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Recently, a message from an aspiring author popped into my inbox, asking if they should start a business and build an audience for their book before querying an agent.

‘Well,’ I replied, ‘Here’s the thing: I definitely can’t advise you whether you should start a business or not!’

What I can advise, though, is if you want to publish, yes – you do need to build an audience first.

For self-help, personal development, business books and any trade non-fiction that’s going to guide people, you need a solid concept and traction for an agent or publisher to sit up and take notice.

And especially for any content that’s giving advice, genuine experience and/or expertise in the topic.

Authority is important, because – and I know this is really obvious, but it still needs to be said! – readers (and agents and publishers) are going to want to be confident that you know what you’re talking about.

More often than not, reputably published advice and how-to books in the non-fiction sector are from people who are qualified and/or already practising in their field. They’re writing to help others, but also for expert positioning, thought leadership and as a lead magnet to their practice.

In the business sector, experience of coaching, consultancy, leadership, entrepreneurship, business ownership or a recognised position in an organisation make for a solid grounding.

The thing is, regardless of how expert we might be, that alone isn’t necessarily going to make readers hit ‘buy’.

Every time a book by say, Deepak Chopra, Seth Godin or Tim Ferriss comes out, they’ll already be well on readers’ radar.

When we’re seeking expert positioning for our own enterprises, we need to get working to tell potential readers who we are – and the process needs to start well before the book comes out.

At minimum that means building a following, and targeting the right agent and/or publisher with at least some audience already in place.

Social proof, a good proposal of how and why you think the book will sell, how you intend to market it, and to whom, are all part of the pitching package.

In the personal development sector, ‘I’ve had X/Y/Z experience: maybe if I write about it, it could help others’ isn’t necessarily a strong enough reason alone for a publisher to offer a deal. What might hook them is your unique take on your topic, if it fits with their list.

The thing is, the same topics have been written about a million times before. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for another book on them – the fact that so many books exist means there is a market for them – but it does mean that agents, publishers and readers are likely to be looking for something fresh and different.

If your book is coaching or offers active, practical guidance, having your own system – and being able to show that your method is already working – can be an attractive way in.

So, how to go about this?

1. Research the market first, see what’s already out there in your topic.

2. Distinguish how your book and its content are different from the competition – identify its USP.

3. Start by building an author website for your book. If you can, set up a mailing list.

4. Publish blogs and articles, and post on social to create an online presence.

5. Network – become known not through selling, but by who you are and how you interact. When you network well, the contacts and connections who know and like you become your ‘street team’. They’ll help you publicise your book when it comes out by reviewing it, giving it airtime on their own social media platforms or podcasts, or via personal recommendation.

6. If you can, ask for a foreword or endorsements from leaders, influencers or significant, high-profile individuals in your field. This lends terrific social proof and makes your book a more attractive proposition.

The key is to get yourself out there and become known. If you’re feeling a bit hesitant about this, or perhaps reticent about stepping into even a niche limelight, it could be a barrier – it isn’t really possible to publish successfully without being willing to do that. Publishers will expect you to be proactively involved in marketing your book, whether that’s via book signings, webinars, events, readings or social media.

There are lots of good resources online about how to build an author brand, so do check those out to begin with.

Querying can be a long and challenging process, but having profile can help.

All of this applies to self-publishing too – even more so, as going it alone doesn’t have the support of a publisher’s lovely marketing or PR people. The good news is you can always engage digital marketing and other specialists to help you strategise; publishing packagers offer this service too.

So don’t rule that option out either, if you’re willing to put in the time and finance. Creative control is what you gain by self-publishing.

The main thing is getting your wonderful knowledge out there and working in the world!

What’s the no. 1 purpose of communication?

Clarity.

Sure, what we write needs to be engaging, informative – entertaining. But if our audience can’t understand what we’re saying, our message and purpose are lost.

How can we do this?

1. Avoid the curse of knowledge.

This happens when we assume our audience has the same level of expertise as us. Unless we’re speaking to qualified or knowledgeable peers, the chances are our audience doesn’t.

What’s the key to organising your content in your mind and on the page?

Structure.

This is the one consistent pain point that authors experience:

‘I’m pretty happy with what I’ve written, I’m just not sure it works as is. I need to make sure it’s logical, in order – bring it all together.’

