Every book has what is called a hook. Most books have multiple hooks. Do you know what the hooks for your book are?
Check out this short video on how I found the hook for a book on organic eating in a book I recently received from the author.
I do NOT benefit from any sales of this book. So if you think I used this book as the example because I will benefit financially … wrong!
I used this book to show you how easy it actually is.
What do you do to find a hook for your book? Comments and insights welcome.
HI Kathleen,
I just wanted to point out that besides all the great examples for figuring out hooks, you also demonstrate something else, As you were talking, you came up with a catch type phrase that you liked, hooks for books. For those who are trying to get ideas just by sitting there just thinking about them, this shows that sometimes the good stuff comes when you’re doing something else. Lesson? Do something, don’t just think and plan.
Hi Kathleen! When choosing the hook(s), do you use the overall message of the book or look at individual chapters? I don’t want my hook to be so narrow that I miss out on opportunities, but I don’t want it to be so broad that I look like I haven’t done my homework. Thanks!
You could use either/or. It depends on your audience and what the main point to that particular audience is. For example, let’s say you have a book on raising healthy teens. A chapter in the book might be, “Keeping Your Teen off Drugs.” You might find occasion where talking in general terms about teens and health will work better than a focus on being drug free while at other times focusing solely on drug issues would be more appropriate.
Hi Kathleen! Great video, made me reflect on my book to come out on ThePurposefulOrganization.com hopefully sooner rather than later…I did feel, halfway through, that many of your points were hopefully the very points that the book was making? You had read the book well and were selling it–and it looks interesting–but I think your best point was to look at all the angles–financial interests, local interests, etc for any book.
I think this particular book could be marketed in US and UK to Family Allotment organizations, where citizens grow their own food, supported by local governments. See my article:The World Bank/WBI’s CBNRM Initiative, http://srdis.ciesin.org/cases/georgia-001.html
To-the-point information, as usual. Agree with Cheryl about hook for the book. The more angles from which we look at our books the more we see — much like the Japanese gardner. Thanks for all your sharing of real information. Best, Patricia
While I am not totally adverse to videos and plan to have some on my website, I plan to use them with discretion. I shall try to keep them three minutes long or less.