How I Choose a Book Topic That Builds Authority and Attracts the Right Clients

Many people come to me with a preconceived idea for their book.

They are excited about it. They may have been carrying it around for months, sometimes years. When they tell me their idea, I look at them compassionately before asking them a series of questions.

Who is this book for? What problem does it solve? What will readers be able to do after reading it? Why are you the right person to write it? And how does it connect with the work you want to be known for?

These questions help them think beyond the idea and uncover the real purpose of the book.

One of my students came to me with eleven book ideas. She was convinced that every one of them was strong enough to become a separate book.

But as she worked through my questions, she discovered something surprising: they weren’t eleven books. They were eleven chapters of the same book.

Once she found the underlying thread connecting them, her book became clear. She knew who it was for, what it would help them achieve and why all those seemingly separate ideas belonged together.

Choosing the right topic for an authority-building book is not simply about finding something interesting to write about. It is about finding the intersection between what you know, what your readers need and the work you want your book to lead to.

Before I help anyone develop an outline or begin writing, I ask them to answer five questions. These questions help us determine whether the idea has enough clarity, purpose and substance to become the right book.

Your book cannot be for everyone. Who is the specific person you want to reach? What stage of life or business are they in? What are they struggling with, and what do they want to achieve?

The clearer you are about your reader, the easier it becomes to decide what belongs in your book—and what does not.

Why does this book matter to you? Do you want to share something you have learned, help others avoid a mistake, introduce a new way of thinking or support the work you do?

Your motivation gives the book its energy. It is also what will keep you writing when the initial excitement wears off.

Tell me the personal story behind the idea. What happened in your life or work that made you think, I need to write about this?

Your story helps readers understand why you care about this subject. It also gives your book a perspective that another person writing about the same topic cannot replicate.

You do not necessarily need a degree or formal title. Your authority may come from professional experience, research, lived experience, client work or a transformation you have achieved yourself.

The important question is: what have you seen, learned or done that makes your perspective valuable?

What will readers understand, believe or be able to do after reading your book? What problem will it help them solve? What change will it create in their lives or businesses?

A strong book does more than share information. It takes the reader from where they are now to somewhere better.

Together, these five answers reveal whether you have a collection of interesting ideas or the foundation of a strategically positioned book.

Not every good book is an authority-building book. You can write a thoughtful, useful and beautifully written book without it ever attracting the right clients or creating opportunities for your business.

An authority-building book must be strategically connected to the people you want to help, the problem you want to be known for solving and the paid work you eventually want to offer.

Before committing months to writing your book, make sure your topic has the following six characteristics.