Why Do You Want To Write A Book?

Before we talk about credibility and marketing and raised profiles I want to ask you something more fundamental.

Why do you want to write this book?

Not the LinkedIn or the business strategy answer. The real one, that surfaces at 2am or on a long drive when your mind goes quiet enough to tell you the truth.

The books that get finished are the ones written for a reason that matters to the person writing them. The business case might get you started. It will not get you through the middle, when the whole thing feels impossible and you're convinced you have nothing original to say. For that, you need something deeper.

So yes — a non-fiction book does something quietly powerful for your credibility. It demonstrates what you know in a way that a website or a social media profile simply cannot. It opens doors. Speaking engagements. Collaborations. Workshops built around the material you've already written. Online programmes that grow directly from the book's content. It puts your voice, your thinking, your hard-won experience into something permanent — something a reader can hold, return to, press into someone else's hands and say this, read this.

A book shifts how people see you, and — perhaps more importantly — how you see yourself.

But underneath all of that, I want you to find your real reason. Maybe you want to leave something behind. Maybe there's an experience you've been through that you haven't yet seen reflected honestly anywhere, and you're tired of waiting for someone else to write it. Maybe you've spent years accumulating knowledge that is genuinely useful and it feels wasteful to keep it in your head. Maybe you simply have something to say and you're finally ready to say it properly.

Whatever it is — write it down before you go any further.

Download the planner for this section.

Exercise: Why Do You Want To Write A Book?

Open your journal or the planner and give yourself some uninterrupted time with these questions. Don't rush them. Don't write the sensible answer first — write the true one.

• What is the real reason you want to write this book?

• What would it mean to you — not professionally, personally — to have written it?

• Who do you most want to reach, and what do you want them to feel when they finish reading?

• What happens if you don't write it? How does that sit with you?

• What has stopped you until now — and is that reason still true?

When you're done, read back what you've written. Somewhere in there is the heart of your book.

What Kind Of Book Fits Your Why?

Someone tells you that you should write a book. You have the knowledge, the experience, the stories — why wouldn't you? And for a moment, you let yourself believe it. You inwardly beam. You think: yes, maybe I should.

And then reality arrives, quietly and efficiently, to point out that writing a book is not a small undertaking. It takes time you don't have in obvious surplus. It takes sustained focus. It takes the willingness to sit with an idea long enough to excavate it properly. So before any of that begins, the why needs to be solid — not vague enthusiasm, but a reason that will hold up on the days when the whole thing feels like a terrible idea.

We've started to find your why. Now we need to ask the question that often gets skipped entirely.

What kind of book?

Because not all books are the same, and the wrong format for your material — and for this moment in your life — can be the thing that quietly derails you before you've really begun. The right one, on the other hand, will feel like a shape you already knew, waiting for you to step into it.

Some books want to be written at specific stages of a life. The book you could write at thirty-five is not the same book you could write at fifty. The book born from your first business is not the book that comes after you've lost one. The memoir that surfaces after a crisis couldn't have been written before it. This is useful information. It tells you something about which book is ready to be written now.

There are many forms a non-fiction book can take. A practical how-to that walks readers through a process you've refined over years. A memoir that uses your personal story to illuminate something universal. A thought leadership book that establishes your perspective on a field you've spent a career inside. A collection of essays, each one a complete exploration of a single idea. A workbook that puts tools directly into the reader's hands. A hybrid that braids personal narrative with practical guidance — which, in my experience, is often where the most interesting books live.

None of these is better than the others. Each serves a different purpose, reaches a different reader, and asks something different of the person writing it.

The question is: which one fits your why?

Exercise: Which Will You Choose?

Work through the The five whys and ask a few so whats and then sit with these questions. Let your answers surprise you — sometimes what you think you want to write and what actually wants to be written are different things.

• When you picture your finished book, what does a reader do with it? Do they follow it, feel it, learn from it, or see themselves in it?

• Is your why rooted more in sharing what you know, or in sharing what you've lived?

• What stage of your life and work is this book coming from — and what does that suggest about its shape?

• If you had to describe your book in a single sentence to a stranger, what would you say?

• Which format excites you — and which one frightens you slightly? Pay attention to both answers.

Energy Check: What Lights You Up vs. Drains You?

This is crucial, especially if you're someone who's highly sensitive to energy (and many writers are). Throughout this process, pay attention to what excites you versus what feels heavy.

