Last week I got a question, one I’ve been dreading, from long-time reader Neil Sutton.
Neil is an architect by day and by night, he puts on his copywriting pajamas and works as a copywriter helping businesses who want architects as clients…. which I have to say is kind of brilliant. Anyways, Neil wrote:
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Hey John,
Here’s a picture of me eating a PopTart and scrolling through my Bejako emails, trying to find where I missed the email about your new 10 Commandments book launch.
[Neil included a gif here, showing a small monkey, possible a rhesus macaque, eating a pop tart and scrolling on a phone]
Did I miss it?
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The back story is that, some time in February, I had the bright idea to publicly announce a deadline — March 24,2025 — by which I will finish and publish my new book, titled:
“10 Commandments of Con Men, Pick Up Artists, Magicians, Door-to-Door Salesmen, Hypnotists, Copywriters, Professional Negotiators, Political Propagandists, Stand Up Comedians, and Oscar-Winning Screenwriters”
Well, the deadline came, the deadline passed, no emails went out announcing the book because the book is still not finished or published.
I failed with my self-assigned public deadline, and a few people, Neil among them, have spotted something off.
I can only tell you that just this morning, I finished the introduction to the new book, which was the last part waiting to be written. The book just has to go out to a few folks for edits + suggestions. The cover is already done.
All of which means the book will be finished and published…
Who knows when. I’ve burned myself already by setting and publicly announcing a deadline I failed to meet. I won’t be repeating that mistake again.
Two things are for sure:
One, I am working on it. And two, I will get it done.
In the meantime, if you haven’t read my original 10 Commandments book, you might find that interesting and valuable.
The original 10 commandments book was successful enuff that I decided to copy the core concept, the structure, and even the cover style for the new 10 Commandments book.
If you’re looking for ideas to help you influence others, or just to better understand your own mind, then take a look here: