If you’re an expert in your field, there is no greater way to position yourself as an authority than to become an author.

The benefits of becoming an author, whether you write your own book or hire a professional writer are many and the returns significant:

As a book author you can:

1. Make an Actual Difference

By sharing your knowledge and expertise in a book, you will likely positively impact the lives of those who read it; make their lives easier, better, longer. Your story and practical advice could help someone else to achieve something they’d always wanted to. It could help someone to change the way they do something for the better; learn a new skill, and inspire them to take action that causes a positive ripple effect.

You have the capacity to help a far wider reach as an author than you could help in person. What’s more, books last; both in terms of the way they are stored and passed around and in terms of how long they take to read in comparison to other media. As such, books have the capacity to influence more widely, as the wisdom in their pages is absorbed and shared over time.

2. Establish Credibility

Having your own book positions you automatically as an expert in your field. Sending copies of your book to people and companies you work for can get you in the door. And, if you target your book well by writing for your ideal clients, your book will become your most vital client-attraction tool.

3. Get Media Coverage

Books attract media attention in two ways. Journalists like to write about new books, hot off the press, and they also like to quote authors in their articles. You just need to make sure journalists know about your book and your expertise. Authors are often invited to talk on radio shows and podcasts and are frequently quoted on blogs, articles and features across many mediums.

4. Passive Income from Royalties

You need to promote your book. There’s little point having a billboard on a disused motorway as nobody will see it. You need to get your book out there but, (see point 3) authoring a book makes you interesting media fodder so, once people do start seeing your book and buying it, you can continue to reap the financial royalties for as long as it remains in print.

5. Boost Your Revenue

As the author of a book, you can often demand higher fees for your work as perception around your level of expertise is raised. You are also more likely to find work. Expertise is valuable and books showcase that you know what you are talking about.

6. Get Booked to Speak

Becoming an author opens the door to speaking engagement opportunities, which can be a lucrative area to get into. Each time you speak you also have the opportunity to sell copies of your book to conference delegates and dinner guests.

7. Leave a Legacy

Books stand the test of time. As well as being able to keep your own story alive, once you are in print, you exist outside of your own physical self. You are out there in the published world, and are likely to be so, long after you are no longer here in person.

There are, of course, many more reasons why a book is good for business and provides a solid return on your investment.

Writing a book on your subject of expertise is an accomplishment; a collection of your knowledge and experience. However, if you are an expert, taking sufficient time off to write a book can be problematic. You could tinker away in the evenings, of course, but writing a good book generally takes at least four months full-time. So, if you do it yourself, you could still be tapping away at that keyboard a whole year+ later.

To really tap into the benefits of being an author quickly, it’s a worthwhile investment to consider hiring a ghostwriter to do all that research, writing and editing for you.

To hire a ghostwriter to help bring your book to fruition, click here to view our profiles or select ‘Books’ from the menu and click the topic that suits your book best (e.g. Business & Management, Memoirs or Self-Help/Psychology) and check out the profiles of the ghostwriters who specialise in those areas.

Cheryl Rickman writes books to enable flourishing in life and business and brings out the book in business leaders, TV personalities and well-being experts. She has published 12 books over the past 12 years, including a number of best-sellers and is a Positive Psychology Practitioner (CAPP) and Ambassador for the Network for Well-being. Writer.uk.com