Have you heard? We published a book.

For months, the 9 Clouds team has been working hard to compile the industry’s best printed resource on Facebook advertising. And now, it’s here.

🎉🎉🎉

If you’ve been published yourself, you know how surreal it feels to hold your own book in your hands, to flip through the pages holding words you wrote — in your office, at your favorite coffee shop, or under the covers, late at night. All those thoughts and all those hours, now made manifest for the world to see.

It’s pretty cool.

As a writer, I’ve been dreaming of publishing a book for years. I’ll be honest, I never thought my first would be a book about Facebook ads . . . but I’m thrilled to have my name on this piece.

Writing a book, though, is not for the faint of heart.

Here are three reasons you may (or may not) want to consider publishing your own book.

3 Reasons to Write a Book

1. You Have Something [Unique] to Say

My husband — ever the gracious one — likes to say that “There should be no more books written until we’ve read all the ones already out there.”

(You can imagine how his wife, who has wanted to be an author her entire life, feels about this sentiment.) 😒

Really, though, he’s got a point. There is so much noise in the book industry today, so much content — useful or not — already written. Even if you have valuable knowledge to share, someone else may have beaten you to the shelf.

Unless your idea or experience is truly unique, you really have no right to write a book. Save your thoughts for a blog post. (Or your diary.)

. . . But maybe you do have something special to say. Maybe an original thought has been burning inside you, and you’re feeling the heat build.

As Madeleine L’Engle said, “You have to write the book that wants to be written.”

That’s when you’re ready to fan the flame.

2. You Have a Special Way of Saying It

It’s not enough to simply have an idea for a book. You have to have talent, too.

Writing is a frustrating profession in that everyone feels like they can do it, simply because they possess the main tool required for the job (language). But most lack the other necessary tools: aptitude, skill, and a helluva lot of patience.

Flannery O’Connor said, “I find that most people know what a story is until they sit down to write one.” 

If you aren’t really a writer — if you don’t have an engaging voice, if you haven’t put time, sweat, and tears into polishing your craft — I’m sorry to say, you have no business writing a book. Hire a ghostwriter instead, or find another way to convey your message: a podcast, maybe, or a local seminar.

Whatever you do, don’t publish a book that isn’t well written. It’s just irresponsible.

3. You’ve Always Wanted To

Last but not least — desire.

Don’t underestimate the importance of passion in writing a book. 

As Robert Frost put it, “No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.”

If your book is born from that burning fire inside you, your readers will know. They’ll be able to sense a warmth in the pages, a spark of joy in a particularly thoughtful phrase or intricate detail.

If I ever write my own book, it will be because I have the inspiration and talent for it — but also because I’ve been sketching stories since I was old enough to hold a pencil. The initial idea will be what kindles my book-writing flame, but it’s that lifelong zest for writing that will fuel it and, ultimately, propel me to finish.

Don’t snuff out your own fire. Let it motivate you, from book beginning to end.

Why We Chose to Write a Book

When we set out to write Facebook Advertising: A Field Guide for Auto Dealers, we were cautious. We didn’t want to add to the noise, to waste precious production time on something that might not actually matter.

But after some careful consideration, we realized we met all three criteria for writing a book.

1. We Had Something Unique to Say

After spending more than $2 million in Facebook ads over the past few years, we’ve become experts in our field — and in this book, we share our firsthand experience.

No other resource exists with such useful, practical tips on automotive Facebook advertising.

2. We Had a Special Way of Saying It

Our team of writers and designers is incredibly talented.

In Facebook Advertising: A Field Guide for Auto Dealers, we’ve created a book that is not only well written, but also formatted beautifully.

3. We’d Always Wanted To

We’ve published a book before, but it’s been a while. We felt it was time to challenge ourselves with another big project — one we could use to both educate our audience and fulfill our own creative desires.

So — Do You Dare?

Before writing your own book, ask yourself whether you truly meet these three criteria. If you don’t, enlist the help of someone who does — or, frankly, just don’t write a book at all. (My husband would applaud you.)

. . . But if you do, get going. Seriously — don’t waste time. YOLO and all that.

Writing a book can be a lonely affair, though. Luckily, we’ve had a whole team of people to lean on — but now that the book is out there, we’re dying to hear what others think.

If you’re interested in improving your Facebook advertising, order your copy today, and let us know your thoughts with either an Amazon review or a simple email.

And if you’re working on any book or writing projects yourself, let us know that, too. We’d love to swap stories or offer help if we can.