Turn the Book You Already Wrote into New Income, Opportunities, and Authority
If your book feels stuck, This is the reset you need
Most nonfiction authors think they have a marketing problem.
They don’t.
They have a stagnation problem.
A book launches. A few interviews happen. Some posts go out. Maybe a handful of talks. Then everything levels off.
Not because the book failed.
Because nothing new is happening around it.
Here’s what no one says out loud.
Nonfiction books rarely disappear from lack of effort.
They fade from lack of imagination.
If you want different results, louder promotion won’t fix it. New thinking will.
You don’t need to shout more about your book.
You need to use it differently.
That’s where SCAMPER helps.
It’s a simple creative framework designed to help people rethink existing ideas instead of starting from scratch. Companies use it to reshape products. Teams use it to rethink strategy.
Authors can use it to breathe new life into a book that feels stuck.
Because you don’t need a new manuscript to create new momentum.
You need a new angle on the one you’ve already written.
Why Authors Stall After Publishing
Most nonfiction books get treated like finished products.
Written. Published. Promoted. Done.
But strong nonfiction books aren’t finished products.
They’re assets.
They’re tools.
They’re entry points into conversations, rooms, and revenue streams.
When you treat the book as the final stop, marketing turns repetitive. Announcements. Social posts. A few speaking engagements. Then quiet.
When you treat the book as raw material, everything shifts.
The same content can become:
New talks
Workshops
Corporate training programs
Strategic partnerships
Fresh visibility
The book didn’t change.
Its role did.
The Shortcut Most Authors Ignore
SCAMPER is a structured way to generate fresh ideas by reshaping what already exists.
It stands for:
Substitute
Combine
Adapt
Modify
Put to another use
Eliminate
Reverse
Each word forces you to look at something familiar from a different angle.
Most authors never apply this thinking to their own book.
They ask, “How do I sell more copies?”
A better question is, “How many ways can this book create value?”
Every new answer creates movement.
A Simple Example
Say you wrote a leadership book.
Instead of promoting it again the same way, you could:
Turn one chapter into a workshop for decision-makers
Pair the book with a companion workbook
Adapt the material for a specific industry
Reshape it into a keynote
Use it as internal training inside organizations
Same book.
Different use.
New income streams.
That’s how nonfiction books begin working harder than their authors.
Why This Matters Now
Publishing more content won’t revive a stalled book.
Fresh positioning will.
Your book holds more potential than you’re using.
You don’t need more effort. You need more angles.
In the paid section, I’ll walk you through a simple SCAMPER framework you can apply this week to revive interest, open doors, and create new income opportunities from the book you already have.
If your book feels underused instead of unsuccessful, keep reading.
Don’t miss out on more good stuff that’s waiting for you in the Paid Section.
If your book isn’t selling, it’s not the book. It’s the marketing.
Let’s fix that.
If you’re done playing small, click here to brainstorm some simple and practical bookmarketing ideas.
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Use SCAMPER to Reactivate Your Book (and Your Income)
Let’s move from theory to application.
You don’t need a whiteboard session or a weekend retreat.
You need one hour and a willingness to rethink how your book functions.
Use these seven SCAMPER prompts to generate new opportunities from what already exists.
1. Substitute
What can you replace to create something new?
Most authors assume the book must stay exactly as it is.
Not true.
You can substitute:
Audience (corporate vs consumer)
Format (book → workbook → training guide)
Delivery (reading → workshop → keynote)
Price model (retail → bulk sales → licensing)
Action step:
Write one new audience your book could serve better than your current one. Now brainstorm three ways to reposition the book for them.
2. Combine
What can you merge with the book to increase value?
Books rarely sell in isolation. They sell inside ecosystems.
Combine your book with:
A short course
A keynote
A retreat
A certification
A consulting package
When a book becomes part of something larger, its perceived value rises.
Action step:
List three services or experiences you offer. How could the book support or enhance each one?
3. Adapt
Where could this content work in a different environment?
Most nonfiction books were written for individuals.
Many work better inside organizations.
Adapt your material for:
Associations
Corporate teams
Universities
Professional groups
Nonprofits
Organizations buy differently from individuals. They buy in bulk. They buy for outcomes. They buy for alignment.
Action step:
Identify one type of organization that would benefit from your message. What problem of theirs does your book help solve?
4. Modify
How can you expand or reshape what exists?
Modification creates new entry points.
You can:
Expand a chapter into a workshop
Turn frameworks into tools
Create a second edition
Add case studies
Develop a companion guide
You are not rewriting the book.
You are extending its usefulness.
Action step:
Choose your strongest chapter. How could it become a standalone talk, workshop, or training?
5. Put to another use
Where can the book open doors beyond book sales?
This is where most revenue hides.
Your book can be used to:
Secure speaking engagements
Open consulting conversations
Position you as a subject expert
Support training programs
Build partnerships
Books create credibility faster than almost anything else.
But only if you use them intentionally.
Action step:
List five ways your book could help someone make a decision about hiring you.
6. Eliminate
What can you stop doing?
Sometimes momentum returns when unnecessary effort disappears.
Eliminate:
Random posting
Generic promotion
Chasing visibility without purpose
Trying to reach everyone
Focus on fewer, higher-value opportunities.
Action step:
Identify one marketing activity you can stop this month because it produces little return.
7. Reverse
What if the book isn’t the main offer?
This is the most powerful shift.
Instead of asking:
“How do I sell this book?”
Ask:
“What does this book lead to?”
Speaking?
Consulting?
Corporate training?
Partnerships?
When the book becomes the entry point rather than the end product, everything changes.
Action step:
Write one sentence:
“This book is designed to open the door to ______.”
Let that guide your next moves.
Final thought
Most nonfiction books are underused assets.
Not because they lack quality.
Because they lack creative direction.
Before you write another book…
reinvent the one you already have.
Your next opportunity may not require new content.
It may require new thinking.
Want to go deeper?
If this sparked ideas, here are two next steps:
Run your book through all seven SCAMPER prompts and capture every idea without filtering.
Choose one idea that could lead to income or visibility within 60 days and act on it.
Momentum rarely comes from doing more.
It comes from seeing differently.
And your book is ready for that shift.
Downlosd your “SCAMPER Worksheet”
If your book isn’t selling, it’s not the book. It’s the marketing.
Let’s fix that.
If you’re done playing small, click here to brainstorm some simple and practical bookmarketing ideas.
Home | Blog | Podcast | Free Resources