I went live on the Substack Writers Salon with someone who lives up to his nickname: Gunnar Habitz, the Busy Book Builder.

Gunnar has published 28 books so far. He’s also a strategic networker, a course creator, an MC, and a public speaker based in Sydney, Australia. And yes, his latest book is (perfectly) titled Happy Habits.

I wanted to know the obvious thing: how does one human publish that many books… and what happens after the books are out in the world?

This conversation turned into something bigger than productivity hacks. It became a lesson in reinvention, consistency, and treating books as relationships, not just products.

He Started With Travel, Then the Industry Moved On

Gunnar’s publishing journey began back in 1999 with his first book on tourism. He went on to publish around 20 travel guides, including several books about Prague and the Czech Republic.

What stood out wasn’t the number. It was the way he described the work.

He didn’t “Google research.” He did the kind of research that makes you feel tired just hearing about it.

He said he would walk every street—left and right—every year, to make sure the details were accurate. Because in travel writing, a single outdated restaurant recommendation is enough to make a book feel useless.

But travel changed.

He gave a simple example: he went to Singapore on a business trip and didn’t buy a travel book or prep weeks in advance. He booked the hotel, showed up, and researched what he needed while he was there.

That shift is bigger than travel. It’s about how information works now.

Travel books used to be the tool. Now your phone is the tool. ChatGPT is the tool. Reviews, maps, blogs, TikTok, Substack, everything is right there.

So Gunnar did what a lot of writers struggle to do:

He pivoted.

The Pivot: Self-Publishing and a Different Kind of Book

After travel books, Gunnar moved into self-publishing, writing in completely different genres, including self-development, business, and even a fairy tale he had initially written for his wife years ago.

He published that fairy tale partly for a practical reason: he wanted to learn the self-publishing ecosystem by doing it.

He talked about learning tools and platforms like:

* Amazon KDP

* Draft2Digital

* IngramSpark

And he made a point that I loved: self-publishing used to carry a stigma. It used to be framed as the “fallback” when a publisher says no.

Now it’s often the opposite.

If you self-publish, build an audience, and prove demand, traditional publishers suddenly become interested.

The Best Part: He Doesn’t Measure Success Only in Book Sales

Of course, I asked about sales.

His answer was refreshingly honest.

He shared that his LinkedIn-focused book (Connect and Act) earned royalties in the “four digits,” and clarified that it started with a 1. Roughly around $2,000.

Then he said something even more important:

That same book led to 30x more in consulting income.

That’s the real lesson.

For Gunnar, the book isn’t only the product. The book is the proof. The book is a credibility asset. The book is the door-opener.

He sees books as part of a larger system, a funnel, a platform, a trust-builder.

How He Markets Without ‘Post and Ghost’

Gunnar is extremely consistent on LinkedIn. He mentioned he published his weekly episode number 369—more than seven years of consistency on one topic.

He uses:

* LinkedIn as a primary channel

* Email funnels (he works in email marketing professionally)

* Communities and networks he’s built through projects like Open Coffee

* A publishing rhythm based on when people are actually online

He also explained why he prefers writing in the moment rather than scheduling everything:

Scheduling can turn into “set and forget,” which leads to the classic problem:

Post and ghost.

His approach is simple: post when you can also be present to respond.

Presence is part of the marketing.

LinkedIn Newsletters vs. Substack: His Take

We also got into something I know many writers are thinking about: balancing Substack and LinkedIn newsletters.

Gunnar has newsletters in multiple places (including LinkedIn), and he made an interesting point:

Some people complain that LinkedIn newsletters don’t give you email addresses.

He called that a mindset issue.

On LinkedIn, people subscribe with their identity. A profile is harder to fake than a random email address. And LinkedIn’s discovery engine can drive subscriptions automatically when people follow you.

He also shared a detail that stopped me: he did a quick analysis and found that around 40% of his LinkedIn newsletter subscribers were not people he even knew.

That’s reach.

But when we talked about moving people across platforms—like manually adding LinkedIn newsletter subscribers to Substack—he was clear:

Transparency is everything. Opt-in matters. Trust matters.

Substack Helped Him Write a Book in Public

One of my favorite parts of the conversation was how Gunnar described Substack’s role in creating Happy Habits.

He said the book wouldn’t exist without Substack.

He used his Substack community to:

* test ideas

* share drafts and direction

* get feedback on cover concepts

* build momentum without needing “10,000 subscribers”

He framed it beautifully: the value isn’t always in scale. Sometimes it’s in the right messages from the right people.

That’s Substack at its best.

The Networking Piece: “Givers Gain” and Connecting Dots

Toward the end, we talked about Gunnar’s networking philosophy, because honestly, he’s master-level at it.

He shared that he started as a shy introvert, and networking became essential when he relocated to Australia and needed to rebuild his ecosystem.

His approach isn’t transactional. He described himself as a connector—often realizing that Person A should meet Person B, and he becomes the bridge.

He talked about keeping a system to note what people need, so he can follow up later with meaningful introductions.

And he kept repeating the same underlying principle:

Give more than you take.

Be curious.

Pick good people.

Build relationships before you need anything.

What He’s Working on Next

Gunnar has a lot coming up in 2026, including:

* A book called Celebrate Your Network, planned for May 4 (his birthday)

* A book called LinkedIn for Startups, planned for March (or late February)

* More fairy tales (as a series)

* A coaching program inspired by Happy Habits, focused on habit shifts

Busy Book Builder is not branding. It’s just accurate.

Where to Find Gunnar

If you want to follow Gunnar’s work, here’s where he shared you can reach him:

* Substack: publications include Busy Book Builder and Happy Habits

* LinkedIn: search Gunnar Habitz

* Website: gunnarhabitz.com.au

A Final Note From Me

This conversation reminded me that publishing isn’t only about output.

It’s about building a body of work that supports your life and your business.

Gunnar treats books like bridges, between ideas and people, between credibility and opportunity, between consistency and freedom.

And honestly, that’s the kind of “happy habit” I can get behind.

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