What you can do before you sit down to write is outline your content. This works for any length of copy: an article, blog post or paper – and especially a book.

Start by brainstorming the topics you want to cover. Try a spider diagram – or if visuals don’t work for you, make a list.

From there, you’ll be able to see connections forming between your topics. Start to group these together.

Create a scratch list of headings from these groups. Write down the main topics, and list the subsidiary ones underneath.

Examine the list. Do the entries look like they’re in the right order – does anything need to be moved around?

That’s it! You now have a basic framework for your content.

From there, you can drill down and make more detailed notes on the points you want to cover under each heading or topic. This acts as an aide memoire, and helps to keep you on track during the writing.

The writing process is flexible. It can always bring up new ideas, different angles and things you might not have thought of before, and that’s totally OK.

Later, it may well be you might want to move things around – and that’s OK too.

Outlines aren’t set in stone. What they give you is the good bones and springboard to get the process moving.

It can be really hard to sit down in front of a blank screen, but if you have a plan in place – a good idea of what you want to say, and how you want to say it – you’ll be off to a flying start.

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What’s a key factor in a successful how-to book?

Voice.

Some of the questions authors ask me the most as an editor are:

Does this read okay?
Have I pitched it right?
Should this be more formal?

Your voice is important. Why?

It’s authentic.
It reflects your personality.
It expresses what you want to say, how you want to say it.

There’s a misconception in non-fiction that what’s on the page has to be stiff or formal. In fact, you can achieve better engagement, get your message across and achieve reach with a more fluid, conversational style.

It doesn’t mean you’re coming across as unprofessional. Instead, approachable – all the more important, if your book’s a lead magnet for your business!

Here’s how to ace it:

Imagine sitting down with someone in your field you want to help.

Think about how you’d speak to them.

Then, start writing.

This also helps with tone: guiding and befriending hits the right pitch.

It makes readers warm to you. And when readers like you, they’re more likely to hear you. Plus they always love a bit of character!

Voice is by far the easiest USP for your book. You might be publishing on a topic that’s well known, but the way you’re writing about it marks you out as different.

Intriguing. Uniquely you.

Call the grammar police! It’s a crime against language…

How often have you seen people rage on social about this?

I’m keen on mythbusting here, because the self-appointed ‘grammar police’ (whoever they might be) can give real language professionals a bad name. They aren’t the kind of people you want to be dealing with, when it comes to your writing.

(Plus pedantry isn’t cool – especially when it calls out others’ ‘mistakes’ publicly.)

Let me reassure you: good editors don’t do this. Informing, guiding and being sympathetic to your words is where we’re at.

One language point mistaken for an inflexible grammar ‘law’ that comes up all the time is not starting a sentence with ‘And’ or But’.

Contrary to popular belief, this isn’t ungrammatical: it’s what’s known as a ‘zombie rule’.  Many people aren’t aware of this, because it used to be taught in schools to encourage good sentence construction.

But (see what I did there?) it’s never actually been an offence against all that’s grammatically holy. So, feel free to express yourself. Go ahead and use it, it’s fine!

What’s the key to good writing?

Knowing grammar. Yes, knowing the rules of language and constructing well for clarity and message are important. What’s also important is knowing when and how to break them for impact and creativity.

In non-fiction – business books especially – informal, even conversational language often has better reach and relation, because it addresses the audience in a way they can understand.

It helps them warm to you as an author, get a feel for your personality.

It’s more authentic.

And when readers like you, they’re more likely to listen to you.

So, if the grammar police charge you with breach of your piece, don’t ask for evidence. They can tell it to the judge.

Your writing is what it is, and that’s to be celebrated!

Recently there was a post on LinkedIn about quality DMs, ending with a joking hot take on pineapple on pizza being right, just for a bit of Friday fun.

Most agreed: Hawaiian pizza is yum!

A lone Italian on the thread replied, predictably, that pineapple does not belong anywhere on pizza.

Now, disagreement over this ‘creation’ (I hate to credit it with such kudos) has caused much mirth and dinner party ribbing over the years.

It spawned a million-plus views TikTok video.

Even Sky News questioned the Italian ambassador to the UK whether it was acceptable, to which he replied an unequivocal ‘No’. The news anchor then proceeded to tell him the station was sending one over as a gift.

