When writing a book, the questions to ask yourself

By: Commentary September 18, 2018 0

Whether you’re already a recognized leader in your field or you’re just starting out, a published book is the cornerstone of establishing yourself as an expert, whether it be a work of fiction or non-fiction in the fields of business, history, archeology or any subject.

Writing a book requires a significant investment of time, energy and, in most cases, money – so before you take the plunge, here are the basic questions you need to ask yourself.

Who is your audience – and are you already talking to them?
Describe your target reader. Who are they? What are their knowledge gaps? What are they hoping to learn? Are you currently engaging with them through social media or shorter-form works such as blog posts? The key is to understand the person you are writing for – and it will help ensure there is, in fact, an audience or base of demand for your book.

What do you want to write about?
Most authors have a vague idea such as “Marketing Your Business,” but the key is to focus on your experience and your successes as the starting point. Make a list or a rough outline to show specific topics that you feel comfortable – and confident – talking about. And remember to include any topics that others may have already asked you about.

What do you want your book to accomplish?
It is important to think through your goals for writing a book before you go too far down the road. Is it mainly to drum up new business, or perhaps to bolster your reputation as a speaker or thought-leader? Publishing a book is a big investment in time and money – and clarifying your goals will help ensure that you don’t waste either one.

Why you?
If you have honestly addressed the questions above, you now know what you want to say and to whom you want to say it – so ask yourself if you are the best person to deliver the message. What qualifies you to write a book on the topic you have chosen? Have you discovered something new, or developed a new methodology? The key word here is “differentiation” – meaning what can you bring to the table that is of value and is different from the content that already exists in articles, books, podcasts, white papers, etc.?

And finally, ask yourself if publishing a full-length book is the best medium through which to convey your message and the best way to reach your target audience. Could you sum up everything you want to say in a series of blog posts or tweets – or magazine or newspaper articles? Repurposing existing content is also a helpful way to compile your book, but if you don’t have enough worthwhile material to fill a book and hold your audience’s attention, you might be better off sticking with other media.

Ken Collins is an experienced publishing executive and is Managing Partner of KBC & Associates, an M&A Advisory firm based in Huntington, New York.

https://libn.com/2018/09/18/collins-when-writing-a-book-the-questions-to-ask-yourself/