Hey there, and welcome to Nothing but the Words, I’m your author coach, Candice L Davis.

Today has been a full day of coaching clients at various stages of writing their books.

The clients I have today are writing books on spirituality and marriage and business strategy. And one is writing a memoir. 

Even though their books are totally different, they all have some things in common. One of those things is that they’re all leaders in their community or in their industry.

And they’d all like to be considered thought leaders on a larger scale. If you don’t like that term, or it feels too buzzword, consider this. You can be an expert by regurgitating knowledge. But a thought leader needs to offer opinions, INFORMED, EXPERT opinions on their area of expertise.

Thought leaders offer new ideas that stand out in their field. Or they help people see old ideas in a new way.

A thought leader has new ideas.

In order to do that, they have to take a stand.

If I tell you a book is the absolute best way to solidify yourself as a thought leader, would you believe me?

I often tell people that, but here’s the thing. That’s just my opinion.

Yes, I can point to data and stats that back me up, but so could someone who believes the best way to become a thought leader is to 

While I’ll happily argue my point, I have colleagues who would disagree with me. 

And honestly, I could argue the other side if my life depended on it.

But I’m not on the debate team. I get to choose a side, and I have.

In my experience, based on my research, and based on my clients’ results, I believe that writing a great book on a relevant topic is the best way to establish yourself as a thought leader.

Of course, television has served as a credibility-solidifier for a few people, but I stand by my original statements that writing a great book is the best way to be recognized as a thought leader.

Your readers turn to your book for answers. They want you to take a stand. 

Having an opinion and sharing it will scare some people away from your book, and by extension, away from whatever else you do. 

They’ll steer clear of your business, your products and services, and you. 

They’ll avoid your events and your appearances.

And that’s great. Those people are not your one perfect reader. They’re not your ideal clients and customers. They’re not your tribe or your community. 

Bid them farewell and let them go.

One of my clients shares in her book that faith is an essential element of a wealthy life. I’m sure some people will disagree and choose not to buy her book, but that’s her opinion. 

It’s what she preaches and what she practices.

But taking a stand makes it easier for the right people to choose you. 

What you say will resonate with them and challenge them to think in new ways.

What you stand for will make them want to stand with you, which could mean buying more from you, working with you, or becoming unpaid ambassadors who spread the word about the greatness that is you.

If your book is just reporting the facts of a topic or an event, and you don’t want to share any opinions, then your goal probably isn’t to be a thought leader. 

You can still be considered an expert, the holder of a certain body of knowledge when you write that kind of book, but you won’t be considered a thought leader. 

And that’s okay. Just know that they’re different.

Some authors avoid taking a stand because they want to appeal to “everyone. But if you try to write a book that appeals to everyone, you’ll find yourself trying to make both sides of every argument. 

This is a waste of your time and your readers’ time. In essence, you’ll end up with a book that appeals to no one. 

In order to connect with you, your readers need to know what you really think. 

If you’re not sure where you stand on a topic, don’t write your book yet. Take some time to sort out your opinion.

This is a not a call to court controversy, thought that might just be where you end up. 

This is a call to welcome rejection and use it to sort your audience from those other folks.

This is a call to take a stand and tell your readers what you really believe even when it may be a new or unpopular opinion.

If you want to be a thought leader, inspire your readers with new thoughts.

If you want to be a thought leader, don’t just tell readers about the subject. Tell them what you think about it. Give them your original ideas.

That’s all for today. If you’ve enjoyed the episode, I’d really appreciate a great review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Reviews go a long way to helping new listeners find the show.

Thanks for listening to Nothing but the Words. I’m your author coach Candice L Davis. Stay safe and well, and I’ll see you next time.