I want to take a moment to provide a quick update on the progress of my book since I had initially hoped to have it published by now. I knew going in that writing a book would be a beast. I just hadn’t anticipated how big an undertaking this could be.
What is it about?
The book details a workflow or methodology for launching new products (web applications). It is a synthesis of 3 core methodologies: Bootstrapping, Customer Development, and Lean Startup.
The basic premise is that launching new products is inherently chaotic and uncertain, but at any given point in time, there are only a few things that truly matter. The book covers the path from idea to launch to product/market fit and defines a set of success metrics and how to measure them at each stage.
It is based on my rigorous application of bootstrapping, customer development, and lean startup techniques to my products which I blog about here.
How is the book different from the blog?
Some of the delays in publishing have actually been quite good for the book. The blog is a near-realtime account of my lessons learned, taking several theories to practice. Mistakes were made, and things could certainly be improved. Such is life in a startup. The book not only presents these experiences in a more coherent flow but also refines and reorders pieces, so they benefit from retrospective learning.
In other words, this is the workflow I would use for my next product — which, incidentally, I might be announcing soon.
When will the book be published?
The good news is that the outline has been finalized, and a lot of the content is already written down. I also recently started running a set of “Running Lean Workshops” which has been a great way to test further and refine the content. What’s left now is editing, editing, and more editing.
More than likely, I will start releasing the book piecemeal within the next 4–6 weeks.