When you think about different aspects of writing your book:

• Which parts make you want to leap out of bed?

• Which parts make you want to hide under the duvet?

• What topics could you talk about for hours?

• What subjects make you feel passionate and alive?

Your energy is your internal guidance system. Trust it.

Use the attached resource to check in.

The 4-Zone Model

Think of your potential book ideas falling into one of four zones:

Zone of Discontent - Ideas you dislike or struggle with. This includes book topics you hate, don't understand, or make you feel flat. For example, you might have considered writing a technical manual in your field, but the thought of it drains your soul.

Zone of Capability - Ideas you can write about but don't enjoy. These are topics you could tackle, but you'd rather not spend 40-60k words exploring them. You might write a decent blog post on these subjects, but a whole book? No thank you.

Zone of Mastery - Ideas you're skilled at and enjoy, but something feels missing. This is tricky because it includes topics you're usually very good at. You might even have outlined such a book and started writing. But you get stuck because it doesn't fully align with your passion or mission.

Zone of Brilliance - Ideas you love, love, love. This is where your perfect book idea lives. You can write about it effortlessly, you love exploring the topic, and it feels meaningful and purposeful. You make time to think about it because you know this book will change lives.

Your Learning Style Assessment

Before we go further, let's understand how you naturally process information and create. This will influence everything about how you plan and write your book.

VARK Assessment:

Visual (V) - Do you:

• Prefer to see information in charts, diagrams, or mind maps?

• Like to use colours and visual organising systems?

• Remember things better when you can picture them?

Auditory (A) - Do you:

• Like to talk through ideas out loud?

• Remember conversations and spoken instructions well?

• Often read aloud or hear words in your head when writing?

Read/Write (R) - Do you:

• Prefer written instructions and lists?

• Like to take detailed notes?

• Learn best by reading and writing things down?

Kinesthetic (K) - Do you:

• Need to move around when thinking?

• Like hands-on activities and experiments?

• Remember things better when you've physically done them?

Most people are a combination, but usually one or two preferences dominate. Pay attention to which descriptions make you nod enthusiastically.

What Energises vs. Drains You in the Creative Process

This is where it gets really personal. Creative energy management isn't just about time management - it's about understanding what feeds your creative spirit and what depletes it.

Think about previous creative projects you've done:

What energises you:

• Working alone or with others?

• Structured planning or spontaneous creating?

• Morning sessions or late-night bursts?

• Quiet spaces or background noise?

• Digital tools or pen and paper?

What drains you:

• Perfectionism or rushing?

• Too much structure or no structure?

• External pressure or complete freedom?

• Complicated systems or oversimplified approaches?

Exercise: The Brilliance Mapping Session

This exercise works for all learning styles, but I'll give you options for how to approach it:

For Visual Learners: Get a large sheet of paper and create a mind map. In the centre, write "My Zone of Brilliance." Create branches for:

• Topics I could talk about for hours

• Problems I love solving

• Questions people always ask me

• Subjects that make me come alive

Use colours, draw connections, add symbols. Make it beautiful.

For Kinesthetic Learners: Use my "Step-It-Out" method. Get several large sheets of paper and lay them on the floor. Step on each one and brainstorm aloud:

• Sheet 1: What am I passionate about?

• Sheet 2: What am I genuinely expert in?

• Sheet 3: What problems do I see in the world?

• Sheet 4: What unique perspective do I bring?

• Sheet 5: Where do all these overlap?

Move between sheets, let your body help your brain think.

For Auditory Learners: Record yourself having a conversation about your potential book ideas. Ask yourself questions and answer them out loud:

• What gets me excited to talk about?

• What do people always ask for my advice on?

• What stories do I find myself telling repeatedly?

• What message feels important for me to share?

For Read/Write Learners: Create detailed lists and compare them:

• List your areas of expertise

• List your passionate interests

• List problems you see that need solving

• List unique experiences you've had

• Look for overlaps and connections

The goal is to find where your passion, expertise, and the world's needs intersect. That's your Zone of Brilliance.

Creating Your Ideal Reader Avatar

Now we need to talk about your reader. Not readers plural - reader singular. One person.

When you write, you want to connect with one specific reader. Why? Because it's much easier to write when you're speaking to someone specific. It creates a better book, one that truly connects. When you understand your ideal reader deeply, you can ensure your book emotionally engages them.

