Writing A Self Help Book – Not everyone learns or reads in the same way. That’s why you need to consider your readers’ learning styles when writing a book—especially if it’s a self-help book. Today Jay Artale (@BirdsOAFpress) explains how to consider your readers’ learning preferences when writing or editing.
Self-help books are a powerful tool. According to the NPD Group, sales of self-help books in the United States grew 11% annually from 2013 to 2019, reaching 18.6 million copies. Self-help books are popular because readers learn useful things in a way that suits their most effective learning style. Instead of taking a timed course or participating in a coaching program, a book allows readers to navigate their own path of transformation at their own pace.
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Writing A Self Help Book
More than ever, people want to take control of their own happiness and personal growth, but every reader has their own personal learning style. Therefore, it is helpful to consider these learning styles when writing and planning your book. If you do this, your book will connect with more readers.
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Considering readers’ learning styles, the focus is on two areas to strengthen the connection between books and readers. Both are used when writing a self-help or transformational book.
In order for readers to take your book seriously, provide facts and figures to support your stories. The balance between these elements and the rest of the story depends on the type of self-help book you have.
Some of your readers will focus more on facts and figures, while others will be more interested in stories that humanize your shared concepts. By providing statistics and anecdotes, you allow readers to absorb the elements they find interesting and skip the elements they don’t.
How you present this information together in your book is up to you. The key is that you have a consistent approach throughout the book. For example, you can put key facts or figures in text boxes or use thumbnails to identify them. This strategy allows your readers to zero in on this information or skip it entirely.
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You can do the same with anecdotes. They can be placed at the beginning of the chapter or diagonally. Readers will easily recognize these stories if they enjoy reading them.
Transformation is not a fast pace. Instead, it’s a grueling hike that requires regular breaks to stay motivated. Some readers may be digesting and absorbing every word you write, but we all understand the changing generation to a shorter attention span.
Just because your book is divided into chapters doesn’t mean your readers will want to read the entire chapter before taking a break. This is especially true if you include multiple concepts and ideas in each chapter.
So when you’ve finished editing a chapter of your book, go through it to see where there is a natural stopping point for inserting a new title or subtitle. Make sure not to cram too many concepts or ideas into one chapter. If necessary, spread them over several chapters to avoid overwhelming the reader.
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One of the challenges of writing a book is paying attention to different ways of consuming content by readers. When blogging about your book, it’s important to consider their learning styles.
It may seem challenging to think about when you’re writing your first draft, but it’s something you should consider during the proofreading and editing stages—especially if you want to expand your audience.
What techniques do you use in your content creation to appeal to the learning styles of your readers? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Jay Artal quit his corporate job to become a digital nomad and full-time writer. She is an avid blogger and non-fiction writer who helps travel bloggers and travel bloggers achieve their publishing goals. Join her at Birds of a Feather Publishing where she shares tips, advice, and inspiration for indie writers.
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Want to learn more about becoming a nonfiction writer? If you’re not sure how to start or continue your nonfiction writing journey, check out the University’s Master of Nonfiction Writers program. Learn all the steps to becoming a successful and profitable writer. Discover how to (finally) write consistently, boldly, passionately, and productively. Develop the mindset, strategies and habits of the world’s most successful writers. Make your switch today Click here for more information. (If you’re not ready to enroll in Nonfiction Writers University’s master’s program, explore Nonfiction Writers University. Get a 30-day trial membership for just $1.) Here are three common scenarios when working with self-help writers. Frequently Asked Questions: Copyright, Assumed Knowledge, and Structure. As an editor, these are the things I focus on and can work with my author clients to determine before publishing. However, considering them from day one can save you time, stress, and in some cases, money.
As an editor, this is one of my biggest headaches and comes up often. I would go so far as to say that copyright issues come up in almost every self-development or business book I edit.
Quoting other people’s ideas is very common in the self-help genre, and the right quotes can really reinforce the message of your book and help give credibility to certain ideas. However, while starting a chapter with a Brene Brown quote is unlikely to cause too many problems, be sure that your use of other people’s words and ideas does not exceed fair use.
Which brings me to another question: there are no hard and fast rules about what “fair use” is. No, there is no maximum word count rule…that helps, doesn’t it? Furthermore, the definition of fair use varies from country to country. You can start to see where your headache is coming from!
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Ultimately, the only way you can be 100% sure is to either not use the quoted material at all (I know, sorry!) or get permission from the copyright holder, which can be a complicated and expensive process. Therefore, if in doubt, please consult a legal professional who specializes in copyright law.
When you live and breathe a certain subject, it’s easy to think that some things are common sense. I know I’ve done this when I’ve taken courses and gotten into the bubble, and it’s easy to do when writing a self-help book. While you don’t want to oversimplify your content, it should be easy for readers to understand. The last thing you want is for them to fall down the Google rabbit hole because they have to search for your terms or book names. Don’t give them a reason to quit. For example, if you’re quoting an expert in your industry, a) refer to tip 1, and b) don’t assume your readers know who they are. Add information about who they are and why they are relevant. This can be as simple as adding their job title in front of their name. The
Finally, when editing yourself, take a step back and read your book from the reader’s point of view. Imagine you know nothing about your subject. Does it still make perfect sense or does it need more context?
Nonfiction readers like to know what to expect from a book, especially self-help books, which provides a better reader experience when each chapter follows a standard format. There is no set system to follow, but be consistent. If you go out of your way with quotes, anecdotes, and action steps, you’ll create chaos! The
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This is a short introduction to some things to consider when writing a self-help book. If you’re just starting out on your journey as a writer, why not read guest blogger, editor, and ghostwriter Selina Mina’s What to Do Before Writing a Book.
Is there a non-fiction book being published? Our team is here to help you feel your best. Browse our services to find out how we can help you on your book adventure or arrange a chat. We will be happy to hear from you.
Previous Page Previous Page Author Featured: Lucy Wheeler Next Page Next Page How to Write a Great Introduction to Your Nonfiction Book Father’s Day is a joyous celebration for fathers, but for divorced dads, each holiday can be a turning point for conflict or frustration. However, for father Andy Heller,
(Dudley Court Press, 2022), thanks to her post-divorce experience creating a better path to a happier destination, the holidays went smoothly.
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Heller is a real estate investment expert and international logistics executive who co-authored two highly successful real estate books (including Buy Low, Rent Smart, Sell High) before writing this groundbreaking guide. authored The new book is written based on his own experience of going through the challenges of divorce. “Part of the motivation
“The goal is to find a way to help others not make the mistakes I made,” he said. “Walking the high road means learning to let go of things, cultivating forgiveness where possible, and incorporating empathy into the mix.
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