Big congrats to @Linda Maples for completing the Future Author Energy course, and advancing to the book challenge. She is a huge asset to the community and already is getting clear on the book idea she is ready to move forward with inspired by her grandchild. She has her own Skool community helping parents help their little ones with early reading skills. This is such a great mission that touches my heart because my son is 4 and is on the spectrum so he has some learning delays. He is now taking an interest in learning how to spell simple words and I am helping facilitate making learning spelling fun by letting him learn to type words on the keyboard. Anyhow Congrats Linda for pursuing your goals and continuing to put your book ideas on the front burner for something that not only touches your soul but impacts your family and everyone else who reads it.

A book isn’t just something you publish once and hope people buy. It’s a digital asset. I’ve used books to generate over $100K in passive income through Amazon, but that’s only one way to use them. A book can also elevate your business, increase your authority, and instantly boost your credibility. I’ve seen so many coaches do this well—using a low-cost book as a lead generator that naturally moves readers into higher-ticket offers, programs, or 1:1 work. The mistake I see most people make is jumping straight to “what should I write about?” without getting clear on why they’re publishing in the first place. When you know your goal and purpose, you can be strategic from the start: - Is this book meant to generate passive income? - Is it meant to attract ideal clients? - Is it meant to warm up leads before a higher-ticket offer? - Is it meant to position you as the expert in your niche? The goal you choose shapes everything—your topic, format, length, pricing, and how you market it. So before you think about chapters or titles, start here 👇What do you want a book to do for you?

When I got approved for membership, I was so excited! I started the journey, but didn't introduce myself. I am Linda and have a passion for Literacy and I am writing my first book (a dream I have had for a long time.) I am finally in a community to help direct me to become a published author. Thanks so much! Yes I said first book of many books.....

One of the biggest reasons many of us joined this Skool community is because we’re committed to learning, growing, and pushing toward our goals. Yes—online connections are amazing, but there is something powerful about putting yourself in rooms where inspiration is flowing and people are taking big action. This week, I’m attending a business conference in Arizona called BBD Live, because I’m always looking for new ways to grow both personally and professionally. And even though this post isn’t directly about book publishing, it absolutely ties into the journey of becoming an author. When you’re creating something meaningful, your inspiration, network, and environment matter.If you’ve been feeling stuck or uninspired lately, maybe that’s your sign to invest in yourself—attend an event, join a workshop, or put yourself around people who talk about goals, ideas, and what’s possible. Tell people you’re writing a book. Tell them you want to be a future author. Say it out loud so you start owning it. When you share your goals with others, you bring momentum into your life. You stop keeping everything in your head and start allowing new opportunities, conversations, and creative sparks to enter your world. Another great option is to check if your area has a Skool IRL group. I’m feeling incredibly grateful that I get to present at the Chicago IRL, hosted by @Steve Gast . If you’re in the Chicagoland area and you haven’t connected with that group yet, please jump in—you never know who you’ll meet or what inspiration will hit. Also, if you're in the Milwaukee, WI area connect with @MJ Berst she is hosting a meetup there soon. Let me know in the comments:What’s one event, workshop, or in-person experience you want to attend in the next year to invest in yourself and your author journey?

This week I’ve been doing a lot of looking inward, and I realized I’ve never actually shared the real reason I got started with book publishing. When I first discovered this world, my son was only one. Any parent knows how quickly expenses add up—you want to give your child every opportunity, and at the same time the cost of everything keeps rising. I remember thinking, I need to create something that gives me more stability… without sacrificing the moments I want to be present for. Then I saw an ad about making books. Once I learned they could generate passive income, something clicked. It wasn’t just “extra money.” It was a chance to take my creativity, my experience as an SEO professional, and my love for building things—and turn all of it into something that could support my family long-term. After publishing a few books, I started noticing patterns. What sells. What doesn’t. What keeps readers coming back. From there, I built a process I could run again and again. And that’s what has kept me going: the vision of creating a reliable passive income stream so I can have more freedom in my life. I’m not at the finish line yet. But I’m moving toward it—and I want all of you growing alongside me. That’s why this community exists. We’re building our future one book at a time. 2026 is around the corner, and it’s a fresh chance to publish more, learn more, and level up together. Who’s in? Let’s make it our most productive year yet. 📚🔥