By Ty Ward, Founder of the Advocate Accelerator
The author economy has changed.
→ Writing a good book isn’t enough anymore. (Unless your ambitions are modest, it’s unlikely that you’ll meet your financial, lifestyle or impact goals by writing books.)
→ Publishing deals are increasingly irrelevant. (Even the largest publishers are at a loss for how to sell books these days, often looking entirely to you, the author, to sell your own books.)
→ A social media following or email list isn’t enough to create financial stability. (Even the largest “tribes” online don’t magically turn them into consistent, predictable income.)
If you want to create sustainable impact & economics as an author, you must learn how to build a business online!
The Evolution of the Authorpreneur.
I’m a bit too familiar with the new set of challenges authors have to deal with today.
During the 9 month process of writing, re-writing & releasing my first book, I was also simultaneously responsible to grow an audience online. And that was on top of running my marketing agency to pay the bills … having a second child … and of course, doing my best to convince my wife that this would all be over soon. ;)
And yet, my work had just begun because even with a publisher, I was apparently now solely responsible to sell said book! (Any of this sound familiar?)
Burn out ensued. Sales disappointed. And I haven’t read a word of my first book since.
I am, however, incredibly thankful for this experience because it gave me a front row seat to the new demands on authors! It also has shaped my pursuits ever since—including pivoting my marketing agency to exclusively help authors adapt to this evolving landscape.
Over the past 5 years, I’ve had the opportunity to help create and launch over a dozen author-centric businesses online—all of which do six-or-seven-figures.
I’ve watched the rapid evolution of eLearning, which just in the past 10 years has grown into a $275 billion (with a b) dollar Industry —creating a new world of possibilities.
Today, it’s said that 74% of adults in the Western world are actively committed to lifelong learning. This demand and the accessibility, flexibility & relative affordability may explain the boom—and why anyone from Oprah to Steph Curry to Malcolm Gladwell have their own eLearning products.
With new possibilities, a new class of authors has emerged.
→ They disprove the stereotype of starving artists.
→ They know there’s more to building lasting influence than fishing for the next publishing deal or accruing social media likes.
→ They have it all—the exposure, impact & economic success.
→ They’ve created sustainable impact & economics as an author by building a business around their writing online.
I’ve had the opportunity to help guide several of these entrepreneurial authors.
like Author-comedian JP Sears
...who went from unpredictable Youtube checks to an eLearning business that generates consistent, predictable income, 85% profit margins, and demands no more than a one-hour work week!
Or the first time author Havilah Cunnington,
...who is no longer dependent on book sales because of the thriving online university we grew together. Her eLearning platform Truth to Table now has a 2000+ member learning community and eight unique, on-demand courses!
JP & Havilah are just two of many thought-leaders I’ve worked with who I’ve seen leverage this evolution of eLearning to create sustainable, profitable impact.
Now … it’s your turn!
Whether you’re a New York Times Bestseller or self-published, building a profitable business around your writing is not just possible—it can be uncomplicated, relatively inexpensive and complimentary to your message & mission in the world.
That is of course, if you build with the following 5 keys. ;)
THE 5 KEYS OF AuthorpreneurSHIP:
After years of guiding authors in the digital space, I've observed these five critical “ingredients” consistently emerge in every successful case of an author building a business around their writing.
These 5 keys are now the foundation of The Advocate Accelerator — a process I've walked authors through to turn their writing into a sustainable, congruent eLearning business...all of which are now doing 6-or-7-figures online!
Read Part 2 of this series where we explore what MENTALITY is required to turn your writing into a business online.
Or watch the masterclass, listen to the audiobook or download the entire series as an eBook...
