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CTRL ALT Delete Is My Next Book

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Warning: self-promotional Blog post to follow…

I am very excited to announce that the name of my next book is: CTRL ALT Delete – Reboot  Your Business (and Yourself) in a Connected World. The official press release went out this morning via my publisher, Business Plus (an imprint of Grand Central Publishing – Hachette Book Group USA). This is the same publisher as my first book, Six Pixels of Separation, who had the option to pick-up my sophomore business book effort, and I am really (and sincerely) happy that they did. Six Pixels of Separation did some great things (800-CEO-Read ranked it at #13 on their 2010 list of best-selling books, and the book has been translated into French, Korean, Portuguese, Chinese and many more languages around the world). CTRL ALT Delete will be published in the spring of 2013 (early May) and Business Plus has taken worldwide rights to the book (so, expect to see it all over the world in both hardcover, audio and digital formats). Now comes the hard work of pulling it all together.

What’s the crux of CTRL ALT Delete?

Six Pixels of Separation was about how (and why) new media had changed business forever. CTRL ALT Delete answers the question "now what?" Now that everyone is on social networks, sharing and conversing, how do you adapt your business to capitalize on just how much our world has changed, and get the edge on where all of this is taking us? I think we’ve moved past disruption into unchartered territory. If you follow this Blog, you know that this is a time of great upheaval in business. The challenge is that most businesses don’t know how to adapt and most of the people who are working for these companies don’t know how to change. Technology hasn’t just transformed how we buy or how we sell our wares to consumers or how we connect socially. Technology has sent business through a rapid state of genetic mutation and we’re still in the middle of this evolution. I call this moment in time: purgatory. We’re not in hell… but this certainly isn’t heaven either. CTRL ALT Delete will both clear the brush and act as a roadmap through this purgatory. The book will be broken down into two sections. Section one (titled Reboot: Business) looks at the five modern movements that are changing business forever. Section two (titled: Reboot: You) covers the seven triggers that every employee and entrepreneur must have so that they can shift from just doing their jobs to doing the work that they were meant to do.

The real question this book will answer is: do you want to be employable in the next five years?

The book proposal for my second book was supposed to be done two Christmas’ ago. I was tinkering with the idea of a book about new business models and how every company could learn from what some of these newer startups were doing, but the flow of the book just wasn’t clicking with me. Fast forward to this past holiday season: I was in the shower one morning when everything just fell into place. The whole concept – chapter by chapter – came to me. I spent two days writing a fifteen-thousand word book proposal. I sent it to my literary agent who sent it on to my publisher, and the deal happened in a matter of weeks. I’m really excited because I am writing the book that I would want to read if I were either leading a brand today or thinking about how to move up in an organization or start my own business. The truth is that many are scared because they don’t know what to do, while many others see this as one of best opportunities that they will ever have in their professional lifetime. This isn’t about simple semantics and shifting mindsets, it’s about understanding that during this state of purgatory many business will die and many jobs will disappear, but in the same breath many business will thrive, many new businesses will be created and many new jobs will be invented. The question is: do you want to be employable in the next five years?

I think it’s time for business to CTRL ALT Delete. I’m excited about this book and I’m excited for those who are in desperate need of a reboot.

99 comments

  1. Mazel-Tov….amazing news and dude, you hit the bulls-eye with this one. Exactly what the market needs. Timing couldn’t be better.
    Can’t wait to read all about it and will be supporting you in every which way!!!
    Welcome to the multiple book club…
    Joe

  4. Joel, I’ve heard you speak twice, in Montreal and Toronto, and read your book. I’m a writer who didn’t do much social media at first, and now dived in head first, writing blog posts and doing SEO Copywriting for my clients. I’m very excited to read your next book and will look for it in the stores. Congrats! (By the way, I’ve written 31 books, and all my best ideas started in the shower).

  6. I remember your telling me a bit about the idea a few months ago. So happy to see it’s come to fruition! Six Pixels remains one of the books I ALWAYS recommend to friends so I am really excited to get my hands on this one. Next year. Sigh…

  8. Congrats Mitch, Six Pixels gave me and my clients a lot. It changed our perspectives and inspired us to do things differently.
    Looking forward to reading this new book. No pressure!! 😉

  11. Major congrats, Mitch! I love the title given that people truly need help in understanding the power of social media and their role in the engagement factor. So many people get frustrated and feel overwhelmed when it comes to social media that they just shut down (or CTRL ALT DEL).
    Thank you so much for helping others by sharing your wisdom. The masses appreciate it!

  14. I can’t tell you how excited I am for this Mitch. 6 Pixels audio CD set (funny to even type that today) was given to me by my first professional web designer as a way to start the process and let me know how he felt about the digital spaces.
    It set the tone and I have not looked back.
    Now to the real reason I am thrilled for CTRL ALT DEL. Your last book was amazing and in comparison to following you on Twitter, reading your blog and listening to your podcast it is a different beats to have a book. I love HubSpot but learned more from the book Inbound Marketing than I have from their blog, even following them for years. Hope this makes sense, I love what you distribute regularly for free but I LOVE the idea of another long form from you! Congrats again.

  17. Congrats Mitch! The business world needs more books from you – I can’t wait to read it! I love the title, I actually remember the dinner where you picked it!

  18. I found out of Six Pixels of Separation via Stephen Baker on his blog.
    I can’t wait to get my hands on this new book since I always use Six Pixels as a reference for many of my clients and peers.

  19. You forget to tag your comment, “FIRST!” – LOL.
    Thanks for always inspiring me, Joe. Had we not met back in the day, I’m not sure I would be Podcasting, writing books, etc… It’s a mutual admiration society!

