How to Write a "How To" Book

Did you ever wonder how people got started as authors of "how to" books? There seem to thousands of "how to " books at every book store and each one of course has an author. Travel books, auto guides, real estate manuals, summer camp compendiums. You name it an there is a "how to" book ready for purchase. When I had been working in religious education for some twenty years, it occurred to me that if these people could all write "how to" books then maybe it wasn't so difficult. Maybe all you really needed was some solid knowledge based on experience and a some solid writing skills. I talked myself into believing I had both and, with a little direction from my daughter who degreed in creative writing, I began the process. Now I have two published books and enough confidence to say here's a plan for anyone interested in how to write a "how to" book.

1. Choose your topic wisely. When you decide to write a "how to" book your first step is obviously to choose a topic. Choose a topic about which you have a convincing amount of knowledge or experience. But make sure that the subject matter you choose is something you really enjoy. People want to read things that are helpful and accurate and come from someone with experience and expertise. But If you have lots of know how but are really indifferent toward the topic it is likely to come across to your reader and it will make your writing experience very tedious.

You should also choose a topic for which you feel their is a predictable market. There is little point, except personal enjoyment, for writing a "how to" book about a topic no one really cares about. My first "how to" book dealt with organizing a service week for young people. I knew plenty of religious education directors who were looking for this information and the publisher agreed there was a market and bought my manuscript.

2. Creating chapters. Learning how to write a "how to " book means knowing how to divide your book topic into distinct chapters. You may want to rename your chapters as you write. For example, you may discover that something you originally thought would make an excellent chapter is actually better rendered as tow individual chapters. Or you may find something which you thought was a reasonable subdivision of your book is really a very minor aspect which doesn't need or deserve a full chapter of coverage. No matter how many time you might change topic headings as you develop your book , you need to start out with some type of basic topic outline.

3. Set a Work Schedule. If you are really serious about wanting to know how to write a "how to" book, better believe you need to get serious about scheduling time to do your work. Writing can be a highly time consuming activity. As time consuming as it might be, it can also quickly become a very easy thing to put off to another time because you are tired, you need to eat, you aren't in the mood. Without disciplining yourself to write through the use of a project schedule, you can have the best idea in the world and a year from now it will still be exactly that - a very good idea.

I found it helpful with my second book to lay out a general schedule for the completion of my book chapter by chapter. On a calendar you can write in what chapters you plan to finish by what date. Being able to check things off as you proceed will give you the feeling of accomplishment.
Second, schedule time during the week for writing sessions just as you block out time to go to the gym or visit the dentist. Then make sure to keep the writing appointment you have made for yourself. And don't let yourself off without a very good excuse. Keeping your daily and weekly writing schedule will make it more likely that chapters will be completed on time and your ideas will eventually be transformed into a book.

4.Don't Let the Devil Be in the Details. It's very easy for first time writers to get hug up on endless rewrites. In the writing of both of my books I kept finding myself spending way too much time on going over and over the same page trying to make it perfect. Thanks to some professional advice, I legend that it was more important to try instead to write through your plan from front to back . Then you can go back and pick the text apart to your heart's content .

So an important part of how to write a "how to" book is to remember not to get caught up in the details and endless re-writes. Work towards the finish first time around, perfecting will come later on.

5. Polish Two Chapters. What I have learned about how to write a "how to " book is that it is important after you have finished the rough copy of your book to single out two chapters for immediate editing and rewriting, polishing as it were. To make this re-write easier, select two chapters that are in the best original form and so need the least re-working. Getting two chapters done and under your belt is a terrific boost. It tells you that finish the book is a very real possibility. If you can finish two chapters and make them readable and enjoyable then only time is holding you back from having a complete book to your credit.

6. Making a Proposal There are reference books and on line services that can help you to find the names and addresses of companies that will consider free lance "how to" manuscripts from new writers. You may be aware of some publishers already because of your knowledge in the area. As you read about different publishing companies you will learn that different companies approach manuscript submission in different ways. Some companies want you to send a query letter in advance of sending any manuscript, some welcome manuscripts as is, and some want you to complete a full book proposal in which you include your biographical information and two completed chapters for evaluation ( another reason why you want to get two chapters ready right away ).

While you are waiting for the response of the publisher which can take anywhere from 2 weeks to several months depending on the company and the season of the year, you can get back to work tightening up those other chapters so that if you are well received by the publisher you will be ready to send along the completed manuscript.

7. In the Hands of a Higher Power. Once a publisher agrees to take your manuscript for publication your work is in some ways in the hands of power greater than you. You will most likely be assigned to continue improving your work with an editor. The amount of editing and rewriting and the way in which it is handled will now be up to someone else. But once the publisher has committed to you and you to him via a contract then it is only a matter of time before you idea, that became an outline, a rough draft and then a finished manuscript, will become a book.

Once you have written a "how to " book it seems like common sense. Before you write that first book, it may just seem impossible.. Hopefully these hints about how to write a "how to " book will take you from your dream to a reality you will be happy to produce and proud to display..