Author credibility is the critical bridge between you and your target audience trusting your book. But what makes an author credible in their chosen genre or niche–and how do you make that translate to the page?

What Is Author Credibility?

You can think of your level of credibility as a level of trust your reader has in your expertise. Aristotle referred to this as Ethos, and is often considered the most important element to persuade readers to your way of thinking. Developing a strong sense of Ethos involves not only showcasing your competence and knowledge but also cultivating a sense of integrity and reliability. By building a foundation of trust, your credibility helps effectively engage readers and encourage them to embrace your ideas. 

Credibility Starts With What You Know

For nonfiction, being an expert in your topic is the most common form of author credibility, but not all expertise comes from your educational or professional background.

Expertise in a subject can also come from personal experience, such as living through specific events or hardships, overcoming adversity, or simply through your experiences as a human being.

In any case, the important part is that you understand your level of expertise in your subject and work with it accordingly. 

Building Author Credibility Without Experience

While it’s always nice to have a decade of experience under your belt, that’s just not going to be the case for everyone. Maybe you’ve chosen a topic that is important to you, but not within your field of study or professional experience, or maybe you’re looking to pivot your current expertise into a new field. 

If you’re worried about your author cred, there are steps you can take to make yourself more well-rounded for the reader. 

  • Lean on the expertise of others. You can do this either by partnering with more established experts for novel insights, or read respected authors within your genre and use their work as reference. This boosts your credibility by association, and can be a great way to may inroads with your target audience.
  • Get involved in your subject matter. Nothing beats hands-on experience, and while you can’t cram 10 years of experience into a few weekends, you can find meet-up groups, professional networking platforms, and volunteer opportunities for some more real-world experience.
  • Conduct deep research. We mean deep! This is an opportunity for you to show that you have something unique to say, and that means not falling back on the same pre-chewed insight that everyone else is using.
  • Get started now. Just because you aren’t a seasoned veteran of your niche, doesn’t mean you can’t start now. Even a little bit of personal experience helps bolster your credibility. Look for conferences, networking events, and opportunities to get face time with those in your niche or industry. 

 

Author Credibility In Action (And On The Page)

So how do you prove to readers that you’re credible? If you have topic expertise, you may think it’s as simple as stating your credentials, but that’s not enough. The same is true for those relying on personal anecdotes or life experience. 

It’s good to share your education, experience, and credentials. But consider that your initial handshake with your reader and the rest of your book as a larger conversation.

You have to walk the talk. Don’t just tell them you know what you’re talking about, show them you know what you’re talking about. Successful authors do this by effectively bridging the gap between their expertise and their audiences level of knowledge. 

But bridging the gap is more than just filling it in with information. It’s also about understanding the way your audience wants and needs to be spoken to. 

Conclusion

By taking charge of putting your credibility on display, you empower yourself to start on the right foot. Don’t let this critical step slip past you–because it certainly won’t slip past your audience!

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