DECEMBER 6, 2024

Welcome to The Tilt, the newsletter for content entrepreneurs from Tilt Publishing. Together, we’re redefining what it means to be a publisher.

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Business Book Authors Reveal Their Business Data

The biggest surprises in the recently released ​Comprehensive Study of Business Book ROI​ study?

​​Josh Bernoff​, author of Build a Better Business Book, who helped survey nonfiction authors and wrote the report, offers five:

• 64% of books were profitable. “I would have expected that to be higher, but some people aren’t putting in the effort to promote their books enough to generate revenue,” he says.
• Hybrid-published authors have similar levels of success as traditionally published authors. “Hybrid is clearly a viable method of publishing for serious authors,” Josh notes.
• A high correlation exists between investments like ghostwriters and PR for launches and profitability.
• Most authors expect to sell a lot more books than they do. Traditionally published book authors had a median expected sales of 8,900 copies vs. actual sales of 4,600 copies.
• Book advances from traditional publishers have dropped off a cliff. The median advance among more than 100 traditionally published authors was only $5,500, and 31% got no advance.

My biggest takeaway from the well-analyzed research? Only 4% of the authors say book sales were their primary goal for publishing. The most popular reasons for publishing a book include:

• Get more paid engagements (19%)
• Elevate a topic that needs attention (18%)
• Generate leads (15%)
• Share knowledge (15%)

Fortunately, those goals are more likely to be achieved. Josh says they asked the authors to account for increases in revenue since their book was published. Here are the median new revenues gained:

• Speaking engagements – 34% (median new revenue of $30K)
• Consulting – 31% (median new revenue of $50K)
• Workshops – 26% (median new revenue of $40K)

So what advice does Josh, who has written multiple nonfiction books and worked with over 60 authors, have for ​content entrepreneurs​ considering their first book? He shares these three things:

1. Don’t just pitch traditional publishers. While hybrid publishing costs more, it also allows books to come out faster (typically six to nine months vs. 15 to 24 months for traditional publishing.)
2. Be as thoughtful about book promotion as you are about writing. For example, we saw that authors who invested in launch publicity had a median revenue of $104K compared to all authors, who had a median revenue of $18.2K.
3. Don’t expect the biggest profit in self-publishing. Among self-published books, 60% were profitable, but the median profit was only $1,700. The professional services of a hybrid or traditional publisher are much more appropriate for people with bigger aspirations.

Two more things to note. Josh says the variations in results are significant. For example, 7% of authors made more than $1M, but 34% made zero profit or lost money. “The success of a book depends on many factors – the power of the idea, the quality of writing, timing, success of book promotion, and the professionalism of the author,” he notes.

And don’t think when the book is done, you’re ready for the next. It’s something Josh has seen multiple times in his work with authors. “They finish writing a book, feel exhilarated, and immediately say, ‘Hey, I have an idea on the next book and would love to start it now!’

“Big mistake. Get the book out there and promote it. That’s how you make books pay off, and the people you interact with when speaking or consulting will help you figure out what the market needs from you next,” he says.

The ​Business Book ROI Study​ is a wealth of helpful and interesting information. It dives into the authors’ audiences, goals, publishing channels, sales, spending, marketing tactics, and revenue in great detail. And it’s free – just share your email address to access the 32-page report.

Amplify Publishing, Gotham Ghostwriters, Smith Publicity, and Thought Leadership Leverage sponsored the study.

– Ann Gynn

Want to talk about publishing your first book? The ​Tilt Publishing​ team is ready to help.

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Entrepreneur: Justin Moore

Biz: ​Creator Wizard​​

Tilt: Creator sponsorship education and coaching

Primary Channel: ​Newsletter​ (34K)

Other Channels: ​YouTube​ (48.3K), ​Instagram​ (11.6K), ​LinkedIn​ (7.1K), ​TikTok​ (12.9K), ​X​ (2.1 K), ​Sponsor Magnet​ book in January 2025

Time to First Dollar: 12 months

Rev Streams: Courses, sponsorships, coaching programs

Our Favorite Actionable Advice

• Tap into your unique experiences: Justin gained experience negotiating deals with his wife April’s YouTube channel. As an agency owner, he did deals on behalf of the brands. Working both sides of sponsor deals led him to realize his content tilt, and Creator Wizard was born.
• It’s OK to fail to find your success: Justin adjusted his offerings to address his audience’s interests and achieve his business revenue goals. For example, instead of multiple courses, he combined them under a single offering.
• Strategically add revenue streams: In 2025, Justin will publish a book, Sponsor Magnet, and launch a three-day event, Sponsor Games.

– Marc Maxhimer

​​Read the full story.​​

• One book. $16K. Five days … Tilt Publishing author Louis Grenier gives a ​glimpse into how the launch of his book, Stand the F*ck Out, did so well​. [Louis Grenier]
• Dingbats. Opportunists. Extractive capitalists … Those are some descriptions of the new startup Spines’ plan to ​let AI take on authors’ books​. [The Week]
• Not ego. Not money … Easy read on ​why leaders should author books​. [Forbes]
• Storytelling in nonfiction … David Grann, author of Killers of the Flower Moon, imparts nonfiction wisdom, including how ​the right story needs to get its hook into you as the author​. [Nieman Storyboard]

• ​​Is TikTok Likely to Challenge Amazon’s Retail Dominance?​ (This Old Marketing)
• ​​Debunking Myths and Misconceptions About Self-Publishing​ (Publish & Prosper)
• Registration for the 4th Annual Content Entrepreneur Expo is now open. ​Save your seat today at 2024 prices!​​
• ICYMI: ​Content Entrepreneur Tests First Book’s Concept with Kickstarter Campaign​​