Have a lasting impact on your readers
For many of us, there’s nothing as exciting as the prospect of claiming the title of “author.”
Maybe you’ve been considering writing a book for a while, or you recently realized it might be a great opportunity. Either way, you’re probably stuck in a cycle of overthinking and self-doubt.
Fair enough.
Writing a book, especially one that will involve a lot of personal stories and experiences, is no easy feat. It’s a big deal putting yourself out there.
Where do you even start?
Fear not. I’ll walk you through some of the details I share with my clients and connections when they want to write a memoir or personal development book to share their story and/or grow their brand and business.
Pick your book format
Some people already know which type of book they want to write by the time they meet with me.
However, I’ve talked to plenty of people who aren’t sure what they want their book to do for them, so they also aren’t sure which format is the best choice.
If you’re writing a nonfiction book about your experiences to inspire others, it’ll usually fall into one of two categories:
Memoir
Personal development how-to
The next steps depend on which type of book you choose to write.
Start with the “who”
It’s tempting to take your ideas and run with them. You probably already have some teachable moments and entertaining anecdotes in mind.
I’m here to slow your roll (not in a buzzkill type of way, I promise).
One of the first details you need to nail down before you start writing is your ideal reader. Think of one person you want to write this book for.
Here are some questions to help you narrow it down:
Who was your best client?
Which qualities and characteristics made them the best?
Which experiences do you want to share?
Who would benefit the most from hearing about them?
Once you know exactly who you’re writing for, you can start thinking about what you want to say to them.
What’s the purpose of your book?
You’re in great shape when you can summarize the main lesson you want your reader to take away from your book in just one to two sentences.
Here are some examples:
“My readers will know there’s a healthy way to address setbacks.”
“They’ll know how to process their emotions in a way that sets them up for lasting success in business and life.”
“I want them to understand the importance of prioritizing family above all else.”
If you need to use several paragraphs to describe what your reader will get out of your book, you still have work to do. You also need to determine what you want your book to do for you.
Do you want it to:
Land you paid speaking engagements?
Add to your brand credibility and get you more inbound clients?
Just be a way for you to leave your legacy?
Get clear on what your book should do for you and your readers before you start writing.
Planning your book content
Once you’ve identified your ideal client and solidified your book’s main message, you can start to plan the content for its sections and chapters.
A standard business-building book will have around 8-15 chapters, while a memoir is usually 10-20. However, these numbers are just a guide. Your book might be shorter or longer, and that’s okay.
Each chapter should have one main point or lesson. You’ll have 3-7 subpoints to support this lesson.
Let’s use an example. If you’re writing a book on how to better communicate with your teenage children as a parent, one of your main chapters might be about listening.
Then, your subpoints could be as follows:
Active vs. passive listening
Respecting their boundaries
How to know when to offer help vs. when to simply be there for them
Make sure that your subpoints support the main point of the chapter, and that the chapter supports your book’s theme.
Choose relevant stories and experiences
Having too much to share is a great problem to have, but it’s still a problem.
When it comes to sharing your challenges and lessons learned, you want to choose those that are most relevant to your ideal client and best support the purpose of your book.
Every story should tie back to your main theme and the specific point of that chapter.
Here are some general ideas for the types of stories you’ll want to include in your personal development how-to or memoir:
Internal or external challenges that resonate with your ideal client, and how you overcame those/what you learned from them
Challenges that you haven’t overcome yet (we’re all human, and your readers want to know it’s okay that they are where they are)
Client case studies where you show the transformation you helped them achieve with your specific process
Pivotal moments that aided in your growth and transformation
Sometimes you have to leave out stories you love if they’re not integral to your book’s theme. I know, it’s hard to do, but your book will be better for it.
Back it up
No, I’m not talking about the dance floor.
It doesn’t matter which type of book you choose to write; there will be some level of research required.
Prepare to back up your lessons with anecdotal evidence, as well as actual data if the topic requires it. I’m also a copywriter for health and wellness businesses, and that’s an industry that demands evidence.
Make sure you’re not leaving your readers with doubt about your knowledge of the subject, or the validity of the subject itself.
Another crucial part of the research process is analyzing books that may be similar to yours. What gaps can you fill in that would make your book even better and more helpful? You don’t want it to be a watered-down version of anyone else’s book.
Fight back against your limiting beliefs and write the damn thing
By now, you’ve probably thought of a million reasons you aren’t ready to write your book at the moment (or ever).
Allow me to give you an encouraging reality check.
Objection #1: “I want to do more or be more interesting before I write my book.”
If you wait until you accomplish all of your goals, you’ll never write a book. You can always write another book.
But if you keep moving the goalpost, you’ll always be chasing it.
Think about the people who inspire you the most, including those you’re close to and those you don’t personally know.
You probably don’t admire them because they’re perfect. You look up to them because they share their failures and successes.
They’ve given you a sneak peek into their highs and lows.
This makes them more relatable, and you appreciate them more for it.
Objection #2: “My story isn’t unique/exciting/interesting enough. Who’s going to want to read my book?”
Answer: the right people. Those who understand what you’ve gone through because they’re experiencing something similar and want to find a way forward as you have.
Also, those who simply appreciate a great story (like me!). Next!
Objection #3: “I don’t know anything valuable enough to share with others.”
If you’ve:
Found success and happiness
Fought your way through some tough battles
Learned something from your time on this Earth (yes, it’s that simple)
Then you have valuable insights to share.
The difficult part is figuring out how to frame and deliver that information in an interesting and inspiring way.
You got this, as long as you take it one step at a time.
So, are you ready to get to work?
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