The Benefits of a Book

Different people have varying motivations for writing a book and there are many outcomes, opportunities, and connections that writing a book can bring about. These often include one or more (and usually several) of the following.

Establish and Build Credibility

A book is one of the most straightforward ways to establish credentials and build credibility. Beyond that, a book can lend gravitas—people who have written a book are taken more seriously than those who have not.

There are many areas where this credibility can be leveraged:

The business person who has published a book is regarded more seriously than the one who has not.
In the academic world, published academics are more highly regarded than their unpublished counterparts. For many in this situation, the publishing of a book is a fast-track to career advancement.
Greater credence is given to a story told by a personality or survivor who has documented their story in a book.

A book can also help you change direction. Take the example of a professional athlete or sports person coming towards the end of their playing career. A well-written book can raise their public profile and remind people why they should be considered for new challenges such as coaching a team or television presenting.

Marketing Platform

A book will give you many opportunities to create a media event.

A book is a tangible concept that is easy to understand and easy for people in the media to talk about. Publishing a book presents the opportunity for you to give interviews talking about the book which in turn gives the opportunity to leverage other projects which may not be so readily understood by the media.

A book can also make money for other people. If other people can make money from your work (or simply gain kudos from association with you and your book), then they will be more keen to sell you book, and as they keep selling your book, then they will be promoting you.

You Have a Story to Tell

Very often people will want to tell the story of their own life: sometimes this will be a straightforward autobiography, but it needn't always be so. For instance, politicians often want to focus on a particular period in their career (usually the part when they had power) or publish a book which is in essence a long-form manifesto. Alternatively, you may have been a witness to a historic event. Whatever the situation, this is your opportunity to write the first draft of history.

Perhaps you have a story to tell and you want the chance to set the narrative in your own words. Many people in the public eye feel they are judged harshly in the media. Writing your side of the story gives you the opportunity to set the record straight and to explain the background to the situation.

Then again, perhaps you have a human interest story that simply needs to be heard.

Shine a Light

Another reason that many people want to write a book is to draw attention to a project or an issue close to their heart.

A book is an excellent way to explain issues in detail and to raise the profile of a subject. Added to that, a book can generate income (which can then be donated to cause).

Money