I wouldn't write a book these days without my slightly scruffy diagrams and ideal reader archetypes. When I wrote the first edition of this book, my ideal reader was someone who wanted to write a book but felt overwhelmed by the process. For this edition, my ideal reader is someone who wants to write to build their brand, needs a clear process, likes to plan (their way), and wants steps that make the journey feel manageable.

Creating Your Ideal Reader Avatar

Your reader is a self-centred creature (and so are you when you're buying books - be honest). They want to know WIIFM - What's In It For Me? Unless they're buying it as a gift, they won't purchase your book on "better health for menopausal women" if they're a twenty-something who thinks menopause is something their gran has.

For clarity, your market includes buyers and readers:

• Buyers - people who purchase your book (this includes the reader and anyone buying for others)

• Readers - the ones you want to connect with emotionally

The Heart-Gut-Head Reader Test

To really understand your reader, let's explore how they process information:

Heart Readers These readers work from their emotions. They want a book that connects with their passion and purpose, guiding them to make their world better. They'll have a journal by their bedside and will write about how to turn what they learn into something useful.

Head Readers These readers are practical. They like systems and processes. You'll find them setting goals and using your book to create accountability. They want to learn something concrete and applicable.

Gut Readers These readers want a book that asks them to dive deeply into their feelings. They want to be guided in exploring what your message means to them personally. They want to evolve and support others to evolve too.

Your reader might be one or all of these. When you structure your book, consider who you're speaking to in each chapter.

Who are you speaking to?

Reader Archetype Building

This is where we get creative and have some fun. You're going to create a detailed profile of your reader, looking at what they might read or watch, what they drink, where they go on holiday. Who are their friends? What type of people would they cross the street to avoid?

Are they married or single? Do they have pets? What's keeping them awake at night, and how can your book make that worry disappear?

Give them a name and a life. When you've finished, draw your ideal reader or create a mood board with pictures that connect you to them.

Here's what I want you to consider:

• What's their biggest challenge right now?

• What do they aspire to?

• What are their daily frustrations?

• What would they hate to miss out on?

• What do they need but don't want?

• What do they want but don't need?

Exercise: Reader Journey Mapping

This exercise works for all learning styles:

Visual Approach: Create a journey map showing your reader's path from problem to solution. Use colours, drawings, and visual elements to show:

• Where they start (their pain point)

• What they discover (your book)

• How they transform (the outcome)

• Where they end up (their new life)

Auditory Approach: Record yourself telling your reader's story. Speak as if you're narrating a documentary about their transformation: "Meet Sarah. She's 45, runs her own consultancy, but feels invisible in her industry. Every day she watches younger, less experienced people get the opportunities she wants. Then she discovers..."

Kinesthetic Approach: Walk through your reader's journey physically. Set up different stations in your room:

• Station 1: Their starting point (sit in discomfort)

• Station 2: Their discovery moment (stand with excitement)

• Station 3: Their transformation (walk with confidence)

• Station 4: Their new reality (celebrate)

Read/Write Approach: Write a detailed "day in the life" of your reader before and after encountering your book. Include:

• Their morning routine

• Their work challenges

• Their evening thoughts

• How your book fits into their life

• How their days change after reading it

Do one or all exercises. What do you learn?

Questions Your Book Answers

Choose 30 questions your book answers for your ideal reader. If you know these, it's easier to stay on track when writing and connecting with your reader.

For each question, consider:

• What's the problem behind this question?

• What solution does your book provide?

• What result will your reader get?

• What benefits will they experience?

The Hook

Your book must be enjoyable, engaging, easy to read, and motivating. You want your reader to take action or get a result from reading it. Think about what will hook them:

The title and subtitle that speaks to them

The cover that catches their eye

The blurb that makes them want more

Content that keeps their attention

Emotional connections throughout

Remember: it's all about them, not what you think they need.

Start by giving your book a working title and subtitle. Example: Title: Enough, Already Subtitle: How to stop waiting to feel worthy and start living like you already are

Timeline and Turning Points Exercise

This is one of my favourite exercises because it reveals so much about what you have to offer the world. You're going to create a visual representation of your life, looking for patterns, connections, and themes.

How to Create Your Timeline:

Get a large sheet of paper (or several sheets taped together) and create a timeline across the top. Put your birth date at one end and today's date at the other.

