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When you think of growing a following and bringing in extra income, your mind might not automatically pan to writing a book.
I definitely never thought I’d be a bestselling author of six books, let alone write my first at only 19 years old.
But the thing is, it works.
<img decoding="async" loading="" class="alignleft wp-image-15653 lazy" data-src="https://media.convertkit.com/post/zTMWwxuD-How-to-self-publish-a-book-as-a-first-time-author-e1536625783937.jpg?fm=pjpg" alt="How to self publish a book as a first time author" width="170" height="210" />I never imagined my first book would sell over $6,000 in its first month on Amazon, but it did.
I never thought I could utilize my knowledge of writing books <a href="https://self-publishingschool.com/s/first-time-authors/live/alumni-success/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">to help thousands of people</a> bring in passive income each month, but I did &#8211; and I still do.
Why? Because it’s the single best way to not only grow your business or your following, but to double your revenue passively.
<h2>Why figure out how to write a book though?</h2>
I know you might be thinking there are other ways to grow your revenue stream, so why put in the work to self-publish a book? There are actually a number of valid reasons to sharpen your writing chops and publish a book.
<h3>1. It legitimizes you in your industry</h3>
What’s one thing potential customers look for when they want to make a purchase? Credibility.
Why would they buy from someone who’s not established in their field? To them, it’s not worth it.
Self-publishing a book gives you that credibility. It legitimizes you in the eyes of your potential customers and places you as an authority figure.
Your potential customers will trust you more and will be more willing to give you their time and money because you’re an expert in your field.
<h3>2. Brings in more leads and business</h3>
This is one of the<a href="https://self-publishingschool.com/why-write-a-book/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> best reasons to write</a> and <a href="https://convertkit.com/guides/how-to-self-publish-a-book" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">self-publish a book</a>. It opens doors for others to find you and your business.
Think of <a href="https://www.amazon.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Amazon</a> as another search engine. We all know <a href="https://convertkit.com/seo-and-sem?utm_source=Tradecraft&amp;utm_medium=PDF&amp;utm_campaign=Sept_2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Google</a> is a top source for leads to find your business or your website, but what about those who want to read books on the topic instead of blog posts?
Those individuals turn to Amazon. And when they discover your book and love it, they will head over to your website to learn more &#8211; and buy more!
But Amazon isn’t the only place others will find you.
When you write a book, you open doors for yourself. These are just a few opportunities my books have granted me:
<ul>
<li>I’ve been interviewed for top <a href="https://convertkit.com/guides/how-to-start-podcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">podcasts</a></li>
<li>Featured on Huffington Post and other authority sites</li>
<li>I was offered a 7-figure digital publishing deal</li>
<li>Grew a multimillion dollar business by leveraging my books</li>
<li>I speak at events about my books and experience</li>
</ul>
All of these have a direct impact on my business and were only possible because I wrote a book.
<h3>3. Allows you to tap into an existing ecosystem</h3>
There is an entire online world of books and book sales that you might not even be fully aware of.
Yes, I’m sure you understand that books sell, but do you know how much?
<img decoding="async" loading="" class="alignnone wp-image-15654 size-full lazy" data-src="https://media.convertkit.com/post/7gu9TvYr-80-percent-of-books-sold-are-ebooks-e1537296776289.jpg?fm=pjpg" alt="80 percent of books sold are ebooks" width="1500" height="877" /> 
Over <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/185431/us-online-shops-and-mail-order-houses-sales-figures-for-books-and-magazines/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">80% of books are sold online nowadays</a>. And that means publishing online is the best way to ensure your book is seen and purchased.
Writing a book allows you to tap into this ecosystem of online book buyers and get your name front and center in their lives.
<h3>4. It’s easier and more effective than ever</h3>
As recently as 10 years ago, you’d have to jump through hoops, ride a train, and donate your left kidney in order to publish a book &#8211; or so it seemed, anyway.
Unless you were the next Stephen King, going through a traditional publishing house to get your book out into the world was next to impossible.
But with the rise of<a href="https://self-publishingschool.com/self-publishing-on-amazon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Amazon self-publishing</a>, the entire publishing industry has shifted.
You no longer have to write a query letter to land an agent who then submits your manuscript to a traditional publishing house just for the chance for an editor to like what they read and potentially pitch it to the big guys to publish.
You now have complete control.
And while self-publishing may seem confusing with the <a href="https://convertkit.com/guides/how-to-self-publish-a-book" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">steps required to do it right</a>, it’s really not as long as you have <a href="https://selfpublishingschool.lpages.co/organic-sps-vip-eg-webinar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the right system</a> in place to teach you how.
