Many of the books that Influence publishing publishes rely heavily on the author’s first-hand experience of their topic, which gives them credibility; credibility is important to both the author and publisher. An author deserves credibility if they are passionate about their subject because it likely follows that the author is an avid practitioner in that field and therefore, his or her knowledge is a reliable source of information.

There is a definite truth in the cliché, “practice what you preach.” For example, if an author is writing a book related to health and wellness, then the book’s content greatly benefits from the author’s personal experience in practicing those specific health and wellness methods. Health and wellness books are dependent upon the expertise of the author in relation to that field, and they also rely on the distinct success of case studies. When books present to readers actual accounts that the health and wellness methods have succeeded, then they are able to increase the author’s credibility. Not only does the success of the health and wellness method give the reader faith in the author’s knowledge, but also, if it is presented in an accessible fashion, the reader personally benefits by practicing the method themselves or by seeking an experienced physician to help them do so.

With any subject, it is vital for the author to have some level of professional success in order for their books to be a valid platform for either their business or other ways the author represents themselves to the world (speaker, advocate, teacher). The more involved the author is with their subject, the more effective and genuine their book will be for the reader. In order to properly engage readers with the subject matter, authors must incorporate realistic situations and past experiences into their book. Seeing the subject matter from a first-hand perspective is vital in holding the reader’s interest. The more engaged the reader is with the book, the more seriously they will regard the information. Simply put, if a reader falls in love with a book, it will endlessly inspire them.

If you are a speaker, you know how important it is to be an expert on your subject. When you are an expert the audience is engaged with you because they are learning something new. You can add even more credibility to your expertise by transforming that content into a book. Being a published author brings a level of credibility that can not be achieved with an E-Book or a Blog – unless you really are an expert, you are not able to create enough original content for a book. A blog is 500 words, an E-Book can be just 20 pages, but a book has to be at least 200 pages, a minimum of 45,000 words. If you truly are an expert, a published book is the single most effective marketing strategy you can choose. If the thought of writing 200 pages on your subject fills you with doubt, it is likely you are yet an expert. You can invest thousands on your website, on newsletters and fancy brochures, but a published book can even give you a return on your marketing investment! What other marketing investment does that?

This blog is an excerpt from the E-Book “Everything you ever wanted to know about publishing” by Amy O’Hara. It is inspired by the InspireABook® program that educates authors how to transform their content into a book. To register for a Free introductory webinar.