7 Questions You Need To Ask Yourself BEFORE You Write Your First Book

Congratulations on your decision to write your first book. Writing a book is a major task. It helps to really understand why you’re writing your book, who you’re writing it for and where you’ll market it. Whether you’re planning a book, writing a book or marketing a published work, these seven questions will help you gain needed insights on your work.

1. Why am I writing this book?
   As you write your first book, you’ll find it taking shape much more quickly if you understand the WHY behind it.
2. What knowledge is my book going to share?
   Whether your book is instructional or entertaining, you want to impart some sort of knowledge. Fiction authors teach about the lives of their characters, while non-fiction authors impart wisdom and expertise.
3. Who do I want to read my book?
   Trust me – it will be muuuuuch easier to write your first book if you know who your ideal reader is right from the start. Identify them early in the process and you’ll make writing and marketing your book easier.
4. How will I start writing my book?
   Day or night? Quiet or busy? Once you decide to write your first book, you need to find your writing style. You’ll also want to identify the optimal writing time for you.
5. How long will it take to complete my book?
   This answer will vary greatly from writer to writer. You can try setting a writing calendar, writing a set number of words each week, or asking a fellow writer to keep you accountable. An accountability partner is a strategic way to maintain your focus as you write your first book.
6. Will I publish via traditional or self-publishing methods?
   This might depend in large part on your budget. Make sure you do your research, though, to ensure you publish your book in the format your idea reader prefers.
7. How (and where) will I market my book? 
   Make this decision upfront. You’ll save a lot of time and marketing dollars when you know where to market your book even before you start writing it.

Asking these seven questions can help guide and focus your writing. They’ll keep you on track and will make your marketing efforts much easier as well. What thought-provoking questions or guiding principles do you use to keep your writing focused and on track? Share them in the comments. I’d love to hear them.

Check back next week for seven questions to ask before writing your next book.