<h2>How to write a book in 90 days&#8230;or less</h2>
It is possible! I’ve done it and I’ve seen it done time and time again with my students. These are the three core steps to follow in order to grow your following and revenue.
<h3>Step 1 &#8211; Find and refine your book idea for maximum impact</h3>
There is such thing as a bad idea when it comes to what topic you should write about. Some of us think we’re an expert on a topic, but then we start writing only to realize it’s probably not the best one for us.
When determining what to write about, ask yourself these questions:
<ul>
<li>What do you get paid for?</li>
<li>What’s your expertise?</li>
<li>What are the “broken record” conversations you’re always having with a new client or prospect?</li>
<li>What’s the “special sauce” that makes you and your business special?</li>
<li>What are the common misconceptions in the market that stop people from doing business with you?</li>
</ul>
<img decoding="async" loading="" class="aligncenter wp-image-15695 size-full lazy" data-src="https://media.convertkit.com/post/UibSYYRT-How-to-Validate-Your-Book-Idea.jpg?fm=pjpg" alt="How to Validate Your Book Idea" width="1500" height="1942" />
Ultimately, you’re looking for a topic that you know a lot about and one you’re passionate about discussing (or writing).
Oftentimes, you might find that turning your products or services into books is the best way to go.
For example, I wrote my book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Published-Proven-Blank-Published-Author/dp/1539412334" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Published.</a> as a way to help others learn how to write and publish a book without all the fuss and hassle.
This directly relates to my business, <a href="https://self-publishingschool.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Self-Publishing School</a>, where I teach people how to write a book and publish that book. It’s an area I know well, a that helps my students, and grows my business as well.
Now, you might end up with more than a few potential book ideas to tackle &#8211; and that’s okay!
If <a href="https://convertkit.com/start-writing">you’re the type who can write</a> multiple, your next decision is which one to write first. Here are a few questions to ask yourself if you find yourself in this situation:
<ul>
<li>Which one can I finish the fastest? (you have the most knowledge about)</li>
<li>Which one am I most likely to finish? (you’re the most passionate about)</li>
<li>Which one is going to make me happy?</li>
</ul>
Once you have your idea, it’s time to start expanding on it to develop your chapters.
<h3>Step 2 &#8211; How to finish the rough draft in a weekend</h3>
<img decoding="async" loading="" class="alignright wp-image-15655 lazy" data-src="https://media.convertkit.com/post/How-to-finish-a-rough-draft-create-a-mind-map-scaled.jpg?fm=pjpg" alt="How to finish a rough draft- create a mind map" width="313" height="242" />I know you’re probably thinking, “A weekend? That’s impossible!” But I’ve done it before and I’m here to tell you exactly how.
First, <a href="https://self-publishingschool.com/outline-a-book-using-the-bookmap/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">I create a mind map</a>. At <a href="https://self-publishingschool.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Self-Publishing School</a> our mind maps are everything. They’re the center of your book and will be your best friend through the outlining and writing process.
Here’s how you create a mind map of your own:
<ol>
<li>Write your topic in the center within a bubble or circle</li>
<li>Write everything you know on that topic by creating branches from your main bubble</li>
<li>Organize common ideas into groups/sections</li>
<li>Use those groups and sections as chapters in your outline</li>
</ol>
That’s really all there is to it. And in fact, the actual writing of your book is the easiest part.
Once you have your mind map, this is the process you can use to write:
<ol>
<li>Mindmap</li>
<li>Outline</li>
<li>Write or speak</li>
</ol>
Do this for each chapter until you have your book completed!
<h4>But how long does the writing process actually take?</h4>
With the ideal book length being 40-75 pages of a Word doc and 15,000 to 40,000 words, you can speak your entire book within about five hours depending on its length.
Then you just have to ship it off to a transcriber and polish it up!
However, if you’re not the type to use speaking as your main tool for getting your book done, the writing may take a little longer because we all know you can speak faster than you can type (in most cases, at least).
But by setting aside time every single day, you can finish your book in less than a month. Then all you have to worry about is the edit and launch.
<img decoding="async" loading="" class="alignnone wp-image-15656 size-full lazy" data-src="https://media.convertkit.com/post/wyXYLfBU-How-long-does-it-take-to-finish-a-rough-draft.png?fm=png" alt="How long does it take to finish a rough draft" width="1034" height="517" />
<h3>Step 3 &#8211; How to have a $10,000 launch</h3>
Your launch is the most important part of this entire process. Without following the right steps, you can lose out on thousands of dollars and everything that follows.