Using Post-it notes in different colours, start adding significant life events. Don't worry about their importance at this stage - just add anything that comes to mind. Let thoughts flow without censorship.

You might use different colours for:

• Professional milestones

• Personal challenges

• Relationships and family events

• Learning and growth moments

• Health and wellness experiences

• Creative and spiritual experiences

For Different Learning Styles:

Visual Learners: Make this colourful and artistic. Use different symbols, draw connections between events, create a beautiful life map.

Auditory Learners: Record yourself talking through your timeline as you create it. Speak about each event and why it was significant.

Kinesthetic Learners: Create your timeline on the floor and walk along it, physically experiencing the journey of your life.

Read/Write Learners: Keep detailed notes about each event, writing the stories and lessons that emerged.

Looking for Turning Points

Once your timeline is complete, look for turning points - moments when you changed direction, made important decisions, or when change was thrust upon you. These are often:

• Times of personal and spiritual growth

• Moments when you learned something crucial

• Experiences that shifted your perspective

• Challenges that made you stronger

Circle these turning points and ask:

• What did I learn that contributed to my growth?

• What were the challenges, lessons, and gifts?

• How did this empower me to help others?

• What am I grateful for about this experience?

Theme Identification (The Golden Thread)

Your life themes are the golden threads running through your story. Common themes include:

• Transformation and growth

• Overcoming adversity

• Finding authentic self

• Healing and recovery

• Leadership and courage

• Love and relationships

• Purpose and calling

• Freedom and independence

Look at your timeline and identify:

• What patterns emerge?

• What challenges have you repeatedly faced and overcome?

• What lessons keep showing up?

• What gifts have emerged from your difficulties?

Your Signature Transformation Story

This is the story that captures your core message - the journey from where you were to where you are now, and what you learned along the way.

Your signature story should include:

The Setup: Where you started, what your life looked like

The Catalyst: What happened to spark change

The Journey: The process of transformation (including struggles)

The Resolution: Where you are now and what you've learned

The Gift: What you can now offer others

Exercise: Story Storyboarding (Visual Learners)

Create a visual storyboard of your transformation story like a comic strip:

• Frame 1: Your "before" state

• Frame 2: The catalyst moment

• Frame 3-6: Key moments in your journey

• Frame 7: Your "after" state

• Frame 8: You helping others

Use drawings, symbols, colours - whatever helps you see your story clearly.

Exercise: Voice Recording Story Session (Auditory Learners)

Record yourself telling your transformation story as if you're sharing it with a dear friend. Don't script it - just talk naturally. Include:

• The emotions you felt at each stage

• The internal dialogue you experienced

• The moments of doubt and breakthrough

• How it feels to be where you are now

Listen back and notice:

• Which parts feel most alive?

• Where does your voice change with emotion?

• What details feel most important?

• What message emerges naturally?

Finding Your Core Message

Your core message is the heartbeat of your book. It's what you want people to remember long after they've finished reading. It should:

• Connect to your transformation story

• Address your reader's deepest need

• Reflect your unique perspective

• Feel authentic and passionate to you

Your core message answers:

• What's the main problem you solve?

• What's unique about your solution?

• What transformation do you facilitate?

• Why does this matter?

Read the example and then try this for your book idea. It doesn't have to be perfect as it will get better as your refine your book idea and plan.

The Golden Thread Test

Here's how to know if you've found your golden thread: when you talk about your core message and transformation story, do you:

• Feel energised and alive?

• Find words flowing easily?

• Notice others leaning in with interest?

• Feel like you could talk for hours?

If yes, you've found your golden thread. If not, keep exploring.

Completion Checklist

By the end of this session, you should have:

• A clear understanding of why you want to write this book

• Identified your Zone of Brilliance book topic

• Created a detailed ideal reader avatar

• Mapped your reader's journey

• Discovered your life themes and transformation story

• Articulated your core message

If you've completed these exercises, congratulations! You've laid a solid foundation. Take a week to let everything percolate. Notice what keeps coming back to your mind. Sometimes the best insights come when we're not actively thinking about them.

What Is a Book Framework — and Why Do You Need One?

Before we dive into the planning tools and start mapping out your chapters, I want to talk about something that sits underneath all of it. The thing that holds your book together before you've written a single word.

Your framework.

