I’m one book into my four-book How to Write and Self-Publish a Travel Guide series. Although the remaining three books are all partially written, I’ve been focusing my attention on the most challenging of the series about the book production and distribution process. This is the aspect of self-publishing that is the most overwhelming to new indie authors, and my intent was to simplify the process for travel writers, so they could breeze through this process and get their book published and into the hands of their readers in the shortest possible timeframe.

But, in order to write about the book production and distribution process I felt I had to do extensive research to make sure I was effectively representing the topic. Once I understand the details and nuances of a topic, it makes it easier to write about. But the danger is divulging all of these details to an audience that isn’t really interested, and is probably only interested in the short-cut to success.

So my job as an author of a How To book is to understand all the detail, but then focus on the information that defiantly has to be shared with the reader. I don’t need to share every possible scenario, or all the available options, because this will just overwhelm them.

The first version of Book 3 in my How To series was an extensive first draft – but I’ve realized that the information is overkill. I’ve included so much detail that the core message and opportunity to simplify the topic has been drowned out. If my reader wanted to be overwhelmed, they could Google the topic and wade through millions and millions of search engine results. Instead I have to present them with a simplified version of the content that gives them enough detail to be successful, but not so much that it overwhelms them.

Take your reader on a journey

Just because you’re writing a non-fiction How To book, doesn’t mean that you can’t add stories and anecdotes to your content. In fact, adding these will make it easier to connect with your target audience and will take them along on your journey.

There’s so much content readily available to your readers. They can use their favorite search engine to find online resources, they can watch YouTube videos or listen to podcasts on the topic, and they can buy a book with one-click from Amazon. But the one thing that makes your HowTo book stand out from other sources, is your personal experience and learnings. You don’t just have to share your wins and successes, you can also share your abject failures, as a way to inform and inspire your readers.

Spell out why your reader read your book

It doesn’t matter if your How To book contains a wealth of content, if your chapters openings don’t hook your readers, they’ll never discover it. So you have to let them know why they should read each chapter—and let them know, what’s in it for them?

Beginnings are how writers hook readers. I suggest starting your how-to book—and indeed each chapter within it—by offering a high level statement of the problem, challenge or opportunity of your subject. Then, offer your point of view about that as a high-level solution to that problem at the beginning of every chapter. By doing this, you’ll engage your readers from the start.

Big Picture – not just the details

Once you’ve set up the issue and your point of view, you have the rest of the pages for offering details. Too many books in the non-fiction genre start out in the trees (details), rather than in the forest (the big picture). Open with the big picture, and then offer the details.

Supplementary information

You can include quotes, or a “Try it yourself” section, or an “additional resources” section at the end of each chapter so your reader can explore the topic in more detail. However you decide to include extra information – consistency is key. Determine a pattern for how you’re going to present these tip sections, so it makes it easy for your reader to use those as sign-posts throughout your content.

Using Case Studies

You can include case studies, which show how you’ve personally used or followed the examples you’ve included in your book. This are effective for presenting the same information in multiple different ways, which will help your reader become familiar with each discussion topic. In my latest book, I’m explaining each step in the self-publishing process, and at the end of each chapter I am including a case study which follows the steps I’ve just covered, by using one of my books as an example.

Share fails as well as successes

I haven’t just included positive and successful case study elements. When I’ve tried something and it failed, I’ve included those examples too. Learning from mistakes is a powerful part of a learning experience, so by sharing these I hope to help my readers avoid the same pitfalls.