As a writer and publisher, I’ve borne witness to hundreds of people writing authority-building books. The longer I do it, the more I discover that the process is less about the end product and more about the psychological transformation that takes place. The initial moment where someone realizes they’re going to be putting themselves out there is when some abandon the project. Those who choose to face their experiences and beliefs and move forward come out different on the other side. But it’s not just the act of sharing themselves publicly that makes the experience transformative. It’s also that many people don’t fully articulate their core ideas—or gain perspective on their lives—until they’re put in a situation where they must. That’s why I believe that nothing helps people form their narrative identity—a way to organize their lives and expertise through stories that give meaning to their experiences—more than writing a book. When Expertise Is Still Unformed Despite having spent years accumulating knowledge, many people don’t ever fully structure or even realize what they know because …