Want to write a book to build your authority, but are a bit worried it might fall flat?

In this episode, we dive deep into a common (but rarely talked about) issue in the expert and entrepreneurial space: why so many nonfiction, expert-led books don’t actually work — even when they’re beautifully written or traditionally published.

If you’re planning to write a book to grow your business, establish your expertise, or attract speaking opportunities and high-value clients, this episode is a must-listen.

We explore:

+  Why great ideas and expert knowledge aren’t enough
+ The hidden reasons many self-published and traditionally published books miss the mark
+ What separates a strategic, trust-building authority book from a content-dump or “blog post in disguise”
+ The real markers of a book that drives speaking gigs, client inquiries, and brand momentum
+ Traditional vs. self-publishing, and why how you publish matters less than what you’re building

Whether your goal is to write a thought leadership book, a business-building book, or a self-published nonfiction book that positions you as the go-to in your space, this episode will help you avoid the most common traps.

💡 Highlights & Key Takeaways:

• "Most expert books don’t work for the author – not because they’re badly written, but because they’re built without clear intention."
• How to craft a nonfiction book that acts as a trust-building tool instead of just a pretty product
• Why publishing a book doesn’t guarantee results... and what to focus on instead
• Why strategy, structure, and story must align with your business goals
• How a book that sells 200 copies can create more impact than one that sells 500+

 Resources + Support:

If you’re planning a book this year (or have one hiding in a Google Doc waiting to be finished), I’d love to support you.

→ Explore book coaching, editing, and ghostwriting support at: theluminous.media
→ DM me on Instagram @catebutlerross, I love hearing where you’re at.

Can your book start making money before it's even finished?

Today’s guest says yes — and she’s got the results to prove it.

In this episode of Read Magnet, Cate is joined by Ashley Shepard, a publishing strategist, indie author, and founder of Shep Publishing House who shares how smart pre-order campaigns can turn your book into a profitable asset before it even launches.

Ashley shares how she’s helped authors run 4- and 5-figure pre-order campaigns and why you don't need a massive audience in order to have a successful book.

If you’re writing a book to grow your business, build your platform, or serve your people more deeply, this episode is packed with real talk and practical tips.

💡 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why your book should start working for you before it's done
• How to structure a pre-order campaign that builds momentum and trust
• What makes a great pre-order bonus (and what to avoid)
• Why audience size is less important than strategy
• How to use direct sales to fund your book launch

🔗 Resources & Links:

 Buy Ashley’s book: Profitable Publishing with Pre-Orders  HERE>>

• Follow Ashley on Instagram: @sheppublishing
• Explore Ashley’s offers: www.sheppublishinghouse.com
• 
  

HOW TO WORK WITH CATE

If you’d like updates on my writing and books — including the ADHD Mum series — along with occasional writing workshops from The Luminous Press, you can stay in touch via my newsletter:

www.theluminous.media/newsletter

If you’re writing a book for your business as a lead magnet or authority builder (or already have one that’s not doing much) this episode is a must-listen, because today's guest, PR expert and author Nicola Rowley has a book funnel you’re going to want to stalk. 

Inside this episode she shares how she turned her book The Power of PR into the most powerful asset in her business, not just at launch, but  years later. From clever distribution hacks to keeping it visible and relevant in everything she does, Nicola shares how you can make your book work even harder than you do.

In this episode you'll learn:

• The genius method she used for getting her manuscript written in a week!
• The secret behind the book intro that keeps winning her new clients
• Her free strategy to boost her book back to #1 on Amazon on a regular basis for maximum visibility
• How she gets 300–400 downloads during campaign pushes
• The events and masterminds trick that puts her book in ideal clients’ hands
• Why your book should sit at the centre of your client journey

And so much more I've run out of bullet point space.

You can Grab a copy of Nicola’s book The Power of PR here>> 

—-----------

If you’d like updates on my writing and books — including the ADHD Mum series — along with occasional writing workshops from The Luminous Press, you can stay in touch via my newsletter:

www.theluminous.media/newsletter

Content note: Brief reference to sexual violence in this episode.

What will people think if I tell the truth? How much is too much to share?
What if my story hurts someone I love, or paints me in a way I’ve worked hard to outgrow?

If you’ve ever circled these big questions while trying to write your memoir or tell your personal story, this episode is a masterclass in courage, clarity, and the real work of writing a nonfiction book that matters.

This week, I’m talking to Vicki Rebecca, a therapist, meditation teacher, and author of The Naked Truth: Diary of a Glamour Model. Her memoir spans glamour, addiction, trauma, recovery, and spiritual awakening, but what really stood out to me was the way she told it: with radical honesty, zero sensationalism, and an unshakable belief in the healing power of story.

