There are few better ways to build authority in your space than with a book – its weight in the hand, the smell and crinkle of its pages, the bold ideas building in confidence and impact as the sections progress.

Whether on your own, with another through coaching or co-authorship, or via a ghost-writer, rising to the challenge of authorship is as rewarding as it is challenging. But getting past that first hurdle – the why – can keep some of the finest ideas and motivated individuals from having the impact they want.

Hone your thinking

As we’ve explored across our blog previously, thought leadership starts with understanding your purpose, your expertise, and your customers’ needs. Once you have that, you can start claiming a space loudly and proudly – engaging others with your ideas and showing how your vision of better is one worth following.

Book writing is a challenge to rise to – and it’s not a matter of simply throwing down words and calling it done. While you may have a key idea that you’d like to explore and you may know what points are necessary to build an argument robust enough to handle a stiff breeze of criticism, experience tells us that long-form content like a book will see most writers and thinkers re-evaluate their ideas and methodologies throughout the process.

This process of evolution has two effects. Firstly, it means that you’re pushing back on your own thinking, and re-assessing throughout the writing process to create the best version of your thinking. You become better able to lead with your thinking and develop your unique angle as a result.

Secondly, it also makes you better at articulating your thoughts. After months of fine-tuning and re-building your world-changing ideas, you naturally develop clearer ways of communicating them so that they hit their mark.

Become an authority

To be recognised in your market (and beyond) as an individual or an organisation that’s using your thinking to change the narrative and make the world better – even just one small corner of it – is the hallmark of a true thought leader.

A book is a high-water mark for thought leaders, not least of all because it allows them to explore their ideas, thinking and impact with a depth and breadth that a 600-word blog simply can’t achieve. Beyond that, it’s a sign of expertise to be able to speak to prospective clients or peers in the industry about your topic and say Yes, I wrote the book on that.

We’re driven increasingly to brands that have well-defined positions and values that they’re fighting to uphold – and the moxie of a book cuts through a saturated and noisy online world of short-term commentary and instead offers a chance to state your case in all its glory.

The world is complex – and so are its solutions

It’s easy to stand outside of an industry and pretend that there’s a quick fix to its woes. With your experience, you know that this is simply not the case. There are subtleties to the current situation that need to be addressed with care and grace. And presenting a well-reasoned challenge to the status quo and its practices can’t happen in one breath.

While a regular blog helps reinforce the various components of your thinking practice and the pursuit of your clear vision, the narrative arc of a book enables you to construct a nuanced argument that overcomes objections, shows your reasoning, and helps transform your readers’ mindsets for the better. It should drive your reader to a clearly defined conclusion that, we hope, will alter their perspective and help them achieve the same goals as you’ve set out.

Naturally, a book is just one possible way of leveraging your thoughts, and also one of the most prestigious. Once you have assembled your thinking into a book, you can then take it across the market – into podcasts and interviews, blogs and mentorship, coaching and workshops just to start – and use it to drive more business and more book sales. A well-regarded, timely and lucrative book becomes the ultimate magnet for your brand and position – so get started, and have the impact you’re ready to make.