How I Published 68 Books and Made Over a Million Dollars in Royalties

Introduction

• Published first book six weeks after starting.
• Published 68 books in the first year without writing any of them.
• Earned over a million dollars in royalties over eight years.
• Story focuses on two key things that held the speaker back and how they overcame them.

The Turning Point in 2012

• Feeling stuck in a job without growth and nearing 30 years old.
• Discovered a Jim Rohn CD that emphasized personal development.
• Realized the need to work harder on oneself than on the job.
• Became obsessed with self-improvement and personal success.

Discovering Passive Income

• Read Tim Ferriss' The 4-Hour Workweek and was inspired by the idea of creating a side hustle for passive income.
• Realized financial independence could come from side hustles, not necessarily a traditional career path.

Finding a Side Hustle: Publishing

• Discovered Stefan James' blog Project Life Mastery, claiming high earnings from eBooks on Amazon.
• Initially skeptical but took advantage of a seven-day free trial for the course.

Early Steps in Publishing

• Signed up for the course and planned to publish three books within three days off from work.
• Published three books on positive thinking, running a marathon, and growing orchids.
• First book failed to generate significant sales.
• Second and third books showed a small increase in earnings.

Scaling Up Publishing Efforts

• Shifted focus to publishing more books to increase income, aiming for 500 pounds/month and then 5,000 pounds/month.
• Balancing the cost of creating books with reinvesting royalties and savings.
• Gradually increased the number of books, leading to higher royalties.
• Published 27 books within six months, nearing the goal of covering living expenses.

The Decision to Quit and Go Full-Time

• Visualized and deeply felt the success of earning 5-10K per month through publishing.
• Relationship strains led to the decision to quit the job gradually while transitioning into full-time publishing.
• August 2015 to September 2015 worked reduced days while increasing focus on publishing.

Reaching Goals and Continuing Growth

• First month full-time in October 2015: 1322 pounds in royalties; November: 2000 pounds+.
• December 2015: Over 5,000 pounds in royalties, covering living expenses for six months.
• Continued growth reaching significant financial milestones over the next few years.

Key Takeaways

1. Utilize Leverage

• Labor: Hire people to do essential tasks (ghostwriting, editing, design).
• Money: Use investments wisely to speed growth.
• Digital Content: Create products that generate income passively.

2. Back Yourself

• Believe in your abilities and dream big.
• Prepare to make mistakes and learn from them.
• Trust that efforts and taking action will eventually lead to success.

Conclusion

• Recap of the personal journey from uncertainty to significant passive income through eBook publishing.
• Importance of leveraging resources and backing oneself for long-term success.