Love is a Battlefield (and So is Book Writing!)

“The greatest education of a new author begins after the book is published.”

Writing a book can be an exciting and exhilarating experience, but mostly after it’s published. This was the first Author Education blog I wrote immediately following the publication of Inspired, Not Retired: Leadership Lessons from Father to Son. I believe sharing it on my Facebook Author Page might help others along their writing journey.

I believe it was the incomparable Pat Benatar who sang “Love is a Battlefield.” With all the time, effort, and energy we put into it (book writing and love, that is), it may sometimes feel like a battlefield. I explained it to my tacticians at Pithy Wordsmithery this way:

“The strategy was sound.” The strategy is the writing of the book by me, establishing the mission, the vision, and the objectives.

“The book was operationalized well.” The operational level involves editing, copyediting, proofreading, and prepping the battlefield through email and social media communications.

“Now, the execution or tactics is where the rubber meets the road.” The tactics are publishing, promoting, and selling the book. This is where you see the fluidity of the battlefield.

On Dec 11, 2019, Inspired, Not Retired ranked #15 in the Job Markets & Advice category. Nothing to brag about or even mention. At 6:30 am on Dec 12, 2019, it was ranked as #1. Believing my Galaxy 8 phone had deceived me, I went to my computer and saw the same thing. Well, it must be true!

The Proof was in the Pudding

At around 9 am, I checked the rankings again. The rankings change hourly based on sales and a variety of other factors. That is when I saw the picture below. INR was listed as a Best Seller, albeit at # 6ish. Totally stunned, I headed straight to my physical therapy session to ponder how this happened. Although I thought it was a good book (as any author should), these ranks were the proof in the pudding.

Much like the battlefield, even the best laid plans of mice and men cannot explain all the successes that occur, or when the tide may turn. But as any good tactician will tell you, once you gain momentum, keep it going!!!

Whether in war, writing, or business, knowing where you are on the battlefield is critical to success.

Although the first 30 days of book publication are like a ‘Love In’, it’s still important to know which categories your book is successful in. That means it resonates on those topics, even if you did not select them. It also tells you where you might want to place your focus after the 30 days, but you must track this information to know this.

Where are you on the battlefield?

How will you maintain your momentum?

Need help with this concept? Select the Legacy Expression link below.

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Dr. Burl Randolph, Jr., DM, is a retired Army Colonel with nearly 32 years of service and three combat tours in Iraq. Dr. Burl currently does his battlefield planning as the Founder of MyWingman, LLC, a Business Leadership and Management Consulting Company in Davenport, IA, that Inspires Legacies That Last © 2026