Tips on writing

Write a book for a ready readership

Choosing a topic to write a book manuscript that targets a wide readership is perhaps just as daunting as it is to follow one’s subjective notion of a theme’s importance. On the one hand it might seem logical to opt for a topic that you know well or would like to know more about through research. On the other hand if a published work does not yet exist, it makes sense that you should write it. There is of course the risk that many ‘new’ subjects may already be works-in-progress and not yet announced.

Concise outline

While it is of course necessary to do extensive research to determine what you are up against, it is essential to take the subject in a direction that surpasses, by comparison, similar literature. In other words, the author should consider what message the book will need to convey to be a real game-changer. Without giving away too much, it is wise to present publishers with a brief synopsis of the proposed book; and a list of chapter headings, each with a concise outline what each chapter covers.

Topic ideas

I’ve toyed with numerous unconventional topics that I believe people in our modern age might be interested in to expand their knowledge, such as developing critical life skills to shape a better future; the pros and cons of emerging technologies; is mankind prepared for an evolutionary leap?; survival in a hostile environment; merging human capital with artificial intelligence; unlocking our DNA; and initiating new “breakthrough” earth-friendly business industries.

Writing isn’t easy

Most writers agree that the hardest part of writing a manuscript is creating a fairly rigid routine and adopting an attitude of dogged persistence to yield a well-written piece of work. A complete manuscript does not magically appear; it starts with typing the title and the authors’ name, followed by the opening sentence and several paragraphs until an entire chapter has materialized.

Structured plan

Writing a book manuscript occurs in three critical phases: the beginning, planning ahead to stay motivated to enthrall the reader, and bringing the project to a fantastic close. Before you can start writing you first need to create a framework of various aspects of the topic and sub-areas you want to explore. Knowing what your book is about allows you to focus not only on the word count but also a timeline from start to finish. The length and number of chapters depends on the type of book you plan to write. For instance a white paper has 10 000 words, short eBook comprises 20 000 words, standard nonfiction novella (40 000 to 60 000 words), long novel (60 000 to 100 000 words) and epic-length novel/academic publication/biography (100 000 words).