What, Why, How: The Three Pillars of Self-Help Writing
Writing great self-help books involves communicating three essential things to your readers: what you are teaching, why it will help them, and how they can put the principles into action.
When I’m editing a self-help book, the very first thing I look for is the skilled blending of these three crucial ingredients. Does the author have enough why to justify the what? Does the author include enough how to help readers make real changes in their lives? Or is the book all how with very little what or why to explain why readers might want to do these practices at all?
Many first-time self-help authors lean very heavily on one of these three pillars, while neglecting the other two. Indeed, many of the manuscripts that come into my inbox fall into one of the following three categories:
All what, not enough why or how:
In manuscripts like these, the author spends a lot of time establishing her expertise or giving an overview of a certain topic, but neglects to tell readers why they should care or how they can derive benefit from this information.
The book often reads something like this: Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years…studies have shown that meditation increases delta waves in the brain…I’ve logged over 1000 hours of silent meditation time and am the founder of the Institute for Meditation Studies…
Readers will be thinking, “OK, I get that you’re an expert and that this is a thing, but why will it benefit ME and how can I do it myself?”
All why, not enough what or how:
In manuscripts like these, the author spends a lot of time describing the benefits of a certain practice or technique, while leaving readers in the dark about what, exactly, it is, or how to do it.
The book often reads something like this: When you practice the Just Smile! Meditation Method, you will find that you become happier, more patient, and more creative. Indeed, studies have shown that people who do 30 minutes of Just Smile! meditation per day are more likely to get promoted, fall in love, and make new friends.
Readers will be thinking, “OK, I understand that this is really amazing and will help me a ton, but what IS it and how do I do it?”
All how, not enough why or what:
In manuscripts like these, the author jumps straight into exercises and advice, without first explaining what the core concepts are and why they matter. The book often reads like a mishmash of instructions and practices without enough theory to hold them all together: “First, smile for one minute a day. Gradually increase to smiling for thirty minutes a day. Also, cut out all sugar and caffeine, and start getting up at five AM.”
Readers will be thinking, “These exercises sound intriguing, but I’m not sure why I should do them or what this is really about.”
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To correct for these very common imbalances, all you need to do is get out a highlighter. Choose one color each for what, why, and how—say pink, green, and yellow. Next, go through your manuscript and color-code it. Once you become aware of the gaps in your self-help book, all you have to do is go back and fill those gaps in.
Want more? Sign up for my live, online class, Words That Teach, Words That Heal: Secrets of Self-Help and Spirituality Writing, beginning October 8th, 2024—or schedule a free consultation with me for one-on-one advice about your book.
