Who is the book for?
Being clear on your audience is an important first step. Who are you writing this for? If you are a practitioner or coach, think about the types of clients you work with. What is drawing readers to a book like this? What are they looking for? What is the problem they have that they seek answers for? Knowing your audience will help in making decisions about how you present your ideas. This means, of course, you need to clarify what your ideas are.
Your central idea
You are likely to have lots of ideas you want to impart, and years of accumulated insight and wisdom. That’s great, but your book needs to have a laser-sharp focus. You need one central, overarching idea. This is often the biggest challenge for first-time writers in this genre. Think about why you are writing this book. What is it you want readers to understand? How do you want them to be affected by the work? These ‘big picture’ questions need to be addressed in order to find the clarity that is needed to pull together a book-length work.
It can be helpful to try to encapsulate your central idea in one sentence. I call this an ‘essence sentence’ as it captures the essence of what you are wanting to say. It sometimes takes several drafts to nail this essence sentence, and the discipline of keeping it short will help hone your thinking. For example, ‘This book explores how to create true intimacy and romance in a passionate, lasting relationship.’ Or ‘This book guides you on a journey to unlocking the secrets of achieving a magnificent life.’ Your essence sentence will help to determine the best pathway to take the reader through the material of the book. It will help you create a focussed argument that introduces the central idea and then supports and develops it in a logical and easy-to-follow fashion.
Once you have an essence sentence, have a go at writing what you envisage the book will encompass, a bit like an early synopsis or blurb. It’s okay if it’s rambling and messy – the writing process itself may help you work it out – and it’s only an early draft.
In putting together a draft blurb, think about who the readers are and the position they may find themselves in. What sort of issues might they be facing? What do you understand to be the way forward, and how you will guide the reader through that process? You can use questions, as well as suggest answers.
Being able to articulate your vision for the book in a written blurb is particularly important for practitioners who have more experience in speaking their ideas than writing them. There is a concision required on the page that is more exacting than a spoken presentation – it takes practice.
Reading other books in the market
It is important you find your laneway. Many writers I work with are reticent about reading other books out there on a similar topic for fear of being influenced. However, it is crucial you know what is already on the bookshop shelves so that you can find your point of difference.
More importantly, reading other self-help books like a writer can help you determine the structure and mix of content and voice that will work for your project. Perhaps revisit some of your favourite self-help books and pay attention to how they present their central idea, how they draw you in. What do you not like in a self-help book, and why? What works well for you as a reader?
This type of critical reading can support your own writing. We learn by mimesis. It’s fine to model a chapter structure, or a way of presenting exercises, for example, on what someone else does. You will make it your own through the drafting and redrafting process. Adopt the mindset that reading the work of others is a learning opportunity.
Developing a self-help book for publication
Pulling a book together is a huge undertaking. There are no short cuts to success; it takes hard work, commitment and patience. You need to be willing to be challenged, and to understand that whatever level of expertise you have in a chosen field, that does not automatically make you an expert writer.
There is no one right way to go about writing a book; it depends on the project and the individual. Some writers work out their ideas as they write, others like to have a clear plan up front. In reality, there is usually a mix of both – some writing, some planning, more writing, more planning. Having worked with many writers in this space I have come to understand that finding clarity of purpose is key. From there you can plan the content chapter by chapter and then either write the first draft, or work with an existing draft to hone and focus the material to fit the plan. It may be that you only find clarity of purpose through the writing process itself.
Lean into the curiosity you have about the world, and about yourself, to find resilience for the journey of writing a book. It’s a journey of discovery, and you might be surprised what you learn along the way.
See also Writing Self-help Part 2: The Mix of Content and Writing Self-help Part 3: Finding Your Voice
