Are you inspired when you read a passage like this in a book: “Follow my program and you’ll probably see some good results!”
How about: “It might be fair to conclude that the economic situation is tied, in part, to some of the factors I’ve described.”
Does either of these statements make you sit up and say, “Yes! I’m convinced!”
Probably not. These cautious statements may be all right for scholarly journals or government reports, but not for popular books. When you’re trying to sell your idea or program, you have to provide persuasive arguments and firm, inspiring conclusions. The conclusion doesn’t have to be positive, but even if it is negative, it should be presented with conviction.
Instead of: “Follow my program and you’ll probably see some good results!” try something like, “By following my program there is an excellent chance that you’ll see positive results such as…” and then briefly describe the benefits.
Instead of: “It might be fair to conclude that the economic situation is tied, in part, to some of the factors I’ve described,” how about, “There is an excellent chance that the factors I described are causing the economic situation,” or “There is no doubt that the economic situation is tied to many of the factors I’ve described.”
If you can’t present your ideas or program with confidence, why should readers pay any attention to you? I don’t mean you should make anything up, but if the best you can say is “it might…” or “there’s an outside chance” or something similar, why should hundreds of thousands of people pay for your book and implement your ideas?
A very cautious tone is good for a thought piece or scholarly book, but not a popular book. If your readers get the feeling you’re not convinced, they certainly won’t be, either.
We at Taylor-Fox can help you create your business book, health book, memoir, biography, inspirational book or other book and get it ready for publication. We’ve helped scores of people achieve their goals, and some of their books have landed on bestseller lists. Call us at 818-594-0379.
Nadine Taylor and Barry Fox write, ghostwrite, rewrite and edit books in many genres, including health, business, inspiration/ spirituality and memoirs. Their resume is long and varied but there’s one thing that never changes: They love to work with words, creating books that are clear, compelling and pleasurable to read. If you’re interested in writing a book, editing a book and/or publishing a book, you’ve come to the right place!
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