2.4 figUrE OUT yOUr BOOk iDEA “Explaining things that matter: Be simple. Then simpler than that. Just say what happens. The part of reality that any given person needs to know is naturally riveting to them.” —anne herbert Now it’s time for the fun part: nailing down your book idea. Book ideas often shift once the objectives and audience become clear, so we leave this task for the end of the positioning process. It’s much easier now to get your idea right, because you know exactly what you want to accomplish and what audience you must attract with your book to reach your objectives. Before you write down your book idea, be sure to avoid the biggest mistake that authors make: Don’t write the book you think your audience “should” read. Instead, write the book your audience wants to read. This is a subtle yet very important distinction. If you can answer the next two questions well, then it should be positioned properly. figUrE OUT yOUr BOOk iDEA · 85