Writing and Selling Your Book From Experience

This article explores the concept of writing and selling your book from your unique experience. The author, a self-paced writer and novelist, shares valuable insights and strategies based on their own journey.

• The author highlights the importance of writing about what you've learned and personal stories in a world where readers connect with human faces and experiences.
• This approach is deemed effective in the current "golden age of content creation" where competition is fierce, and readers are looking for authentic and relatable content.

Writing Articles From Experience

The author emphasizes that successful articles often center around personal experiences, combining learning with entertaining narratives. The article provides an example of a blog post about Ozempic, a weight-loss medication, demonstrating how to integrate personal knowledge, trending topics, and valuable takeaways for the reader.

• The author suggests using a checklist when creating articles:
  • Personal knowledge: Pick a topic you know well and can speak confidently about.
  • Trending topic: Choose something relevant to today's society that people would be interested in.
  • Something for the reader: Determine what the reader will get from your article before you start writing.

Writing Novels From Experience

The author explains how writing from experience can be applied to novels, even if not writing a memoir. The author's debut novel is based on their life in Melbourne, demonstrating the power of using a world you know well to create a relatable and engaging story.

• The author suggests a framework for writing a novel from experience:
  • Personal knowledge: Choose a genre you feel comfortable writing in.
  • A world you know: Set your story in a place you are familiar with to create a real and tangible world.
  • A start-to-finish story: Develop multiple story ideas with a clear beginning, middle, and end.

The Importance of Uniqueness

While writing from experience is encouraged, the author stresses the need to offer a unique perspective or opinion that hasn't been shared before. Readers are less interested in generic stories and more eager to connect with fresh and original narratives. It's not about making up a story, but rather looking at your experiences in a way that others might not have considered.

• The author provides examples from their own work where they have shared unique perspectives on common experiences, like writing a book for 13 years or feeling regret after publishing a book.

Content Length Matters

The author emphasizes that there's no magic number for content length. The goal is to provide enough context and detail to satisfy the reader. Too little information can leave the reader unsatisfied, and too much can overwhelm them.

• While there are structural word limits for specific formats, the author emphasizes the importance of adhering to those guidelines while still making a strong impact with your writing.

Marketing Strategies for Your Book

The author strongly advocates for video marketing as a powerful tool to promote your writing. This involves creating videos that tell the story of your articles or books, allowing readers to connect with you and your writing style.

• Platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram can be used to share these video blogs.
• The author provides an example of a TikTok video about creating the cover for their debut novel, demonstrating how to transform an article into a visual story.

Image-Based Marketing

For writers who prefer a less camera-forward approach, the author recommends using images and captions on platforms like Pinterest and Instagram to tell your story.

• Pinterest is a great platform for creating visual content that previews your article and attracts readers.
• Instagram captions can be used to provide a short-form version of your story, engaging readers and directing them to your longer articles or books.

Why Writing From Experience Works

The author explains that writing from experience is effective for several reasons: It's backed by data, it connects with readers on a personal level, and it's a straightforward and easy way to create content.

• The author's own data shows that articles based on personal experiences have generated significant views and earnings.
• Writing from experience fosters a sense of connection with readers, who appreciate the authenticity and relatability of your story.
• It eliminates the need for extensive research or interviews, making it a convenient and efficient way to create content.
• For new writers, writing from experience can provide a solid foundation and help build consistency.