We explore:

•  How to navigate the tricky line between openness and privacy in memoir writing
•  How to deal with the inevitable “what will people say?”—especially in small towns or close-knit communities
•  Why telling the real story (not the polished version) is what opens doors, starts conversations, and creates real impact
• The methods Vicki used to tap into long-buried memories and find her writing flow
• Why your story doesn’t just belong to you—it’s medicine for the people who read it

📘 The Naked Truth is available now in all the usual places
🔗 Learn more at VickiRebecca.com

If you’d like updates on my writing and books — including the ADHD Mum series — along with occasional writing workshops from The Luminous Press, you can stay in touch via my newsletter:

www.theluminous.media/newsletter

If you weren't able to make this live, here is an exclusive replay of the Plan Your Book in 60 minutes workshop.

This is for you if you’re a successful coach or expert (and fluffing brilliant at what you do) and for ages now you’ve wanted to write a book that’ll truly cement your authority. But you’ve been so busy building your empire there’s been no time to even think about your book…until now.

Enter the PLAN YOUR BOOK IN 60 MINS Workshop, where you get clear on THE book you need to write (and how to get it written in as little as 12 weeks)

You can download the free companion workbook at www.theluminous.media/workbook/ 

__

If you’d like updates on my writing and books — including the ADHD Mum series — along with occasional writing workshops from The Luminous Press, you can stay in touch via my newsletter:

www.theluminous.media/newsletter

From Jodie Piccoult to Alex Ferguson, Vickie Boff has helped  some of the leading authors in fiction and non-fiction launch their books into the world with maximum impact and visibility. With more than 20 years traditional publishing experience in marketing books, she Vickie now works with independent authors, helping them to leverage traditional publishing marketing tactics for their self-published books.

In this conversation we talk about:

- The biggest mistakes self published authors make when marketing their books
- How to optimise your Amazon profile for optimal discoverability
- When you really should be thinking about your book marketing (hint: it's sooner than you think)
- Is going for Amazon Bestseller really worth it?

If you'd like to connect with Vickie, you can find her on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickie-boff-01756a9/?originalSubdomain=uk

If I had a quid for every time I hear a coach or expert tell me they want to write a book 'one day' I'd be a very a rich lady (and all that).  

The thing is, best intentions aside, for 99% of those people, 'one day' is code for "I'd love to be an author but actually I'm never going to find the time."

And there's a reason for that. Because for some people the nudge to be an author isn't enough; the pull to have a book isn't going to cut it. They need tangibles. They need rational. They need solid, black and white reasons why investing their time, energy and money into a writing and publishing a book makes sense now.

And that's what this episode is about. Five reasons why you need to stop talking about 'one day' and starting writing that book today.

Purchase your copy of Manifestation Freq by Louise George HERE

Louise George's brand new book Manifestation Freq: Manifestation's not magic, is The Luminous Press's first amazing Author to put their work out into the world.  In this episode Cate talks with Louise about:

- Why now was the perfect time in her business to write her book
- Her journey to becoming an author 
- How getting the support of a book coach helped her make it happen faster
- Why waiting around for a book deal was less important than getting her book into the hands of the people who need to read it, with the help of The Luminous Press.

If you've had a book on the back burner for a time now, but for something is stopping you from getting it out into the world, press play for a hit of insight and inspiration.

Welcome to Authors Dot Ink, the brand new podcast helping coaches, experts and online business owners write and publish books that skyrocket their authority and blow up their business (er, that's in a good way btw). If you want to write a book that is a lead magnet, authority builder, and part of a funnel that drives new clients and customers towards your signature offers, join me and my guests where we share exactly how you can turn your knowledge into a book that does more than look good on you bookshelf. 

A quick note from Cate:

These earlier episodes come from a previous chapter of my work, before my focus shifted to writing and publishing books through The Luminous Press.

They’re still well worth a listen, so I’ve kept the full archive available.

If you’d like to stay in touch and hear about my books — including the ADHD Mum series — you can join my reader newsletter here: www.theluminous.media/newsletter/

I loved picking the marketing brains of the amazing Maggie Giele for this episode, because she's a lady who really knows her stuff. In fact, when she reached an income ceiling of £5-10K months back in 2020 and was so busy she barely had time to pee, let alone meet a friend for coffee, she decided to burn her launching business model to the ground and switch to evergreen, and within three months had her first £100K month.

In this episode, we dive on into scaling an online business and how to create content that actually leads to sales.

Press play to discover:

- The three things you need to do scale your business
- how to customise your content as you move from 1:1 to one to many
- How moving her community off Facebook onto Skool was the best thing she could have done for her program and her mental health
- How to elevate your content in to an offer that actually leads to sales
- The 5 ways to get traffic (and why social media is the slowest and hardest)

Plus 

-The one question she asks when she's got to create content but has no idea what to ask (this recently led to £1000s worth of sales).

You can also grab her free training on Scaling a business with a leveraged offer and zero team:

go.maggiegiele.com/movie 

Follow Maggie:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/maggiegiele 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggiegiele/

JOIN MY NEWSLETTER AT www.theluminous.media/newsletter