How To Plan Your Nonfiction Book Before Self-Publishing

Dear budding author, it’s truly wonderful that you’re contemplating publishing your first non-fiction book. Your initiative as an action-taker, ready to pursue your significant dream, is commendable. However, before delving further into this topic, it’s crucial to understand that writing and publishing a book are distinct processes.

Many new authors find themselves overwhelmed at the start, leading them to abandon the idea of completing their book. But fear not—I’m here to support and guide you on your journey, ensuring you emerge as a triumphant author.

Dear friend, embarking on the journey of authoring a book is an expedition where you, as a writer, breathe life into your imagination—sharing your words with the world to spread knowledge and enlighten minds.

The best thing about writing a book is it gives you authority on your topic. Your published book establishes you as a leading expert on the subject in the eyes of the world. It is the reason that writing and publishing a book is on the bucket list of many leading experts and entrepreneurs. No matter what kind of book you want to write, one thing is sure, planning a book is a thoughtful process. It may confuse the budding author about how they should proceed with their first project. The lack of clarity in the book planning can discourage some authors in their journey.

Therefore, I’m here to give you a helping hand because I have covered this journey and know what it takes to become a prosperous author. Hence, in this post, I’ll guide you in rightly planning your first non-fiction book. So, if you’re unsure about how to plan your first nonfiction book before self-publishing, you’ve come to the right place.

So, let’s get started.

How can I effectively plan my nonfiction book before venturing into self-publishing?

First thing first, what is the motive of your book?

Many new authors often believe that deciding on the book title is the initial step in the process of planning, writing, and publishing a book. However, the reality is a bit different. Crafting a book title is typically the final consideration for most successful writers, occurring after the planning and writing stages.

For the sake of this moment, let’s assume you’ve already found the perfect title for your book. What would be your next course of action?

I understand what you might be thinking, but my suggestion to you is: don’t jump into writing chapters just yet. Surprisingly, the correct answer is to establish an overall strategy for the book. It’s crucial to develop a comprehensive plan before diving into the chapters. And that’s exactly what we’ll do first

The first thing you should do is identify the reason for writing and publishing your book. If your goal is solely to earn money, then proceeding with your book writing project may not be the right approach. The primary purpose of writing a non-fiction book should be to make a positive impact on the world. Thus, the sole objective is to help your readers overcome their struggles, pain, and fears. Once you grasp this principle with precision, other aspects of your author journey become more manageable.

So, it shouldn’t be solely about making money from your book sales. Financial gains and other rewards are secondary outcomes of your hard work; they should not be the sole reasons for writing and publishing a book.

And yes, books can generate income, so don’t worry about the financial aspect of making money through them. Both writing and reading books have the power to transform your life. Writing books has enriched my life, and it can do the same for you. However, to achieve this, you must write quality books that address the problems of your readers and provide them with solutions.

Another reason for writing a book may be to connect with readers interested in your book’s topic. I mention this because selling a book only once to the end reader is not a business goal for successful authors.

Indeed, selling a copy of your book once and forgetting about the reader would be a missed opportunity for the book’s author. The entire successful author community aims to create a tribe of die-hard fans who eagerly anticipate their upcoming books. So, you should aspire to do the same. This is why it’s essential to properly target your reader’s core problem and provide a solution to that problem in your book.

Once a reader is immersed in the enlightening experience of your book, they begin to engage with you and regard you as a leader on that subject. This, in turn, inspires them to explore more of your content online. This is the stage where authors start making money.

The reality is it is rare to make an extensive amount of money from your first book as an author. But once you have established yourself as a brand in your niche, making money from books becomes easy for an author.

Therefore, it is crucial to ask yourself a few pertinent questions before proceeding with writing and publishing your book.

#1 What benefit readers will get after reading your book?

#2 What is the minimum word count for your book and where does your target audience live? Most importantly, what are their primary issues with your book topic?

#3 What is the USP (unique selling proposition) of your book and why it will appeal to your reader?

#4 Do you provide any post-purchase support for readers who have bought your book?

#5 Who are your primary competitors, and what are their potential strengths? Do you possess any capabilities that could give you an advantage over your competitors?

#6 What is the definition of success that you associate with your newly published book?

After answering these questions, you will have a clear idea about how to proceed with your book writing project. Writing a book and releasing it worldwide is a dream for many people. And if you really want to create an impact with your book, then give a strict timeline for your project. This will assist you in finishing your project. Otherwise, there are strong chances that you may quit your project in between.

Having a clear vision for your book project offers various advantages to the author. The primary benefit is establishing yourself as a leading figure in the subject, and others perceive you as an expert. However, only a rare number of first-time authors get noticed by readers in the sea of books. Therefore, don’t get disheartened if your book goes unnoticed in the market. Instead, try to learn from your mistakes. Building an author platform increases book sales, but that is a topic we will cover in another post. For now, focus on writing a quality book that can help readers overcome their problems. To achieve this, thoroughly research your topic and read books and articles on the subject. Doing so will help you understand the persona and problems of your potential readers.