So Many Ideas, So Little Time

Are you the kind of writer who has several book ideas (or even written several books), possibly in different genres? If so, you may be wondering where to start. Which book should be the first one you write, or pitch to agents and editors?

It’s a question worth asking, and you’d do well to put some serious thought into it. Here are my tips:

FOR NON-FICTION:

Spend some time on each idea, one by one. First work on a rough outline of what the book would be. List the themes and topics you’d want to cover. Ask yourself: is there enough material here for a whole book? Consider whether you’ll be able to gather the information needed to fill a book on this topic. Is there enough to say?

Marketplace: Are there other books on this topic? Too many? Is there room or need for another one? Can you identify a hole in the market that needs to be filled? If there are no books on this topic, consider why. Is there a need but no one has filled it yet? Or is this something that people don’t want to read a book about?

You: Consider whether you’re the right person to write this book. Do you have any qualifications that would cause book buyers to trust you? Do you have a platform with which to sell this book?

The idea itself: Try to be honest. Is it unique, or derivative of many other books you’ve seen? When you talk with people about it, do they seem to get it? Do they respond with excitement, curiosity, inquisitiveness?

Put all your information together and a picture should emerge of each idea’s viability and chances of selling.

FOR FICTION:

Where is your heart? Others might have different advice, but consider writing the novel that is most on your heart and mind right now. Always save your book ideas in a file, and add to them when the muse strikes. But you may want to write the one that’s speaking to you.

Get some input. You could carefully craft a one-sentence hook for each of your book ideas, then show them to a group of friends or fellow writers, asking them to rank the ideas in order of interest. This might help, if there is some similarity in their answers. Perhaps a clear winner will emerge. But you might get a variety of responses. So again, you’ll need to choose the book you are ready to write. With fiction, the idea is important, yet secondary to the writing.

What about market trends? You do need to know what’s going on in the marketplace, but it can change at any moment. What editors are looking for today might not be what they’re seeking eight months from now when you finish your novel. So don’t chase trends.

The first book sets you up. If you haven’t sold any books yet, be aware that branding is important, so the firstbook you sell will set you up to begin creating your brand. Make sure that first book is something you want to write, and make sure it begins establishing a brand identity that you’ll continue.

Do you have a variety of book ideas or entirely written books? How will you decide where to start?
Photo by Agence Olloweb on Unsplash