- Because our hashtag at Book Launchers
is #NoBoringBooks, I get asked the question all the time.
"How do you write a book about business that isn't boring?"
And if you've wondered that too, well then this video
is for you! (upbeat music)
Hey there, I'm Julie The Book Broad,
founder of Book Launchers.
A fabulous full-service self-publishing company
helping thought leaders and business experts write,
publish, and promote a book to grow a brand and a business.
And guess what?
Part of writing a book that is easier to promote
is making it a book people (swish) want to read. (swish)
Writing a book people tell other people about.
So how do you write a business book that people
actually want to read?
Well, here are five tips to help you do that.
Tip number one, write a book that is reader focused.
This does require you know who your reader is,
and it's not a general demographic.
But after your first draft is done, go back and see
how many sentences, paragraphs, and chapters start
with "I", and try to change it to be reader focused.
So instead of saying, "I walked into the room and saw..."
You could say, "Imagine walking into a room
"and the first thing you see is..."
Instead of, "I concluded that this was the best approach..."
You could say, "After having that result multiple times,
"would you believe this is the best approach?"
Or, "The consistent results made it clear
"this was the best approach."
Write for your reader.
Bring them into your data, your expertise, and your story.
Meet them, where they are in their career,
their relationship, their health journey, and then help
them through it, to where they want to go.
This is really important to writing a book for a reader
and not writing a book for you.
Tip two, feeding into that tip, share experiences or share
stories that connect to emotions that your reader has felt.
In "Self-Publish and Succeed", I share my experience
of being rejected at the border for entry into the US.
And while the story has nothing to do with publishing
the feeling of rejection is universal.
Those feelings of helplessness and unfairness are universal.
In the case of my book, I tied it back to how authors
can feel when they have to use Amazon.
And Amazon does something like remove reviews,
or something else that you can't control.
So find experiences or emotions that will connect
to your reader and share them,
to build that shared experience feeling.
Tip three, this is especially important
if you're used to technical writing or academic writing,
but you want to write at the reader's level.
Simplification is best unless your reader is highly
technical or academic themselves.
And even then, why not make the book more enjoyable for all
by writing at a simpler level.
Big words and jargon make it hard to relate to you.
And while there is a time and a place for them,
if this is a business book that you want to sell to more
than just your fellow PhDs, then let's write
at a grade eight level.
Or if you can't write at a grade eight level easily
ask your editor to help you get there.
That way your reader will feel a connection to you.
And they don't have to work too hard to know
what you're saying.
Nobody feels smart when they have to use a dictionary
to look up what a word means.
Like "perfidious".
I read a book the other day with that word,
and by the context I figured it was a negative thing
but I had to look it up.
The author could have just said,
"Oh the woman was disloyal or unfaithful."
But instead the author chose a rather large uncommon word
which completely distracted me from what I was reading
and sent me to (swish) Webster's online dictionary to find
out what the word meant.
(swish) Tip four, use every chapter start and new section
as an opportunity to hook that reader back in.
Sometimes in nonfiction, you'll be writing something
that a reader may not be interested in.
So they'll scan ahead.
I do this all the time, to get the gist or determine
what else is coming.
If you have compelling subheadings or you start your
chapters and sections off with things that draw
the reader back in, you'll keep them reading.
Of course you want great chapter titles,
but it's also worth it to make your subheadings
and new sections create curiosity and sell a benefit.
You can use the same techniques that you should be using
to start every chapter off.
You can use a startling statistic.
You can ask an engaging question.
You can tell a story or just tease what's about
to be shared, and how it's going to impact the reader
in a way that matters to that reader.
All of those things are a great way to keep a reader
interested and keep them reading.
Tip five, keep it concise.
This doesn't mean your book has to be super short
but it does mean you don't wanna warm up for pages
and pages to make a point.
You can hit your reader right over the head,
well, gently, with answers quickly.
Have an editor go through and trim the fat.
This isn't fiction, where you need to have pages
of description to help set a scene or to develop
a character.
This is nonfiction where a reader wants the outcome
of an outcome.
If you're a verbose writer, just ask your editor
to help you trim it down, (scissors snip)
so you can give the reader the essential details
and nothing more.
Writing a business book doesn't mean you have
to write a boring book.
In fact, there are plenty of opportunities
to make it a great read.
Take "Corporate Counsel" as an example.
This is a book that helps you go from working
in a private practice, to holding a successful position
as an in-house lawyer.
It's told in a story format, so that it's fun and easy
to read, and the lessons are memorable.
Anybody, you don't have to be a lawyer.
Anybody can read and enjoy this because there's
no legal ease.
That's pretty cool.
So what's your favorite nonfiction read that was fun
to read and why?
Let's chat about it in the comments below.
And when you comment the day a video is released,
you get entered to win (bell rings)
some sweet #NoBoringBooks swag.
Now I think you're a pretty fabulous person,
and I would love to spend some more time with you.
Perhaps you're feeling a little fear in your author journey.
Well, this video will help you handle those fears.
If you're good with that and you're just excited
to learn more, well YouTube recommends you watch
this video right here.
Either way, I'm looking forward to seeing you there.