Deciding What to Write About

Scanning bookstore shelves provides only a hint of the virtually endless nonfiction topics of books available - from Mayan calendars to missile defense, camping to cantatas, wrestling to Richard Rogers. That fact can muddle the mind of an author who's trying to decide on the topic of his or her next book.

Key ~ be sure you have the credentials and feel a genuine passion for your chosen topic. Without the first, book promotion will be tough. Absent the passion, and the writing will be boring and flat.

However, even if you've decided on the subject for your book, you'll need to decide what you want to tell your readers about your topic. (If you have the passion and depth of knowledge, you may cover different aspects in separate books!) Does one of these approaches resonate with you?

* How-To
How-To Build a Sand Castle;
How-To Create Edible Decorations;
How-To Please Anyone, Anywhere, Any Time.

* Learn from my Experiences
Setting Up a Referral Business;
Making Peace with Diabetes;
Legal Indoor Gardening.

* Learn from my Mistakes
How Not to Raise Creative Children;
Job Interview Comments to Avoid;
Don't Tie-Dye the Dog!

* Informational
Practical Divorce Guidelines;
Locating In-Home Help for Seniors;
The Nature Festivals of the Tropics.

Self Help ~ Cooking ~ Business ~ Relationships ~ Sports ~ Ecology ~ Chemistry ~ Humor ~ Entertainment ... the list goes on and on.

So before you start jotting down the points you want to cover in the book, write "Topic ... Approach ... Credentials" in bold across the top of the first notebook page. Then pause and visualize your reader. From those, the passion and words will flow!

Linda
nonfiction book coach ~ author

Do you want to write a book?

Lots of people have ideas, notes, or rough drafts for a nonfiction book. Some have participated in workshops or classes; others have studied one or more books on the subject. But these seldom include the practical Keyes to the Kingdom to becoming a published author.

I've been writing nonfiction books for over 25 years and each and every one has reinforced my appreciation of this approach to book writing. There's no magic, no mystique - it's all about establishing a plan.

Writing a book without a plan paves the way to rambling, digressing, and including useless, often boring paragraphs and pages. That frustrates the writer and results in a mediocre book (at best).

In writing each of my ten-plus books, teaching guides, student manuals, and workbooks, I've come to value the organized approach more and more. Through the posts in this blog, I will help you establish and maintain focus, identify your audience, present the material in a logical arrangement of chapters, and introduce other rules of the writing road.

Each month, I'll explain one of the Keys to effective writing either for commercial sales or family enjoyment. Here are a few of the upcoming topics:

• So Many Nonfiction Categories!
• Developing Your Book's Theme
• Identifying Your Target Book Read & Buyer
• Building the Framework for Your Nonfiction Book
• Why Add "Author of..." to Your Business Credentials?
• Dealing with Writer's Blocks

From time to time, I'll also share book and publishing facts, author trivia, translations from book talk to English, and other juicy tidbits for your pleasure.

So get ready to build your book!

Linda
nonfiction book coach ~ author