The truth is lots of successful authors have felt their idea for a book too small in the LARGE scheme of things. Even so, at some point they had to realize what I’m about to share with you, “With all the wonderful and not so a course in miracles bookstore in the marketplace, there’s only one voice that’s uniquely yours. I am convinced there are people waiting for your perspective, your solution, and even your book. They’re waiting to be inspired, entertained or helped by YOUR book. They may even be looking for you and your ideas.”
Well, this is what my tips are all about today, how to know if the book idea you are planning to write has a chance to stand-out and sell. After all, even if it’s the tiniest of markets it will have to compete for proper attention in this hi-tech world? For your book to be able to compete in a world like ours today, you must target a niche market (people to sell your book to) interested in your book.
After pinpointing a market, develop a way of making your book different. You need a different viewpoint, a niche, or a different spin on perhaps the same information. Examine the problem again. Look at the solution your book idea solves with the goal of coming up with a way to present your knowledge differently than existing books.
Here are ten ideas for a book that stands out in a crowd and sells:
1. Business/Job Experience: If you have ten years or more of job experience, you could consider writing a book centered around your job. Even a previous job or business would fit the bill. For example, a couple of aspiring book writers sold their successful retail business to retire. They had tons of retail ownership tips to share and experience from mistakes they made along the way to success. New franchise owners and general retail owners would love to read their inspiring stories and tips to gain the same success. My advice was, “Go for it! Start writing now.”
2. Your Course: Compile your new book around a course you have taught for years. You already love the subject matter. Take your existing lessons and even lesson plans and form them into a book. If you are a stronger speaker than writer, consider taping your lesson presentations and getting them transcribed. Then hire a ghostwriter to take the transcriptions and develop into a book. I encourage you to not just take the transcript and copy into book form. But charge the writer or yourself to write it into a book using conversational language.
3. Life experiences: Use a life experience and form a book around it. Memoirs are good books to form out of life experiences. But they are not the only ones; you can use an experience of overcoming an insurmountable problem to inspire others. For example, if you got well from a major disease or any trauma like a car wreck. You may have worked through injuries and disabilities that would inspire others to do the same.
4. Task or Process: Write a book with the steps it takes to accomplish a complex task in your field. Put all the little known secrets you have learned over the years. You know, the little secret shortcuts and techniques you see others struggle with in your field. You have the solution; put it into your book. Your readers will love you for it and tell all their colleagues about your book.
5. Hobby: I love this one; because people often stumble upon their life’s mission this way. If you have a hobby that you are passionate about (most people are) and you have tons of information, you are a prime candidate to write a book about your hobby. Now, you simply put all your information in book form. For example, an author friend of mine who’s hobby was Investments. She loved to invest. She read everything in sight about it; she clipped every article and more. She formed an investment club to teach like minded members what she learned over the years. They are all on their way to the kind of wealth she has gained. It was simple for her to gather all her existing information, success stories and a small amount of researched information to write her popular book.
6. Information Packaging. Perhaps you dream of creating your own information product line. You can do it you know. Take your existing body of knowledge on your chosen topic and write a short book as the initial product in your signature line. Then take the original body of information and form it into several audio products, create a companion workbook or study guide. Voila! You have the bare bones to form a Home Study Program.
7. Need or Void In Your Field. Look for a pressing need in your field that no one has come up with the solution. If you have the solution, your book is sure to sell well to your audience. Remember, even if you find someone with the solution on the market there’s still room for your unique perspective, tips and stories. Look for a different way to present it. Or find the gaps of information in your competitor’s book and make it your USP. Perhaps, they don’t make it simple enough or offer good examples and case studies.