  24. Congrats, Mitch.
    ***
    I’m really excited because I am writing the book that I would want to read if I were either leading a brand today or thinking about how to move up in an organization or start my own business.
    ***
    That is the key, my friend.

  30. Congratulations Mitch! I can’t wait to read it either. Not a minute too soon. BTW what a great description of structural tension and the creative process. Nice.

  47. Hey Mitch,
    Congrats on the new book deal. Can’t wait to read it. Just one question. As a loyal listener to your podcast, will I learn all about the book’s content long before it’s published? Half joking. Only half. 😉

  48. Right yes I see. I thought maybe you had written it already and had to wait a year for publishing. I look forward to it and I’m a fan of the title.

  50. Sounds like a great book Mitch and had you brought it to the publishing company that I work at (Wiley) I’d sign it in a heartbeat. You know you’re onto something when you bang out a 15,000-word book proposal in two days. Moreover, it’s great to hear that you did not follow the other idea that you weren’t particularly ‘feeling’. Too many authors, with the help of their publishers, feel the pressure to put something out for the sake of putting something out. Kudos to you for being able to resist this urge and clearly May 2013 can’t come fast enough.

  56. Mitch! This is such exciting news. I can’t wait to read your new book because I loved Six Pixels of Separation. I know you’ve mentioned you have a lot of writing ahead of you in the next five months, but we’re all cheering for you.
    I’m looking forward to more of your great art, studying it, and writing what I’m sure will be a glowing review. Good Luck in the next 5 months!

  57. Wow, man. You wrote a fifteen thousand word book proposal in two days! You just keep raising that bar higher.
    Along with everyone else here, I’m really looking forward to reading the book.
    As Jaffe said, the timing couldn’t be better.
    Seems everyone is caught up in tactics and strategy.
    What we really need to do is ask ourselves a big collective “why?”. When we figure that out, we can make the kind of cultural changes needed to take advantage of what this technology can do.
    Thanks for for the think juice again, Mitch. And congratulations!

  58. Being a loyal Six Pixels listener and not a very active commenter on the blog I had to take this opportunity to congratulate you on the new book announcement. I have to say that from all the blogs and podcasts I follow, Six Pixels is the one I respect and follow the most. I was only able to get the audio version of SPOS but I will certainly find a way to grab one copy of the new one as soon it launches. Again, congratultions, I am very much looking forward to reading your insights and your reboot theory. Greeting from sunny Bogotá!

  59. I’m on the edge of my seat Mitch! Can’t wait to read your new book and am wondering how I’m going to contain my excitement until May, 2013?!?!?! Will you releasing a teezer between now and then? My countdown is on!

  63. Thanks, Ray… I think a lot of people are going to be shocked at how little “Social Media” will be in this book. I’m an entrepreneur and a marketer that is trying to help brands be better it his new world. That will be the foundation.

  64. Fabio if you can’t get a physical copy of Six Pixels of Separation and you want one, just email me your address and I’ll get one off to Bogota. If the same issue happens with CTRL ALT DEL, I’ll make sure my publisher gets you a copy too. Thanks for being so kind!

  69. Congrats, I look forward to reading it. But hey, as a Mac user, why have you chosen the Windows reboot keystrokes as your title? Perhaps you’te contemplating a dedicated Mac-friendly version as well??

  72. I have no idea how you find the time to do it all – but I am truly glad you don’t sleep because you continue to make the world of business a much more intriguing, interesting and less intimidating place to be. I am looking forward to book two – congrats and thank you!

  73. Congratulations, Mitch!
    Sounds like a timely treatment of important topics.
    I look forward to reading it (and hoping for some sneak previews here on your blog along the way, too).
    Best,
    Scott

  74. 🙂 And it’s what starts my day off every day … and a lot of conversations throughout the day too! I love that every day you never know what you’re going to get! You should create a book of your blogs! By the by, any new books you’re reading? 🙂

  80. Hi Mitch, you’re one of my top 10 blogs to read everyday. Sorry I did get to comment till my now. Anyway, first off, thank you for sharing all this knowledge, insights and thoughts. By the way I really enjoy your podcasts. Second, I am so looking forward, actually anxiously excited for CTRL ALT DEL – Reboot Your Business (and Yourself) in a Connected World. To say Im stoked is an understatement! When dose pre-ordering begin?

  83. That’s very kind of you, Rita. I’m not sure when pre-ordering is as this is still early days. We just inked the deal and I have to get to the hard work of writing the book now. I will keep you posted.

  88. Congratulations Mitch!
    I know it’s going to be great. I can’t wait to give it a read.
    Keep up the great work. Thanks for everything that you do for the community.

  90. Looking forward to it Mitch… it’s been WAY too long since your first book so this is excellent news for those of us who enjoy consuming your content 🙂

  92. 6 pixels was my baptism and bible into Social Media after seeing/hearing you speak at an IAB workshop. Look forward to the next book.

  93. Thank You for the “Six pixels of separation …”. I’ve just read my Polish translation and this weekend I plan to follow Cortez on the roads of Gdynia port. Also started @BalquestUrbas . I’m already on the wrong side of fifties but due to this fact I have one asset which You can only being in my age – experience. Most often – priceless. Awaiting yr new book – interesting where I’ll be one year from here. Try to go throug yr blog in shortest time. Have a nice weekend. Greetings from Gdynia, Poland.

  96. I YOU FOR YOUR GREAT IDEAS YOU PROVIDED ON LINE TO GIVE US UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE WORLD HAS FOR US AND WHAT WE CAN GET FROM FRIENDS OR SHARE WITH FRIENDS INTO THIS WORLD.

  97. I love the fact that you’ve split the book into rebooting business and rebooting self — can’t wait to read it! Congrats!

  99. I just read your book, Mitch!
    I loved the characters and the plot. Excellent twist in the end.
    Congratulations! 🙂

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