I wrote my first book, Guide to Journaling, a couple of years ago, and so many women told me they loved it! As a writer, being told that someone read your book cover to cover is everything! Because you put so much hard work into it, you want readers to experience the full book, right?
So, how exactly did I get readers to devour my book?
Well, I wrote my book with several KEY things in mind:
Authenticity
Rhetoric
Flexibility
Application
So, let's break that down a bit more. If you want readers to devour your books, you gotta do these four things:
Authenticity
Do not, under any circumstances, be a copycat. You've got to make sure that you're being you in your book. You've got to find your own voice. Be your own person. Readers love a genuine author who lets their voice and style shine through. If you try to be someone you're not, then your message might not ring as true and people will notice you're a knock-off of someone else.
Be you!
Rhetoric
Your non-fiction book is undoubtedly about you and your experiences, but... your book isn't really about you. As you write these things, you're thinking about a specific audience--i.e.: who your book is for. If you try to be for everyone, you'll be for no one. As you write, think rhetorically about how your stories are connecting to your audience.
Similarly, as you share your stories, you've gotta be thinking rhetorically about the bigger picture within these stories. In other words, you've gotta think about your book's purpose--i.e.: what the point of the stories are. If you don't have a point, and just let the story try to speak for itself, you're gunna be in trouble. Readers won't want to finish.
At the end of the day, when you think rhetorically as you write, you'll ensure that your book has a carved out audience and purpose that'll resonate with readers.
Flexibility
One of my biggest pet peeves when I read personal development books is when the advice or insight is presented as a one-size-fits-all. Readers will feel anxious if they think there's no way to adapt what you're teaching them to their own unique lives. They'll also feel defeated if they apply your advice, insight, or teachings and it doesn't work exactly as described because their life is different than yours.
Live in the grey. Allow for nuance and adaptability.
Application
Another pet peeve of mine with a personal development book is when the author doesn't give you space within the book to apply what they're teaching to yourself and your life. Readers need that time and space to think about the awesome things you're teaching them. So, make sure to include exercise and journal prompts and whatever else you can think of that'll help them apply what you're teaching.
Readers want and need space to apply.
So, there you have it, my friend! Those are the 4 ways I made my book Guide to Journaling impossible to put down!
Happy Writing!
Meggy