So You Want to Write a Book

I received a message on Twitter looking for some guidance on writing a technology-related book. Like many of you, he has no previous publishing experience. Notice I didn't say "writing experience". If you are thinking of writing your first book, I am assuming you already are writing. Even if it has been nothing but blog posts, you have to know how to write a coherent sentence. You need to understand grammar, syntax, and how to craft a proper paragraph. I would also add that you know how to tell a story. Even though the subject matter you have in mind may  be technical, you need to engage the reader. Nobody wants to buy a dry and boring manual or a bunch of technical documentation. You need to devise a narrative for your content.

This idea of a narrative, is also related to the first question you need to ask yourself, "Why?". Why do you want to write the book? I hope you didn't say for the money because only a handful of tech authors earn anything substantial, that is enough to begin replacing your current income. By the way, I am not in that group. Income from my books is nice, but I'm also creating Pluralsight courses, teaching private classes, speaking at conferences, writing for online sites and anything else I can do to help pay the bills. So, why do *you* want to write a book? Do you just want the experience? Something to add to your professional resume? Do have some useful information to share with the world?

Another part of the "Why" is why you? Why should someone buy a book on the subject you have in mind from you? What expertise are you bringing to the project? Assuming there are other books on your subject, what will make your book stand out or be a more attractive title? The other half of this equation is the reader. Who is your target audience? Who is the ideal reader? What requirements do they need to get the most out of your book? At the end of reading your book, what outcomes do you want for the reader. I'd say you should  be able to articulate at least 3 outcomes along the lines of "At the end of the book you will be able to X". Of course, you need to ensure that you write a book that meets those objectives.

Which brings me to my next point. You need to write a detailed outline. Each main heading will be a chapter. Subsections of your outline will become section headings in your chapter. You generally don't need to go more than 3 levels deep for each chapter. But you want to be as detailed as possible. The outline will help you organize your narrative and ensure you are covering all relevant material. When you are finished the outline should look like your Table of Contents. You might consider showing it to friends or colleagues who will give you honest feedback. By the way, don't worry about or plan for an index in the finished work. More than likely your publishing experience is going to be digital which implies search.

I strongly recommend that you write down your answers to the questions I've posed. Even if it is just a text file in Notepad. The act of writing forces you to not skip any steps. Of course I hope it goes without saying that your outline must be written down. It can't be in your head.

Now, if all of this seems a bit overwhelming, perhaps this is not the right time for you to start a book project because this is the easy part. Instead, keep writing short content wherever you can. You might also be on the lookout for book projects where you could contribute a chapter. The PowerShell Conference Book included content from a number of first time authors. But even in a short chapter, the editors were looking for expertise, narrative and goals. I encourage you to stay connected on social media with your specific technical communities.

In a follow-up article I'll talk about the mechanics of writing and publishing.

---

---