How to Write a Book WITHOUT Being an Expert!
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Speaker: [00:00:00] I was talking with someone the other day and they said they wanted to write a book. I asked them what it was about and they said, Oh, I don't really know. . I feel like I've got one in me, but I'm just not an expert in anything. And you know what? I found that is a common feeling. You mix that with imposter syndrome, the fear of criticism, or feeling like I'm just [00:00:15] not a writer, whatever that means.
And you've got a powerful combo that blocks so many people from ever even starting their book. That's one of the reasons that while studies show that 80 percent of people would love to write a book, only 1 percent ever do. Well, guess what? You do not need to be a [00:00:30] world renowned authority to share your ideas with the world.
I'm going to show you how you can write a compelling impactful book in 2024. Even if you're not an expert, I'll give you real world examples of bestsellers that use each of these strategies. Plus, if you stick around to the end, I've got a bonus for you. Let's [00:00:45] discuss. Welcome to the raw [00:01:00] leader.
My name is Simon Holly. And my mission is to help you write your first book or build your first online coaching program in less time with more clarity and greater impact. And today, we're talking about how you can write a book without being an expert. Yes, you heard that right. You don't need to be a top expert [00:01:15] to write a valuable and successful book.
Let's break this down five ways that you can do this. And the first is simple. Just Draw from your experience. Draw from your experience. You don't need a PhD to write a book if you've got real life experiences that [00:01:30] others can learn from.
Take Mayor Angelou. She was relatively unknown when she wrote her first book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, and she covers themes of racism, identity, trauma, sexual abuse, resilience. She wasn't an expert in any of those themes. [00:01:45] She didn't have a doctorate in helping people recover from sexual abuse. She merely recounted her journey.
And actually, it was that fact, which was why the book made her world renowned. Think about your own life. What experiences have you had that could teach or inspire others? Maybe you've [00:02:00] overcome a significant challenge or traveled extensively or developed a unique skill. .
Write about what you know from living through that. Your authenticity, your personal touch will make your book stand out.
The second strategy to writing a book without being an expert is to conduct expert [00:02:15] interviews. If you're not an expert, interview those who are. This approach not only adds credibility to your book, it also provides uniquely diverse perspective.
Speaker: Think about the book, Tools of Titans, a number one bestseller by Tim Ferriss. He interviewed over 100 [00:02:30] top performers from various fields and compiled their best advice. Reach out to experts in your niche and your area and ask them for interviews.
You can conduct those interviews over email, over phone, or over video. Their insights will enrich your content and offer your readers a wealth of [00:02:45] knowledge that they can't get anywhere else. Plus having their names associated with your book can boost its credibility and its appeal.
Now obviously, you might not be able to get the same people that Tim Ferriss got. He introduced Tony Robbins, he introduced Jamie Foxx, you might not have access to those people. But two things. One is you [00:03:00] can probably get access to more people than you think with a little determination. And secondly, who are the experts in your field that people would love to hear from?
They don't have to be as big names as Tony Robbins or Jamie Foxx. Remember the mindset stuff we talked about previously? [00:03:15] Don't think I can't think how can I and try and prove me wrong and get an interview with Tony Robbins in your book.
I'd love to hear about it. The third strategy to write a book without being an expert is to use thorough research, dive into thorough research like Malcolm [00:03:30] Gladwell did in his book outliers. He didn't present himself as an expert on success.
Speaker: Instead, he meticulously researched and compiled data to support his theories.[00:03:45]
Spend time researching your topic thoroughly, use books, use academic papers, credible websites and other resources. Synthesize all that information, gather it together and present it in a way that's easy to understand. People will pay for that because they haven't got the time or [00:04:00] necessarily the skill to be able to do the same thing.
And that approach allows you to create a well informed book without any effort. even needing to be the source of all the information. One of the authors I'm coaching right now is doing exactly that. He's got a powerful combo of his own story plus a gift for [00:04:15] research.
He's not an expert in that sense. He's got no PhD in his subject, but he's researching from those that do and mixing it with his story and his experiences. It's going to be an amazing book. The fourth strategy for writing a book when you're not an expert is to focus [00:04:30] on your unique perspective.
Your unique perspective is your greatest asset. Even if you're not an expert, you've got a distinct viewpoint that no one else does.
Robert was not a traditional financial [00:04:45] expert. His unique perspective on wealth building, informed by this kind of really catchy idea of contrasting two lessons from two dads, resonated with millions of readers. It's a classic even today. What's your unique [00:05:00] angle on your topic? Maybe you see things differently than most people have.
What frustrates you about when you hear an expert or so called expert talking on your subject and you're like, No! What's that thing? Because if you've got something like that, then you've got a unique perspective that deserves to be [00:05:15] heard. Have you got an unconventional approach that's not written about, that you haven't seen in other books?
Highlight that in your book. Readers appreciate fresh, original perspectives that challenge the status quo. Many unknown authors have become famous because they approached a problem from a [00:05:30] different angle. And lastly, the fifth strategy for writing a book when you're not an expert is to collaborate with co authors. Think about co authors who've got complementary expertise. This can be really effective if you're passionate about a topic, [00:05:45] but feel perhaps you lack a certain technical knowledge.
For instance, the One Minute Manager was, uh, authored by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson, and it combined their different strengths. Lots of experts don't have the time or the ability or even the [00:06:00] desire to write a book on their own, but if they had a partner, they would love to go for it. Partner with someone who's got expertise in areas where you're less confident.
And that collaboration can enrich your book and provide a well rounded perspective. Plus, the combined [00:06:15] audiences of both authors can help boost the book's reach and sales. So there you have it. Five powerful strategies to write a book without being an expert. The reality is, you don't need to be the world's foremost authority to make a significant impact for your [00:06:30] book.
All of these books that I've mentioned went on to become number one bestsellers in their categories, and none of the people were experts. They've become experts since they wrote the book, but they weren't experts at the time. So if you found this video helpful, you might want to take a look at my ultimate [00:06:45] self publishing cheat sheet.
I put this together having self published numbers of books and helped others do the same. It's a step by step guide to successfully publish your book on Amazon, you can get it from the rawleader. com forward slash cheat sheet. Thanks so much for watching or listening. I'll see you in the [00:07:00] next episode.
Happy writing. [00:07:15]
