2 Ways To Establish Credibility

Read time: 5 minutes

Whenever someone reads your writing, especially when they’re just getting to know you, they ask two primary questions:

1. Do I trust this author?
2. Do I like this author?

Today I’ll teach you how to answer those questions honestly and effectively in the minds of readers.

Why It Matters

In our “just do you” cultural moment, where the ultimate virtue is individual expression, why care if readers “like” you? Isn’t that superficial?

No, it’s smart. Modern readers are choosey and strapped for attention. They won’t think twice about putting your book down. You have mere seconds to grab their attention. They’re swimming in a sea of other options. Hook ‘em or lose ‘em.

Don’t make the common mistake of just saying what you want to say. Don’t assume people will innately trust you.

Here’s the big idea:

To establish credibility with readers, write with authority and empathy.**

Fellow writers, the impetus is on us to provide helpful content (authority) and meaningful connection (empathy). Here’s how to do it …

How to write with authority

Proving your authority on a topic does not require being self-promoting, arrogant, or boastful. Rather than the insecure person who props themself up as the authority, feel free to acknowledge there are smarter writers, with more experience, writing on the same topic.

At the same time, don’t sell yourself short. You have wisdom to share that will benefit readers, but they may need some convincing that you’re a person they can learn from.

So with humble confidence (not an oxymoron), use the following tactics to establish your authority—why you are the right author to address this topic:

1. Tell a story in which you indirectly reveal your knowledge or experience.

This is far more compelling than simply listing your credentials. Consider the difference between these two statements.

Bad example: I am a licensed counselor with twelve years of experience, who earned multiple degrees from [list prestigious universities here].

Good example: I was sitting in the office with a client named George, who I’d been counseling for the past six years, and as I helped him process his recent divorce, it struck me how many clients in the past twelve years had shared similar relational heartache.

The first example is data-driven. The second is story-driven. Whenever possible, utilize narrative as your resume, rather than copying and pasting your credentials into your book.

2. Use authority-building data in your bio.

To balance my first point, data is a helpful way to build authority. In my opinion, your author biography is an ideal place to feature this information. Whether on your website, social media, back cover, or book jacket, your bio is often the first thing readers look up when vetting you.

The content of your bio should be relevant to your book. Here’s an exemplary snippet from Latasha Morrison’s new book, Brown Faces White Spaces, which is about confronting systemic racism:

It would be awkward and distracting to mention awards and book sales in her introduction. However, in a short amount of space, Latasha’s bio lets readers know what she’s accomplished and what she’s about.

Now that we’ve answered the first question in readers’ minds: Do I trust this author?, it’s time to answer the second: Do I like this author?

While we love experts, we loathe know-it-alls. To avoid being misunderstood when you establish authority, it’s vital to add the second component: empathy.

How to write with empathy

Theodore Roosevelt was right: “Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

No one wants good advice from an unpleasant source. Sure, we liked watching Simon Cowell rip apart contestants on American Idol with unflinching candor, but apart from its entertainment value, none of us want to be on the receiving end of a tongue lashing, regardless of how accurate it may be.

I’ll always remember these words from a counselor: “People can only grow or change in one environment: grace.”

There’s a time for straight talk, tough love, and blunt rebuke, but it’s important to balance this impulse with understanding. Let readers know you’re for them, not above them. If they feel beneath you, they will dismiss you.

Here’s a few ways to write with empathy:

1. Describe your own struggle with the problem you’re addressing in the book. Be vulnerable and admit your own mistakes.

2. Acknowledge the difficulty of the subject your writing about, and affirm the reader for showing up. Latasha does this brilliantly in an introductory “author’s note” that kicks off her book:

"I’m so glad you’re here, especially given the weight of this topic. It’s not easy to pick up a book about racial injustice, particularly when the books examines uncomfortable, often even painful, historical truths. So, thank you for engaging in this conversation with me."

3. Give hope. Cast a vision of how the reader will be helped, or transformed, throughout the course of your book. Empathy acknowledges where people are at, but it also forecasts hope about where they can be. Latasha does this well at the end of her introduction, where she inspires readers about the role they can play in transforming others.

”Thank you for locking arms with me. Thank you for caring about racial justice. Remember, transformation begins with you.”

Empathetic Authority

To sum up, aim for “empathetic authority” in your writing. Tactfully let readers know you’re a guide worthy of following. You have the experience and knowledge to lead the way.

At crucial milestones along the journey, also remind readers you are for them. You’ve been there. You get it. You believe in them.

I’m rooting for you.