How to Write a Successful Self-Help Book
Self-help books have been around for centuries. They’ve helped people through tough times and led to positive change. But how do you write a successful self-help book that’s actually helpful and marketable?
Here, I’ll share what makes a self-help book great and how to write a successful self-help book of your own.
Develop a solid outline.
Your book’s outline is the foundation upon which you will build your book. It’s a place to track your ideas, organize them into chapters, and eventually develop an overall structure for how you will present them.
While an outline may seem similar to a synopsis or table of contents, its role is much broader. It should help you understand what’s in your successful self-help book and serve as a guidepost for how it can best be written. For a guide on creating your outline, check out my article on How to Write a Self-Help Book Outline.
For example, if one idea doesn’t fit well with another—or doesn’t even fit its chapter—this should become apparent as soon as you start outlining. That way, you can adjust accordingly before writing too far into any topic.
Make your book easy to skim.
In the self-help realm, making your content easy to skim or scan is essential. Make sure that critical points stand out and that your text isn’t so dense with information that it’s difficult for readers to pick out the vital parts.
Here are some tips for how you can accomplish this:
- Use bullet points to make your main points easily distinguishable
- Use bold font for crucial information like titles or subtitles
- Use italics when you want something to stand out from the rest of the text (for example, if you’re quoting someone else)
Keep your reader in mind.
The first step when considering how to write a successful self-help book is understanding your reader. To reach your readers, you need to know who they are and what problems plague them. Share on X
Ask yourself:
- What are their fears?
- What do they hope for?
- What is important to them?
The more specific you can be, the better.
There are many different types of audiences, but you can narrow self-help readers down into three general categories:
- Those who need solutions to specific problems
- Those who want to improve their lives, and
- Those who want to learn more about a subject.
Incorporate personal anecdotes and stories.
Personal anecdotes and stories are a great way to connect with readers. If you’re writing about a topic that has affected your life somehow, it can be helpful to share those experiences with your readers. By sharing your story, you create a connection with the audience.
You can also use stories from others as examples when making points in your successful self-help book.
For example, if you write about how meditation has helped you deal with stress at work and home, include an anecdote where someone else shares how this practice has also helped them. Or maybe there’s an inspirational story about someone who overcame obstacles in their life by applying one of the principles found in your book. Share this story so that others know they aren’t alone.
Stories are one of the most powerful tools to engage with your readers. They help people relate to you and what you have to say, and they make learning fun.
If you’re writing a self-help book that aims to change lives, adding stories is a must! Share on XDon’t be afraid to integrate humor into your book.
Humor can be a great way to make a point and connect with your readers. It can also help break up the text, which makes for a more effortless reading experience—and, in turn, helps sell more books!
But you have to be careful with humor. It can quickly come across as cheesy, and that’s not what you want. While humor is a great tool, you should avoid trying too hard to be funny or witty. Just write naturally and let your natural sense of humor come through in your work.
Write every day, if possible.
Writing every day is a great habit to get into. It will help you to get your ideas down on paper before they vanish and stay focused on the project at hand.
If you’re not willing to write daily, I recommend writing at least three days a week. On top of getting your thoughts down on paper, writing regularly will also build up your writing skills more quickly than if you were to write once or twice a week (or even less frequently).
Add surprising, thought-provoking facts where appropriate.
Statistics that are shocking or intriguing will grab the reader’s attention and can be used as a launching point for deeper discussions. A good example is, “The average person spends 17 hours a week watching TV.”
Addressing your readers’ expectations can also help you craft a more powerful story. For example, if you’re writing about an active lifestyle and your target audience includes more sedentary people, they might be surprised by or resistant to the idea that physical activity can change your life for the better.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t discuss it. It’s your responsibility as an author to anticipate readers’ objections and address them head-on.
Edit ruthlessly.
It takes many drafts and lots of editing to make a successful self-help book. You will undoubtedly encounter moments where you feel like your work is the worst it can be. That’s okay! You aren’t alone in those thoughts. You will also have moments where you feel like your writing is perfect and nothing needs to be changed.
Don’t believe these thoughts or let them discourage you from pursuing authorship. Instead, embrace them as part of the process and use them as motivation to continue refining your work until it is as close to perfect as possible.
It does not matter how long it takes other people to edit their manuscripts. What matters is getting your own book edited! Share on XStay positive!
You’re going to write a self-help book. Congratulations! You’ve chosen one of the most rewarding and fulfilling projects a writer can take on. Given that this is your first book, it’s also likely to be one of the hardest things you’ve ever done—but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun and exciting too!
Keep your readers’ needs and interests in mind at all times, and incorporate their stories wherever possible.
The most important thing to remember as you embark upon this incredible journey is to stay positive. Positive about yourself, your topic, your reader, and the world around us.
A successful self-help book is a work in progress. You don't have to be perfect on the first try. You can always go back and edit later. Share on XJust remember: Positivity is critical!