How long did it take
me to write my Book?

​Dear Reader,​

First things first: The Kindle version of Real Progress is now available on Amazon. Get your copy here:

June 2023

During Product at Heart, I'm sharing a cab with Petra Wille, Jeff Gothelf, and Christina Wodtke. They exchange notes on the ups and downs of book writing and publishing, which tickles me to pursue the book idea I've had in the back of my head for a few months now.

July 2023

I share the idea and "plan" with my editor Lauren. We map out a scope to complete by the end of the year and acknowledge the unforeseen timelines of writing a book. With a lot of clarity about what I wanted to write about, I dare to say "this feels very doable." Well...Lauren DID warn me, but I was enthusiastic.

August 2023 - October 2023

After a well-deserved summer break, I get into creating an outline/proposal. What seemed so obvious in my head turns out to be very hard to put into writing. I keep bouncing around core narratives and structures, all amidst seeding the first drafts for early feedback. Only to get back to refining the core idea of the book and pillars like the Progress Wheel over and over again.

October 2023 - January 2023

I try to write the book chronologically to get an introduction and Real Progress chapter done – without much success. I decide to park these and shift towards one of the domain chapters.

January 2024 - February 2024

I tackle the Product Strategy chapter, but get lost in the rabbit hole that Product Strategy can be. I try to cover everything possible about strategy. Seeing my original idea of the attributes go up in flames, as I decide to shift focus...again.

March - April 2024

The Product OKRs chapter is pure bliss. I fly through the attributes, concepts, and graphics. Full of confidence, I shared a first version with beta readers at the end of April.

April 2024 - July 2024

I turn my attention back to the Strategy chapter and now manage to reduce the scope and get a handle on what I want to cover. Encouraged by the positive and constructive feedback on the OKRs chapter, I iterate my approach to present my ideas. I hit my goal of shipping a version to beta readers before our family vacation in August.

August - September 2024

I procrastinate tackling the Discovery chapter and instead start to iterate on the Strategy and OKRs chapters based on reader feedback. Telling myself that this will help me with the Discovery chapter. I also acknowledge that I can't dual-track writing and marketing the book next to my existing client commitments. I decide to shelf all the exciting marketing ideas and focus on the writing, instead.

October 2024 - December 2024

I decide to face the Discovery chapter. The topic I've been writing about the most throughout my career turns out to be the hardest to get done in this book. I keep changing narratives, concepts, and focus, but manage to ship a version to beta readers before christmas.

January 2025 - March 2025

This period is all about iterating on what's there and trying to iron out obvious gaps and cross-references that wouldn't work. I feel motivated by the feedback I receive, but I know that the big assembly is still ahead.

April 2025 - May 2025

I work on turning the individual domain chapters into a cohesive narrative. Making sure concepts like the Progress Wheel create bridges and connections for readers to utilize. Before a short family vacation, I ship a "full book" version to beta readers. Without knowing the feedback, I feel that the book is now "complete" and that I have given it my everything. As the feedback starts coming in, I know I was right - even with all the work ahead of me.

June 2025 - August 2025

With the beta reader feedback on the full book version in place, it's now all about polishing and refining the text edits, while making the first layout decisions with Giulia and Jennifer.

August 2025 - September 2025

Time for the final push. As everything (layout, introduction, testimonials, graphics, Amazon KDP setup) finally comes together, it feels surreal that this body of work will soon be in the hands of ambitious and curious product people. But here we are.

If you already have your copy and enjoyed it, I would be incredibly grateful if you could take a moment to leave a review on Amazon. It helps the book become visible and helps interested readers build trust. It truly means a lot to me.

Next week, I will share more reflections of this book writing journey and what I would do differently (and what not) in hindsight.

Thank you for Practicing Product,

​Tim​

Join my In-Person Workshops in Berlin

I'm excited to bring my beloved in-person workshops back to Berlin in January 2026. You can choose between 1-day workshops on Product Strategy, Product OKRs, or Product ​Discovery, or opt for the full 3-day experience for you or your team.

(reach out for custom team quotes)

If you consume one thing this week, make it this...

Who is Tim Herbig?

As a Product Management Coach, I guide Product Teams to measure the real progress of their evidence-informed decisions.

I focus on better practices to connect the dots of Product Strategy, Product OKRs, and Product Discovery.