I talk to people every single day who have waited years to write a book. If your bucket list includes writing a book, or if people have told you that you need to write a book someday, it’s time to take their advice and get started. 

Before I dive into four reasons you should consider sharing your story and expertise with the world, I want to point out something from the title of this blog post: four real reasons why you should write a book. Does that mean there are fake reasons for writing a book? In short . . . yes.

• I will write a bestseller.
• Maybe even win a Pulitzer Prize!
• My book will sell thousands of copies, if not millions.
• After I publish my book, I’ll finally be able to quit my day job.

If you have ever had any of those thoughts, know that you’re not alone—it’s completely normal to fantasize about publishing a book and the aftermath because there are many bestselling authors who HAVE done a few of those things. However, those people are the exception, not the rule.

At Streamline, we get to help authors reframe their “why” and consider more realistic goals for post-publishing that are just as meaningful and impactful. Here are a few common talking points we discuss with current and prospective authors.

Generate New Leads

If you are in business, you most likely have a lot of industry-specific knowledge to share with others. Maybe you’re an industry veteran with years of experience and a vast amount of knowledge in your field. Offering your expertise and perspective to others will set you apart, and putting out helpful content will undoubtedly lead to more business and provide new prospects.

Think about these two scenarios. Salesperson 1 has a book and consistently shares helpful tips and advice online and in other written forms. Salesperson 2 has no book and doesn’t share any additional content regularly. When prospects are deciding between Salespersons 1 and 2, who do you think they will choose? Clearly, they will go with the person who has given them the most value and a book is a massive value add that will not only help attract new clients but ultimately help grow your income. 

Establish Credibility

A book frames you as a thought leader in your industry or area of expertise. If you start to view yourself as a contributor and difference-maker in your field, you will begin looking for ways to discuss new trends and ideas.

A book is a great way to do this while testing out your material and content. Also, adding “author” to your bio never hurts. We tell our authors that their book is their new business card. Every time I fly, I always bring along a few copies of my book, The Sale, so I can give them away to people I connect with during my trip. (See 500+ “Author Copies” in the image above that I have in my garage). Handing someone a free copy of your book is a very fulfilling experience.

Cultivate Paid Speaking Engagements

When event planners are seeking a speaker for their event, they will oftentimes check to see if the speaker has a book. Many of the event planners I have interacted with over the years have also asked me when my next book will come out. The beautiful thing about writing and publishing a book is—every time you release a new book, clients will want to bring you back again to hear your perspective on the new content. 

Publishing a book will also allow you to increase your speaking fee. I have experienced this firsthand in my own life and seen it in the lives of countless other speakers.

Write a Book that Maximizes Impact

I believe this is the single most important reason that you should write a book. If you positively impact even one person on your authorship journey, I believe it is worth your time and effort. We all know that more than just one person will end up reading your book and being impacted, but it all starts with writing your book and getting it into their hands. You never know the impact that you can have on the lives of other people, just by sharing your story and your expertise.

It’s the difference between “fake” and “real” reasons to write a book that counts, and when you start to prioritize the latter, writing a book becomes a viable way to not just change your own life, but the lives of those around you—even if it’s not millions of followers.