Transcription
Hi, my name is Tomas Bird. This is The Self-Publishing Formula, and this video is all about how to structure a nonfiction book. Keep watching.
So, how to structure a nonfiction book? When many people dream of becoming a writer, they fantasize about writing a best-selling novel like J.K. Rowling, meeting legions of cosplaying fans. What they often don't consider is the less coveted, but often very rewarding and financially rewarding, path of nonfiction. Self-help literature in particular can offer a consistent stream of income for writers, while their fiction writing can fluctuate. Not to mention all the other income opportunities: motivational speaking, coaching, consulting work, and plenty more.
As a writer, you probably have a lot of specific knowledge, so you might as well monetize it. Writing a self-help book can help you. After all, writing a book on a specific topic can immediately identify you as an expert in the eyes of many readers. Of course, to keep your readers believing in your authority in the long term, your book has to be good. It has to answer their questions and present information in an accessible way. Excellent self-help guides are equal parts knowledge, inspiration, and entertainment. And to hit all three touchdowns, you have to plan your book well. This video will show you how to do it.
Step 1: Table of Contents. Starting with the table of contents isn't essential for fiction, but it is for nonfiction. That's because no matter how much you strive to make your book flow from one point to another, not everyone will read your whole book, nor will they necessarily read what you've written in order. Yes, you should still outline your book so that it reads logically from front to back, but you also want every chapter to be accessible in its own right. For example, a reader who bought your guide on professional swimming, for example, might have mastered the athlete's mindset but will still be interested in improving their diving technique or getting a commercial sponsor. Writing a table of contents and repeating vital bits of information throughout your book will make it more accessible. This is important for paperbacks, but even more so for e-books. The technology allows readers to click the subject that they particularly want to read and go straight there.
Step 2: Introductions. Introductions in self-help books can be anything from a single paragraph to thirty pages long. The length doesn't matter. What matters is the tone. There, you don't need to include a lot of actionable content in this section. Your main job here is to introduce the topic, addressing the reason why they've bought your book in the first place is a good place to start. Normally, it's because they have a particular problem that they want to fix or an opportunity they want to explore. The introduction shouldn't be about you initially. It should be about your reader. Only after you've addressed their issue should you introduce yourself and explain why you are uniquely qualified to help. The reader doesn't want your particular life story unless it's relevant. Once you've assured the reader that you can, in fact, answer their question, your introduction should round off with a brief overview of what they will learn in the coming pages. You don't need to go into too much depth, just a high-level overview.
Step 3: Glossary (Optional). Jargon is a staple of a lot of nonfiction books, particularly in highly academic areas like medicine and economics, even publishing. Just because you understand the terms and acronyms of your particular field does not mean that your readers will. Therefore, a glossary can be a massive help. Each term can be listed as a subheading and explained with a single paragraph. Stating only the terms that you use in the book will be enough.
Number four: Pipedream Benefits. An excellent way to re-energize your readers after the glossary is to show them what they can achieve with a basic level and an extreme success story if they implement your lessons. What can you help them achieve? Can they double their income? Maybe they could improve their social standing. Whatever it is, make them imagine it and show them examples of case studies of people who've already managed to achieve it. Not only will your words inspire them to keep reading, but adding texture and clarity to their dream will provide them with a hunger to put your lessons into action. That will lead to success stories, and success stories will lead to better reviews, superfans, and more opportunities for you.
Number five: Basic Mindset Principles. Motivation and a can-do attitude can trump talent in the long term. That's why many good self-help books start with a section on attitude because readers who don't master this mindset earlier on will likely fail at the lessons taught later in the book. They absorb the knowledge but don't take action because they never internalize mantras such as "Do it now," "Attack the hardest thing first," or "Grit will help you overcome adversity." As their self-help guru, you need to prepare their mind to follow you, tactics all the way until they've achieved what they've picked out in their pipe dream scenario.
Part six: The Body of Your Work. This section should take up at least 80% of your actual book and should be full of practical tips that will help your reader overcome the problem for which they've bought your book in the first place. You will want to be specific, outlining exact strategies that they can take action on immediately. While you'll want to start chapters at a high level, subchapters should be full of granular advice, plus case studies showing how to use your advice in specific situations. Don't include too much padding. Readers won't feel cheated by a shorter book so long as it teaches them what they want to know. Some of history's most successful self-help guides are, in fact, under 200 pages. One thing you don't want to do is withhold vital information. Don't hold back your best tips for something else, and don't tease readers with more comprehensive resources that aren't included in your book. Tactics like this are a surefire way of getting one-star reviews. Readers want to solve their problem, not pay for a marketing pitch for a more expensive solution.
The best self-help books tend to order the meat of their content in one of two different structures: either they group the content into themes, or they lay it out in order of difficulty, from the fundamentals for newbies all the way to advanced strategies for seasoned enthusiasts. So long as it's logical and easy to navigate with clear subtotals that guide the readers to the information that they want, your approach should depend entirely on what will work best for your book.
Finally, step 7: Putting the Book into Context. Finally, once you've taught the reader all the information they sought out to learn when picking up your book in the first place, setting your lessons into a wider context is an effective follow-up strategy. For example, a book on growing an organic Twitter following can do exactly what it suggests, but readers will want to know what to do next once they get to the end. Can they leverage that following to solidify their place as an influencer on other platforms? Should they look into speaking gigs to grow their audience beyond the online sphere? Should the reader seek you out and join your mailing list for more tips? You get the idea. Readers who have read your entire book probably liked what they read and want more. This is your opportunity now to guide them into your sales funnel.
So, that's our video on how to structure a nonfiction book, specifically a self-help book. You can read the original article by Dan Parsons via the link in the description below. Make sure to subscribe to our channel if you like this video and leave a comment about how you have approached self-help and general nonfiction books in the past. I'll see you in our next video. [Music]