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Write the Book You Would Love to Read
by Ron Kurtus (updated 25 June 2023)
In her book on achieving success, The Martha Rules, author and television personality Martha Stewart has a section entitled "Write the Book You Would Love to Read." If you are looking for an idea of what to write about, this is a great perspective to have.
Consider the things you enjoy reading, and use them as a starting point for getting an idea of something to write about. If you have passion about a topic or story, your readers will feel that passion.
Questions you may have include:
- How did Stewart get the idea for her book?
- What things do you love to read?
- How does your passion show through?
This lesson will answer those questions.
Got idea for first book
While in her 30s, Martha Stewart enjoyed cooking, homemaking and entertaining friends, as well as her husband's business clients and associates. That is when she came upon the idea of writing the book Entertaining, which became a best-seller.
She loved entertaining guests, and the book she wrote told others how to do the same. It included many of the recipes she had used, as well as helpful tips on how to entertain.
If someone else had written this book, it would have been something Martha would have loved to purchase and read.
What do you love to read?
Consider the type of material you enjoy reading. Look at your book selection and the magazine articles you read. Also, consider your favorite television shows.
Do you prefer to read fiction or non-fiction? Do you enjoy watching situation comedy shows, documentaries or drama shows? What are your favorite subject matters?
After this personal analysis, think of the type of book you would just love to read—that you would be able to write yourself.
Passion in writing
If there is a topic that you really enjoy or love, it is something about which you have a passion. Writing on a topic of your passion is a great motivator. But also, your feelings will show through to the reader and make him or her enjoy the work even more.
If there is something you are extremely interested in, there probably are many others who have the same interest and just hoping someone would write about it. There are people interested in adventure stories, romances and business books, as well as other fiction and non-fiction topics.
Martha Stewart was unknown before she wrote her Entertaining book, but it found a large audience of others with the same interest.
Summary
A good way to get an idea of what to write about is by following the advice of Martha Stewart, from her book The Martha Rules. It states you should "Write the Book You Would Love to Read." Consider the things you enjoy reading, and use them as a starting point for getting an idea of something to write about. If you have passion about a topic or story, your readers will feel that passion.
Write for yourself and your readers
Resources and references
Websites
Books
(Notice: The School for Champions may earn commissions from book purchases)
Entertaining - by Martha Stewart
The Martha Rules - by Martha Stewart
Top-rated books on Fiction Writing
Top-rated books on Non-fiction Writing
Students and researchers
The Web address of this page is:
www.school-for-champions.com/writing/
write_book_you_would_love.htm
Please include it as a link on your website or as a reference in your report, document, or thesis.
Where are you now?
Write the Book You Would Love to Read