Great writing skills don’t guarantee your book will sell. You’ve got to write a book people want to read.
Even if you’ve mastered the complexities of written language, your new book may fall short in terms of sales and popularity. Because if no one is interested in what you have to say, they’re not going to buy it.
Want to write interesting, memorable books that sell? Here are three things you need to do, whether writing your first, second, or tenth book.
1. To Write a Book People Want to Read, You Need to Read
Writers are readers. They know about every new book people want to read. And they read them. To hone your craft as a writer, you need deep roots as a reader.
Learn What Works and What Doesn’t Work
Expose yourself to a wide variety of books from different genres. You can gain insight from well-written books by veteran writers and first-time authors alike. As you read, pay attention to writing techniques, plot patterns, dialogue exchanges, word choices, and sentence length.
Take note of the positive aspects of each book and incorporate these strengths into your own writing style. Pinpoint the negative aspects that detract from the quality of the story. Then avoid making the same mistakes when working on your book.
Learn What Stories Exist in Your Book Genre
Make a point to read the works that have made a major impact in your genre. Increase your awareness about the stories that have been told and the angles utilized by other authors. This will ensure your book is unique and revolutionary instead of tired and cliché. In other words, it will help you write a book people want to read.
Becoming an avid reader puts you in your readers’ shoes. This helps you think more clearly while writing and editing your book. It also helps you know when one of those clichés or tropes will help or hurt your story.
2. Customize Your Story for Your Readers
Writing is an act of self-expression. However, full self-expression may not lead to writing a book people want to read. if you want to sell books, you’ve got to express yourself and consider your readers’ preferences at the same time.
Hit the Right Word Count
The length of your book should match the reading skills and capacity of your readers. In other words, it should fall under the general recommended word range for your genre of choice.
Depending on what kind of book you’re writing, your manuscript may be anywhere from 200 words to 100,000 or more. The trick is to know what is expected from readers of your genre. If you’re writing a picture book, it needs to be short. No parent is going to read a 10,000-word picture book to their child at bedtime.
Match Writing Style to Your Audience
You should always maintain your one-of-a-kind writing voice as an author. However, you should also adapt your writing style to suit your audience’s reading abilities, preferences, and expectations. This is vital if you want to write a book people want to read.
Use easy-to-understand words if you are writing for children. Given their basic reading skills, keep sentences short so they can easily understand the story. Feature characters to whom young readers can relate.
Writing for young adults? Write in a lively, action-packed style. Most young-adult books are written in present tense. Stick to that and use active verbs as much as possible.
You have more leeway with complex sentences and deep words when writing for adults. Just adjust your tone based on your novel’s subgenre. Mystery, historical, fantasy, and romance each has a unique feel. Make your writing match the typical tone.
3. Keep Your Story Unique and Dynamic
It can be challenging to make your book stand out from the rest. After all, there are countless books already available in libraries and bookstores. Still, it is possible to grab readers’ attention through creativity and resourcefulness. Doing this is essential to write a book people want to read.
Books People Want to Read Have Unique Plots
It may be tempting to follow in the footsteps of bestselling authors in your genre. However, using a formulaic plot that resembles well-known stories may hurt your career as an author. Readers and critics may dismiss your book as an inferior copy of another popular book.
It’s better to forge your own path and create a unique plot from scratch. A distinctive story has the potential to draw readers to your book.
Another viable option is to put your own spin on a traditional formula. Ty a fresh approach to an old plot by using a different angle, setting, or writing format.
Create Charismatic, Relatable Characters
Behind iconic books are unforgettable characters. Readers will remember your book if your characters are memorable. So make them relatable, charismatic, and flawed.
Your characters don’t have to be likable. They do need to be interesting. Otherwise, your readers won’t care enough to read all the way to the end.
Publish Your Book People Want to Read
Once you’ve written your book (or paid a ghostwriter to do it for you), the fun begins—editing and publishing. When you’re ready to take the next step on your book journey, Argyle Fox Publishing is here to help. Submit your manuscript today to get started.