25 for 25: Set your book apart
By doing research on comparable titles, you can become more of an expert on other popular books and also gauge where your book fits in the marketplace.
This essay is part of my 25 for 25 book writing series. The lessons in this series are meant to simplify the book writing and production journey. You can find a guide with links to the entire series here.
It’s not enough to have a strong book topic, you also need to consider how your book fits in the marketplace.
You want your book to stand out. To be different. Original.
In order for your book to stand apart, you should research books that have already been published or will soon be published—that way, you can ensure that your book isn’t exactly like some other book.
Think of your book on a bookshelf beside other best-selling books in your categories. How do those other books compare to yours? How are they different?
By doing research on comparable titles, you can become more of an expert on other popular books and also gauge where your book fits in the marketplace.
The last thing you want to do is spend a year or more writing a book, only to hear that it’s derivative and inferior to another popular book.
Especially if you write a book in a very crowded space, you’ll need to be original and bring your unique flavor to the story.
You want your book to stand alone.
Popularity might not be your huge driver—there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! Some of my favorite books to write have been passion projects.
No matter your publishing aims, but especially if you’re seeking a wide readership, it’s good to get a gauge of what books are published and popular to make sure your book stands alone.
A smart approach for book topic research
I typically conduct my book topic research through Amazon, which lists books in up to three categories. I find comparable books and click through that other book’s categories and sub-categories.
Maybe you start with a bigger subject area like “business and money,” then burrow down to “management and leadership” and then to “motivational management and leadership.”
Go as granular as you can!
Choose wisely
Choose your book topic wisely! Whatever topic you select, you’re going to be attached to this project for at least a year, maybe many years. If you wind up losing interest in your book topic, you’re liable to set the draft aside—or if you finish, to have no momentum or desire to promote it.
Picking the right topic will make you want to write and release and promote your book. And it could serve as a marketing and credibility asset for years to come.
Watch this!
I cover setting your book apart in this video.