book

How I wrote my book in three weeks

by amiel · Dec 16, 2013

A friend recently wrote me this email:

I love your practice with surrender. I am about to spend a week in NYC alone to move the dissertation forward. I will remember your counsel.

She was referring to a recent letter I sent describing what allowed me to write the first draft of my book last summer in three weeks:

It was one of those singular experiences where words pour forth without effort once you put your body in the proper place.

Now that I know she is about to embark on her own period of intensive writing, I want to round out the picture. Surrender played a big part in writing fast. Here are several other factors: [Read more…] about How I wrote my book in three weeks

Book Notes: So Good They Can’t Ignore You

by amiel · Dec 3, 2013

This is the first of what will be an ongoing series of notes about books I’m reading. I read about fifty books a year, mostly related to leadership, organizational change, and adult development. Rather than write book reviews, I want to experiment with sharing what I do naturally when I read, which is to take notes about insights and questions that are relevant for my clients, colleagues, and friends. So rather than construct tidy and elegant reviews, I’ll present my reflections in raw form, unfiltered and unplugged.

We’ll call this Book Notes in homage to Brian Lamb’s long-running interview series on C-SPAN.

Key: My comments are in italics.

So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Question for Work You Love by Cal Newport (2012)

The Passion Hypothesis: The key to occupational happiness is to first find out what you’re passionate about and then find a job that matches this passion. [Read more…] about Book Notes: So Good They Can’t Ignore You

Announcing my first book: Paranoia to Possibility

by amiel · Sep 5, 2013

Many thanks to all the readers who have been encouraging me to write a book. Some of you first made the suggestion in 2000. Well, I’m pleased to announce that the book is complete. The title is Paranoia to Possibility: Escape Small Thinking, Listen Like A Master, And Lead With Your Best. It is now available on Amazon and is picking up positive reviews from early readers. It’s hard to describe what an honor it is to learn that people with full lives are taking the time to read the book–and enjoying it.

I want to share a few quick pieces of “Inside Scoop”:

I chose to self-publish this for a simple reason: speed. Signing on with a publisher would delay the release for at least 12 months after the book was complete. (I finished it at the end of June). So I sacrificed institutional marketing muscle in order to get the book in your hands right away.
As a result, I’m depending on my network to get the word out. In the first hour after I posted a notice to Facebook, a handful of people forwarded the Amazon link to all of their Friends, saying simple things like “Great book from my friend, Amiel.” or “Practical wisdom–check it out.” I’d be grateful if you would send the book’s Amazon link (http://miniurl.com/dBNV) to your network through your favorite social media platform (Linked In, Facebook, Twitter, etc).
Some people who wrote glowingly about the book said they had to overcome an initial dislike for the title, especially the word “Paranoia.” So let me be clear: this word refers not to individuals but to cultures, namely fear-based cultures that produce unhealthy organizational behaviors. 98% of the people who will find value from this book are not by nature paranoid.
I set a low price point ($9.95) because almost nobody makes money selling books, and I’m committed to getting this into as many hands as possible. So feel free to buy a copy for yourself and one for a friend or colleague who might enjoy it.

Stay tuned for more updates, including a book party tour and a new offering of speaking engagements.