Now, I know that word can sound a little dry. A little structural. A little like something that belongs in an architecture office rather than a writing course. But stay with me — because once you understand what a framework actually is, and what it does for both you and your reader, you'll wonder how you ever thought about writing a book without one.

So what is a book framework?

Simply put, your framework is the underlying logic of your book. It's the shape of your thinking. It's the answer to the question: how does this book work?

It might be a journey — taking your reader from where they are now to where they want to be, step by step. It might be a series of principles, each one building on the last. It might be a before-and-after structure, where everything moves toward a central transformation. It might be a problem and a solution, repeated and deepened across every chapter.

Whatever form it takes, your framework does one essential thing. It means that every part of your book knows why it's there.

Not just what it says. Why it's there.

Why you need one before you start

Here's what happens when writers skip this step.

They start writing. The first chapter flows beautifully — they know this material, they're excited, the words come easily. Then the second chapter. Still good. Then somewhere in the middle they hit a wall. They have ideas, plenty of them, but they can't work out what order they go in. They can't tell which ones belong in the book and which ones are interesting but beside the point. The whole thing starts to feel like a pile of good intentions that won't quite cohere.

That's a framework problem.

A framework is what stops you staring at twelve possible chapters and having no idea which comes first. It's the logic you return to when you're lost. It's the question you ask when you're not sure whether something belongs: does this serve the journey I've promised my reader? If yes, it stays. If no — however much you love it — it goes.

Think of it like the frame of a house. You don't see it once the walls are up. But without it, nothing holds. Everything that comes after — the chapters, the stories, the exercises, the ideas — hangs on the frame. Get the frame right, and the writing becomes something closer to filling in the detail. Get it wrong, or skip it entirely, and you'll be rebuilding from the inside out later.

What a framework does for your reader

Now let's talk about the person on the other side of the page.

Your reader picks up your book with a question. It might be conscious — how do I do this thing? — or it might be more felt than formed — I need something to change and I don't quite know where to start. Either way, they are trusting you to take them somewhere.

A framework is what makes that journey feel safe.

When a reader can sense the logic of a book — even if they couldn't articulate it, even if they never think about it consciously — they relax into it. They trust that the author knows where they're going. They don't have to hold the whole thing in their head and work out where they are. They can simply read.

Without a framework, readers feel it. Maybe they can't name what's wrong, but they put the book down and don't pick it back up. The chapters feel disconnected. The ideas feel like they're circling without landing. They lose the thread — not because the content is poor, but because there's no clear path through it.

Your framework is the path.

It tells your reader, from the very first page: I know where we're going. You're in good hands. Follow me.

The good news

Here's what I love about frameworks. You don't have to invent one from scratch.

You already have one. It lives in the way you naturally explain your ideas. It's in the order you instinctively teach things when you're working with someone one to one. It's in the before-and-after you've witnessed in the people you've helped, or the turning points in your own story.

Our job in the next section is simply to make it visible. To take what's already in you and give it a shape that works on the page.

Because your book doesn't just need to exist. It needs to take someone somewhere.

And for that, you need to know the road before you start walking.

Next I'll share different kinds of frameworks and I suggest that you experiment with each idea.

The 4MAT Model: Why/What/How/What If

This is my favourite framework because it mirrors how people naturally learn and process information:

• Why - Why should I care about this? Why is this important? This is where you connect emotionally and establish relevance.

• What - What exactly are you teaching me? What are the key concepts, principles, or ideas? This is your core content.

• How - How do I apply this? How does it work in practice? This is where you get practical and actionable.

• What If - What if I do this? What if I don't? What are the possibilities and consequences? This is where you inspire action.

You can use this framework for your entire book structure or for individual chapters. It works beautifully for both.

Example using 4MAT for a book on building confidence:

• Why: Why confidence matters (stories of how lack of confidence holds people back)

• What: What confidence really is (definitions, myths, science)

• How: How to build confidence (practical strategies and exercises)

• What If: What your life looks like with authentic confidence (transformation stories)

Step-by-Step Frameworks

These work brilliantly for how-to books or any process-based content:

Example: "5 Steps to Starting Your Dream Business"

• Clarify Your Vision

• Validate Your Idea

• Create Your Plan

• Build Your Foundation

• Launch and Grow

Each step becomes multiple chapters, and you can still use the 4MAT model within each section.

