How to decide which book to write first

When I work with clients, I often find that they want to write more than one book, and this also came up with some of the people taking part in the summer challenge.

So if you’ve got multiple books that you want to create, how do you decide which book to write first?

The problem with many people when it comes to writing a book is that they have so much information to share. It becomes overwhelming, they struggle to find a process, they write to multiple audiences, they over complicate things, and the result is a mishmash of ideas – and a stressed-out author!

If you just dump everything down on paper, and expect that it’s going to sell, it’s not going to be the best experience for your reader (and it won’t be the easiest experience for you either). Ideally you want to create a simple process or a step-by-step guide that they (and you) can follow easily.

It also makes sense to think about what you want this reader to do next, as this will inform the content for the book, how much you want to share, and where you want to take them for the subsequent stage of their journey.

That’s why developing a comprehensive plan for your book is essential. You can map out your knowledge and expertise, and decide which one to write first.

This might be the book that’s going to grab people’s attention, and I’d hope that it’s the one that will grow your business primarily. So it’s essential that you decide what you want it to do for you and ensure that it fulfills its purpose.

If you’ve got multiple books that you need to write, you may start with the first which gives an overview of what you teach, and then you may go deeper into specific topics in subsequent books.

You may find that the one that you really want to write is the second or third, but don’t let that stop you from getting started with the one that you know you need to write first. Actually you’ll become better known when you have multiple books to your name!

If you feel that you’ve got an important story to share, unless this is directly related to what you do, then this may be a personal project on a later date. A bit like my fourth book where I share more about my story (which is in the final editing stages!).

And if you’re still stuck… This is the book you need to write first

• It is in the area where you’re an expert and what you want to get known for
• It focuses on your ideal client and the problem they want help with the most
• It solves this pressing problem and gives them the answer they need
• It links into your message, vision and sales funnel to ensure it builds your business quickly
• It’s the thing that inspires and excites you, where not only do you have expertise, but passion as well
• It shares a process or strategy that you generally only usually share with one-to-one clients or at events
• It’s in an area where you already have a community of people interested or are able to build it quickly
• It’s the thing that you know will help you to grow your business and attract more clients
• It’s the one that people are begging you to write!

Which book will you write first?

I’d love to know what you think about this post and feel free to comment and share with your friends and colleagues.

One of the things that I do with my clients is help them to develop their book ideas and often help them to decide which book to write first. If you’d like to join them, I have two spaces available to work with me, so please drop me a line to arrange a complimentary strategy session to get you started.