I am not an Expert- can I be an Author?

 I was recently planning for an author talk I was giving and I came up with the following quote; “You don’t have to be an expert to be an author, but being an author makes you the expert.”

It is one of the main questions I get when people are thinking of becoming a published author. What happens is when people hear me say anyone can write a book, it piques their interest as to the possibilities. I truly believe everyone has a message to share that is as unique as they are, and someone out there needs to hear it. I also believe if you can talk then you can absolutely become a published author. Becoming a published author is not the same thing as learning to be a talented writer- they are very different things in my book.

Over the years I have been helping people to become published authors, I have noticed that one of the main objections I get from people, “I am not an expert.” It is almost like the chicken and the egg thing, which comes first. In my medical career, I went to university and got a degree, so I guess after a few years, I was an expert of sorts. Recently when I was introduced as a published author, the person I was being introduced to said, “what qualifications do you need to have to be a published author?” I remember being shocked and thinking – none really, you just need a story, message, knowledge or experience to share. So it opened my eyes to why people ask this question.

When you become a published author, you are instantly see as the AUTHORity in your topic area. Everyone wants to work with the person that wrote the book after all. This is where I came up with the quote regarding the fact that you become am author on the topic makes you the expert. The fact that you have taken the time to organise and organise what you know in order to help others, means you have spent more time on your topic than most anyone else. So the very reason you thought you need to be an expert to be an author, is the very same reason people perceive you to be an expert when you become an author. After all you know enough to publish a book on it.

I’m talking about creating a professional published book, not a poorly put together eBook full of mistakes with a badly designed cover that does nothing to attract your ideal customers. In fact I have seen people produce such sloppy work that I personally feel they are damaging their name and brand, rather than creating a specific type of book designed to attract more clients, customers and give them massive credibility.

Taking the time to organise what you know (I believe most people already know what they want to publish a book about, and therefore already have the knowledge inside of them), means people will pay you for your knowledge. Money flows in the direction of the most organised knowledge. So if you have the book on the subject that is set up to then lead people to your further information in the form of your seminars, services and speaking gigs, then you have the stage set for a big business to be built behind your book.

If I was starting a new business tomorrow, the first thing I would do is to publish a book on the subject. What if I didn’t have the story of the expertise, that’s easy, I would interview the expert. This is the exact model I used to create the Millionaire book series.

This is a really solid foundation for you to become your very own success story by sharing what you know.

Time for you to Share Your Message. Make a Difference. Leave a Legacy.

Fiona Jones

Author Mentor