Choosing the right topic for your how-to book

By Dennis Mellersh

In trying to figure out a topic for the how-to book you want to write, your personal and particular knowledge of a subject can be an excellent guide.

Through a hobby, an interest, your job, or your business, you may already have specific knowledge that specialized audiences need, want, and are looking for.

Yet, for the beginner writer, it’s often a temptation to try to write a book about topics that are already popular, topics on which a lot of other writers have already written how-to books.

There is a way to avoid this trap.

The Internet has enabled writers and communicators to successfully reach and sell to small, even micro-sized audiences that are interested in small sub-sets of information.

A small e-book providing instruction on a highly specialized aspect of any subject can find a dedicated, special-interest reading audience and be successful for the writer.

And, the recent advent of Internet-based, simplified self-publishing with E-books or on-demand printed books makes it possible for you as a writer to reach your potential audience directly without having to go through the lengthy process of submitting your manuscript to a traditional book publisher.

In fact, you might be quite surprised at the number of people who would be interested in reading book you have written on a significantly focused, specialized subject.

For example, historically there have been countless books written on the general topic of gardening. For a new how-to book to gain attention in such a broad reading audience market it would have to have some outstanding attribute, such as being written by a celebrity.

But, a book on how to successfully grow a particular type of rose, or how to work with a specialized landscaping material could interest an audience which, although relatively small in total book market percentage terms, could make your book a success.

Similarly, a problem you have solved in your particular hobby could be the basis for writing an e-book that would interest many fellow hobbyists; it could even be the beginning of a series you could write about solving problems related to challenging aspects of your hobby.

The same applies to your job, or business. There are probably many problem solving how-to books that you could write, based on your existing knowledge.

I could give you example after example, but I think you get the idea. Dig down into your own knowledge base – there is likely a book waiting there to be written by you.

By writing about what interests you, what you are knowledgeable about, it will give your how-to book a built-in authenticity and authority. Your writing will also be more natural and more appealing. You will be writing in your own voice.

You’ll be doing your book because you enjoy writing about the topic, not because it’s a popular topic you think you “should” be writing about to be successful.