Shape the book before you write it.
Ten guides to shaping the book, in the order most authors need them, then sixteen on writing it. Each one is sourced, gives you specific steps and examples, and says what most people get wrong.
How to find your book idea
The difference between a topic and an idea, why the goal comes first, and five places real ideas come from.
Read the guide → 2 · 9 minute readNonfiction book ideas by profession
30 angles across 12 professions, each a reader and a promise with a short test.
Read the guide → 3 · 8 minute readWho is your book for?
How to define the one reader: situation, problem, what they tried, and how to check it against real people.
Read the guide → 4 · 7 minute readHow to write your book's promise
Before and after, how to make the after concrete, and a positioning statement you can use.
Read the guide → 5 · 8 minute readHow to test a book idea before you write it
Conversations, posts, talks and title tests, and which signals to trust.
Read the guide → 6 · 8 minute readComparable titles (comps)
How many, how recent, where to find them, which to avoid, and how to use them to sharpen your idea.
Read the guide → 7 · 8 minute readHow to choose a title and subtitle
Thirteen title approaches, subtitle patterns, and the copyright, trademark and Amazon rules.
Read the guide → 8 · 9 minute readHow to outline a nonfiction book
Three passes to a table of contents that sells, plus how many chapters and how long.
Read the guide → 9 · 9 minute readNonfiction book outline examples
Six structures, each as a sample table of contents, plus a template to fill in.
Read the guide → 10 · 8 minute readMemoir, how-to or thought leadership
Choosing the kind of book, what each promises the reader, and how much of your story belongs in it.
Read the guide →From plan to first chapter
How to start writing a book
Ten steps for a first-time author, from the goal to a first chapter, plus a writing routine that survives a busy week.
Read the guide → 12 · 9 minute readBook subtitle examples
32 real nonfiction subtitles sorted into five patterns, and how to write and test your own.
Read the guide → 13 · 10 minute readHow to write a memoir
Choosing the slice of your life, the reader, the structure and the outline, and writing about real people.
Read the guide → 14 · 9 minute readHow to write a business book
The business goal, the reader who can buy from you, chapters built around your method, and how much to give away.
Read the guide → 15 · 8 minute readHow many words in a nonfiction book
Word counts by book type from agents, a publisher and Scribe, words to pages, chapter length, and a chapter budget from your outline.
Read the guide → 16 · 9 minute readHow to write a book introduction
What the introduction must do, how it differs from a preface, foreword and prologue, a template and an annotated example.
Read the guide → 17 · 9 minute readHow to write a self-help book
The reader's problem and the change, a step method, exercises and stories, and how to back every claim honestly.
Read the guide → 18 · 9 minute readWriting a nonfiction book with AI
What Amazon KDP, the US Copyright Office and publishers say, where AI tools help, and where they create risk.
Read the guide → 19 · 8 minute readHow to write nonfiction chapter titles
Five patterns with real examples, why the contents page sells the book, and how to test titles against your outline.
Read the guide → 20 · 8 minute readFront and back matter, in order
Every part from title page to about the author, and how to write the dedication, acknowledgments and bio.
Read the guide → 21 · 8 minute readWriting a book with a co-author
Who does what, one voice or two, a written agreement, joint works, credit order and a shared workflow.
Read the guide → 22 · 9 minute readInterviewing people for your book
Who to ask, consent and recording, question lists, transcripts, quoting accurately, sign-off and privacy.
Read the guide → 23 · 9 minute readHow to research a nonfiction book
What needs checking, reliable sources and how to judge them, a source log, endnotes, fair use and fact-checking.
Read the guide → 24 · 8 minute readCase studies and client stories
Picking the story, a four-part structure, permission, disguising clients, professional rules and how many to use.
Read the guide → 25 · 8 minute readHow to write a how-to book
The outcome, putting steps in order, a five-part chapter template, usable pages and testing with real readers.
Read the guide → 26 · 8 minute readHow to write a company history book
Who it is for, where the records are, four structures, telling it as a story and planning the approvals.
Read the guide →Ready to put it together?
The book idea starter takes you through every step in one place and gives you a one-page book brief.