Is your idea a book?

Here’s a simple four-question test of whether the idea in your head is an advice book:

1. Do you have a unique collection of knowledge or insight that others lack?
2. Is there a definable group of people that would benefit from that advice?
3. Is your set of insights significantly different from what’s already available in other books and online?
4. Can you explain your idea in one sentence that your target audience would understand?

If you can answer all four questions with a resounding “Yes,” you’ve got the potential to write a book that can help make you more successful.

If you cannot answer all four questions “Yes,” you have work to do.

How to get to “Yes”

If you’re not there yet, improve your answer to the four questions.

1. If your knowledge isn’t sufficient, work with more clients and customers. Gain insights that will boost your collection of useful knowledge.
2. If your target group is fuzzy, identify who seems to benefit most from your insights. Figure out what they have in common.
3. If your insights are not differentiated, compare what you know to what others have already shared. Do you have a unique spin? A new insight based on how a market or technology is changing? A better way of presenting the knowledge? What do you want to say that no one else has already said?
4. If your can’t explain the concept in one sentence, don’t despair. Most people can’t, at least at first. Try different messages out on clients and customers. See what is resonating. What simple message is still powerful and unique? Keep trying out candidates until you find it.

Where to go from “Yes”

A useful, targeted, differentiated, simple idea is just a start. It’s not a book . . . yet.

Next steps:

• Collect evidence and case studies to prove you’re write.
• Pilot the idea in the form of talks or sales pitches, see what resonates and what needs to be changed.
• Investigate the three publishing paths to decide how you want to publish. Traditional publishing is challenging and slow, but powerful. Hybrid publishing is expensive but quicker and more in your control. Self-publishing is fast and cheap, but has less impact.
• Write a one-page treatment for your book. Make promises about what it will deliver.

It’s a long road. But you’ll never get published unless you get started.