I coach coaches and consultants to write books that amplify their voice, that get them speaking gigs and corporate consulting. Of course, they want to add Best Selling Author to their signature. Who wouldn't want to write a best seller?? Honestly, most people don't want to write, but they understand the importance a book can have on their career.
That's why I am giving you strategies and book writing tips - so you can succeed.
No matter who you're writing for or what you're writing (novel or non-fiction) you have 30 seconds or less to hook your reader. Here's why.
Success for a writer comes from a connection to the reader. This holds true for both fiction and non-fiction. In the book-store or online you have less than 30 seconds (about 3 seconds) to make that impression.
Out of the millions of books out there, why would a reader want to read what you have to say? They typically pick up a book because of the cover, great marketing, or a friend telling them about it. I often choose books at a bookstore on the Staff Recommendation shelves. But I am a writer, and I don’t need the big marketing machine to tell me what I should read.
A reader picks up the book and reads the book blurb on the back. But this is after they’ve looked at the title and the cover. If the blurb is intriguing, they will open and read the first few sentences. If there is a connection, some feeling of wanting to know more, then the book is sold. When your books sell you are on the road to becoming a best-selling author.
I encourage you to visit a bookstore, and people watch. Watch how readers choose their books. Go to different sections. Some people go in knowing exactly what they are looking for. They go right to that section and hunt the shelves until they find the title. Others browse.
You have a second or two to capture the reader’s eye. You have another five seconds with the book blurb and then another 5 seconds with the first few sentences. Readers make a decision on your book in less than 30 seconds. Now you know why there is so much marketing on some books (books that aren’t very good).
Here’s the deal, though. The secret to all of this is CONNECTION to your reader. It doesn’t matter if it’s fiction or non-fiction. A reader wants to be taken on a journey, to be healed, to feel something when they read. They want you to answer a question.
It starts with your character. How well do you know your character? Non-fiction writers, how well do you know your reader. Because in non-fiction, your reader is your character. When I speak of character moving forward, I am talking about both fiction and non-fiction.
Your character is what the story is all about. Once you know your character and what they want, you can answer their question. You can solve their problem.
You can never know enough about your characters. ― W. Somerset Maugham
Discovering your character takes effort on your part. Putting them in a situation that they have to fix also takes effort. You can’t do the latter without knowing your character. How will you solve the problem with your words if you don’t know ANYTHING about your character?
Your fictional character — that’s easy. You can understand your character by creating a character sheet. This is where you gather all the data about your character, from their favorite color to what their biggest fear is. When you understand your character you can begin to offer solutions.
For NON-Fiction, you need to narrow down the person you’re writing for to be VERY specific. You’re not solving everyone’s problem. Just like in fiction, you’re solving your character’s problem. You can use the character guide sheets for this exercise, too.
What’s important is that you develop the person in your head and that you really understand them before you start writing. We tend to want to write for EVERYONE, but our books are not for everyone. They are for a particular person. That person is the one who will go through all the steps mentioned above and make a decision in thirty seconds or less to buy or read your book.
A best seller novel or non-fiction book don't just happen. There is a reason why reader pick up these books read them, and share them. Even if you're a public speaker the reader has a connection to what your wrote. They can see themselves, the can apply what they've learned. It's all about them.
Want the character sheets I was talking about? You can get your free downloadable PDF here. NO strings attached. Nothing to sign up for. No email collection. You won’t get anything from me — except the downloadable Character Guide sheets.
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