3 reasons every expert needs to write a book

An executive with a Fortune 500 company, a coach with a seven-figure business, and a media executive looking to climb up to the next level—what do they all have in common?

This year, I’ve coached them all to write books.

Two of the three chose a traditional-publishing path, and one is self-publishing, but they all recognize the value of becoming a successful author.

Let’s look at the top three reasons they’ve decided to become authors and you probably should too.

Reason #1. Demonstrate the Depth & Breadth of Your Expertise

How much time do you spend scrolling on social media? And watching short-form videos?

I coach my clients to create more space for writing by limiting that kind of consumption. I preach the value of putting down your phone and turning off the TV. I encourage my clients to step away from their desks and get outside for a few minutes when they feel stuck. But even I have to be diligent about falling into the trap of watching one Reel after the next.

As an expert, creating video is great for getting attention, obviously, but it’s incredibly hard to demonstrate just how deep and wide your knowledge goes in a ninety-second video. Even with long-form video, the odds are most viewers will only see a few of your videos before they click away to something else.

Writing a nonfiction book (personal development, professional development, subject exploration, or even memoir) gives readers a chance to go deep with you.

It gives them the chance to get a clear view of just how much you know, how much you’ve experienced, and why you’re a true expert.

Reason #2. Create a Stronger Connection with Your Audience

Written well, your book will create a deep connection between you and your readers. They’ll spend hours reading your words on the page or listening to you read the book to them. (With rare exception, I suggest author-experts voice their own audiobooks.) They’ll get to know you as a person through your stories and your opinions, and they’ll get to know you as a credible authority through the wisdom and knowledge you share.

When you write a book that makes people want to talk about it, this bond your reader feels with you grows even stronger. When they recommend your book to their friends, they have to sell it to them, and in that process, they become your allies and your promoters. Readers who benefit from your book enough to share it become your fierce fans and will often seek you out to find other ways to work with you or learn from you.

Reason #3. Give the Media Something to Talk About

I used to use Oprah’s couch or her chairs under the trees as my example for why experts must become authors. After all, a high percentage of her guest experts on her talk show and later interview show were authors.

Oprah isn’t doing those shows anymore, but the media outlets that need guest experts continue to multiply. Podcasts, YouTube shows, local news and talk shows, and national radio, TV, and print media all need a constant supply of guests.

But how will they know you’re serious about your expertise?

When you write a book that encapsulates your stories, knowledge, and wisdom, you give producers, bookers, and hosts tangible proof of your expertise. There’s a reason why most of the experts you see on those shows are authors.

If you’re an expert in your industry and not enough people know about you or have a sense of just how knowledgeable and experienced you are, writing a book can change that. Even with all the new media formats, writing a book is still the most effective way to position yourself as a credible authority. Every year that goes by without your book in the marketplace is a year of lost opportunities.

It really is time to write your book, grow your business, and change lives.