7 STEPS To Find The Goal Of Writing A Book | Cookbook Author

Book Consultation Call

Finally! We launched our first recipe book – Fall In Love With Salads – on Amazon. Yay! And the response we are getting is unimaginable. We sold 100+ copies on the launch day itself. Waaaooo! And the best thing that happened was – our book RANKED IN TOP 30 IN FOOD & DRINKS category on Amazon.

I feel happy to see the results but was this my goal when I started writing the book? Not exactly! These vanity wins surely give you assurance about your work. These numbers make you feel that you did a good job not just in writing the book but also in the effort you have put in for the successful launch of the book. But this CAN NOT be the goal of writing a book!

What is THE GOAL of writing a book?

The goal of writing a book give you hope and a purpose that keeps you motivated to keep working at it. It gives you a direction to start, keeps you focused, and helps you reach the end. Your goal should help you answer the following questions:

1. Why do you want to write a book?
2. What is the purpose you want to achieve from your book?

You have to KNOW YOUR WHY!

Everybody has a unique goal that they want to achieve from their book. It depends on the author’s aspirations and also on the nature of the book. And it would be best if you did not compare your goals with someone else’s.

Realistic Goals

Below are some of the realistic goals that authors may have when writing a book:

1. Sharing Knowledge and Educate – One goal of writing a book could be sharing knowledge, expertise, experience, and insights on a particular topic. This could be academic research, personal skills, professional know-how, etc. Any subject matter you feel confident about can become a topic of your book.
2. Entertainment – Some authors write a book with the primary purpose of entertaining their readers. They achieve that either from a fiction book, non-fiction book, or poetry. They want to transport their readers to a new world of imagination and emotions.
3. Motivation – Many writers want to motivate others through their writing. Not only self-help books do that but also recipe books, biographies, story books, etc. They want to evoke certain emotions and provide encouragement or practical guidance for their growth and development.
4. Social Change – Some books are written to spread awareness about an important issue. Authors may use their writing to amplify marginalized voices, challenge the status quo, and inspire action for positive societal impact.
5. Build Credibility – Some authors write to build credibility in their area of expertise. This gives them authority in their field and helps them achieve other professional goals. It may not be a direct source of income but it can help them build their brand and business.
6. Personal Fulfillment – Some authors write because penning down their thoughts, stories, and experiences gives them joy and fulfillment. It can be a rewarding experience to express your thoughts on a paper, regardless of whether the book reaches a wide audience or achieves commercial success.
7. Leave A Legacy – For some, writing a book could only be about leaving a legacy behind.

Here are the goals I wanted to achieve from my recipe book – Fall In Love With Salads.

Unrealistic Goals

Writing a book is already very difficult and becomes even more painful when you set unrealistic goals for yourself. Some of the most common unrealistic goals that authors may have include the following:

1. Sell A Million Copies And Become Popular – Who doesn’t want that? We all do. Secretly! But honestly, you can not predict the destiny of your book. Focus on your craft, improve your skills, and create the best work possible.
2. Instant Wealth – Sorry to burst your bubble but a book doesn’t make you rich. It can but how many such people do you see around? The royalty that an author gets is painfully low. I will share more on this in detail later.
3. Invitation To Be A Speaker – Everybody has prepared their Ted Talk but only a few get a chance to present on the stage of Ted. It may happen though. But how many times? Hence, work on setting the right and realistic expectations that can give you the results you want to achieve.
4. Bestseller Status – I will be honest with you. Celebrities and influencers with millions of followers get instant engagement when they launch their books. They worked on building their audience first before publishing a book. Not every writer has millions of followers ready to grab a copy of their book. I would suggest not to strive for competition with them. Focus on your craft and your book will unimaginably surprise you.
5. Writing For Everyone – Believing your book will appeal to everyone is unrealistic. Identifying and understanding your target audience will help you write with a specific audience in mind. It will also guide you in effective marketing and promotion.

How to find the goal of writing a book?

It is easier said than done!

Getting ideas about realistic goals and unrealistic goals is easier. What’s challenging is finding a goal for yourself. The theory part is much easier than the practical application. 😀

But it is a crucial step before you start writing a book because it provides direction, purpose, and motivation throughout the writing process. It helps you FINISH YOUR BOOK. So, take your time, think about it, and write it down.

