How to write a book that captivates your readers
The scene: you, at your keyboard, asking yourself the Big Question. ‘How to write a book?’
The answer: put one word after another. After around 50,000 of them, it’s done.
But what if you want to write a great book – one that pulls readers towards you and your expertise, and keeps them turning the pages until the end? That’s a different matter.
As a ghostwriter of over 25 business books and memoirs, a book coach, and an author of two of my own books, I’ve spent years working out the best ways to do this. The trick is to break writing a book down into four main areas, each with their own purpose and priorities.
Have a single, clear promise
Readers are drawn to books that answer the question that’s uppermost on their mind.
Let’s look at some examples of what that could be:
- How can I get my kids to sleep at night?
- Why do politicians never listen to us?
- What’s the best way of attracting new customers to my business?
- How do I sell my company?
- Why are me and my husband always arguing?
- How do I get promoted?
If your book clearly and unambigiously answers that question, I guaranteed there will be readers who want to buy it.
However, it’s not enough to provide any old answer – yours must be fresh, distinctive, and original. Part of the distinctiveness can come from the fact that it’s yours – you have your own experience and your own take on your subject. But it must also be different enough to what else is out there to contribute something of value to the conversation.
You can learn more about generating the one big idea for your book, together with examples, in my post here.
Create a reader-first structure
Having a single-minded promise will attract readers to your book, but what will encourage them to read it? The answer is a structure that follows the way they think about their question rather than how you deliver your service.
I describe this as joining your reader in the conversation they’re already having with themselves.
To help you start at the right point, imagine your reader walking along a country path. The beginning of the path is where they started the journey of answering the big question on their mind, and the end is the place you aim to take them. Where are you ‘meeting’ them on their journey? Are you way ahead of them, far behind, or at just the right spot?
When you know a lot about a subject, it’s easy to assume that your readers are further ahead than they really are. Use their needs as your guide.
This goes for the rest of your book, too. As you map your readers’ journey from problem to solution, construct your outline and the interior of your chapters to reflect the questions they’re asking at each stage.
Captivate your readers with your style
When readers enjoy a book they keep reading it. When it stops being a pleasure, they put it down and move onto something else.
Sounds obvious, doesn’t it? But in the process of writing everything you know about a topic, it’s easy to forget. So how can you make your book a keeper?
The solution is threefold:
- Be clear
- Be persuasive
- Be you
Clarity is key because if your readers don’t understand you, nothing you say will stick. This necessitates a different approach to when you’re speaking in person.
So, have a consistent structure. Make use of sub sections that follow on logically from the content before. Create a clear point of view for each topic that gives readers something to hang onto. And use straightforward language, even if you feel it’s too simple (it rarely is).
As for persuasiveness, this comes in many forms.
It starts with convincing your readers you’re a credible source of information. What gives you the ‘right’ to write this book? Make sure they know.
Then it involves the careful use of emotion. We humans are rarely persuaded by logic alone – we need to feel something if we’re to be won over to the other side of an argument. One of the best ways to do this as an author is to tell stories. These give you endless ways to engage with your readers’ feelings because we all consume stories for pleasure every day. Whether it be a trip to the movies, immersing ourselves in a novel, or chatting with a friend about their weekend, stories make up our lives.
You can use stories in your book to keep your readers entertained, give them examples you want them to follow (or avoid), showcase your expertise with people who have the same problem, and make your points memorable. Have a look at this post for how to approach writing a compelling story.
Create actionability
Readers are captivated by books that show them how to put what they’ve learned into practice.
Your book can do that by using real life examples of other people who’ve done just that, and by giving summaries and exercises for them to complete. A ‘Try this’ section at the end of each chapter can work wonders for embedding your messages, and just as importantly, give them reasons to recommend your book to others.
Because the measure of a book isn’t only in whether it’s enjoyed and read, but whether it makes a difference to people’s lives.
In summary, when you’re asking yourself how to write a book, do this: have a single, clear promise, create a reader-first structure, use your style to keep readers going, and make it action-focused.
You can also take a look at my books about the book-writing process: the award-winning Your Business Your Book and the award-shortlisted How to Write a Self-Help Book. They hold your hand throughout the entire planning, writing, and marketing process so you write a brilliant book that attracts and keeps its readers long-term.
