While writing a book has its many benefits–including showcasing your specific knowledge, insights, and opinions as it relates to your niche–writing a book isn’t every entrepreneur’s strength nor desire. However, there are several creative options to authoring a quality published book that may require little or no actual writing from the entrepreneur. In this article, I’ll share three types of books that you can author in a short time frame with a “long-money†return.
ANTHOLOGIES
Anthologies are a published collection of works from multiple writers compiled in one book. Typically, an anthology is a collection of fiction or nonfiction short stories, but increasingly, anthologies are becoming a fast-track way for entrepreneurs to leverage their expertise along with that of others (called contributors or coauthors) to position their brands in the marketplace. The leveraging of expertise of others in an anthology allows the entrepreneur to receive author credit to the published work. As the lead author, you charge fees for contributors to be included or offer to share profits from book sales, which would also add an additional revenue stream to their business.
Military transition coach and award-winning author Lila Holley says she gained massive exposure and national recognition for her Camouflaged Sisters Movement after publishing her first anthology, Camouflaged Sisters: Revealing Struggles of the Black Woman’s Military Experience: “As a result of publishing an anthology, I was able to share my message on a wider scale, gain media coverage, launch a radio show, magazine and membership network for other female veterans in less than two years. There’s tremendous earning power in leading a book collaboration.â€
WORKBOOKS
Workbooks are interactive guides filled with exercises for the reader as they learn about a specific topic. Depending on the business, entrepreneurs with technical expertise to share, such as accountants, bookkeepers, coaches, and more, utilize workbooks to teach a subject to an audience. Workbooks can be used as a standalone item or they can accompany a book (even an anthology). For a business owner or entrepreneur who is able to capture their technical expertise, producing workbooks can be a profitable and fast-producing option to teach a subject, as opposed to writing an entire book.
JOURNALS
What seems like a book full of blank lines is a very profitable way for many nonwriting entrepreneurs to have a published book in the marketplace. Journals are simply that–books of blank pages that allow the beholder to write thoughts and notes, or plan strategies. What makes journals a unique selling tool for entrepreneurs is that they can be customized to your brand or niche and can often be top sellers across categories, making it possible to attract new buyers. For example, journals can be created based on a specific ideal (journals for gratitude, journals for writing random thoughts, etc.), while others provide motivational and inspirational quotes or guided prompts within.
In 2015, I published a set of keepsake journals entitled The Mommy & Daughter Collection as a test run. Since then, I’ve established an ongoing monthly revenue stream via Amazon and direct bulk sales simply from a concept that targets a niche market. Once I realized that my journals weren’t being viewed as just blank books, but as interactive tools, I began advising my clients to publish a companion journal with their books to create an increase in their average sale per customer.
Depending on your goals as an entrepreneur, anthologies, workbooks, and journals provide added advantages to your business such as increasing exposure to your brand, elevating your expertise, and generating more cash flow for your business. The key is to have a published work in the marketplace as a visibility and revenue driver for your business or brand.
This article was written by The BOSS Network Influencer, Tieshena Davis
Tieshena Davis is the bestselling author of “Think Like a Bookpreneur” and the founder of Purposely Created Publishing Group, an International award-winning book publishing firm specializing in author branding and development. She appears widely at public events, teaching entrepreneurs how to create books to accelerate their business.
Learn more about Tieshena Davis by visiting her website at www.PublishYourGift.com.
Follow Tieshena on Twitter @iamtiedavis