Listening to people’s stories is fascinating. Everybody has a story to tell. You have one, too. In fact, you’ve probably been told, “You should write a book about that.” Part of you wishes you could, but that other side of you tries to convince you that no one will want to buy your book. So you never try. But what if your experience, knowledge, humor, or ideas inspired readers and kept them coming back for more?

Should You Write a Book?

Let’s get something straight before going on. You’ll meet people who won’t buy your book, and that’s okay. Of all the genres of books in Barnes and Noble Booksellers, do you read them all? No, of course not. You go straight toward the section of books that you like and ignore the rest. But there are people who would read your book. What are the demographics of book buyers who would purchase your book? First, it’s good to know which category of books your title will be placed at the bookstore.

Take a Trip to the Bookstore

The next time you visit a bookstore, have a notebook and pen handy. Spend some time perusing the section of books of topics, similar to what you would write, that you are familiar with. Think of your hobbies, for example. Abilities you have that come naturally to you. Things you talk about when people tell you, “You should write a book.”

Look at the titles, chapters, introduction, back cover copy, etc. How do your experience and knowledge differ from what you see on the shelves? Look at the next exercise to help you determine whether or not you should write a book.

Make a List of Book and Chapter Titles

Write down ten ideas for your book title. Now narrow those down to the three that you like the most. Next, write a list of thirty chapter title ideas for each of the three book titles. This is a lot of writing, but it will help you focus on the subject that you know best and that interests you the most. If a topic doesn’t interest you much, you’ll lose the motivation to complete the book.

Take a closer look at your ideas for chapter titles. Can any of them be broken down even more? Keep in mind that people often find it difficult to read because of busy schedules and distractions. Therefore, short chapters are easy to read.

Choose the book title that you have the most chapter title ideas for. File the other two for future use. They may be perfect for publishing smaller e-books. And what if you can only think of eight to ten chapter title ideas for each of the book titles? I think you’re on to something. There is a market for e-books. Or, publish small booklets – the kind you see near the registers at bookstores.

If you’ve taken notes on your bookstore trip, made your book title and chapter lists, you’ve just begun the journey to writing your book.