I used to give a lot of speeches in SoCal to CPA groups, Rotary Clubs, etc. Never earned a dime. However, I met a lot of people that way and did get free food. The downside of the free food is that since you are the speaker, you have to eat quickly.

A book can be a lot more work, but you can control the entire process if you publish electronically. Depending on the content quality, you could actually make some money that way, but it is not clear whether the hourly wage will be all that high in publishing a book. Once you have a .pdf book file, there is infrastructure for you to self-publish.

So, I will circle back to the objective behind the book or speaking.

Thanks for the detailed reply.  Still bouncing ideas around.  A few folks were looking at it from a business, marketing standpoint.  I may be more thinking of a personal challenge to myself.  Will keep ya posted.  Underdog away!

That said, I agree with Andrea.  I'd much rather read a book than listen to a speaker.  I've gone to countless speaking events put on by schools with prominent business leaders at the podium.  The difference between books and speeches is content.  Speakers tend to be light on the "academics" of how to do something, whereas books tend to be the opposite.  All speakers, in my view, are motivational speakers at the basis, just with differing focuses.  I don't want motivation, I want to learn.  

My own goals are to improve my communication abilities all-around.  I started my blog to become a better writer.  I'm a much better writer than I am a speaker – although I wouldn't say I'm really good at either.  If it's a personal development thing more so than a future business, I'd much prefer to spend my time speaking in front of crowds.  It's more personal, people seem to like it, and practice does make perfect, right?  Anyone can write, not just anyone can command a crowd's attention.

I guess this goes back to your underdog post, Buck.  Do you want to do things the slow and safe way, or just go out with a bang and hop straight to speaking?

Good point.  Maybe I'm being lazy.  A book is a pretty big commitment with no immediate payoff.  Will rethink my strategy.

Hi KC,

Great point about street cred and I logically see your progression.  Think I'm trying to cut a corner.

Hi YFS,

Looks like you and I are on the same page.

Hi Robert,

Nice sales conversion there!

Hi MB,

Thanks for the spanking laugh!

Hi Dave,

Nice outside of the box thinking.  Will keep this in mind!

Hi Aloysa,

Everything in my mind is unique.  But to be honest, I believe everyone of us has a book and a talk in us!  

Hi Corey,

Oh boy, now I've done it!  You'll probably have a book and a talk somewhere before the end of the year!

Hi Jeffrey,

Like I said above, perhaps I was having delusions of grandeur and thought I could jump straight into a talk! 

You could build up your speaking skills and write at the same time. Some of the speaking engagements will give you new ideas to add to the book and what you're writing in the book will give you speaking topic ideas.

Mention you're writing a book when you do speaking engagements- offer the audience a deal when the book is released if they fill out a form on your site or a card at the event...it could get you some additional names for your list.

Building up a speaking income stream and writing & publishing a book both take time- so why not use that time to accomplish more than just one of them?

As a side, when I was typing, I fat fingered a couple of letters and it almost 'corrected' 'speaking engagements' to 'spanking engagements' which could be a whole other niche to fill.  Just thought I'd pass along that laugh for a Monday morning!

Hi all,

 

Caught in a chicken or the egg situation.  Two future goals is to write a book and speaking.  Which order is most effective?  Speak first to give your book more credibility or write a book first to give yourself more credibility as a speaker?

I believe they work hand and hand.  But, If I was to do it.  I would blog, speak then write the book.