The Business of Being an Author

A world-class book does not begin with printing, marketing or Amazon. It begins much earlier, with the right idea, a clear purpose and the discipline to create something genuinely worth reading. Get that wrong, and no amount of clever packaging will save it. 

Michael Hanrahan is the founder of Publish Central, a highly respected self-publishing production company, co-founder of the Australian Business Book Awards, and one of t...

A book should not be seen as the finished product. In the right hands, it becomes a rich body of knowledge that can be broken apart, reshaped and transformed into workshops, diagnostics, programs, resources and commercial learning experiences. 

Maria Doyle is a learning strategist, facilitator and author of Everyone’s a Teacher, a practical and deeply informed book built around the idea that knowledge transfer sits at th...

A book should not just explain what you know, it should elevate what you are worth. When used strategically, it becomes more than a credibility tool, it becomes a platform for bigger fees, stronger positioning and deeper authority in the market. 

Katja Forbes is a customer experience strategist, speaker and author of Machine Customers, a bold and highly original book exploring what happens when AI agents, autonomous systems an...

A book should not just explain what you know, it should elevate what you are worth. When used strategically, it becomes more than a credibility tool, it becomes a platform for bigger fees, stronger positioning and deeper authority in the market. 

Katja Forbes is a customer experience strategist, speaker and author of Machine Customers, a bold and highly original book exploring what happens when AI agents, autonomous systems an...

Keith Abraham has never treated a book as a side project. For him, books have always been strategic tools, credibility builders, conversation starters and powerful commercial assets that open doors to speaking gigs, corporate programs and long-term client relationships. 

Keith is a global expert in goal achievement and high-performance leadership. For 30+ years he has presented to more than 1.7 million people across 43 countri...

David Jenyns does not write books to look impressive, he writes them to build a business. This conversation reveals the strategic thinking behind three very deliberate books, each designed to clarify his message, sharpen his positioning and support a larger commercial model. From the early lessons of Authority Content through to the brand power of Systemology and the deeper intent behind Systems Champion, the thread is clear, every...

What does it look like when an author builds a body of work that evolves with her life, her audience and her business? In this conversation, Andrew Griffiths speaks with Kate Christie about the strategic role her books have played in shaping her speaking career, coaching work and broader commercial success. From productivity and time management through to personal growth and life design, Kate shares how each book was written with p...

What if your book was never just a book? What if it was one of the smartest commercial assets you could create? 

In this conversation, Andrew Griffiths sits down with long-time friend Darren Finkelstein to explore what it really means to think strategically as an author. Darren did not write books for the sake of calling himself an author. He wrote them to build authority, sharpen his positioning, strengthen his brand, and cre...

Andrew Griffiths never planned to become an author, yet one practical business book changed everything. What began as simple marketing fact sheets for cash-strapped small business owners became the foundation of a global author career, opening doors to speaking, media, credibility and commercial opportunity. This sharp conversation draws a clear line between writing a book and building a business with one. It explores the mindset o...

A book is not just something an author publishes, it is something a business is built on. International bestselling author, Andrew Griffiths makes the case that if a book lacks substance, structure, polish or credibility, it cannot do the heavy lifting commercially. Sharp ideas, strong editing, smart design and genuine differentiation all matter because. A poor quality book is never going to create the same opportunities as a world...

Andrew Griffiths strips away the romanticism of authorship and replaces it with something far more powerful, commercial intent. He argues that successful authors do not dabble, drift or treat their books like hobbies. They think strategically, plan deliberately and act with the discipline of business owners. From yearly themes and 12-month plans to product development, accountability and bold revenue targets, he makes the case for ...

Andrew Griffiths makes a simple but game-changing point, a book should never sit on the edge of a business like an afterthought. It should be treated as a serious commercial product, with systems, budgets, targets and a clear role to play. He unpacks why professional packaging matters, why every book sent should feel like an experience, and why authors must stop behaving like hobbyists if they want real results. From pricing and di...

A great book is only part of the equation, Andrew Griffiths argues, the author behind it must look the part as well. He makes the case that a world-class author brand is built through far more than a logo. It shows up in the website, the images, the social presence, the testimonials, the collaborations, the product offering, and even in how an author behaves when nobody is watching. Every touchpoint either builds trust or quietly e...

Andrew Griffiths makes it clear that a successful author business is never built on book sales alone. A book may open the door, but real commercial success comes from what sits behind it, coaching, workshops, masterclasses, speaking, programs and other offers that turn reader interest into real income. He unpacks the power of smart product architecture, showing why authors need a clear pathway for clients to follow rather than a ra...

Andrew Griffiths makes a blunt point, books do not change businesses by being written, they change businesses by being used. He argues that leverage is the holy grail of commercial authorship, the discipline of getting a book into the right hands, opening the right doors and turning credibility into opportunity. From sending books to media hosts and decision-makers to using a title long after launch day, he shows that the real powe...

Smart collaboration can dramatically accelerate an author’s growth, opening doors to new audiences, stronger credibility and fresh commercial opportunities. When approached well, it becomes a powerful way to build community, expand reach and create results that would be far harder to achieve alone. But collaboration also comes with risk. The wrong partner, the wrong fit or the wrong execution can undermine a brand surprisingl...

A strong author business is built on people, not just pages. In this conversation, Andrew Griffiths explores why an engaged tribe matters so much, not merely as an audience to sell to, but as a source of support, feedback, research, referrals, relevance and long-term momentum. He challenges the obsession with vanity metrics and makes the case for depth over numbers, arguing that a small, deeply connected community is worth far more...

Media can take an author’s credibility and amplify it at speed. A book opens doors that are far harder to unlock without one, creating opportunities to be seen, heard and trusted on a much bigger stage. In this conversation, Andrew Griffiths unpacks how media builds authority, why authors need to be media ready, and how to turn interviews into long-term assets rather than one-off appearances. He also highlights the importance...

Bulk-book sales can become one of the most powerful and overlooked revenue drivers in an author business. Rather than relying on one copy at a time, this approach gets books into many hands at once, through conferences, client gifts, training programs, memberships and corporate initiatives. Andrew Griffiths explains how serious opportunities often come from simply being organised enough to offer it, quote it and make it easy to buy...