Don't Write That Book
by Patricia Fry
Yes, you read me right, don't write that book—at least, until you have done some preliminary research. Of course, if you are writing it just to please and appease yourself, go ahead. But if you have any intentions of marketing the book—making a name for yourself in your industry, making a difference for a segment of people or retiring on the royalties—STOP writing and start studying.
The first step in writing a nonfiction book is not to put pen to paper, but to study the market. Find out:
- Is there anything else out there like this book? Don't even think about recycling material that's currently readily available to the public unless you have a truly unique slant or can offer a new twist.
- Is there a need for a book of this type? Honestly determine what segment of the population craves a book like yours.
- Is it a timely topic? Take a realistic view of the world or an aspect of life and living to determine what's hot and what's not.
- Who is your audience? Come on now, how many people are likely to read a book on collecting buttons, how to repair an ingrown toenail or tips for making little balls from your pet's fur.
- Can you offer readers something of value? Will your book inform, teach or entertain a wide range of readers?
- Are you willing to aggressively promote this book? Selling books is no longer as easy as sitting back and collecting royalty checks. Mega-bookstores are not your friend. Authors (whether self-published or working with a royalty publisher) must find their readership and make the sale. Promoting books today takes know-how, planning, energy, creativity and tenacity.
Honest answers to these questions can save you a lot of money and heartache, but only if you are willing to act on your findings. One way to clarify each of these questions is to write a formal book proposal.
I recommend writing a book proposal as a first step in writing a book. A publisher will request one sooner or later, anyway. And a well-researched and written book proposal will actually help you to write the book.
Your preliminary research might indicate that there are scads of books on your topic—dog grooming, for example. But you might notice that there are very few books on grooming specific breeds of dog. Based on the information you glean while writing your book proposal, you may decide to scrap your original idea and write a series of booklets featuring grooming techniques and styles for specific dog breeds, instead.
Before writing a book, you should have a clear idea about who your audience is and how the book can be promoted. These are just some of the questions that you are required to answer in a book proposal. Before you write the book, know who your audience is, how the book can be marketed and what part you will play in the promotional phase of the project.
While most of us write from the heart, we must also engage the head. A book is more than something we birthed from a passionate place. If we want to share our message—if we want to inspire, inform, educate and/or entertain others through our writing—our book then becomes a product. You wouldn't spend months and months developing a calendar with the dates printed out of sequence. There's no way anyone could use it. What would be the point? Nor would you invent a film developing process where each photograph comes out black. The answer to the question, "Who would buy these items?" is pretty clear. No one.
And who would buy your book on how to maintain a cement patio? Maybe your parents. However, if you expanded your book idea to include designing, building, maintaining and planting for patios and decks—you might have something that will sell.
I know you are passionate about your writing. But, when you get a book idea—step out of passion mode at least long enough to evaluate your project from an intellectual perspective. And then move forward with your heart and your head in perfect harmony.
Find out more about writing a book proposal in Patricia Fry's new e-booklet, How to Write a Successful Book Proposal in 8 Days or Less, available at the SPAWN Web site, http://www.spawn.org/ebooks/pfry2/index.html. (As a bonus, this booklet includes samples of book proposals that sold!!)
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