Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
You feel called to make a difference as a writer, so you decide to write a book that inspires and motivates change. Maybe you want to impact individual lives, your community, an organization, or your country’s government. Perhaps your aspirations are bigger — you want to transform the world in some way, like reversing global warming. You can accomplish your goal in any genre if you do three key things.
Of course, you must write and publish the book. These are givens.
Beyond that, to ensure you “author change” you also need to:
- Understand how people change.
- Attract people to your cause, mission, or movement.
- Write a book that inspires and motivates readers to change.
Do these three things, and your books stand a much greater chance of having the positive effect you desire.
Table of Contents:
• Understand how people change
• Attract people to your cause, mission, or movement
• Write a book that inspires and motivates readers to change
• Be a role model of change
Understand how people change
In general, many writers create manuscripts by the seat of their pants — with no planning. They have an idea and begin writing the manuscript.
That isn’t always the best approach. And it won’t help you get the results you desire when producing a change-inspiring book.
Before writing a word, create an outline or chapter summaries. When you have clarity on your book — what you will write — consider how you will write.
To write for change, you can’t just write. You must understand how people change so your written words move readers to do something … anything … different. That’s an essential and foundational element to becoming an “Author of Change.” Your book must inspire and motivate people to take the action you recommend.
If you aren’t a coach with training in personal development or growth, research the change process. Learn about the stages of change and what causes people to take new action, change their mindset, or develop new habitual ways of being. Study how to best motivate people to do something different.
It doesn’t matter if your cause or movement involves a small change — like getting people to breathe more deeply — or a large change — such as cleaning up the oceans. You must know how to get people to act on your recommendations.
After all, if they read your book but do nothing different, you won’t make a positive and meaningful difference with your words.
When you feel well-grounded in how to make change happen, use what you learned to plan your book’s content.
Attract people to your cause, mission, or movement
You may realize that writers — especially nonfiction writers — need an “author platform” or built-in audience for a book. Indeed, you need to attract an audience in your target market that knows about your cause, mission, or movement and wants to get involved. You also will sell your book to these community members when it is published.
Thus, you and your cause, mission, or movement must become visible to these people. For that to happen, you must show up in their lives in some way.
You can accomplish this goal by using social media posts or stories, a podcast, articles in publications, blog posts, radio gigs, email marketing, or a Substack newsletter. Facebook and LinkedIn groups — or your website — also serve as places to gather your community. A hashtag shared on social media sites also could give you visibility and encourage people to join your group.
Many creative and traditional means exist to help you attract and build a community. The fact that you need to accomplish this goal means that, besides being a writer and author, you must be a promoter and marketer — a role most writers don’t want to assume. See this task as “community building” and as a way to fulfill your purpose as an Author of Change. It’s just one more way to create change and ensure your book achieves the same result.
“Community building” seems like a more pleasant and attractive task than “platform building.” You might also have more desire to do what’s necessary to create community if you realize having a community provides an opportunity to get to know your potential readers. The more you know about them, the easier it will be to write a book that makes them want to act on your change recommendations.
When your community members read your book and take the action you recommend, the change you desire begins to happen. Why? Because you previously attracted people who want to support your mission.
Write a book that inspires and motivates readers to change
With an understanding of your audience’s challenges and desires, as well as what might inspire and motivate them, you are ready to write a book that moves readers toward change.
Couple this with your new awareness of how people change, and you can organize your book ideas in a logical manner that takes readers through the change process. Then, learn and incorporate methods that move your readers to new action.
Consider how to actually write for change — the craft element of inspiring and motivating readers to take a new action with your written words.
Many writing methods exist that can help you do so. For instance, you might learn about Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) language; then utilize these persuasive language patterns when writing. Other craft tactics include telling your story, being authentic, offering hope, using research, creating contrast, tapping into emotions, offering a plan, painting vivid pictures, or making the reader the hero.
Also, consider what voice you will use. Most change-inspiring books are written in a
manner or voice that makes them:
- inviting
- personal
- relatable
- passionate
- authoritative
- aspirational
Use as many craft methods as you feel reasonable. This may require changing your writing style, but remember, you want to craft a manuscript that makes readers want to take on your cause or mission. You want your words to prompt them to act as you recommend.
Be a role model of change
Last, but not least, role model your brand of change. Be someone who takes the actions that create transformation.
Maybe that means creating a micro-farm in your city, regularly visiting schools to speak about self-esteem, engaging in intermittent fasting, wearing sustainable clothing, or being totally present when speaking with people. Whatever your brand of change, be a role model for it. Be your brand of change.
Then, wherever you go and whatever you do, people will see how your cause, mission, or movement makes a difference — first, in your life, second, in their own lives, and, third, in the world.
As Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Accomplish that, and people become aware of your mission and feel inspired to join your movement. They will purchase and read your book and take the actions you recommend.
That’s when you’ll know you authored change.
