Construction professional engages Bettina Deda as his business book editor
Felipe Engineer-Manriquez, Registered Scrum Master™ and entrepreneur in the construction industry, hired Bettina Deda as writing coach and editor for his book Construction Scrum, released in October 2021. Construction Scrum is the first practical guide to implement the Scrum framework in the construction industry. Shortly after its publication, the book started selling worldwide and has repeatedly appeared on the Amazon best-selling business books list.
Felipe Engineer-Manriquez is a Registered Scrum Trainer™ (RST), Registered Scrum Master™ (RSM), Registered Product Owner™ (RPO), and Registered Scrum@Scale Practitioner™ (RS@SP) in the US. The Lean Construction Institute awarded him the Chairman’s Award for his contributions to the industry. He is an author, international keynote speaker, business leader, podcast host, and proven entrepreneur in the construction industry. Felipe has been involved in million to billion dollar-sized projects across the world implementing Lean and Agile practices.
He is also pioneering the use of Scrum in design and construction. He teaches people how to be better at what they do through blogging, coaching, live streaming, and via his book, Construction Scrum. Felipe led the Lean Construction program for a multi-billion-dollar general contractor.
The Challenges
Before working with Bettina Deda, Felipe Engineer-Manriquez was writing his book one chapter at a time. "I had only a rough outline and around 20,000 words. I wrote in a diary-like style and without too much thought about the reader," he recalls.
Initial feedback from a beta reader made him realise that his manuscript wouldn't make the impact he wanted to achieve. He wanted a book that would draw people in and help them get started with Scrum right away. So he decided to find an editor.
"My vision for this book is to enable project managers, superintendents, and whole project teams in the construction industry to take action to make project delivery easier, better, and faster."
The main areas he struggled with were:
-Clear and consistent tone of voice
-How to convey his message in a story narrative
-Switching between writing and editing
"The constant change between writing and editing my own words was tiring and I didn't enjoy it."
As Felipe had previously worked with Bettina for a series of blog posts on lean construction, he remembered how easy and fun the process was. He figured that this same dynamic could scale across the book project and he contacted Bettina to help him edit and develop his manuscript to a publishable standard.
The Solution
To kick-off the project, Bettina invited Felipe to a Zoom call to learn more about the project scope and to determine whether and how she could help him
"It was extremely easy working with Bettina. We started with a short Zoom call to make sure we were a good fit for this project and soon determined it would be a win/win situation."
Felipe appreciated Bettina's expert guidance on creating a compelling manuscript that would meet his vision for Construction Scrum. He solely focused on writing and adding more content.
He appreciated the unfiltered and honest feedback to his first draft, which challenged him in a positive way to improve the manuscript by adding real life examples the reader would be able to relate to. He also valued being guided along his writing journey towards publication.
"What resulted from your advice and coaching made my book extraordinary. The manuscript evolved into a series of stories that transformed the technical aspects of 'What and How' into a practical guide that helps the reader to get started right away. Which is my main goal for this book."
"I stopped feeling like I was walking in the dark and shifted to walking in the sun. We worked as a team and it made the book project simple and much more fun."
Results
Felipe's goal was to take his experiences and make them relatable to a broader audience that would be inspired to take action after reading each chapter. The feedback from readers around the world has been phenomenal and beyond all his expectations.
“Construction Scrum is selling worldwide and has repeatedly appeared on the Amazon best-selling business books list. It has also been a great resource for me to offer my students seeking to become a Registered Scrum Master™.”
As the biggest reason why he would recommend Bettina's writing and editing services, Felipe named her combination of expertise, humour, professionalism, and overall approach to their project.
"I highly recommend Bettina's writing and editing services to anyone who is wanting to write a book or needs expert advice for any other business writing with the goal to make an impact on their audience."
Do you have an idea for a book and don't know how to start?
Are you ready to tell your story?
Read more about her business book editing services.
Or contact Bettina today by clicking on the link below!
"I highly recommend Bettina's writing and editing services to anyone who is wanting to write a book or needs expert advice for any other business writing with the goal to make an impact on their audience."
