Remember This When You Write Your Non-Fiction Book

Non-fiction books enable us as readers to expand our minds and enrich our lives.

There’s a book on every topic imaginable, and we have an insatiable appetite for it all. 

This is great news for you as a non-fiction writer because it means you have a unique opportunity to make a positive and meaningful contribution to someone’s life with YOUR words. That’s a thought-provoking opportunity, isn’t it?

But as you know, writing a book isn’t easy.  Unless you have the luxury of being able to research and write it without interruption, my guess is you’ll need to fit it in around life, work and other commitments. There is also the challenge of writer’s block, perfection syndrome, and staying motivated through to the end.

So, where do you start?

You’ll start with a great idea, of course, but that’s only half the story (excuse the pun). One thing new authors pay little attention to when they begin writing, is to factor in their WHY.

When life throws you curve balls, or you have one of those days when you feel as though everything and everyone is out to stop you from finishing the darn thing, your why will keep you going, through thick and thin.

So, have a think. Why do you want to write your book? Here are ten common reasons. Can you relate to any of them?

1. 1. to educate, entertain, inspire, motivate or solve a problem
   2. to launch/raise awareness of a new business
   3. to raise awareness of a cause
   4. to create a lead generator for other revenue streams
   5. to create a lead generator to attract clients/partners
   6. to be recognised as an influencer or thought leader
   7. to document history/an important event
   8. to earn a full-time living
   9. to pursue a passion/hobby/niche interest
   10. to leave a legacy

You can see from the above reasons that it isn’t sufficient to simply state you want to share your knowledge with the world. Your why is an important question to ask because it will help you determine:

1. • your objective (what you want to achieve with your book)
   • how to structure it (how to present your topic)
   • who to write it for (your target readers)
     and ultimately
   • how to market it

Without these four essential components, your writing and publishing journey will be a hit-and-miss affair.

Jot down some ideas and let me know if I can help.