The sheer discomfort on the diplomat’s face revealed just how much grace he was having to muster to handle that broadside.

Sure, we can all laugh at these things. I found it funny at first… then I didn’t, when this comment popped up:

Pineapple belongs on pizza – who cares what the purists say?! Sweet and sour chicken pizza is the [bomb emoji].

The thing is, I am Italian (Sicilian heritage, to be precise). If this individual were to say anything like that in Naples, the birthplace of the classic Margherita – or have the temerity to order a sweet and sour chicken topping anywhere in Garibaldi’s great nation – the reaction would be bafflement, at best.

At worst, abject horror. With the distinct possibility of being frogmarched straight to the nearest harbour and summary ejection into the sea.

Let’s look at this another way. How would British people react if someone were to sit down at a restaurant and order mango with their roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, or Kiwi fruit on a full English breakfast, just for a laugh?

Much the same! These dishes are examplars of great pride in English cookery, and rightly so. They represent, are deeply embedded in its culture.

So why did I feel so offended by such an apparently innocuous comment?

To Italians (and indeed, many national cultures), food isn’t just fuel. You spend ages selecting the best ingredients. And if you aren’t actually cooking, you’re thinking about it.

Traditional dishes are a manifestation of history and culinary invention. They carry recipes and stories of lived experience handed down through the generations.

Above all – certainly for Italians – food is a symbol of amity and care. Presenting a lovingly prepared meal to family and friends is an act of giving. The table is significant: it’s where all of this is to be found.

In that light, saying ‘Who cares what the purists think?!’ reads as somewhat unaware. And pretty dismissive.

Let’s be clear, this isn’t about food snobbery or obsessing over such an ostensibly trivial debate.

It’s about understanding language, and the way it can represent so much more than it appears. It’s about recognising signifiers, what they mean to the communities that own them, and being sensitive to that.

As editors, it’s key for us to be aware and mind not only our own language, but those of the texts we edit.

Microaggression is a fact.

Silencing is a fact.

Potential for offence is most definitely a fact.

Thoughtless language risks dismissing and marginalising cultures, people and voices that often struggle to, and should be, heard. Sensitivity and supporting inclusivity is part of our job, period.

As for me, I’ve never ordered a Hawaiian pizza, and I’m not going to start now. Put it this way: I don’t want to be deported!

If you want to go over well in Italy, do the same. Order something simple, local, traditional and delicious. Enjoy your beautiful surroundings. Savour those flavours.

Italians will love you for it.

Someone asked me: ‘Why do you love being a freelance editor?’

‘Well,’ I replied, ‘I can power my day on hot chocolate without sharp looks from Chia-Seed Porridge at the next desk.’ (Don’t judge me – I’ve been working from home for years!)

But seriously, on a webinar last week from a major publisher, I confess to a wistful pang for my London in-house days. Being right at the beating heart of an industry sparking with amazing houses and colleagues.

Things have changed now, and for the better. Presses and imprints are all around the country, signing wonderful authors. The amazing colleagues are still there, too – we just connect differently these days.

What I love about being freelance and working independently is collaborating with so many different types of client. Yes, I specialise in non-fiction, but no two authors, clients or projects are ever the same.

What gets me out of bed and to my desk every morning is wanting to help people achieve that special moment of holding their own book in their hands, and saying: ‘I wrote this.’

It’s an immense privilege to be part of an author’s creative process.

I love it when emails pop into my inbox, saying their copy ‘looks and feels so much better… thanks!’.

I love the celebration when a client, who’s worked incredibly hard with me on their book for months, tells me it’s gone bestseller, or won an award, or is getting great feedback and reviews.

(I particularly loved it when a client said in a meeting: ‘You are Shakespeare!’ True story, although it’d be silly not to defer to The Bard. Of course he’s The Boss.)

I love it when people come to me for advice too, it’s important they feel they can do that.

Like the aspiring personal development writer wondering if they should build an audience before querying (the answer is yes).

Or the chef thinking of writing a cookbook and wanting to know more about how to approach it and publish.

Or the businessperson scratching their head over outlining their how-to book.

What’s made my week even happier though, is discovering chocolate in the cupboard from Christmas I’d forgotten about. (Like I said, it powers my day. That’s my excuse, and I’m sticking to it!)

Why do you love what you do?