A super-simple nonfiction book chapter template

There are a lot of ways to write a book chapter. Most of them are wrong.

I can already hear the villagers gathering with torches and pitchforks, so before you start storming my castle, let me explain.

A well-written book chapter has these qualities:

It is entertaining from beginning to end.

It makes a point that will stick with readers.

It uses logic and facts — as well as wit — to be convincing.

It is long enough to make its point well, but short enough to avoid being a ponderous chore to read.

Usually, it includes advice for the reader.

And it does its job in the book, laying out or extending concepts and preparing groundwork for what’s coming.

There’s one easy way to do that.

Start with the reader question

Every chapter has a job to do. You can’t write it effectively until you know what that job is.

So before writing, define for yourself what question the chapter answers for readers. This is part of the reader question method, which is a way to organize the whole book.

Here are some examples of reader questions appropriate for a chapter:

• How can I organize my résumé for maximum impact?
• What are the stages in of project planning?
• How can I prepare emotionally for the job of health caregiver for a loved one?
• What trends led to the rise of populism in American and worldwide?
• How will AI change the job of marketers?

The super-simple template

Here’s a template that will draw readers through you chapter. Each bullet below is a section of the chapter.

• Explain key concept in two or three sentences.
• Describe a case study which demonstrates the key concept. (But just describe events, don’t attempt to link them to the concept until the case study is done.) Write it in the form of a story.
• Now show how the case study connects to the concept, and explain the concept in more detail.
• Use argumentation and evidence to prove the concept is valid.
• Further elaborate on the concept with additional case studies or evidence.
• Explain what the reader should do to apply the concept themselves.
• Briefly link the chapter to what’s coming up next in a sentence or two.

Is this the only way to write a chapter? No.

This is counterintuitive for many writers, because it introduces the concept first, then justifies it. In school we learned to write deductively: build the logic, then draw the conclusion. But if you do that in a book chapter, the reader may lose interest. So draw the conclusion first, then back it up. (This is the Barbara Minto’s Pyramid Principle.)

It also starts with a story. The reason for that is simple: people love stories and if you tell them with heart, will keep reading them.

But consider the thread that results from writing the chapter this way.

Here’s an idea. Here’s a fascinating story. The story demonstrates the idea. The idea is valid because I have evidence that supports and proves it. Here are some details about the idea. Here’s how to put it into action. Here’s how it fits into the whole concept of the book.

Done well, that’s irresistible.

You can vary this in many ways. You can start directly with the story and get to the concept just after. Sometimes it’s instructive to start with two contrasting case studies. Or you may add sections to introduce and justify a second concept that follows from the first.

But the key is to tell stories early, introduce and explain concepts soon after, and justify only after that.

Explaining and justifying first and telling stories later is far less effective. It’s making me sleepy even to write about it.

And mixing stories and justification and flipping back and forth tends to generate repetition. If you seem to be repeating concepts, this may be why. (Once I read “As I previously described” in a chapter I’m editing, I know I’m going to have to edit the structure.)

Try it

Are you stuck writing your chapter? Then try this template.

First decide what question you are answering. Write that down somewhere you can see it and refer to it as you write.

Write a case study. Stories are easy to write.

Explain how it demonstrates a concept. Your concept is important: here’s where to lay it out.

Gather evidence and share it in a logical way.

Write some recommendations on how readers can implement your concept.

Before you know it, you’ll have a chapter draft. And your writer’s block will be no more than a fleeting, easily forgotten memory.