Sharing Your Expertise When You’re Not an “Expert”

If there’s one thing we know about readers, it’s that they like learning something new. Recent estimates indicate that about 88% of books published each year are nonfiction titles. These books range from self-help to memoir to business, among other areas. With such a large percentage of authors publishing nonfiction, it’s logical to assume there are a lot of experts out there. After all, it’s experts who write nonfiction books about their area of expertise—correct?

Yes and no. Certainly, any author publishing a book through an academic press will be required to demonstrate expertise in the book’s subject matter. This occurs via peer review or editorial decisions. Additionally, if an author wishes to secure an agent and a traditional publisher for their nonfiction book, the general process is for the author to submit a detailed book proposal, sample chapters, and a CV that establishes the author’s qualifications to write the book.

But what if you know a lot about something but aren’t considered an expert? What if you haven’t been formally educated about a particular topic, but you have extensive experience in this area? If you lack formal training, does that mean you shouldn’t write about it?

Not necessarily. Consider the following:

• What qualifications do you have? You might not be an established expert, but that doesn’t mean you’re unqualified. For example, you might know a great deal about baking because you’ve spent countless hours customizing and perfecting your own recipes. Perhaps you haven’t gone to culinary school or run a bakery, but your homegrown recipes might be relatable to a particular audience, such as other home bakers—and a book might be the perfect way to share them.
• Can you identify an audience for your topic? Remember that the audience does not need to include every person in the country or world. In fact, the more niche your audience, the more likely your book is to succeed, because when the time comes to promote the book, you can home in on readers whose interests align with the book’s topic.
• In what other ways have you shared your experiences? Going back to the baking example, perhaps you’ve blogged your recipes for years. If your blog is well received, there’s no reason not to gather your recipes into a book and use the book to gain a wider audience. Other ways you might have shared your experience include podcasts, speaking engagements, or via your work or career.

Regardless of topic, before publishing your book, you’ll need to:

• Use appropriate tone and organization. Unless your book is academic in nature, most readers prefer an engaging and relatable style. You’ll also want to ensure the book’s tone is true to your voice and is not overly wordy or rambling. Additionally, it’s vital that the information is presented logically, allowing readers’ knowledge about the subject to gradually build as they move through the chapters.
• Do your research. Even if you have a great deal of experience in a subject, there are likely aspects that will require deeper research. You can either do this on your own or hire someone to do it for you. For example, many Mark Graham Communications ghostwriters and editors specialize in research.
• Check the book’s content for accuracy. There’s a great deal of misinformation out there. Authors have a responsibility to their readers to ensure that the information in their books is accurate and up-to-date.

Having both expertise and passion for a subject is the first step toward writing a nonfiction book about that subject. However, ensuring the book is professionally presented goes a long way toward finding and appealing to readers. If you have a great idea, or you’ve begun writing a nonfiction book but need help completing it, please get in touch. Our experienced ghostwriters, editors, and book designers can work with you to ensure the nonfiction book you envision comes to life professionally, insightfully, and engagingly.