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5 Business-Expanding Benefits of Collaborative Book Publications Why writing just one chapter in a multi-author book can exponentially grow your bottom line.

By Hayley Paige Edited by Heather Wilkerson

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Bongkarn Thanyakij | EyeEm | Getty Images.

Entrepreneurs often overlook the power of participating in a collaborative book publication. However, the goal of writing a lead-generating non-fiction book is growing in popularity across the entrepreneurial sphere. Unfortunately, while most high-achieving entrepreneurs recognize the writing of a non-fiction book as being able to boost the status and authority of their business, many remain unfamiliar with how this knowledge can be utilized. All too often, this lack of knowledge (i.e., how to write an effective lead-generating book for their business) prevents them from reaping the rewards their well-established company deserves.

The process of planning and writing a book and sending it out into the world tends to feel — for those who are inexperienced — long and complicated. These perceptions are why most business leaders only consider writing a book but never fully commit. This resistance and self-proclaimed lack of ability have led book-writing mentors and hybrid publishing houses to become so highly sought in the entrepreneurial world. There is a pressing need to guide aspiring authors on the best ways to achieve book-publication goals.

The void between wanting to write and successfully publishing has created the opportunity that is collaborative publications.

So, if you are an entrepreneur who knows their book could have the insane lead-generating potential for their business but have no idea where to start, consider dipping your toes into the writing and publishing waters — with the opportunity presented by collaborative publications.

Related: 5 Strategies to Writing a Book That Will Build Authority

Writing as one author in a book collab project allows you to share your experiences and expertise with like-minded entrepreneurs and encourages you to challenge yourself by producing a value-packed chapter to match those of your peers. And no, a collaborative book publication is not just a quick fix for checking "published author" off your 2022 bucket list. Instead, it's all about up-leveling your business, building your status as an authority figure in your niche, and helping entrepreneurs (whether budding or seasoned) who are currently experiencing the very pain points you are equipped to solve.

So, let's delve into what it truly means to become part of a collaborative book publication. Here's a breakdown of five business-expanding benefits, considering the reality of the book planning and writing process.

1. Author status

"I'm an author — and I only wrote one chapter!"

Entrepreneurs and business owners continuously look for new ways to market their business. Still, despite the wealth of benefits — financial and otherwise — to be reaped from writing and publishing a book, the prospect can feel overwhelming and daunting.

A book collaboration project allows entrepreneurs to become published authors without investing too much time planning, writing, and publishing a whole book. Instead, they can earn the authority-boosting title of "published author" by writing only one chapter, which tends to be around the 3,000-word mark — a task that can be completed in a few hours.

2. A shared network

"My network has grown because of all the other authors."

Sharing your network with your fellow entrepreneurs and business owners can prove to be needle-moving and incredibly lucrative for your business — with the same said for those entrepreneurs who share their network with you.

With a collaborative book publication, instead of only you and your publisher promoting and marketing your book, all of the authors involved in the project focus their efforts on pushing the book out to their contacts, including social media friends and followers, email subscribers, podcasts listeners, etc., to attract in readers and convert them into clients.

This shared network of 10–20 authors can be incredibly valuable, as your dream clients could be in a fellow author's circle — and may even be your fellow authors.

3. Revenue added to your bottom line

"The investment works for itself."

A well-considered book collab opportunity will usually follow a theme. It may focus on generating business revenue, for example, empowering women, healing trauma, adopting the right mindset, or even achieving health and fitness goals, to name just a few. Whatever the theme of the project, you must carefully market it to the right reading audience: those who need powerful stories and strategies; those who need to learn about your experience and area of professional expertise; and those who are ready and willing and in need of investing in the solutions you have to offer.

Related: Here's How Writing a Book Can Give Your Brand a Much-Needed Boost

When a collaborative book is picked up and read by an ideal client, the relationship with the author of each chapter is built through relatable story-telling and the sharing of golden nuggets on how particular pain points can be solved — whether entirely or simply to some small degree. This transformational journey leads your readers to know, like, and trust you, come to view you as the expert, and willingly reach out to work with you further, whether through programs and courses, 1:1 coaching, or other bespoke, turnkey solutions.

4. "International Best Seller" stamp

"I achieved #1 in 12 categories in 7 different countries!"

When a collaborative book publication project is developed and run by a proficient publisher, the publisher will focus their efforts on achieving International Best Seller status for the book and all its authors upon the book going to pre-order and then publication.

With entrepreneurs, business owners, coaches, thought leaders, mentors, and professional services providers all fighting to be heard above the noise of constant marketing, the International Best Seller status stamp awarded by Amazon is one means of standing out amongst your competitors. For example, if a prospect is evaluating two business coaches, the International Best Selling author with the professionally published and globally available book will usually be recognized as more of an expert in their field — and that recognition translates to more clients and business growth.

5. Dipping your toes into the publishing waters

"One chapter proved quite how easy it would be to write a full book."

Of course, writing one chapter would always feel far easier and more manageable than writing an entire book, just as showing up for one podcast episode would feel infinitely easier to schedule than a full series. Book collabs present an incredible "taster experience" of the full book-writing and publication journey.

For those entrepreneurs and professionals who have always wanted to write and publish a book but talk themselves out of it year after year, collaborative publications can provide real insight into planning (blueprinting), writing, and publishing a book.

With a proficient publishing house on hand to provide detailed training on how to plan and write the chapter (with some even offering ghostwriting services), complete with expert teams of structural editors, copy editors, proofreaders, lead-gen experts, and typesetters, the process can come together with such ease that the author is left questioning why they've been putting off writing a book for so long. And with how lucrative and business-enhancing a lead-generating book can be, dipping your toes into the writing and publishing waters can be all you need to encourage you to jump in with both feet.

Related: How to Get Your Book Out of Your Head and Into Reality

Conclusion

Teaming up with other talented professionals will allow you to offer valuable knowledge and actionable takeaways for your readers without the extra filler or fluff. Writing just one chapter before diving headfirst into the book-writing process will allow you to convey your expertise, experiences, and solutions directly, without any unnecessary deviation, and attract and nurture readers into leads and paying clients, thereby helping to validate the power of a book in your business.

As the founder and owner of an award-winning hybrid publishing house, Onyx Publishing, which operates globally and has an industry-leading branch specializing in lead-generating non-fiction by entrepreneurs, it is my experience that collaborative book publications are quickly becoming the stepping stone for entrepreneurs exploring the power of a lead-generating non-fiction book.

Collaborative publications allow high-level entrepreneurs to position themselves as leaders at the center of their thriving community and build upon their community by connecting with like-minded individuals and adding to their business's bottom line through enhanced exposure and the organic nurturing of readers into clients.

Hayley Paige

Publisher, Book Coach and Business Mentor

Hayley Paige is the founder of award-winning Onyx Publishing and its imprints. She is also a book coach through Hayley Paige International, teaching entrepreneurs and professionals her unique systems and methods to writing and publishing for the purposes of lead-generation and increased authority.

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