Log in or create a free Rosenverse account to watch this video.
Log in Create free account100s of community videos are available to free members. Conference talks are generally available to Gold members.
Summary
Everyone feels like they have a book in them—and UX designers, researchers, and (of course) writers are no exception. But having an idea and making it into a book are entirely different things. If you've ever wondered what's involved in the process, how it differs from other types of writing you've done, whether your idea even merits book treatment, or other authorial considerations, well... here's your opportunity to have an informal conversation with a real live publisher of UX books.
Key Insights
-
•
A compelling UX book topic needs a clear point of view and relevance rather than just external encouragement or surface-level expertise.
-
•
Evergreen UX book topics combine 20-30% conceptual frameworks with 70-80% practical 'how-to' guidance for lasting value.
-
•
Books structured as compilations of unrelated chapters tend to fail as they lack a cohesive narrative and singular authorial voice.
-
•
The publishing process benefits greatly from inclusion, collaboration, and iteration, involving multiple stakeholders beyond the author.
-
•
Writing a UX book is time-consuming, emotionally demanding, and risks significant personal and family sacrifices.
-
•
Self-publishing is viable but brings challenges in reach, distribution, and marketing that traditional publishers like Rosenfeld Media have spent years building solutions to.
-
•
Authors who write conversationally with empathy for readers, remembering what it's like to be new, create better UX books than purely authoritative, lecture-style approaches.
-
•
Testing ideas in workshops or courses before writing a book helps refine and prioritize content for a better book structure and audience fit.
-
•
Timing the release of a book is critical; going too far ahead or too late risks losing market relevance or momentum.
-
•
While financial royalties from UX books are typically modest, benefits include increased credibility, speaking opportunities, and consulting rates.
Notable Quotes
"People saying you should write a book is nice, but it’s not the real reason you should write one."
"A really strong book has to be designed as a journey with a consistent voice guiding the reader."
"Don’t write a book expecting to retire on royalties; this is a specialized field with modest sales."
"Writing a book is awful in terms of time, sweat, and time away from your loved ones, but it’s an amazing gift to dig deep into something you care about."
"Inclusion, collaboration, and iteration are the three pillars of how we work with authors to make a book."
"Evergreen content needs a strong perspective on why the topic matters along with practical examples on how to apply it."
"You want someone who writes with equal parts empathy and authority, not just pure authority."
"If your topic is already tackled exceptionally by a prior book, go deeper or wait until the market shifts."
"Testing your book idea through workshops or talks gives a forcing function that helps prioritize content."
"We look to work with authors we like and enjoy being around because writing a book is a long, collaborative journey."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Design thinking starts too high with empathy; jobs to be done starts with the functional core and grounds innovation."
Jim KalbachJobs To Be Done
February 25, 2021
"Helping users express their individual sustainability values opens more possibilities than enforcing rigid standards."
Mike Brzozowski Laura Palotie Steve Isley Nancy TsangUX in everyday products: Empowering climate conscious choices
July 17, 2024
"Organize synthesis before the research happens by aligning on themes and goals with moderators and track leads."
Smitha Papolu Nova Wehman-Brown Melissa Schmidt Adam MenterTheme 3 Discussion
June 4, 2019
"Traditional devops tools are more task and issue-centric, but designers think in processes and workflows."
Aurobinda Pradhan Shashank DeshpandeIntroduction to Collaborative DesignOps using Cubyts
September 9, 2022
"At IBM, projects felt like following a recipe, but at Compass, I can promote my ideas and see how they work, which is very satisfying."
Caitlyn Hampton Monica Lee Jina YoonCompass 101: Growing Your Career In A Startup World
June 11, 2021
"Different organizations need different approaches; it’s hard to generalize research tooling needs."
Andrea GallagherThe Problem Space
May 16, 2019
"Most content design teams aren’t healthy; their output is overly constrained and management cannot do anything about it."
Jonathon ColmanHow to Maximize the Impact of Content Design
January 8, 2024
"Lawyers, though nervous, can become some of the most reasonable people you deal with if you explain risks clearly."
Laura KleinUnique challenges of innovation in enterprises
April 23, 2020
"Empathy isn't just kindness, it's the lens through which we see users' true motivations."
Prayag Narula Hannah HudsonEmpowering Designers to do Good Research
March 11, 2022
