Pointers on Publishing - 10 tips to writing a self-help book

Corine La Font, Contributor

Have you ever wanted to write a self-help book, but don't know how? Here are 10 tips to quickly get started.

1.You don't have to be an expert to write a self-help book. Go back to your own experiences and even the experiences of others. Most of all, write on an area in which you are most knowledgeable, skilled and comfortable so that, if asked, you can speak with confidence.

2.If you want to write a book on something in which you are confident that you feel is very close to your heart, then it makes it easier to do the research to write your book. Research is important. Support and supplement what you know with interviews from experts on the topic.

3.When writing a self-help book, you want to write as if you are speaking to the reader i.e., conversational language. Your audience has to feel that connection or that experience that you are trying to portray. Try to avoid using too many elaborate words that they will have to look up in the dictionary.

4.Get to the point! Keep it easy to read and concise. Readers want to get the information quickly so they do not need to read a 300+ page book to get the answers or solutions to their problems. Keep in mind that doesn't mean to compromise the value and quality of your work.

5.It is very easy to put a book out today, but you want to make sure that your book gets that good reputation by being properly edited by a professional. Ensure that people aren't finding misspellings, typos and grammar being utilised incorrectly, so you want to make sure to pay for that professional edit. The reading public can be quite critical and you also have to be very careful in the wording used for your title to reach your target audience, the interior and the formatting. You have to be meticulous as authors; aspiring and even established authors have to be careful and not be in a rush to compromise not only the quality of the book, but also your reputation in the end.

6.Stories sell, either someone else's or your own. These create a connection with the reader and target audience. Caribbean people are natural storytellers, so this should come easily to you.

7.Make your content fresh. What makes it different from other self-help books? What is the spin you will put on what already exists? What's your point of view?

8.Here's the biggie! How practical is what you are suggesting? Is it easy to do or accessible? Readers now want quick and easy solutions. Not cerebral-type solutions that they have to go figure out. Make it as easy as possible for implement-ation so that they can see themselves putting what you say to use right away and in the moment. They can vicariously feel the change within themselves by just reading the words on the page.

9.Speak their language. And by 'their', I refer to your target audience. There may be special phrases or slangs or colloquial terms. Use them if that will help to connect with your audience. It's your book, speak in your voice or the voice of the reader and ensure that the editor does not change that aspect to lose the essence or context of what is being communicated.

10.Always keep updating your work in order to keep it current. You want your book to be used for generations to come. That requires doing research to determine the change in the needs of your audience as well as trending changes in the environment that may impact the solutions suggested in your book. Stay on top of your game and your book will stay at the top of the list of recommended reads.

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Corine La Font is an author, certified author assistant and online book marketing specialist. She is also an award-winning publishing resource in the 2013 Small Business Book Awards. Get a copy of her book at http://amzn.to/TFHQka Tune in to her radio programme at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/helpdeskja.