You already know the tremendous benefits of writing, publishing, and selling a non-fiction book. It’s a fantastic way to boost your business, grow your income, and get booked on media and stages. But, you’re probably thinking, how do I start writing a non-fiction book? What is the first step?
If that’s you, this is for you.
Before you start writing a non-fiction book consider what your goal is.
If you’re thinking, I want to be a bestseller, then you have to dig deeper and figure out why?
This article on why you are probably wasting time chasing Amazon bestseller status is worth a read too.
Most importantly, figure out what you want your book to do for you. Do you want:
- To find more clients?
- Paid speaking gigs?
- To solidify your position as the authority in the industry and get more media attention?
- A way to connect with specific influencers and people in your community?
Once you figure that out, you can dive into what angle you need to take with the book to achieve that goal.
Next, you need to figure out who you are writing the book for.
Who is your ideal reader? What problem do they have that you can solve with your book. Bonus points if you know who your reader is so well that you can identify the books they are already reading, the conferences they attend, the podcasts they listen to and who they are influenced by right now.
Finally, what is the hook of your book?
The hook is the single thread of an idea that ties your entire book together. It’s what makes your book different and ‘hooks’ your reader in so they feel like they have to read your book right now.
When you talk about your book, the hook is what you’ll say to get someone excited about reading it. It’s kind of like an elevator pitch for your book.
Let’s look at some examples of great hooks for books.
T. Harv Eker’s, The Millionaire Mind showed how some folks seem to get rich easily while others are destined for a life of financial struggle.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*CK shows us how to stop trying to be positive all the time, so that we can truly become better, happier people.
So think about a sentence or two that people will use to tell their friends about your book. You can even test it out with your clients and colleagues. If you have something that has your ideal reader going, ooh, I have to read that book, then you’ve probably found your hook.
For help figuring it out and getting started writing a non-fiction book – contact us today! We’d love to help you. Grab our 7 Steps to Start Writing a Non-Fiction book or set up a call to speak with us.