FikaWorks Day 2025: Writing Technical Books That Sell Worldwide

📚 How to Write a Technical Book and Sell Worldwide

On October 10, 2025, I had the privilege of presenting at FikaWorks Day 2025 in Amsterdam—a free, community-driven event bringing together freelancers, consultants, entrepreneurs, and tech enthusiasts in the AI & Cloud Native space.

Held at Startup Village (Science Park 608, Amsterdam), the event featured expert talks, hands-on workshops, unconference sessions, and real conversations about the future of independent consulting and technology collaboration.

📸 Event Photos

🎯 My Talk: From Engineer to Published Author

In my session “How to Write a Technical Book and Sell Worldwide”, I shared my journey from platform engineer to six-time published author with leading publishers including Apress (Springer Nature), BPB, and Packt Publishing.

What We Covered

Ever thought about writing a tech book but didn’t know where to start? Here’s what I walked the audience through:

1. Finding Your Topic

• How to identify compelling subjects that publishers want
• Validating market demand before investing time
• Leveraging your expertise and unique perspective

2. Pitching to Publishers

• Crafting proposals that get noticed
• Understanding publisher expectations and contracts
• Navigating advance payments and royalty structures

3. Structuring Your Manuscript

• Building a coherent narrative arc for technical content
• Balancing theory with practical examples
• Managing technical reviewers and editor feedback

4. Global Distribution

• How traditional publishers amplify your reach
• Tapping into international markets (US, Europe, Asia)
• E-book vs. print vs. audiobook considerations

5. Career Impact

• Writing as a tool for building authority and credibility
• Creating new income streams beyond consulting
• How books open doors to speaking, training, and consulting opportunities

💡 Key Takeaways

Attendees left with:

• Actionable frameworks for planning and executing a book project
• Real-world insights from my publishing successes (and mistakes)
• Clarity on the business side of technical authorship
• Motivation to start their own writing journey—whether it’s their first book or their fifth

🌟 Why This Matters for Freelancers & Consultants

For independent professionals, writing a technical book is more than just sharing knowledge—it’s a strategic career investment:

• Differentiation: Stand out in a crowded consulting market
• Passive Income: Books generate revenue long after publication
• Authority Building: Being a published author instantly elevates your credibility
• Network Growth: Books connect you with readers, clients, and collaborators worldwide

🤝 About FikaWorks Day

FikaWorks Day is an annual gathering where the community builds the agenda together. The 2025 edition featured:

• Expert keynotes on AI, Cloud Native, and business development
• Interactive workshops on facilitation, AI tools (MCP), and freelancing
• Open Space sessions where participants shaped discussions in real-time
• Networking over coffee, lunch, and evening drinks

The event exemplifies the FikaWorks cooperative model—independent consultants working collectively to shape the future of technology and consulting.

📖 My Published Books

Throughout my career, I’ve authored six technical books covering Ansible, Kubernetes, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and Platform Engineering. Here are my published works:

Practical RHEL AI

Designing, Deploying and Scaling AI Solutions with Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Author: Luca Berton
Publisher: Apress (Pre-order)
Amazon: Buy on Amazon

Kubernetes Recipes

Practical Guide for Container Orchestration and Deployment
Authors: Luca Berton & Grzegorz Stencel
Publisher: Apress
Amazon: Buy on Amazon
Apress: Direct Link
Website: kubernetes.recipes

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 for SysAdmins

A technical guide for building secure production systems using RHEL 9 administration
Author: Luca Berton
Publisher: BPB Publications
Amazon: Buy on Amazon
BPB: Direct Link
Blog: Read Blog Post

Mastering the Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) Exam

Your complete guide to Linux administration, automation, and certification
Author: Luca Berton
Publisher: BPB Publications
Amazon: Buy on Amazon
BPB: Direct Link
Blog: Read Blog Post

Red Hat Ansible Automation

Deep dive into advanced Ansible techniques, covering complex playbooks, modules, and custom integrations
Author: Luca Berton
Publisher: BPB Publications
Amazon: Buy on Amazon
BPB: Direct Link
Blog: Read Blog Post

Hands-on Ansible Automation

This book provides insights on managing hybrid cloud environments with Ansible, covering multi-cloud orchestration
Author: Luca Berton
Publisher: BPB Publications
Amazon: Buy on Amazon
BPB: Direct Link
Blog: Read Blog Post

Ansible for Kubernetes by Example

Learn how to automate Kubernetes clusters with Ansible. Streamline your container orchestration processes
Author: Luca Berton
Publisher: Apress
Amazon: Buy on Amazon
Apress: Direct Link
Blog: Read Blog Post

Ansible for VMware by Examples

Automate VMware environments with Ansible. This book covers all you need to manage your VMware infrastructure with Ansible
Author: Luca Berton
Publisher: Apress
Amazon: Buy on Amazon
Apress: Direct Link
Blog: Read Blog Post

Learn Ansible 2nd edition (Technical Review)

Automate your cloud infrastructure, security configuration, and application deployment with Ansible
Author: Russ McKendrick
Technical Reviewer: Luca Berton
Publisher: Packt Publishing
Amazon: Buy on Amazon

Each book reached thousands of readers globally and opened doors to consulting engagements, training opportunities, and speaking invitations at major conferences.

🚀 Ready to Write Your Book?

Whether you’re eyeing your first technical book or looking to expand your publishing portfolio, the path is more accessible than you think. Key advice:

1. Start small: Begin with blog posts or white papers to build your writing habit
2. Be specific: Narrow topics often sell better than broad overviews
3. Know your audience: Write for the reader you once were
4. Don’t wait for perfection: Publishers value practical, timely content
5. Build in public: Share your writing journey to build an audience before launch

🔗 Connect & Learn More

Interested in learning more about technical writing, publishing, or my consulting work?

• FikaWorks: https://fika.works
• My Books: Available on Amazon, Apress, Packt, and BPB
• Speaking & Training: Open for engagements on Platform Engineering, Ansible, Kubernetes, and Career Development

FikaWorks Day 2025 was a testament to the power of community-driven learning and collaboration. Thank you to the organizers, speakers, and all attendees who made it an unforgettable experience!

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