How Many Books Are in Your Book?

Here’s a funny thing about writing: although it can be one of the most challenging and intimidating activities to begin, once you start, you often discover you can’t stop! You have so many ideas that you just need to write down. You find yourself taking multiple page tangents because, let’s be honest, this information is just too good not to share! And then you realize you have so much information to cram into this book, it’s probably going to end up being 10,000 pages long.

The solution to this common pitfall is focus. Whether you are an author who has written dozens of books or a newbie who has yet to write his or her first, THE most important thing you can do for your book is determine the main objective. When a reader picks up a book about fish, he only wants to read about fish. If he wanted to read about that time you went fishing with your dad, because that is a really great story, the reader can buy your memoir.

One book. One idea. That is the rule.

Don’t Kill Your Darlings, Just Put Them Aside for Your Next Book

Right now you may be reevaluating your idea or finished book and realizing that, while you got everything you wanted written down, your focus is a little muddy. Don’t be discouraged; you are on your way to a more excellent project that clearly communicates your vision. You may have heard the editorial cliché “kill your darlings.” This phrase refers to the heart wrenching necessity of having to cut beautiful and meaningful sections (in your opinion) of text for the sake of the larger cause. We’ve all been there. Sometimes you have to admit that the sentence or chapter you spent weeks crafting just doesn’t have a place in this project.

However, we are not asking you to kill your darlings, simply to put them aside. Does your project currently have two different focuses: how to fish and stories about fishing? Well, you may have just articulated the idea for book number two.

The Reality of Creating a Quality Project

The reality is you may have multiple books in your book. Agents and publishers need an articulated focus in order to market and sell your book, and you may have to do some surgery to get there. But think of your book as a starfish; each part of it you cut off has the potential to grow into an entirely new entity.

Choose the idea that excites you most. What do you most want to communicate through this project? Honing your focus allows you to clearly articulate your goals and know when to put the pen down. If you really want to write a book (particularly one that will sell) it is better to have 10,000 words communicating one cohesive idea than a 10,000 -page document with an identity crisis. Save those ideas for the next book.

For now, get this one published!

Be well,
The Inspira Team