Not everyone has a great book idea or even knows what they want to write about when they decide to write a book. Many people want to write a book because it’s what they feel called to do…they’re just not sure how to begin.
Whether or not you feel you have a great book idea, we believe everyone has a book inside of them. Sometimes, it just takes the right person or the right program to help draw it out.
That’s exactly how Brianna Ruelas, one of our amazing students, went from no book idea to $4,000 per month from her first book and became a successful, self-published author in just five steps.
No book idea to successful, published author: what’s covered
- Take specific action
- Seek professional guidance
- Accept credible advice
- Launch a business
- Springboard into new opportunities
1. Take specific action
The start of Brianna’s self-publishing story is one of several that we hear from our students. She was on a road trip out west with no book idea (not even a tiny one!). The passing trees, city signs, growing skylines emerging through the windshield as she neared her next destination were inspiring.
So much so that the Book Fairy came out, whispering in her ear and flying off, leaving her with a burning desire to make her mark and share her knowledge with the world.
The very next day, she took specific action. This is the crucial first step if you want to become a successful, self-published author. Anyone can dream, but not everyone takes action.
“The next day I saw a webinar from Chandler, and I enrolled in Self-Publishing School. It was really that simple.”
Many people believe they can simply start writing, regardless of whether they have a good book idea or not, and will eventually have a completed book, ready to publish. But Brianna knew that just wasn’t the case.
2. Seek professional guidance
After all, this was something she’d never done before. And without even having a book idea, she sought out someone more experienced in the field for answers.
This was the second step Brianna took to put herself on the trajectory to become a successful, self-published author. She knew she needed some guidance if she wanted to truly become a successful author.
This was the catalyst that allowed her to pursue her dreams and earn $4,000 per month in client work from her book.
A coach’s guidance helped her uncover the big idea
There are some people who have the ability to push you, forcing out what’s necessary in order for you to succeed in what you’re trying to accomplish.
It’s no surprise professional athletes have several coaches at their fingertips, instructing them on how to best work out, what diet will help them succeed, and how best to approach their position to win on the field.
So why shouldn’t people looking to become professional writers (AKA: authors), not have the same support?
“I had no idea what my book was gonna be about, I just knew that I was supposed to write one.”
3. Accept credible advice
Brianna only knew she wanted to write a book. She felt called to publish, to share her experience, but wasn’t quite sure how to approach this arduous task. Plus, she didn’t really have a book idea.
“I was writing the wrong book—a different book for ten days before my writing coach kind of called me out and said, ‘Well wait, you should be writing this book’, and he was right.”
This third step changed the came for Brianna in her road to becoming a successful, self-published author. She accepted her coach’s advice and ran with the new book idea.
What we find with our students is that they come in with this amazing book idea, sometimes even part of their book already written, only to realize that it’s not the book they should be writing. It’s not the book they can sell or it’s not a book their target audience wants or needs.
With a coach who has published many books before, you get the direction you need to avoid wasting months (and sometimes even years!) writing a book that won’t sell.
When you write a book that won’t sell, you forfeit the opportunity to share your story or message. You can’t grow your business from your book if it doesn’t sell. Brianna knew she needed guidance to become her own self-publishing success story.
4. Launch a business
Writing a book gives you credibility and it also gives you impact. Creating a professional piece of work to support your passions and values can do wonders in launching or growing a business that you love. Brianna discovered this for herself when she settled on the right book idea with the help of her coach.
“I really was connected to the fact that if I were to write a book, it would be a launching pad for a business—a creative business for myself.”
Brianna used her book to launch her own consulting business. Talk about an effective business card! This fourth step propelled Brianna into not just becoming a successful, self-published author, but also changed her life.
From her book (aside from royalties made from her book!), Brianna is able to bring home an extra $4,000 per month from consulting clients she wouldn’t have if it weren’t for her taking action to write and publish her book. Her book helped her become a successful, self-published author by building her brand and establishing her credibility.
Not only did she go from leaving her 9-5 job and be able to stay with her kids, all from publishing a book, she’s now her own boss.
Brianna makes her own rules, her own hours, and contributes to her family financially and emotionally by showing her children what it looks like to go after your dreams. And she didn’t do all of that alone, either…
The Self-PublishingSchool.com community
When you take on a journey like writing and publishing a book, it can seem isolating, like you’re the only person who can make this thing happen. After all, you spend a lot of time inside your own head coming up with your book idea, writing, and marketing… But you’re not alone with Self-Publishing.com.
“My favorite part about going through the Self-Publishing.com program was the accountability, the structure, the Mastermind Community, and the wonderful camaraderie between the authors.”
We don’t think the process of identifying your book idea and writing a book even should be isolating.
If so many people are out there writing and publishing books, why not give them a space to collaborate, get feedback on titles and covers, as well as share knowledge to help each other succeed?
That’s what the Self-Publishing.com Mastermind community is all about.
Over 4,000 authors from around the world congregate in an exclusive Facebook group to support each other, hold one another accountable, and even join each other’s launch teams to boost the success of their books.
“People were very kind and available to answer questions, and I’ve been in the Mastermind Community for two years now and I still feel connected, although I published my book two years ago.”
It was this support that led Brianna Ruelas to her next big accomplishment. There’s just something about being surrounded by successful, self-published authors…
5. Springboard into new opportunities
Because she’s placed herself as an authority from being a published author with a great book idea, she’s able to more easily book speaking gigs. Authors no longer have to be “just” authors. In fact, Brianna Ruelas can now add “professional speaker” to her resume with the tools her book has given her and the doors it has opened.
Taking this step to becoming a speaker solidified her as a successful, self-published author. Not only does speaking further her credibility, it establishes herself as an authority, and ultimately, can help her bring in even more clients.
All of this built on the back of her book. If she hadn’t taken action and joined Self-Publishing.com, the past two years could have looked very different.
It could have look much like yours may have:
- Spending days wishing her book was published
- Jotting down a few sentences here and there
- Never quite being able to finish the book
Heck, she may not have even started the book, and it would have remained this distant idea that pops up to nag on the edges of her mind each time she went on a road trip.
And she wouldn’t have the clients she’s had. She wouldn’t have the experience of launching and growing a business. She wouldn’t have “speaker” listed on her resume.
Because Brianna Ruelas allowed Self-Publishing.com to support her, she was able to find her high-quality book idea, effectively publish it to bring in new prospects, new clients, and a new life.
And it’s not over… Brianna published her book two years ago but it’s still bringing in royalties. That’s not to mention her coaching/consulting business income from her book or the speaking gigs she’s acquired because of it.
She’s not even done… Next on Brianna’s list is launching her very own course to coincide with her book in order to scale her business further and continue to build a career she’s passionate about. All because she wrote and published a book with Self-Publishing.com.
Check out Brianna’s book for yourself right here!
Ready To Go All-In On Success?
Book a call with our team to learn more about Self-Publishing.com! We help everyday people, just like you, achieve their goals and dreams through the power of building income, audiences, and raving fans through books.
