There are lots of reasons to write a great book. Amazon royalties isn't one of them.

Someone asked the late Stephen Hawking if there is one thing he did not understand.

“Women,” came his answer.

If you asked me the same thing…?

“Royalties.”

This I do know: do not write your business book with the expectation of making a substantial royalty…unless you think a dime is substantial.

Instead, view a royalty like a loonie you find in your pants pocket. It stops being fun when you begin to expect it. And, oh yeah, it’s really a nickel.

Don’t misunderstand. You absolutely should write a business book. It's a superb investment of your time.

Right off the top, a book…

1. Works 24/7 to extoll your brand.
2. Tells your prospect that you are more professional than your competition.
3. Gives you something to leverage for industry speaking gigs.
4. Distinguishes you as a thought leader in your industry.
5. Lets you establish the power of price in the buying equation.
6. Puts you in touch with your elevator story.
7. Works for you…just by existing.
8. Boosts every element of your brand.
9. Cements your legacy.
10. Acts as the wellspring for your social media.

Books are a hustle play, irreplaceable if you are willing to do the work, useless if you’re not.

First, your book’s success will be driven or drowned by the reach and regularity of your social media. 

Does the book bring a new relevant truth and are there enough people craving that truth to justify the work and expense? Is the writing tight or verbose? How long is the book? Is there color inside the book or on the cover? Does the cover suck? How many copies are you printing?

The process of determining royalties is dispiritingly complex, and not just because the people who would print and distribute your book wish it to be, which they absolutely do.

Amazon comes with a royalty calculator as well as a printing cost catalogue. Easily found.  Worthless.

If you print your book through Amazon you will be looking at a royalty payment pretty well in line with the change you find under the cushions of your couch…annually.

But no one has ever told me that having a great book sabotaged her business. For my clients it’s an indispensable platform.

People love having a book. It makes them proud. They love the process and they love the fact that they can get higher paying speaking gigs and reams of free media coverage.

They get to decide every element of it.  They love it as a leave behind, course material, a door opener.

And they realize this fundamental truth: if you are the only person telling your story in your industry, yours is the only story that counts