How To Become a Thought Leader: Write a Book
Jenn T. Grace, a Certified B Corp
Nonfiction Book Publisher | Speaker | Helping business leaders, thought leaders, consultants, and speakers impact the world by becoming published authors and living their purpose.
Have you wanted to write a book for a while, but continuously found reasons not to? You might be familiar with the pesky voice of self-doubt intruding on your otherwise go-getter mind. “Is it?really?worth it? Do I have?anything?unique to say? Will people?actually?read it?” says your inner critic. You believe the voice and put it off, adding “write a book” to the bottom of your priority list (you’re a busy changemaker, after all!). Want to know?how to become a thought leader? Here’s how writing a book will define your voice, finetune your direction, and position you as an expert.
How To Become a Thought Leader: Don’t View Your Book as a Pipe Dream
If you have a voice that will add value to the world and help people, then you’re a thought leader—and your book should be on the shelves. Despite what the middle-of-the-night meltdowns and existential crises may tell you, your wisdom and experience are worth writing down. It’s never too late or too early to write your book, and every year is your year to make an impact.??
Sure, writing a book has many challenges. Having an impact isn’t easy—but getting past?writer procrastination?and actually publishing your book will put you in a better position as a thought leader.
However, as an LGBTQ+ and women-owned B Corporation, we know first-hand how difficult it can be to find your place in a world that wasn’t built with our voice in mind.
Trust us when we say this: your voice should be heard, and you deserve to shine in your industry.?
Why You Should Sit Down and Write
1. Your Voice Is Valuable—and Needs To Be Heard
At Publish Your Purpose, we work with a wide range of authors who all have transformational knowledge to share. We’re driven by a desire to elevate the voices that are often excluded from traditional publishing. That’s why 69% of our authors are women, 46% are LGTBTQ+, and 24% are BIPOC. We’re constantly striving to be more diverse and inclusive—so if you have a unique voice, we’d love to hear from you (apply here!).?
If you’re reading this and thinking “my voice is still a work in progress,” that’s totally fine, too. The process of writing a book can actually help you define your voice and finetune your direction. Once you find clarity, you’ll be able to use your book as an anchor for your future endeavors.?
2. Becoming a Published Author Positions You as an Expert
Even if your calendar is already jammed with public speaking events, coaching sessions, and webinars, nothing says “expert” quite like having your name on a book.
As a thought leader, your book becomes the center of your ecosystem. It’s the reference point for all of your material, opinions, and research, and upholds credibility behind your cause and passion. It is also how you build trust and connection with readers.?
3. A Book Can Boost Publicity Opportunities
If there’s a media buzz about your passion or the industry you’re in, journalists and reporters will?seek quotes from experts. If you have a book and it receives media coverage, you’ll be on the radar of journalists. Next time they need a comment, you might be the thought leader they call.??
4. You’ll Stand Out From Your Competition
Your competition might already have a book, in which case publishing one will put you in the same ring as them. But even better, publishing a high-quality, interesting, and beautiful book makes you stand out.
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Ready to publish your nonfiction work? Become a published author in under a year with Publish Your Purpose.?Start your journey here.?
5. Writing a Book Can Build a Quality Fanbase
The number of followers you have on social media doesn’t necessarily translate to engaged fans. To follow someone on social media is free; it requires little effort on the follower’s part and they can unfollow you at any point. But when someone buys your book, it’s an active investment in your work.?
Social media trends come and go, but a book can stay on a bookshelf for generations. Writing a book has a long-term influence that social media never could.?
Is Writer’s Block Delaying The Process?
Writer’s fatigue, AKA “writer’s block,” is a?very real phenomenon.?We all know the feeling of sitting at a desk and staring at a blank document, willing words onto the page. No matter how hard we try to push ourselves to come up with a word, a sentence, or a paragraph, we can’t force creativity. If you want to know?how to become a thought leader, but writer’s block is holding you back from taking that first step, these tips might help.?
Find a Space That Works for You
Emily Dickinson wrote in a conservatory, Jodi Picoult writes in a farmhouse attic, and Maya Angelou rented a hotel room just for writing. Whether it’s on the couch at home, in your local cafe, or in an office space, pick a space that inspires you to write.?
Prioritize Movement
If words are starting to sound stale, it might be time to get up and take a break. Move your body in whatever way feels good. Walk around the block, do some stretching, or take a yoga class. Exercise doesn’t just make you feel good and provide a much-needed reset, but is also linked to?being more creative.?
Take a Writer’s Course
Getting Started for Authors?is our six-month course for aspiring authors. Designed to guide you from the idea phase right through to completing your manuscript, this is Publish Your Purpose’s comprehensive course to help you action your literary dream.?In the course we provide:?
From Idea to Launch With Publish Your Purpose
If you have a nonfiction manuscript that’s ready to be published, we are interested in meeting you! We publish nonfiction books from thought leaders on subjects from social justice to leadership theory. If you have a big idea, we want to hear it. Our?Publishing Support?covers everything you need to launch your book, from expert marketing advice to one-on-one coaching. If you are wondering?how to become a thought leader, well, that’s what we’re here to help you with!