In an article in Publishers Weekly last fall, tech entrepreneur and author Uri Levine says that “writing, publishing, marketing and promoting a book … is a bit like building a startup.”
That’s no surprise. Entrepreneurs and authors have a lot in common: They believe in an idea and want to reach people who are willing to pay for it. Writing a book, like building an e-commerce business, is risky and requires vision, determination, management and attention to detail. Most startups fail within five years, and only about 4% of books sell more than 1,000 copies.
Even so, the book could reach a wide audience, have a lasting impact, and create opportunities such as consulting, speaking, teaching, and new partnerships. Bill Morrison, a real estate agent turned best-selling author, told Forbes, “I’m the same guy with the same tie, but now everyone’s paying attention.”
Considerations
If you’ve been thinking about writing a book, here are some questions to consider before taking the (time-consuming) plunge.
- What is your goal? Do you want to improve your reputation, make an impact, generate leads, appear on podcasts, launch a speaking career or establish yourself as an influencer and thought leader? Is your goal realistic?
- Who are your target prospects? Do you have a clear idea of the “ideal reader” for your book? You can’t write for everyone in the same way or market your book effectively until you identify your potential customers and where to find them.
- How will your book be different? Are there other successful books on your topic? What makes your book stand out? What makes your perspective unique and valuable?
- How will your book benefit readers? What problem will your book solve? Will it change the way readers think or empower them to do something they couldn’t do before? Will they feel inspired?
- Is your theme date sensitive or evergreen? The answer will likely guide your approach to writing, publishing, and marketing. Does success require a quick release while the trend is still hot?
- How much time and money are you investing? Are your budget and capacity in line with your goals? Expect to spend at least a few months and several thousand dollars on idea development, writing, editing, publishing, and marketing, even for a short self-published e-book with a niche audience. A more ambitious project can take a year or more to write; editing, design, and freelance advertising (plus printing and distribution services) can take several months and cost $10,000 to $50,000. Traditional publishers can take longer and often require authors to do most of the marketing.
Josh Bernoff is a serial business author and consultant. In an April 2025 post, he said the main reasons business books fail are unclear goals and audience focus, little differentiation from competing titles, and no marketing. To succeed, authors must define their goals and audience, invest in editorial quality, and market strategically. In other words, treat your book like a business.
Ashley Bernardi, media relations specialist for authors, agrees. She told a Forbes writer, “The most successful authors think like entrepreneurs. There is a strategy behind the book, multiple sources of income, and the author is the best marketing weapon. Not the publisher, not the PR firm and not the agent, but the author.”
Author survey
What could a book do for you?
In 2024, a group of four author services firms, including Josh Bernoff, surveyed “350 authors and would-be authors, 301 of whom had published nonfiction. Two-thirds of them had published multiple books.”
The results, published as a PDF “Business Book ROI Study,” found that 89% of respondents said writing a book was a good decision, and nearly two-thirds reported profitability, even though many spent more and sold less than they expected.
About a third increased their income from speaking and consulting, and nearly one in five had more than $250,000 in book-related income. Other benefits included growth in credibility, personal brands and social media following.
Finally, there are many ways to turn content from a book into articles, graphics, videos, case studies, or snippets to use in promoting yourself and your business.