Did you ever feel just a little bit jealous of the experts who get interviewed on prestigious TV talk shows or news magazines? Perhaps you’ve noticed that one thing in particular sets these guests apart from others in their field: They are all authors of books. Now you will discover an easy way for YOU to see your own name on the cover of your very own book.

People innately trust authors and esteem them more highly than non-authors. So if you are an expert in your niche, or if you are a small business owner (which still makes you an expert) without a book, it’s time to write one. In fact, becoming an author is mission critical for any business owner.

But maybe you don’t have any idea how to write a book or think that it will be hard. Like anything else, writing a book is easy when you have a system. While there are many ways to write your book, I am going to share one of the easiest ways, and I am going to walk you through putting together your own book so that you can be a published author.

How to Write a Question and Answer Book

Since you already “know your stuff” thoroughly, no doubt you already have a good handle on the biggest or most common questions people have. You can probably rattle off a dozen of them without scratching your head. So why not write a Q&A book?

Before I show you how, step by step, I know you want to know this…

Question: “How many do you need?

Answer: It’s entirely up to you. There is no standard length for what makes “a book.” For the most part, you want your book to be under 200 pages, and preferably much less than that. People want “the easy button” these days, to whatever length you choose, make your book as easy to read and follow as possible.

How to Write a Question & Answer Book

There are a couple of good approaches you can use to assemble your book.

Approach #1: Write a list of the frequently asked questions you get in your business. These will become the chapter titles for your book.

Approach #2: have your customers TELL you what their biggest questions are so that you can answer them in your book.

Example: If you are writing a book about growing prize-winning roses, you will sit down and write all the questions you typically get about roses, soil, fertilizer and so forth. Or you will put up a simple webpage or use a pile of index cards and a submission box to poll your current customers.

Now for the “how to”:

Phase 1: Make a list of FAQs (frequently asked questions) for your book.

1. Give yourself a half hour to an hour of uninterrupted time. 2. Write down all the common questions you typically get from customers and prospects. You can either write each question on an index card, write them all on paper or write them into your word processing program. I recommend using index cards because you only have one small piece of information later, and you can so easily organize the cards into themes. 3. Once time is up, leave the info where you can easily add to it later. 4. The next day, give yourself a half hour. Read over your list and add to it as needed..

Phase 2: Organize the questions into a meaningful “flow”.

1. Put all your questions in front of you and ask yourself, “How can I organize these in the simplest possible way?” 2. Put the questions into a sensible order. 3. Look for “chunks” of related questions. Perhaps your book will have Part 1, 2, and 3 with related questions in each section.

Watch the video about this at http://screenr.com/uxR

Phase 3: Write your book

To write your book, simply follow the “outline” you have created with these questions. Since you are the expert, there will be little if any research. You might find it helpful to give yourself a target page range for each chapter, such as three to five pages. Or you may simply let yourself write until it feels like “enough.” That is up to you.

Remember – Write in a friendly style as if you are talking to a good friend over a coffee.. – Give enough information to answer the question but not too much. – Never try to edit while you write. Those are two completely different processes in the brain.

Congratulations! You now know how to write a question and answer book that sets you apart as the go-to expert in your field, niche or community.

Continuing Education

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