Are You Doing This To Your Readers??

You don’t write a book so no one will read it.

You write a book so people will read it.

Duh!

Unfortunately, many authors fail to realize that they’re driving readers away from their book.

Case in point: Eighty percent of the people who buy your book will read—or at least glance at—your Introduction or first chapter (whichever comes first).

And what percent of those readers will read the next chapter?

Forty percent. Only. Forty. Percent! 

Most authors lose half of their readers once they begin reading your book.

Don’t let this be you. Today we’re going to fix that.

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The Only Question Readers Are Asking

When readers pick up your book, they’re asking only one question:

Why did the author write the book?

WRONG!!

Unless you’re really famous, your reader really doesn’t care about you or the reason you wrote your book. Most nonfiction books begin that way, however.

Here’s the question they’re asking:

What’s in it for me?

So when you begin your book, you need to be transfixed on giving the reader what they want.

Back in the day, when I was a pastor, I liked to begin my sermon with a story. But I didn’t resolve the story until the very end of my message. That built tension and (hopefully) kept them engaged. 

And I kept my messages to 25 minutes or less because I knew the congregation was suffering from ADHD. If I droned on and on, they’d get bored. Not once have I ever heard anyone complain that a message was too short. But they did complain when the message was too long. So I tried to leave my listeners wanting more.

The same applies to books: Build tension at the beginning and don’t resolve it until the very end. Then get to the point and get out.

Let’s break this down even further…

Let's Apply This To Fiction and Memoirs

Your fiction and memoir readers are tension addicts. Their answer to What’s in it for me? is a well-told story, filled with tension, then resolution, and then a happy ending where somebody grew as a result of the tension.

In a novel or memoir, begin with a tense point toward the end of your story that grabs your readers and pulls them in. But don't resolve it! I like to begin with dialogue, because that’s the strongest hook in your writing tackle box.

Then go to the beginning of the story for your next chapter.

The unresolved tension will keep your readers engaged in your book and will give you a better chance of escorting them beyond the introduction and first chapter. To heighten the intrigue, add a little tension or conflict at the end of every chapter that resolves in the next chapter. 

Once you’ve resolved the story, it’s a race to the finish line. Wrap up your story with a pretty ribbon and get out.

The Nonfiction Introduction

If you’re writing nonfiction, always, always, always begin with an introduction. Every book I’ve written began with an introduction.

Again, your nonfiction readers are only asking one question: What’s in it for me?

So in the introduction, you need to accomplish three things:

1. Hook your reader
2. Make your promise
3. Explain how you’re going to fulfill your promise

Then get out.

Read that again.

Now let’s jump into the deep end of the pool...

Hook. What’s the pain point of your target audience? If you don’t know, then you have some work to do. Once you know what it is, press on it as hard as you can. What questions keep them up at night? What would compel them to read your book?

Are your readers bored with their life?

Unemployed?

Hopeless?

Give them a startling statistic—like I did at the beginning of this post.

Write a very short story that illustrates the pain point. Make sure you employ generous amounts of dialogue.

Begin with an insightful question. 

I once began a sermon by pausing, looking at the congregation in the eyes, and then asking the question, “What would your life look like if you had no fear?”

It hooked ‘em!

Promise. Now tell your readers how your book will transform them. You could even extol some of the benefits of your magnificent treatise. This part doesn’t need to be long.

For example, you could write, “In Fear Free, I’m going to show you how you can enjoy a life free of fear. It’s really possible—and it really can be you!”

Fulfill your promise. This is the part that is going to hook your reader so they’ll read far beyond chapter 1. 

In this part of your introduction, which is almost always longer than the promise section, you’re going to explain how each chapter or section is going to fulfill your promise. Don’t give them the good stuff, but say something like this:

“In chapter 1, I’m going to show you the extent that fear paralyzes our society. The statistics are shocking.

“In chapter 2, we’re going to look at the hidden fears that paralyze us and how you can identify them.

“In chapter 10, you’ll learn a simple exercise you can employ whenever you feel that fear beginning to rear its ugly head."

It’s all about the pain points and benefits, baby!

After that, all you need is a paragraph or two that hooks your readers into chapter one. 

The introduction doesn’t need to be very long. As little as a thousand words will suffice.

Before the Introduction

You know what convinces your potential readers to read the introduction? 

An outstanding book cover. 

The old adage “You can’t tell a book by its cover” is only partially true. Without an outstanding cover, readers won’t even peek inside your book.

Our cover designer has created 3,000+ book covers, many of them for traditional publishers. Illumify authors stand out from the crowd because their books look really good—which begins with the cover.

It's our commitment to author excellence. If you’re interested in publishing a book that looks, feels, and reads like a HarperCollins or Simon & Schuster release, let’s talk.

You can schedule a meeting with me today by clicking here. 

Let’s bring your book to life!