How to Write, Publish and Sell Non-Fiction Books that Matter

Gregory V. Diehl, an experienced educator and entrepreneur, imparts knowledge on how to transform unique ideas into profitable books without relinquishing control to a publisher. His course, inspired by his book "The Influential Author", offers comprehensive guidance on book creation, publication, and marketing, taking a grounded and intellectual approach to non-fiction self publishing.

This course diverges from conventional self publishing guides by focusing on the intricate details of planning, writing, editing, and promoting work at traditional publishing standards, rather than promising quick and effortless bestseller creation.

Whether you're a seasoned writer or just beginning to explore non-fiction writing, this course covers essential topics such as:

• Aligning your passions and experience with reader demand to determine the book to write.
• Structuring your knowledge into coherent sections and chapters.
• Enhancing your book through feedback from editors, proofreaders, beta readers, and market testing.
• Crafting a compelling title, subtitle, description, and cover design to convey your message and drive sales.
• Strategizing pricing and promotions for digital, print, and audio formats to maximize readership and revenue.
• Gaining long-term passive income, influence, and fulfillment from your book's success.

Reviews of Gregory Diehl's Work

"(Diehl) delivers a practical and encouraging guide to self publishing non-fiction... Though lengthy, Diehl's book can be quickly read and is crammed with practical ideas that readers will want to highlight and refer back to when they endeavor to write their own book." Publisher's Weekly

"I appreciate Diehl's critical gaze and think that he has contributed a great many ideas to the conversation of publishing within this book. Diehl has a strong sense of the types of non-fiction books he wants to create and the readers who want to buy them." Publishing Research Quarterly, Volume 36, Issue 4

"(The Influential Author) is refreshing, leaving no misinterpretation on what success is for a non-fiction writer. Diehl's writing is compelling and inspiring, aptly following the tenants of his own message. The author's book is a must-read for aspiring writers." US Review of Books

"Every year there is at least one book that is a 'must read' for the aspiring writer seeking to have their manuscript become a book, and their book become successful. This year that 'how to' manual is Gregory V. Diehl's The Influential Author: How and Why to Write, Publish, and Sell Non-fiction Books that Matter... A complete and comprehensive course that should be a part of every community, college, and university library Writing/Publishing instructional reference and resource collection." Midwest Book Review

"Gregory establishes seven aspects of the relationship between an author and their non-fiction book: philosophy, strategy, creation, refinement, presentation, promotion, and reward. Each of these areas is explored thoroughly and it becomes readily apparent that the 'rules' apply to all writers of non-fiction, no matter their stage of experience! Highly recommended." San Francisco Review of Books

"I enjoyed The Influential Author as a reader who writes, but also as a teacher. I would consider using this book as a recommended resource for upper-level writing students who wish to see their work in print, and I think the philosophical sections would make great material for classroom discussion." Literacy Work & Play

1. Experts in a field who want to share their unique knowledge with the world.
2. Professionals who want to brand themselves for the type of solutions they offer and information they promote.
3. People who have lived an extraordinary life or experienced something unique and wish to share that experience with others.
4. Modern-day philosophers with a new and useful perspective on age-old questions about life.
5. Those who have discovered a better way to make progress in a popular field of personal development.

1. Gregory presents the material in a clear and concise way and I enjoyed completing this course. I liked the mixture of videos and text and found this an engaging way to follow the material. For an aspiring author, this course provides you with a comprehensive look at the various steps you should follow and areas to consider when embarking on your writing journey. Highly recommend ~ Keshia B
2. This was a very informative class. It opened up the world of self-publishing for me and pointed out some important things I need to be aware of when writing my book and publishing it ~ F Medequillo
3. Excellent knowledge on how to earnestly approach writing and publishing a non-fiction book, conveyed in a succinct and professional way. At last, there is a self-publishing course that is intellectually sound and offering a wealth of important insight that is presented in an eloquent and meaningful way while inspiring the student to dig deep into their motivation and take the great endeavour to become an influential author seriously ~ Len A

1. Why books are still the best way to communicate with long-form depth, personality, and precision.
2. The many ways self-publishing is better and worse than traditional publishing.
3. The ideal readers and target audience for your unique message.
4. Structuring your communication for the ideal scope, length, and focus of your message.
5. How to craft an outline that captures the essential parts of your message and keeps you focused until you’ve finished your first draft.
6. The functions of developmental editing, line editing, and copyediting for nonfiction books.
7. Working with beta readers and using their feedback to rectify your book’s shortcomings and enhance its strengths.
8. Avoiding the many pitfalls that make your book look poor quality, cheap, or amateurish at first glance.
9. Choosing a title, subtitle, and description that contain the most relevant search terms and entice sales from your target audience without misrepresenting your message.
10. Designing a cover that is conventional enough to be recognized for the type of book it is but unconventional enough to stand out from the crowd.
11. Narrating your audiobook or hiring a professional to do it for you.
12. Crafting your personal brand and bio as the author of your book.
13. Preparing your book’s official launch date and getting the word out by sharing guest content on the platforms your audience frequents.
14. How to determine the ideal retail price of each format of your book with real market data.
15. Getting verified, positive online book reviews from readers during and after launch.
16. Dealing productively with results that aren’t as good as you’d hoped and understanding the many forms success can take.
17. How professional life changes with reliable passive income and the other opportunities a book makes possible.
18. Repurposing your book’s content for videos, courses, and other mediums to expand your influence.
19. Planning your next publications without letting your initial success or lack thereof become a creative trap.

1. Be passionate about having something important to share with the world.
2. Have a basic grasp of the norms of modern English writing.