If you haven't written a book yet, you probably know someone who has-particularly if you're an entrepreneur. A recent industry report found ISBN registrations for self-published titles have grown more than 375% since 2010, when the e-book market was heating up.
Being a published author is still widely considered a great way to establish yourself as an expert in your field, and the growth of self-publishing has made it easier than ever to do that. But it's not always a sure bet. I've been traditionally published, and as a publicist, virtually all of my clients-most of whom are solopreneurs, freelancers, and small business owners-have either already written a book or want to.