“Do or do not. There is no try.” – Yoda, Jedi Master in The Empire Strikes Back.

If you’re going to do, in this case, write your first nonfiction book, you probably have lots of questions. Which idea should you write about? Who is your ideal reader? How do you structure your book so that it makes sense (and is easier to write)? What content should you include? How do you write with authority? Knowing the answers can make writing your book a lot easier.

These strategies can help: 

1.     Don’t try to write about a book about every idea you have. This is a recipe for disaster. Instead focus on one idea. 

If you’re a doctor, herbalist, therapist or another type of health and wellness expert think about the patients/clients you see and what problems they have.

The problem is your idea. How you solve a particular problem is your point.

Writing a book means choosing. If you write about this, you can’t write about that. Get laser focused.

2.     Don’t forget who your ideal reader is. If what you do works for your clients and patients what do they have in common?

Have they just been diagnosed? Living with a chronic problem? Fed up and looking for something new? Is it a man or a woman? Young, middle aged or an elder?

Now, create a profile of your ideal reader.

Where does your ideal reader want? Need? What’s their pain point? This is who you’re writing your book for. Don’t forget it.

3.     Don’t start writing without a structure of Table of Contents (TOC). If you do, you won’t have a roadmap to follow. You’ll get lost.

Start by thinking about what method or plan or approach you use with clients and patients.

Can you drill this down into steps? These can be the individual chapters in your book.

To start, brainstorm these steps and put them in order. Ask yourself, if a reader followed these steps would they get results?

If the answer is yes, keep refining your TOC until you have a clear structure to work with.

4.     Don’t try to cover everything. This goes back to your idea, your point and your TOC. You need to choose.

Now that you have your structure, think about what you want to cover in each chapter.

Anything you include (besides the introduction which tells readers who you are and why you’re the best person to write this book) should relate to your idea, the problem or the point, the way you’re solving the problem for the reader.

Ask yourself what content you can include that will keep readers actively engaged, make them reading and help them to solve their problem step by step?

Strip away everything else. Revise your TOC so that it more accurately reflects the book you want to write. 

5.     Don’t write without authority. Readers need to feel like they are in good hands when they read your book. If you’re Yoda, think of them as someone like Luke Skywalker, an apprentice who wants to learn. 

What is it that you are eager to teach? What do you know that readers don’t know or understand?

Write what you know from conviction and experience but always keep the reader first. Don’t bombard them with scientific jargon.

This doesn’t mean that you need to dumb it down, instead write reader-friendly content that informs, engages and transforms. 

Avoid these pitfalls and you’ll be on your way to writing a book that you feel good about, and your reader will too.

Until Next Time!

Contact me when you’re ready if you need:

1. A book and writing coach to be your editorial guide, support and project manager as you write or re-write your book and/or book proposal.

2. A manuscript evaluation for a big picture, smallest detail overview.

3. A developmental editor to structure your book, and make the text clear, concise, and reader friendly.