I became a published author for the first time at the young age of 23.
I had been writing for entrepreneurs and leaders (including Dr. John Demartini) helping them produce bios, books and other content for a few years – since age 19 – when a colleague who was impressed by my talent offered me the opportunity to write and publish my first book: which, of course, I jumped at.
And so, in 2011, I took the leap into the realm of being an official author with my title in ISBN history!
The effect that my first book had on me was so life-changing that I knew, then and there, that I would produce not just one but many more books in my lifetime (my personal aspiration is 100 titles). Fast-forward to today and I now have eight published titles to my name: The Search for Inspiration, The Book Within You, Sacred Sensuality, Inspiration Bible, The Inspirational Messenger, The Unlikely Entrepreneur, The Lie (co-authored with award winning speaker, Mike Handcock), and Transformational Leaders.
Each one has compounded the truth for me that becoming an author not only has many practical benefits – like helping you to secure media and so on –, but it truly is life-changing. Here’s why:
1. It showed me that my voice matters in the world
One of my critical turning points in life occurred about 8 weeks before I held my first book, Transformational Leaders, in my hands back in 2011. I was traveling in Canada at the time and I had recently completed the task of reviewing edits in the final manuscript for the publisher when I experienced a spontaneous bout of doubt that many first-time authors will relate to:
Who am I to write a book?
As I sat there in an apartment in Toronto feeling small and insignificant, I questioned myself as the reality of the fact that I was about to hold my first book in my hands set in. It was a real moment of vulnerability that set the foundation for one of the most profound ways in which becoming an author has changed my life.
By being willing to feel my nerves and self-doubt and publish anyway, I broke through an internal obstacle that I believe had been restricting my gift for years. As people began to read my book and I received numerous pieces of feedback affirming the inspirational nature of my writing, I realized through heart opening, real life experience that my voice mattered and that I DID have something profound inside me to share.
I was hooked… and I have not once forgotten since that day that what I say as well as what I write has the power to give someone hope, confidence and inspiration the way that starting my journey as an author had done for me. My desire to be and do more for the world through my writing has only grown since.
2. It boosted my credibility and earned respect from people
I bet you’ve heard this before: that publishing a book is one of the fastest ways to establish credibility. Albeit a commonly thrown around statement by most trainers who teach coaches how to profile themselves, it’s also undeniably true. And, despite the truth that my first three books perhaps weren’t as aligned with my services (e.g. writing, speaking, mentoring and publishing), I STILL benefited from the magical power of being published.
I felt a sense of awe (and still do today) when people automatically treated me with enormous respect: even though they never bought my books nor were interested in the topic I’d written about. It somehow cast an aura over me that wasn’t there before – one that I get to keep for the rest of my life (and that grows every time I add a book to my Emily bookshelf).
The credibility that came with being an author made me attractive to possible promoters and set me apart from other teachers or people in my industries and I still publish books today with this agenda in mind as I know that if people see me as credible, it opens up a greater number of opportunities to work with someone and change their life in a way that only I can do.
3. It helped me connect with my core message in life
Writing a book is like peeling off the layers of who you are until you reach the core. With every sentence you write, you discover your true self. With every paragraph you complete, you realize what is most important to you. With every chapter you finish, you refine the most powerful advice you can give others and the principles you can live by to optimize your life, your business, your health… you name it. And through this clarification process, you discover your core message: for life, for yourself, of your life, and to the world.
After writing and publishing my eight books, I now live with resounding certainty that my primary message in life is to show people that a magnificent life is possible, to be an example of this, and help them along the path to making that a reality. That’s me. That’s who I am. I’m about inspiration (and it shows, as three of my eight books have the word “inspiration” or “inspirational” in the title). Every service, product and program I deliver today, reflects upon this message. People feel my authentic essence because I not only know who I am, but I know what I want my life to represent and inspire others to experience and do.
From this place where you KNOW your core message (which comes from writing your book finally), you can build your original body of work that you then teach in seminars, online programs and keynote talks. You can design your personal brand to powerfully capture your essence. And you can go forth into the world, acting with purpose, drive and ambition: the ambition to share this core message with thousands of people.
4. It triggered a significant career development
There is no doubt in my mind that with every book I have written and released between 2011 and today, new opportunities for service and income have opened up.
- After I published Transformational Leaders and my co-authored book The Lie, I spoke on stage in New Zealand and people asked me to mentor them to write books (and thus my career as a book mentor and consequently, a publisher, was born).
- After releasing The Unlikely Entrepreneur and The Inspirational Messenger, a wave of people began turning to me for my personal mentoring and publishing services.
- After releasing The Book Within You, I generated $18,000 in three weeks by offering my book writing templates and online author programs to people worldwide.
- Through coordinating and publishing the Inspiration Bible project (a global philanthropic book involving 365 authors), I enrolled a high number of people into publishing, mentoring and my Contributor Book Blueprint program.
- Through releasing The Search For Inspiration, I continued developing my business around my 5-step tool in purpose and greatness, the Inspiration Formula, by offering consultations to people around the world (and it secured me several speaking opportunities, some recent).
- AND, through publishing Sacred Sensuality (my non-PG rated book!), I generated additional revenue through book sales alone.
So, based on the above, I can tell you that no matter where you are in your business today, publishing this book that you dream of could bring about the financial and career growth opportunity you have been waiting for.
5. It showed me I could be someone greater
With every publishing of a book and every moment that I have held my newly published book in my hands, the realization that I truly can (and thus we all truly can) be greater than what and where I am and what I previously thought becomes stronger.
I was incredibly shy in my childhood and felt challenged in my teen years trying to fit in socially. And so, I entered the adult world feeling a little timid, despite my growing inspiration and confidence for writing which I first discovered at age 14.
When I became a published author for the first time and every time since, I realized I didn’t have to be invisible anymore. I realized that people did care about me, did value my existence, and were interested in what I had to say. And I realized that if I continued to pursue my path of writing, speaking and opening up to share what is within me, not only could I be meaningful in the lives of so many, but I could make my life what I dreamed it could be.
I realized that I could be great by showing others their greatness… and that writing books was an expression of the greatness I already have within me.
*****
Along with these purely inspiring transformations that occurred within myself, my life and my business by being an author, I have also experienced the following ripple effects through publishing my eight titles:
- People trusting me for advice and guidance
- Bringing people together in community through book launches
- People being able to relate my story (thus creating closeness with strangers)
- Receiving many messages of acknowledgement and gratitude for my writing
- Having strangers be impressed with my accomplishments (yes, it feels good!)
- Having a great product to offer and sell year-round, and
- Knowing that I am inspiring people every day with what I write
And today, while working on what will be my ninth published title (more to come on this later), I am still driven and inspired by the amazing impact that publishing books has on my life, even if they are not always the primary inspiration for producing the manuscript to begin with.
So…
If your book is calling to you, answer the call.
If you have a message inside you, it’s worth sharing.
And,
If you are waiting for the chance to transform your life, this could be it.
I look forward to sharing your journey of becoming an author soon.
