I am a bit ashamed to admit that I never wanted to write a book (which is kind of embarrassing for a book coach). And here’s the #1 reason why!
I’m sharing this because a lot of trainers have the same doubt. It’s this: “The market is crowded with books. ‘Everyone’ writes a book, everyone has a podcast.”
But is that true? It’s important to do a fact check because if you believe that, you are not going to write a book. Why bother, right?
In fact, you are vanishingly rare if you are a published author. It is still an elite club. Latest figures show 0.02% to 0.03% of Australians have published a book – about 5000 to 7000 people.
But the benefits of writing a book go far beyond status, as marketing genius Seth Godin points out.
- It clarifies your thinking.
- It leaves behind a record of where you are in this moment.
- It’s clearly not going to be a worldwide mass-market bestseller, so you can focus only on the people who want to hear from you.
- It’s a project that is completely and totally up to you.
- Because it’s a generous way to share.
- As hobbies go, it’s energy-efficient, takes up very little space and is portable.
- Because then you get to write another one.
- It will increase your authority in your field.
- We need to hear your ideas; they matter.
- And then you become an author.
- It’s not that hard to publish it when you’re done.
- The publishing is a bonus, a way to seek completion, not the point of the exercise.
- And… it’s not as lonely as you think.
I agree.
Here’s the 2022 National Survey of Australian Book Authors.