experiment.
– Writing my first book in 7 days? An experiment.
– Launching my coaching business? An experiment.

(For context: I have two half-PhDs in science. Experiments are my native language.)

When you treat something as an experiment:
– You stop expecting perfection
– You loosen your grip on outcomes
– You stay open to unexpected paths
– You follow steps, observe, and adjust

And if it “fails”? You still win.

Because you learn what not to do next.

Which quietly points you toward what will work.

Progress doesn’t come from doing things correctly.

It comes from doing them consistently.

The outcome matters. But action matters more.

How To Write A Short Book And Turn It Into A Business

Most people never write a book because they think it has to be big.

Big idea.

Big word count.

Big commitment.

Big disruption to their life.

So they postpone it.

For years.

Here’s the truth most people don’t want to hear:

👉 Your first business book should be short.

Not because you have less to say — but because clarity beats volume.

A short book forces you to:

  • Decide what you actually stand for
  • Say one thing well instead of ten things poorly
  • Respect your reader’s time
  • Finish (which is the real power move)

Some of the most effective authority-building books are not 300 pages.

They are:

  • 80–120 pages
  • Built around one clear idea
  • Designed to solve one painful problem
  • Written to open doors — not win literary prizes

A short book is not a “lesser” book.

It’s a strategic asset.

It can:

  • Position you as an expert
  • Become the foundation of your offer
  • Feed your content for months
  • Attract clients who already trust you
  • Turn into workshops, cohorts, consulting, or speaking

You don’t need more content.

You need the right container for your knowledge.

If you’ve been sitting on an idea, waiting for “someday” to write your book, this is your opportunity.

I’m hosting a free webinar on 4 January at 4:00 PM PST: “How To Write A Short Book And Turn It Into A Business”

I’ll show you:

  • What makes a short book powerful
  • How to structure it without overwhelm
  • And how to turn it into income, without sleazy marketing

Your book doesn’t have to be long.

It has to be done and deployed.

See you at the webinar.

25 things I’m proud of achieving in 2025:

25 things I’m proud of achieving in 2025:

1) Published 153 newsletter issues, 8 podcast episodes, 10 Lives, and 300+ Notes in Substack. Showed up even when consistency felt boring or was a lot of effort.

2) Took my Substack newsletter from 958 to 2,135 subscribers, and paid subscribers from 14 to 59. A slow but steady growth.

3) Wrote 137 LinkedIn posts, including 17 solo video posts, and got over my inhibition of speaking to the camera.

4) Started a LinkedIn newsletter, expanding my writing beyond Substack.

5) Stepped into fiction writing and wrote and published 26 short stories on a Substack publication called Neera’s Fiction (to stretch different creative muscles).

6) Did  a 30-Day Notes Challenges on Substack in January and quietly kept going for 60 days.

7) Developed my own content calendar, which genuinely 10x-ed my productivity and saved my sanity.

8) Published my 7th book ‘A Writer’s Guide To Write Travel Stories’ and hosted a virtual launch on Substack, one of my favourite moments of the year.

9) Published my memoir, ‘My Life in 100 Objects,’ a deeply personal milestone.

10) Travelled through Spain, Portugal, Morocco, London, and Uzbekistan, collecting stories instead of souvenirs.

11) Wrote and published The Ultimate Guide to Simple Book Marketing Strategies on Substack (to be published in the future).

12) Wrote another book on Substack on Author Branding (to be published).

13) Launched the 90-Day Write Grow Monetize program in July and then again in October as live cohort training for three months to 50+ paid subscribers of my newsletter.

14) Ran another 60-day Notes Challenge across June and July and then again in October.

15) Lived in India for two months as a senior nomad, proof that work and life don’t have to be opposites.

17) Wrote and published 6 novellas plus a reader magnet, entering a completely new publishing rhythm.

18) Built a fiction mailing list from 0 to 235 subscribers, one reader at a time.

19) Started writing monthly reports on Substack, creating a habit of reflection.

20) Created 5 digital products – ‘Substack Notes Playbook’, ‘LinkedIn Playbook, 90-Day Reusable Content Creation System’, ‘How To Create Your First Digital Product In 3 Hours’ and ‘How To Turn Your Expertise Into Income With A Paid Newsletter.’

21) Took up singing lessons, something I’d wanted to do for years.

22) Ran ’20 Minutes Exercise To Solve Your Hardest Problem’ sold out workshop in collaboration with another creator.

23) Rebranded my Substack, aligning it more closely with who I’ve become.
Launched my 2026 program, Book-to-Business, with clarity and conviction.

24) Wrote the first draft of the book, ‘One Book to $100K: The Proven Book-Led Path to a Six-Figure Business,’ due to be published in March 2026.

25) Conducted a workshop, ‘How to Write a Book and Turn It Into a Business’, closing the year by opening a door. (2 more planned in January).Activate to view larger image,