When I launched my book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Book-Launch-Publish-Bestseller-Business-ebook/dp/B00SJON2MW" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Book Launch</a>, it brought in $92,228.50 within the first 55 days using this very method.
<h4>1. Invest in a great converting cover</h4>
You can never skimp on a book cover because as much as we were told otherwise growing up, everyone judges a book by its cover.
That means you need to have something that’s done well and speaks to your book’s topic.
These are just a few of my book covers that have done a tremendous job converting. They’re simple, eye catching, and the topic is very clear.
<img decoding="async" loading="" class="alignnone wp-image-15657 lazy" data-src="https://media.convertkit.com/post/wTmr0oYh-Invest-in-an-interenting-book-cover.jpg?fm=pjpg" alt="Invest in an interenting book cover" width="145" height="217" /><img decoding="async" loading="" class="alignnone wp-image-15658 lazy" data-src="https://media.convertkit.com/post/WEUCcb9B-invest-in-a-converting-book-cover.jpg?fm=pjpg" alt="invest in a converting book cover" width="141" height="218" /><img decoding="async" loading="" class="alignnone wp-image-15659 lazy" data-src="https://media.convertkit.com/post/xKgeE3kr-Its-important-to-invest-in-an-interesting-book-cover.jpg?fm=pjpg" alt="It's important to invest in an interesting book cover" width="144" height="216" />
Make sure to work with a qualified book cover designer to ensure they understand the market and what’s needed.
<h4>2. Build a solid, enthusiastic launch team</h4>
This is a vital part of your launch. Without having <a href="https://self-publishingschool.com/launch-team/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a strong launch team</a>, ramping up for a $10,000 launch will be made much more difficult.
A launch team is a small group of people who are genuinely interested in and like your book.
They will help you with promotional projects, <a href="https://convertkit.com/how-to-get-book-reviews" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">write book reviews</a> on Amazon, and anything else you need them to.
In exchange, they receive a free copy of the book and even their names in the acknowledgements. Many authors also create gift baskets to send their team as well. 
It’s really up to you and what you’re looking for in a launch team.
<h4>3. Get reviews on an ongoing basis to aid the Amazon algorithm</h4>
At first, you’ll have reviews from your launch team, but you’ll need to <a href="https://self-publishingschool.com/amazon-reviews/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">consistently receive reviews</a> in order for Amazon’s algorithm to recognize your book’s authority.
Here are a few ways you can ensure you receive ongoing reviews:
<ul>
<li>Make sure your launch team reviews the book</li>
<li>Add a reminder at the end of a few chapters in your book to leave a review</li>
<li>Reply to people on <a href="https://convertkit.com/guides/how-to-use-social-media" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">social media</a> to review your book if they loved it</li>
<li>Remind your followers to leave a review</li>
</ul>
Sometimes you just have to let people know that reviews help you! Most are more than willing to hop online for a few minutes and gush about how much they enjoyed your book. They just need a little reminder first. 
<img decoding="async" loading="" class="alignnone wp-image-15661 size-full lazy" data-src="https://media.convertkit.com/post/i8mqw4pu-How-to-get-reviews-on-an-ongoing-basis-to-aid-the-Amazon-algorithm-1-e1536626455520.jpg?fm=pjpg" alt="How to get reviews on an ongoing basis to aid the Amazon algorithm" width="1500" height="296" />
<h2>The hard truth</h2>
Maybe you knew how beneficial writing a book is for increasing your revenue. Maybe you knew how much your business can grow and how established you can become.
But maybe you just didn’t think it was possible to do without spending months on it or without having a strong natural writing ability.
Well I’m here to tell you:
You do have the time to write a book 
It can be done in a single weekend (or 30 days if you prefer actual writing) 
You don’t have to be a natural (or even good!) writer to make it happen
<h2>How to write a book: next steps &#8211; FREE Training!</h2>
Getting started can be the hardest and even scariest part of this entire process. But that’s why I’ve created a free webinar training for you to go from blank page to published author in 90 days&#8230;or even less if you’re really serious about this!
Head on over and save your spot because you can’t double your revenue without at least starting the process!
<a class="btn btn-lg btn-primary" href="https://selfpublishingschool.lpages.co/organic-sps-vip-eg-webinar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Save your spot here</a>

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