Writing a business book is a great way to share your knowledge and expertise with the world. Not only will writing it help establish you as an authority in your field, but it can also be a powerful marketing tool that can attract new clients and customers. However, writing any book, especially ones related to your profession, can be a daunting task. If you want to write a great business book that will impress your readers, there are some simple steps you can follow.
1. Know The Market
Of course, as an expert in your field, you already know the market from the business side of things. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean you know what people want to read about. Talking to literary agents could give you a good idea of which specific segment of your profession could gain the most interest from readers. That way, you’ll know where to put the main focus of your book. These professionals spend their time reading manuscripts, so they probably have a good idea of what’s selling and what isn’t. On the other hand, if you haven’t seen a book on a certain topic you’re an expert on published, but really believe in the idea, talking to a professional publisher about it might be a way to get your thoughts out there in a completely unsaturated field, but in a more marketable way than you might have previously thought of on your own.
2. Include A Hot Topic
It’s always best to stick with what you know when it comes to writing a business book. That said, including a popular topic such as the need for brand development or social media marketing, even though you might not consider it the main focus of your book, will help increase its marketability. Since those are things you must have at least encountered in your line of work, giving your own take on the subject could give the book that extra oomph it needs to make it more interesting to readers. While a business book will mostly be targeted towards other professionals in your field, incorporating topics of wider interest can make more people open to picking it up and spending their free time seeing what you have to say. Who knows, maybe you can even inspire someone to get into your line of work after having read the book!
3. General Outline And Research
Once you have an idea of the marketability of your book, it’s time to start writing the outline. This document doesn’t have to be anything formal or extensive. In fact, a simple outline of the main points you want to make can keep you on track while you write. This way, you won’t have to worry about forgetting the main point or discussing something that doesn’t fit into the overall story. Think of it as a guideline you can use so that you don’t get overly caught up in one detail or another. Once you have that down, it’s time to do some research. While personal experience is what’s going to give flavor to the story, it’s important to be able to rely on proven facts when writing a business book. Finding reputable sources relevant to the subject matter of your book, whether it be through academic journals or even via social media, can give you the chance to inject more credibility into your work. Readers always prefer books where they can check facts and figures in a heartbeat, so providing them with these sources will make you seem that much more professional and enrich the air of authority.
4. Decide On The Narrative Style
The age-old question. Should you write a book in the first person or the third person? While this is a matter of personal preference, it’s important to consider the marketability and the approach your book will have. A first-person narrative style can allow you to connect more with readers by revealing a bit more about yourself as a writer. However, at times you might feel that for certain facts or details it would be better to include another source instead of yourself. The third-person narrative style allows you to explain things in a more factual, detailed manner without having to rely on your own personal anecdotes. You can even mix the two but in a very structured way. For example, after each chapter you write in the third person, you can add a short first-person perspective to introduce the next chapter, or validate the strict facts with a personal anecdote. This will make it easier for readers to follow what you’re trying to convey and understand your point of view as an author. It’s important to note, though, that if you decide to mix narrative styles, you should always do it in a set rhythm, so that the readers know what to expect. Otherwise, you might throw them off and make it harder for them to focus on the point you’re trying to make.
5. Establish An Outline For Each Chapter
The next step would be making your idea more concrete. Deciding on the headlines for each chapter and filling in some of the details will help you move on to the writing process with more confidence. This way, you’ll also have a better idea of what to research for each chapter. It’s best to start with the broad topics and then move on to the more specific ones so that you don’t get overwhelmed. Headlines are a great way to keep track of your thoughts and ideas, so you can always come back to them later on if you find yourself stuck in the writing process. A good idea is to always have something that ties it all together. Whether it’s the general tone, a sprinkling of anecdotes throughout the book that climaxes into a big ending and creates a story on their own, or something else that helps you bring out the main message of your book, having a general idea of how it will be read is essential. It’s always better to end a book on a high note rather than just let it simply end once you’ve laid your arguments out.
6. Set An Hour A Day For Writing
This is where the real work begins. It’s always advisable to set a specific amount of time for writing and then stick to it religiously. This way, you’ll be able to keep your momentum going and avoid procrastination. An hour a day should be enough, especially if you’ve already done the preliminary work such as coming up with an outline and doing your research. If you find that you’re struggling to meet this quota, then try to break it down even further into smaller increments of time so that it’s easier for you to achieve. The most important thing is to be consistent with it.
The bottom line is that writing a business book can be a daunting task, but if you take it step by step and allow yourself enough time to complete each stage, you’ll be well on your way to having a finished product. Just make sure that you’re always willing to revise and edit your work until it’s perfect.