Problem-Solution Structures

Perfect for books addressing specific challenges:

• Part 1: The Problem (why this matters)

• Part 2: The Solution (your methodology)

• Part 3: The Implementation (how to apply it)

• Part 4: The Transformation (what success looks like)

Example

Starting Over at Any Age For anyone facing a major life transition — divorce, redundancy, bereavement, retirement — who has no idea who they are now that everything has changed.

• The Problem: The life you built around a person, a role, or an identity is gone. You're standing in the rubble wondering who you are without it.

• The Solution: Understanding that identity is not fixed — and that loss, as brutal as it is, can be the beginning of something more honest.

• The Implementation: A step-by-step process for rebuilding: grieving what's gone, excavating what remains, and building something new that is genuinely yours.

• The Transformation: Not the life you had before. Something different — and possibly, in time, something better.

Memoir + Teaching Hybrids

These blend your personal story with practical teaching:

• Part 1: Your Story (the journey and transformation)

• Part 2: The Lessons (what you learned and how)

• Part 3: Your Guide (how others can do the same)

You can also write a chapter of memoir and then a chapter of self-help.

Exercise: Framework Testing (The "Step-It-Out" Method)

This is particularly brilliant for kinesthetic learners, but everyone can benefit from this physical approach to planning.

Setup:

• Get 8-12 large sheets of paper

• Lay them out in a line or circle on the floor

• Have a voice recorder ready

Process: Step onto the first sheet and ask yourself:

• What is this section/chapter about?

• What's the main point I want to make here?

• What questions does this answer for my reader?

• What will my reader get from this section?

• Why is it essential I share this?

• How can my reader apply this?

• What story or example illustrates this best?

Move to the next sheet and repeat. Let your body help your brain think. Walk between sheets, gesture, move around. Many people find their best ideas come when they're moving.

For Non-Kinesthetic Learners: If moving around feels weird, you can do this exercise:

• Visually by creating a large mind map

• Auditorily by recording yourself discussing each section

• Through writing by creating detailed outlines for each part

Listen To Your Step It Out

Listen back and make notes. This is incredibly powerful.

Choosing Your Framework

Ask yourself:

• Which structure best serves my content?

• What will resonate most with my reader?

• Which format excites me as a writer?

• What feels most natural for my topic?

Remember, you can combine frameworks. You might use a problem-solution structure for your overall book and the 4MAT model for individual chapters.

Action Steps:

• Review the different framework options

• Complete the Step-It-Out exercise or alternative

• Choose your primary framework

• Test it by outlining 3-4 main sections

• Refine until it feels right

The Step-It-Out Method for Chapters

Building on the framework exercise, now we're getting specific about individual chapters.

Advanced Step-It-Out Process:

Use one sheet of paper for each potential chapter

Step on each sheet and spend 5-10 minutes exploring:

• What's this chapter specifically about?

• What transformation happens in this chapter?

• What story opens this chapter?

• What are the 3-5 key points?

• What exercise or application comes at the end?

• How does this connect to the next chapter?

At the end listen back and make notes.

Mind Mapping for Visual Learners

Create a large mind map with:

• Your book topic in the centre

• Main sections as primary branches

• Individual chapters as secondary branches

• Key points as smaller branches

• Stories and examples as leaves

Use colours to show connections between chapters. Draw arrows to show flow. Make it beautiful and inspiring.

Voice-Recorded Chapter Planning (Auditory)

Record yourself having a conversation about each chapter:

• "Chapter 3 is about... and it's important because..."

• "The story I'll tell here is..."

• "The main teaching points are..."

• "By the end of this chapter, my reader will..."

• "This connects to the next chapter by..."

Chapter Storyboarding

Create a visual storyboard showing the flow of your book:

• Each chapter gets one "frame"

• Show the reader's journey through visual metaphors

• Include emotional ups and downs

• Mark key transformation moments

• Ensure smooth transitions between chapters

You can use A4 sheets per chapter or go big with flip chart paper and put them up around a room. Then walk around and record each chapter.

Exercise: Chapter Flow Testing (Movement-Based)

This is brilliant for ensuring your book has good flow and pacing.

Setup: Arrange your chapter sheets in order on the floor.

Process:

Walk through your book from beginning to end

At each chapter, ask:

• Does this feel like the right next step?

• Is the pacing right here?

• What emotion will my reader feel?

• Does this build naturally from the previous chapter?

