How to Write Your Natural Health Self-Help Book: The Title
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." – Juliet, Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene II – William Shakespeare
What’s in a book title? Quite a bit. Sometimes you can judge a book by its cover (and title).
Last week I met with a client who is at the beginning stages of writing her book. One of the exercises that I asked her to do in Natural Health Self-Help Book Plan is to brainstorm ten titles for the book she wants to write.
Doing this exercise, like creating back cover copy which I wrote about in September, helps to crystallize the vision you have for a book that showcases your knowledge and experience, and also provides a North Star for you to follow as you write your book.
Find Your North Star
First, we went through a series of questions to help her identify her big why for writing this book and the point she wanted to make among other things.
She also took my mini-course 1-2-3 Write Your Natural Health Self-Help Book Faster & More Easily and focused on Part 1, the Idea.
By the time she’d answered questions in the Plan and in 1-2-3, the book began to come alive. What had been in her head as a somewhat amorphous idea, now was clear and defined. She knew what she wanted to write about and what she wanted to teach her readers.
Try a (Book) Mad Lib
Before you brainstorm titles for your book try this Mad Lib. When you’re clear on all of these answers it makes coming up with a title for your book much easier:
My book solves_____________________(pain point or problem) for readers who are________________ (your ideal reader) and need_____________________(Quick and easy? A holistic solution?) to feel better, either mentally, physically or spiritually (or maybe all three). By the time my ideal reader is done reading my book they will be transformed because they will know and understand___________________(the problem) and have a solution ________________( your method or plan) and can put it into practice.
Next:
1. Research books like yours on Amazon or Barnes & Noble or even better, your local bookstore to see what other authors are doing. Which titles best reflect the content? Which titles make you want to read the book?
2. Brainstorm 10 titles for your book. Use a title and a subtitle.
Here’s a good example of a book that’s featured in 1-2-3. I worked with Cara Metz, the author to structure, write and revise it:
The Menopause Metabolism Fix: The Over-40 Woman’s 4-Week Program to Recover Your Strong, Sexy (and Sane) Self in 15 Minutes a Day
See how the subtitle helps to define the title? Try to do this with yours.
This book is part of a series that I co-wrote with holistic doctor, Jacob Teitelbaum, MD. Look at the subtitle. See how it works synergistically with the title to make it more powerful:
Beat Sugar Addiction Now: The Cutting-Edge Program That Cures Your Type of Sugar Addiction and Puts You on the Road to Feeling Great - and Losing Weight!
Here’s another book I worked on that shows the power of the subtitle:
The ADHD Reset: Shift Your Mindset. Find Clarity. Unlock Your Magic.
See how the subtitle does the heavy lifting? Now you give it a try!
3. If you struggle writing your title, it often means that you need to build a foundation for your book which includes defining your idea, your method and your structure. Muddy thoughts, make muddy books.
Idea, Method Structure
To write an effective natural health self-help book you need:
1. An idea that solves a problem for your ideal reader. For example, if you’re a yoga teacher, you might want to write a book about poses that ease chronic pain. If you’re a dietitian, you could offer a Food is Medicine (FIM) approach to reduce inflammation and prevent chronic disease.
2. A repeatable method, step by step plan, program or approach that gets results. You’ve used it, you know it works with your clients or patients, and you want to share it with readers.
3. An effective structure (typically a Table of Contents) for the contents of your book. An effective structure helps ensure that readers take a transformational journey. This gives a book narrative drive, keeps readers engaged and helps them make positive changes in their lives.
1-2-3 Write Your Natural Health Self-Help Book Faster & More Easily
My new free mini course 1-2-3 Write Your Natural Health Self-Help Book Faster & More Easily can help you define your idea, method, and structure and design a Table of Contents that helps you move forward with confidence in yourself and your book idea.
When you get clear about 1-2-3 it makes writing your natural health self-help book faster, easier and more Joy-Full. Your mindset is positive because you have direction and purpose.
You clearly see a path forward and you follow it. You sustain and build on your passion for your book idea as you write it. This means that when it’s published, readers feel your passion, joy and purpose. This changes everything. Your writing is ALIVE.
1-2-3 is a powerful way to channel the passion you have for the natural health work you do each day and the knowledge you have in your head into a self-help book that you’ll be proud to share with the world.
Sign up here for the free course here:
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