Here are some steps to help you identify and define your goal for writing a book:

1. Reflect On Your Skills

Answer this! What are you good at? What is the one thing you are passionate about and would like to share with others? Is there anything that you can continue to do without getting bored? It could be anything.

For example, cooking, sharing stories, motherhood, staying positive, carpentry, gardening, yoga, planning and organizing, cleaning, medicines, food science, etc. The choices are endless. But you need to figure out your skills and find a way to improve it through your book.

When I was writing a book, I already had a recipe blog. I was good with food photography too. That is why, when I decided to write a book, I could not think about anything other than a recipe book. I even thought working on a book would help me improve my photography skills.

2. Know Your Purpose

Why do you want to write a book? Is there any personal or professional gain your book will help you achieve? Do you want to build credibility and authority in your area of expertise? Or, are you writing a book because everyone else is doing that?

Exploring the endless possibilities and purpose that your book may give you helps in setting up a clearly defined goal. It will give you a direction to work on and keep you focused throughout the writing process. Once you identify your purpose for writing a book, note it down somewhere, and look at it regularly. It will give you hope and help you keep working towards it.

3. Identify The Theme

What message or theme do you want your book to convey? There should be one central idea in your book. Focus on one thing. It could be anything – a personal memoir, a self-help guide, or a recipe book. The more precise you are, the better it is to collect your thoughts and communicate them through your writing.

For example, I am a food blogger and decided to work on a recipe book. But to make my writing goals more precise and reach my target audience, I wrote a book on salads – Fall In Love With Salads. Through my book on salads, I wanted to share a variety of salad recipes with my readers.

4. Desired Impact

What impact do you hope to create with your book on your readers? Do you want to evoke any particular emotion, inspire them, broaden their outlook about any specific topic, or simply want to entertain them? You shape your writing style based on the impact you want to create through your book.

Through my recipe book, I wanted to change the perception about Salads. I wanted my readers to think salads are not just about eating greens. They are not boring at all. Many ingredients and whole foods can be included in a salad to make them tasty.

Understanding the desired impact of your book will help you set a goal that aligns with your intentions and aspirations as an author. It keeps you on the right path throughout the writing process.

5. Define Your Audience

No matter how much we want to create a book for everyone, the truth is – not everyone will have the same interest in your book. There will be a section of people who won’t even pick your book even if it is free. That is why, it is important to write keeping in mind your specific target audience.

Your target audience refers to the specific group of consumers most likely to want your product or service. Knowing this will help you shape your writing style and create an effective launch plan to reach them. Write for your core audience and it will give you immense joy when your book reaches them.

6. Desired Result

Once you have a clear idea about the purpose of your book, your theme, the desired impact you hope to create, and your target audience, it is time to think about the results you wish to achieve. These results should be measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. It could be selling a specific number of copies, generating profits, getting more customers, or simply receiving a few positive reviews within a specific time frame.

The results I wanted to achieve with my book:

• Get at least 20 to 30 reviews on Amazon within a month of book publishing.
• Sell at least 20 copies within a month of book launch.

The results I achieved:

• Got 30+ reviews on Amazon within 3 weeks of book publishing
• Sold 100+ Copies on the launch week itself.
• Ranked No. 29 in Food & Drinks category on Amazon within 2 weeks of the launch.

A clear understanding of your goals is important to achieve the desired results.

7. Refine

It doesn’t matter if it is your first book or the 10th. It is all right to be confused about your goals and how to achieve them. Even when you define your goals, leave some space for refinement. Sometimes your vision and ideologies change as you progress with the book-writing process. Revisit your goals periodically and be open to refining them based on the circumstances, availability of resources, feedback, and new insights gained during the writing process.

When you leave a scope to redefine your goals, you get more space to express your creativity through your book. It will help you to stay focused and motivate you to finish your book.

Conclusion

By following these “7 Steps to Find Out The Goal Of Writing A Book”, you will be able to define a clear and concise goal for writing your book. Your goal should reflect your intention, aspiration, and vision as an author. Having a clear understanding of your goals helps you stay focused and motivated throughout the writing process. It will give you the right direction and path to work on until you reach your destination.

Love,

Richa

Schedule A Consultation Call

Are you looking for step-by-step guidance and author strategies for writing your book? Schedule a consultation call with us and we will help you with the writing process – from conception to completion!

For 20-Min Discovery Call, Click Here.

For the 1-Hour Consultation Call, schedule it below.