In this article, you’ll find the six simple steps to follow which will result in your own “tips” book that you can share, sell on Amazon for perhaps $15 or more, or offer on your web site.
Readers love the tips format because each nugget of wisdom can be quickly grasped and better retained, given its practical nature. Working with Greg Vetter on publishing his tips book gave me the bonus benefit of learning many time-saving tips, some of which I could immediately put into practice and still utilize.
For over 25 years, Greg helped people learn how to process the typical overload of information, and how to produce critical results which lead to promotions, increased revenue, and more personal time. His direct work with executives, administrators, business owners, educators, and others inspired him to write his first book, Find It in 5 Seconds: Gaining Control in the Information Age. Becoming known as “the guy that wrote the book” on getting organized helped him leverage his knowledge and experience to gain more opportunities for large consulting projects and keynote speaking.
To add even more value to his target audience, Greg distilled his expertise, workshop content, and client experiences down to bite-sized, practical tips. Winning The Productivity Game: 201 Time-Saving Solutions to Work Smarter, Faster and Easier was well-received and book sales took off. His book description on Amazon includes what I consider an excellent “hook” for a tips book: “With small changes come big results!”
If you were creating a long list of “best tips,” what would be your topic? What kind of tips books have you read? Here are a few examples of books selling on Amazon, most with both kindle and paperback versions, ranging from $13.95 to $24.95 (there’s a huge variety of topics!):
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- 300+ Mosaic Tips, Techniques, Templates and Trade Secrets (Bonnie Fitzgerald)
- 177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class: The Thought Processes, Habits and Philosophies of the Great Ones, 3rd Edition (Steve Siebold)
- Best RV Tips from RVTipOfTheDay.com (Steven Fletcher)
- The Beginner’s Guide to Grant Writing: Tips, Tools, & Templates to Write Winning Grants (Grant Writing & Funding) (Holly Rustick)
- Parenting Toolbox: 125 Activities Therapists Use to Reduce Meltdowns, Increase Positive Behaviors & Manage Emotions (Dr. Lisa Phifer, Laura Sibbald , et al.)
- Barbara’s Bridge Tips (Barbara Seagram)
- Home Accessibility: 300 Tips For Making Life Easier (Shelley Schwarz)
HOW TO WRITE A TIPS BOOK:
- Choose your topic by considering these three criteria: 1) My knowledge and experience; 2) What I am enthusiastic about; and 3) What other people would find highly valuable
- List several categories of challenges people have (e.g., for parenting tips, categories could include “bedtime” or “home safety.”
- Brainstorm ideas, tips, and questions under each category, and also list ones that don’t fit one of your categories.
- Choose a format for your tips by viewing 10 different tips books online for ideas—number and word-length of tips are your decisions.
- Edit and finalize your tips.
- Write your title and (very descriptive) subtitle.
