Your Book Has a Main Character. It’s Probably Not You.
A live Q&A with Elizabeth Dougherty and Marisa Solis on why so many nonfiction manuscripts stall, and how focusing on the reader can transform your book.
Many nonfiction writers hit a point where their manuscript just isn’t working, but they can’t figure out why. The truth is, you can know your subject cold and still end up with a manuscript that doesn’t click.
There are a number of possible reasons for this, including weak structure, flat or too-familiar examples, overwriting, repetitive arguments, and the temptation to prove how much you know (which can lead to information overload). But there’s one reason that most people rarely consider. They’re overlooking the book’s real main character: the reader.
On Thursday, June 18, at 4 PM ET, I’ll be joined live by Elizabeth Dougherty and Marisa Solis, book coaches, editors, and co-authors of The Complete Expert-to-Author Guide: Plan, Write, and Publish Your Nonfiction Book. Combined, they’ve worked on more than 600 books.
We’ll discuss:
Why so many knowledgeable writers produce drafts they’re unhappy with.
How shifting from writing about your topic to writing for your reader transforms a manuscript.
What it looks like to write your reader into every page.
How the “I’m not an author” label keeps qualified people from starting in the first place.
How to tell if your draft is a monologue, and how to turn it into a conversation instead.
We’ll also leave plenty of time for audience questions, so bring your own nonfiction writing and publishing challenges.
If you’re sitting on an idea, struggling with a draft that isn’t working, or wondering why your expertise isn’t translating onto the page, this conversation will give you a surprisingly simple reframe, and a more strategic path forward.
RSVP here → Your Book Has a Main Character. It’s Probably Not You.
✨ Exclusively for paid and founding members of Author Insider.
I hope to see you there.
-Panio Gianopoulos