How to Build Trust and Authority That Lasts (Spoiler: A Book!)
I have dyslexia. I struggled to read and write for years. I still struggle with spelling—if you see a typo in my work, you'll know it came from me, not an AI (haha). For the longest time, I was convinced that I would never be able to write a book. That was for real writers. For people who loved writing from the start. Not for someone like me.
And then one day, sitting at my desk trying to create a new lead magnet for my business, I wrote for four hours straight. When I finally stopped, I had 40 pages and I still had so much more I wanted to share. And in that moment, something clicked: this could be a book.
That book—Workshops Unleashed—changed everything about how people see me, how I see myself, and what opportunities are available to me. And I want to tell you something straight: if you think you're not a writer, if you think a book is for someone else, that belief could be costing you.
What You'll Learn in This Epsiode
How authority actually gets built—and why it's not what most people think
Why books are a different kind of authority tool than workshops, speaking, or content
The real question you should be asking yourself about writing
How the Self-Publishing Incubator is helping creative entrepreneurs become published authors
Think About the Experts You Actually Follow
Who do you consider an authority in the quilting world? The ones with a voice. The ones you listen to. The ones other people recommend and point to. What do they have in common?
They share their expertise. They teach. They speak at retreats and guilds. They write about their methods. They show up in long-form ways—in podcasts, in books, in workshops, in places where they can actually go deep. Authority is not built by posting good Instagram captions once a week. Authority is built by consistently sharing what you know in ways that stick. In ways that lead people to actually understand and learn from you.
And here's what I want you to know: you probably already have that expertise. You just have been waiting to use it in just the right way.
What Makes a Book Different from Every Other Authority Building Tool
There are lots of ways to build authority. A workshop builds authority with people already in the room—a smaller crowd, but an intimate one. A podcast reaches people while they're driving or sewing, using their hands. Speaking at retreats positions you as someone worth listening to.
But a book does something different. A book can build authority with people who have never even heard of you.
When someone holds a physical book with your name on the spine, or opens a book and sees your name as the author, something shifts in how they see you. You're no longer just a teacher—though that already carries authority. You become a published expert. An author. A book sits on shelves. It lives in someone's hands. It gets recommended in libraries. It gets discovered by people searching for answers to exactly the problems you solve.
Most importantly: a book becomes the foundation for other things. Once you have a book, you can build a workshop series around it. You can create a book club. You can pitch speaking engagements. You can offer it as a bonus for classes. You can use it to establish your own framework and methodology.
Your book becomes a business asset. Not just a nice thing to have, not just a trust-builder. It's a tool that generates other opportunities.
How This Happened for Me
I've been quilting for over 20 years. I taught quilting for years. I have a master's degree in curriculum and instruction—so I know how people learn, how to structure information, how to break down steps. But I didn't think of myself as a writer.
Then I burned out on teaching quilting workshops and pattern design, and I shifted into digital marketing coaching. I realized I was having the same conversations over and over again. People asked: How do I teach online? How do I structure a class? How do I get started? And I wanted to answer all of them at once.
I sat down one day to write a guide. It was supposed to be a lead magnet. Four hours later, I had 40 pages and knew I'd only scratched the surface. That's when I realized: this is a book.
The writing process was genuinely hard. Right after those first 40 pages, I hired a content editor, Melissa, because I knew I needed help to see this through. I was juggling a full-time job, young kids, a baby who wasn't sleeping, and a fledgling coaching business. But I also knew I had something that needed to get out there.
When Workshops Unleashed finally launched, it was such a relief. And I had no idea the impact it would have.
What Changed After the Book
Before the book, I felt like I was screaming into the void. I had 10 years of expertise. I wanted to help. I could help. But no one knew that.
The book opened doors I didn't know existed. Speaking invitations, business opportunities, and a tangible asset I could use right away. I run my Workshops Unleashed Book Club twice a year, and a percentage of the people who join the book club move into the DMMC. It's become a real part of how my business grows.
But more than that: people tell me the book changed their lives. I still get messages about that. I'm amazed every time.
You're Not the Only One Doing This
That's why I created the Self-Publishing Incubator. I wanted to help other creative entrepreneurs cross the same finish line.
Right now, we have authors at different stages. Saremy Duffy, our first published author from the Incubator, has an incredible story—she started in this industry in college and has now published her first book. You can hear her full story on the special episode dropping Wednesday, September 15th.
Laureen Smith, a pattern designer of Tourmaline and Time Quilts, is writing her first book and already has a series in mind. We have a knit pattern designer who realized a book was the next step in building professional authority in her field. We have authors who are starting entire businesses around their books. And we have someone developing a pattern design methodology based on the Lucet—a tool used to create elaborate braids—who's building the book to share that method with the world.
Every single one of them is building trust, authority, and impact. They're doing it because they have expertise worth sharing, not because they consider themselves 'real writers.'
The Question You Should Actually Be Asking
Here's what I know after working with all these authors: the real question is not, "Am I a writer?"
You teach a class—you structure information. You explain your technique to a student—you break down steps. You write an email to your list—you communicate clearly. You write a social media caption—you're writing. You've already written countless times.
The real question is: What expertise do you have that could be valuable in the form of a book? And what kind of book makes sense for your business?
Do You Have a Book in You?
If this has caught your interest, I'm inviting you to a free webinar on September 24th at 1 p.m. Eastern Time called "Do You Have a Book in You?" We're going to work through a series of prompts designed to pull out what you could write about and what it could mean for your business. Then we'll talk about next steps—including the Self-Publishing Incubator, but also other routes to getting published.
Even if you decide a book isn't right for you, you'll walk away with powerful ideas for long-form content that builds trust and authority without being published.
Hey Tori Takeaway
Reflection is powerful. So take a second to think about your own authority strategy.
How are you building authority right now? Are you teaching? Speaking? Creating content? Coaching?
Is a book a direction you want to go?
If it's yes, maybe, or even no—please join the webinar. You'll get ideas that move the needle no matter what path you choose.
Because here's the truth: in a world of AI, people buy from people they know, people they trust, and people who've been recommended by people they trust. A book is one of the most powerful ways to build that know-like-trust factor.
If today's episode gave you even a moment of clarity about building real authority, that's exactly what we explore inside the Digital Marketing Magic Coaching Program. We start with the foundation—who you're talking to and where they are—and then build a real, personalized marketing system built specifically for the quilting and crafting world. Members get a personalized roadmap, live coaching every month, and access to all our custom AI tools.
The best first step is a free 30-minute strategy session. No pressure, just clarity on your next move. Book yours here: heytori.tech/digital-marketing-coachingpod
Want me to answer your question? Submit one here.
About the Author
Tori McElwain is a digital marketing coach for quilting and creative businesses. With 24+ years of quilting experience and a master's degree in education, she helps quilters attract more students, sell more patterns, and grow their businesses online—without losing the joy of creating. She's the author of Workshops Unleashed and cohost of the Quilting on the Side podcast.
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