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...

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...

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 wh...

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 wh...

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...

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 C...

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 shar...

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 positio...

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...

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 creat...

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 reve...

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 wan...

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 touchpoi...

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...

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 laun...

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 executio...

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 co...

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...

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 i...

Marketing a book is not a launch-week activity, it is a long game. This conversation explores why so many authors start with energy and then disappear just when the real opportunity begins. Andrew Griffiths argues that long-term success comes from sustained, structured marketing that keeps a book visible, relevant and commercially useful for years, not weeks. He unpacks the value of simple but sma...

Relevance is not a nice-to-have, it is survival. This conversation explores why authors cannot afford to stand still while their audience, industry and the world keep moving. Andrew Griffiths argues that books, brands, platforms, products and even ideas must evolve if an author wants to stay commercially alive. He looks at the danger of clinging to old success, the value of refreshing books and th...

A serious author career is built with long-range thinking, not short bursts of enthusiasm. In this conversation, Andrew Griffiths lays out why a 10-year plan changes everything, giving authors a bigger vision for their books, brand, products, publishing pathways, income goals and long-term impact. Rather than drifting from one title to the next, he argues for a more deliberate approach, one that m...

Big author ambitions mean very little without a focused plan for the next 12 months. This conversation brings everything back to execution, showing how a commercial author turns ideas into action through clear priorities, detailed targets and a month-by-month strategy. Andrew Griffiths argues that without a practical plan, most authors stay reactive, bitsy and inconsistent, doing a little here and...

The Business of Being an Author is a practical, straight-talking podcast for authors who want their book to do more than just sit on a shelf. Hosted by Andrew Griffiths, Australia’s number one small business author, the podcast explores how to turn a book into a serious commercial asset that builds credibility, creates opportunities, attracts clients and generates real income. Across the ser...