Writing a Book For Your Podcast – PCI 367

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Expand your podcast audience to the written medium.

Creating a book based on the content of your podcast can be a fantastic way to extend your reach and provide your audience with a tangible resource. In our latest episode, we explore the dynamic process of transforming your podcast content into a book.

Today’s Hosts: Todd Cochrane and Mike Dell

Writing a book is hard work! BUT, as a content creator, you may have an upper hand in the subject of your book because you do a podcast about it.

First lets talk about WHY you would want to write a book for your podcast.

• Establish yourself as an expert – Writing a book demonstrates your depth of knowledge on the subject, giving you more credibility.
• Reach a wider audience – Books allow you to connect with people who may not listen to podcasts regularly.
• Provide more detailed information – You can explore topics more comprehensively in a book than a podcast.
• Generate passive income – Books offer ongoing earning potential through sales over time.
• Reinforce your branding – A book helps cement your podcast’s branding and messaging.
• Attract sponsors and partners – A published book makes you more attractive to potential sponsors.
• Build your legacy – Books are tangible products that last, extending your ideas and influence.
• Leverage existing content – Adapt your best podcast episodes into book chapters more efficiently.
• Promote your podcast – You can cross-promote your podcast in the book to attract new listeners.
• Take your work to the next level – Writing a book requires distilling your ideas at a higher level.
• Reach people who prefer reading – Some prefer learning through books than audio.

Now that you know why, how about HOW to go about writing the book.

• Expand on your best content. Look through your podcast episodes and identify your most popular topics and discussions. These are great candidates to explore in more depth for a book.
• Conduct additional research. Books require diving deeper than a podcast episode. Do additional research through interviews, surveys, studies, etc. to expand the book content.
• Follow a structure. Outline the book structure ahead of time – introduction, chapters, conclusion. Plan how you will expand on key topics.
• Maintain your voice. Your listeners engage with your podcast because of your unique voice and perspective. Maintain that tone and style in the book.
• Include actionable advice. Readers will expect detailed, practical advice from a book, more so than a podcast. Offer step-by-step guidance.
• Share stories and examples. Anecdotes and real-world examples help readers connect with the content and see concepts applied.
• Address critiques. Deal with pushback or criticisms raised about your podcast material and present counterarguments.
• Complement, don’t duplicate. Avoid rehashing podcast episodes. Offer new analysis and insights.
• HIRE AN EDITOR! A fresh set of eyes on a project like this will help you avoid grammar, spelling and punctuation errors. Along with helping you keep the correct tone of the book and to keep it flowing.
• Ways to Publish the Book
  • Work with a publisher/editor. Consider working with a publishing house
  • Self-publish on something like Amazon
  • Self-publish an ebook
  • Sell it yourself

Not all podcasts lend themselves to books. A news type podcast might not directly be able ot be made into a book, but you could still do a book in your general subject area.

The goal is to effectively adapt your podcast material into a book format while adding significant value for readers. Leverage your podcast content without just repackaging it.