• Does it set up the next chapter well?

If something feels off, physically move the sheets around until the flow feels right

Getting the Balance Right

Your chapters should vary in:

• Emotional intensity - You can't have every chapter be deeply emotional, nor can they all be purely practical

• Content type - Mix teaching, stories, exercises, and reflection

• Length - Some chapters will naturally be longer than others

• Difficulty - Start accessible and gradually build complexity

Think of your book like a good meal - you need different courses, flavours, and textures to keep it interesting.

Chapter Titles That Hook

Your chapter titles are like film trailers for your book. They should intrigue, inform, and invite. Don't settle for boring:

Boring: "Chapter 3: Time Management"

Better: "The Myth of Having Enough Time: Why Busy People Get More Done"

Boring: "Chapter 7: Building Confidence"

Better: "The Confidence Paradox: Why Fake It Till You Make It Actually Works"

Your titles should hint at the transformation or revelation waiting in that chapter.

Action Steps:

• Use your preferred method to outline 8-15 chapters

• Test the flow by walking through or reviewing the sequence

• Adjust order and content until it feels right

• Create compelling chapter titles

• Write a one-sentence description of what each chapter accomplishes

The CONE Method

After playing with hundreds of title ideas over the years, I developed the CONE method:

• Curiosity - How will you pique their interest even if they weren't actively looking for a book like this?

• Outcome - What's your promise? What do they get from reading the book?

• Needs - Does it address a genuine need your ideal reader has?

• Emotion - Are you using powerful words that create an emotional connection?

Title Types That Work

The Promise Title

"Plan Your Non-Fiction Book in 4 Weekends" "The 7-Figure Consultant" "Atomic Habits"

These tell you exactly what you'll get.

The Curiosity Title

"The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck" "You Are a Badass" "Big Magic"

These make you want to know more.

The Problem/Solution Title

"Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead" "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up"

These identify a problem and promise a solution.

The Contrarian Title

"Everything Is F*cked" "The Obstacle Is the Way" "Good to Great"

These challenge conventional thinking.

Subtitle Strategies

Your subtitle does the heavy lifting of explaining what your book actually delivers:

Formula-based:

• "The 5-Step System to..."

• "7 Strategies for..."

• "The Ultimate Guide to..."

Outcome-based:

• "How to X Without Y"

• "The Secret to..."

• "From A to B in C Days"

Transformation-based:

• "Transform Your X by Y"

• "The Journey from X to Y"

• "How I Went from X to Y (And How You Can Too)"

Title Testing Strategies

The Bookshelf Test Imagine your book on a shelf next to others in your category. Does your title stand out? Does it clearly communicate what the book is about?

The Conversation Test If someone asked you what your book was called, would you need to launch into a lengthy explanation? Good titles are easy to remember and repeat.

The Thumbnail Test Your title needs to be readable even when your book cover is tiny (like in Amazon search results). Keep it clear and simple.

Exercise: Title A/B Testing with Your Network

Create 3-5 potential titles and test them:

• Social Media Poll: Post your options and ask which grabs attention

• Email Survey: Send options to your mailing list or close contacts

• Conversation Test: Mention different titles in conversations and watch reactions

• Search Test: See what comes up when you search variations of your titles

Pay attention to:

• Which gets the strongest immediate reaction?

• Which is easiest for people to remember?

• Which generates the most questions or interest?

• Which feels most authentic to your voice?

Keywords and Searchability

Your title 'should' include words your ideal reader might search for:

If your book is about starting a consulting business, include words like:

• Consulting

• Business

• Entrepreneur

• Freelance

• Independent

But don't sacrifice creativity for keywords. The best titles balance searchability with memorability.

Working Titles vs Final Titles

Don't get stuck on finding the perfect title right now. Start with a working title that captures the essence of your book. You can refine it throughout the writing process.

Some authors don't finalise their title until after they've finished writing. The act of writing often reveals the true heart of the book, which should be reflected in the title.

Action Steps:

• Brainstorm 10-15 potential titles using different approaches

• Apply the CONE method to your top 5

• Create compelling subtitles for your favourites

• Test your top 3 titles with your network

• Choose a working title that excites you right now

Your Knowledge Audit

Before you start writing, you need to know what content you already have, what's stored in your brilliant brain, and what you'll need to research or create from scratch.

