You don’t want to spend all year on this book.
You want it finished fast so you can get your cash flow going and brand yourself as the go to person in your niche.
Your reader will read each chapter that uses a recommended chapter blueprint in your book.
That means she will recommend it to her lists and friends. Her testimonials will show you to be the right choice for your information! His word-of-mouth will bring many books sales and attract the clients you want, because it’s written just for them. This is pre-marketing at its best.
You’ll write an organized, engaging, and easy-to-read chapter that your readers will love to read because it’s not a lecture.
They feel cared for and engaged instead. Use this same format for your promotion materials, site sales letters and blog posts.
You can offer your short eBook of under 25 pages as a free opt-in when visitors subscribe to your site.
You stay in touch with your audience each week and they learn to value, trust, and like you. Over time, they buy from you. This is content marketing at its best. Your blog markets you or your book and your book markets your blog because you put all the necessary pre-marketing blurbs and links in it.
You can repurpose your book to many other higher profit products and services such as a home study course.
That means you’ll get more clients and sales.
*You’ll get far more web visitors who will appreciate you as you continue educating them.
Then, they will know, like and trust you much more, making them potential clients rather than “lookie loos”. It may take a month, 6 months, or even a year to the sale, but they’ll come. Just be patient and give it time to work.
Book Chapter Fast-Writing Blueprint with Only One Edit
Did you know that most authors only sell 150 books? That’s because they make mistakes that cost them sales.
Are your concerns like most of my book coaching clients? “Will my book be readable enough to sell well?” “Will the time and money invested to learn a chapter-writing blueprint that makes my writing more engaging be worth it?” “Will this blueprint skills set work for both my ebook selling and selling non-fiction?”
The problem with most non-fiction or how-to writers is that they tell rather than engage. They tell what they know and don’t answer their readers’ concerns. Like me, you know too much.
Your eBook or print book should answer the concerns of your primary audience. You need to write your book so your readers easily get their questions answered while enjoying themselves. They don’t want a lecture or telling. They want your words to engage them! If you engage them, they will listen, and eventually finish your book and then possibly buy from you.
How Can You Engage Your Audience in Every Chapter?
One. The Chapter Beginning has Two Parts in the Hook.
- Start with a hook in the chapter’s introduction.
The best hook is to pose questions based on your audience’s concerns about your topic. When authors tell what they know, it sounds flat and boring. They bring old writing habits that mar their intended clarity. Avoid passive verbs and -ly adverbs, long sentences and paragraphs that slow the reader way down.
- Follow the 2-3 questions with why your readers should read this chapter.
What are the benefits of reading it? This omission is so common – even among professionals. After a best title, if you don’t give your readers a reason to read on in the chapters, you’ll lose them in the very first paragraph.
Two. The Chapter Middle.
Answer your reader’s concerns you noted in the introduction in the middle part of your chapter. Use questions in some of your headlines. Include case studies, stories, important tips and quotes.
Use Headlines to Motivate your Readers
Each headline should motivate your reader to keep going. You need to hand-hold your readers to get them to your “gold.” They don’t respond to long paragraphs or telling and will stop reading your chapter. If you don’t make it easy and readable for them, they won’t finish and you won’t get their support for your follow up marketing. There goes your word-of-mouth.
It’s not the Book; It’s the Hook!
Most experts and other authors blast away telling what they think the reader needs. Don’t tell your own fantastic ideas and stories. Don’t lecture like a professor. Academia writing needs to be altered for an online audience.
Engage your readers!
Ask questions along the way. Include their problems or where they are now, and give them what they want so they finish each chapter and recommend your book. When they finish, they can become your 24/7 sales team and give great word of mouth on Social Media and other online forums. When others recommend your book, your audience that needs it will check you, your book, and your website out.
Don’t Make your Book an End All, Be All Book for All Audiences!
Stop writing general copy that bores and interests no one. Knowing your primary audience who wants specific information before you write your book makes your marketing and selling so much easier later. And, it will save you enough time and money to take that long-deserved vacation.
Speak directly to your primary audience and give them specific answers to what concerns them. For example, send out a survey asking “What are you worried about specifically in this topic?” Put a face on your readers. If more than one audience, offer a question aimed at each audience in each chapter and answer it, so they know you care about them.
The Question and Answer Middle Part of your Chapter almost guarantees One Edit Only. It eliminates wandering long sentences and paragraphs.
Three. The Chapter Ending.
Do you include a summary, a 3-5 Tip Ending, or a headline “Things to Ponder From this Chapter”? If you do, that’s great.
You need one more powerful sentence or two after this. Most book writers neglect this skill to motivate their readers to read the next chapter. For example, say something like this: Now that you’ve finished this chapter, are you ready to get these benefits (name them) in the next chapter? (number and name the chapter)
Case Study of Joanne, a Recent Client
Joanne, who just finished writing and publishing a book for her young women audience with eating disorders, said after two coaching sessions,
“My ahas? I found my voice! It’s great to know my chapter will inform and entertain the young women who need my information. When I tightened this up early, I dropped a lot of passive verbs and replaced them with action verbs, I replaced adverbs such as –ly words with more specific substitutes. In the chapter middle, I added four client case studies with dialogue that showed and didn’t tell, but illustrated how I work – giving specific steps and solutions for these young overeaters.
As I wrote the first chapter draft, I didn’t notice these old writing habits before my book coaching sessions. The time I invested, around 9 sessions, will pay off. Because I can be confident this book given away in Kindle and my site will draw my best audience to my site for more solutions–young women with eating disorders. Thanks for making this book possible and its future success. Getting professional feedback early on makes me know what to do for engaging chapters in other writing projects and all my marketing too.”
What do you Want?
Certainly not selling only 150 copies. Find a way to do it right the first time. Don’t overlook that non-fiction writing should include these creative non-fiction skills such as dialogue. Even if you wrote a few chapters, you can still get early feedback before you leap into continued mistakes that keep your audience from recommending your book.
Did you see yourself making any of the mistakes Judy mentioned? Which of these tips did you appreciate the most? Which did you already know?
By Judy Cullins, a contributing blogger for JenningsWire.