This knowledge audit will save you hours of work and help you avoid the awful feeling of staring at a blank page wondering what to write.

What You Already Have (Explicit Knowledge)

You'll be amazed at how much content you've already created. Make a comprehensive list of:

Written Content:

• Blog posts and articles

• Training manuals and materials

• Reports and white papers

• Previous books or ebooks

• Course materials

• Workshop handouts

• Client assessments and tools

• Social media posts (especially longer ones)

• Email newsletters

• Presentation slides

Recorded Content:

• Podcast episodes (your own or as a guest)

• Video content

• Webinar recordings

• Training sessions

• Coaching calls (with permission)

• Speaking engagements

• Interviews

Other Materials:

• Case studies and client stories

• Research you've compiled

• Templates and frameworks you use

• Checklists and processes

• Testimonials and feedback

Gather all this material and evaluate its usefulness for your book. Don't worry about using it exactly as is - you can repurpose and reshape existing content.

What's in Your Head (Tacit Knowledge)

This is often the most valuable content you have - the knowledge that's become second nature to you. It includes:

• Processes you follow automatically

• Insights from years of experience

• Patterns you've noticed

• Mistakes you've made and learned from

• Successes you can replicate

• Wisdom you've gained

• Shortcuts you've discovered

• Questions you always get asked

What Needs Researching

After reviewing what you have and what you know, gaps will become obvious. You might need:

Secondary Research:

• Statistics and studies to support your points

• Expert opinions and quotes

• Industry trends and data

• Historical context

• Scientific backing

Primary Research:

• Interviews with experts

• Surveys of your audience

• Case studies from clients

• Personal experiments

• Field research

Exercise: Content Inventory & Gap Analysis

Step 1: Content Audit Using your chapter outline, go through each chapter and note:

• What existing content could be repurposed

• What knowledge you have but haven't articulated

• What stories and examples you could include

• What research or additional content you need

Step 2: Gap Identification For each chapter, identify:

• Green: Content you have ready to go

• Amber: Content you know but need to articulate

• Red: Content you need to research or create

Step 3: Research Planning For your "red" areas, plan:

• What type of research you need

• Where you'll find reliable sources

• Who you might need to interview

• What experiments you could conduct

• How long this research will take

Interviews and Expert Input

Consider interviewing experts or people with relevant experiences for your book. This adds credibility and different perspectives.

Why Conduct Interviews:

• To add expert credibility

• For contrasting viewpoints

• To share inspiring stories

• To provide real-world examples

• To include diverse voices

How to Conduct Good Interviews:

• Research your subject thoroughly first

• Prepare specific, thoughtful questions

• Ask for stories and examples, not just opinions

• Record the conversation (with permission)

• Follow up with thank you and confirmation of how you'll use their input

Turning Tacit Knowledge into Content

This is where many experts struggle - you know so much that you don't even realise what you know. Here are some techniques:

The Teaching Exercise: Imagine you're teaching someone your expertise from scratch. What would you tell them? Record yourself explaining your process step by step.

The Interview Yourself Method: Get someone to interview you about your expertise, or record yourself answering these questions:

• How did you learn this?

• What mistakes did you make along the way?

• What would you do differently now?

• What do beginners always get wrong?

• What's the most important thing to understand?

The Story Collection: Write down every relevant story you can think of:

• Client successes and failures

• Your own learning experiences

• Industry examples you've observed

• Conversations that taught you something

Organising Your Content

Create a simple system for organising your content by chapter:

• Digital folders for each chapter

• Physical files for printed materials

• A master spreadsheet tracking what content goes where

• A reference document for sources and citations

Keep everything organised from the start - you'll thank yourself later.

Action Steps:

• Complete a comprehensive audit of existing content

• Identify tacit knowledge that needs articulating

• List research requirements for each chapter

• Plan any interviews or expert input needed

• Set up an organisation system for all your content

Review What You Have Created

Often we have this impulse to gather it all together and get on with it, and I am just wanting to invite you to just stop, and to pause, and to review, and do this over a number of days.

Don't be a busy fool and rush this stage. Stop. Review. Sit with it.

• Read some of it.

• Make some notes.

• Go for some walks.

Often, when you pause, you get more clarity, and that’s what we want now.

Map Your Outline In Word

Once you have reviewed everything create your entire outline in one document so that you can see it logically. From there take a chapter at a time and write.