How To Write A Self-Help Book: 10 Essential Tips

Do you want to write your own self-help book? Here are 10 tips you have to know before writing a self-help book.

I know for a fact that these tips work. Why? Because I have used these 10 tips to write and publish my own self-help book, Feeling Good: The Secret To Manifesting.

How Do You Write A Self-Help Book?

The key to writing a self-help book is to use your own experience to help the reader learn something about themselves.

I strongly believe that everyone has a story to tell and lessons to share.

Self-help books are the perfect platform to share what you’ve learned in your own life with the rest of the world.

There’s no satisfaction greater than using your personal experiences to transform the lives of others.

If you’re ready to put your pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), use these 10 tips for writing a self-help book to get started.

How Many Words Are In A Self-Help Book?

The average word count for a self-help book is 50,000 words.

This number can vary but most self-help books’ word count falls between the range of 30,000 to 70,000 words.

Some are shorter than 30,000 words, and some are longer than 70,000.

But don’t let your word count take precedence over the book’s content. It’s much better to write a short but effective book than a long but boring book.

How To Start Writing A Self-Help Book?

The best way to start writing your own self-help book is to read a lot of self-help books.

Reading other people’s work will give you ideas on how you want to structure your book.

It will also help you find the style of writing that you resonate with.

Can you self-publish your self-help book?

Yes. You can self-publish your self-help book.

Unless you’re a celebrity or a public figure, it will be difficult for you to score a traditional book deal with a publishing house.

But gone are the days when you need a publisher to publish a book.

One of the easiest (and free!) ways to self-publish is to use Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing.

Amazon KDP provides step-by-step instructions that will help you turn your manuscript into a hardcover, paperback, and ebook in just a few clicks. I highly recommend them!

The amount of money you will make from your self-help book will depend on how many books you sell.

The amount of books you sell is largely dependent on the size of your following, your marketing campaign, and lastly, the quality of your book.

The most important factor is the size of your following.

It doesn’t matter if you write the best book in the world. If you don’t have an established fanbase, your book will most likely flop.

So the takeaway is to always build your following before you launch your book.

1. Pick One Key Message

The first tip for writing a self-help book is to pick one key message that you want your reader to know after reading your book.

The self-help genre is intended to allow the reader to learn something on their own.

So think from the perspective of a reader and ask yourself, “Why should I read this book? What can I get out of it? What’s in it for me?”

The content of your book should progressively build on one key message so that the reader has a strong grasp of it by the time they finish your book.

Of course, you can insert stories and other related topics in the book, but they should all tie back to your core message.

If your book covers multiple topics at once, you risk losing your readers halfway through the book.

2. Write An Outline

The second tip for writing a self-help book is to write an outline before you write the manuscript.

Your outline should cover all the major topics organized by chapters as well as the key takeaway in each chapter.

Your outline will make or break your book. Why? Because it acts as the foundation for the rest of your book.

Once you have created a good outline, you can basically fill in the blanks with content and the book basically writes itself.

Whenever you feel lost or stuck in the writing process (which happens all the time to even the most prolific writers out there), your outline will serve as your map to guide you back on track.

3. Choose A Compelling Title and Subtitle

The third tip for writing a self-help book is to choose a compelling title and subtitle.

The title should be short and memorable because that’s the first thing everyone looks at when book shopping. You’ll want to come up with something that grabs the reader’s attention.

The subtitle should be a concise sentence that aims to convince the readers on why they should read your book.

Here’s what I landed on for the title and subtitle for my book, Feeling Good: The Secret To Manifesting.

Here are a few more books with titles and subtitles that are compelling and convincing.

4. Use Personal Stories

The fourth tip for writing a self-help book is to use personal stories and experiences.

Some self-help books fall into the trap of being too boring because it is too focused on the science and research behind the lesson.

While it’s important to provide the readers with evidence to show support for your points, it’s even more important to keep your readers’ attention with relatable stories throughout the book.

Your stories can be funny or they can be raw and emotional. Readers want to get to know the real you.

And plus, sometimes a simple story can illustrate a point far better than a scientific study.

My favorite self-help books are the ones that take me through a journey through the author’s lens. Check out the top 21 self-help books to read this year.

5. Less Is More

The fifth tip for writing a self-help book is to remember that sometimes less is more when it comes to the word count.

The average word count for a self-help book ranges between 30,000 to 70,000 words, which means an average of 50,000 words.

But don’t let this word count limit your book. You should write as little or as much as you need to convey your key message to your reader.

Some topics will require more words and examples to be fully explained, while other topics can be summed up in a short 2-hour read.

Don’t feel pressured to add fluff to your book just to make it longer.

6. Make Your Tips Actionable

The sixth tip for writing a self-help book is to make your tips actionable.

Self-help book readers are looking for knowledge that they can learn and apply on their own.

So don’t make your tips too complicated.

The easier they are to follow, the more likely they will be actually used and applied.

This is the key to creating real transformation in your readers’ lives.

7. Channel Your Inspiration

The seventh tip for writing a self-help book is to channel your source of inspiration.

There are so many creative ideas beyond the physical realm that are waiting to be accessed by you.

When I was writing my book, I channeled the creative wisdom from the Universe so I was able to simply let the words flow onto the page.

So channel the God of your own understanding (you can call it the Universe, God, or simply your intuition) and let the creative force move through you.

During my writing process, I used a lot of positive affirmations like these I Am Affirmations and Prayers to the Universe to keep the positive momentum going so that I can keep my creative channel open.

8. Take A Break From The Manuscript

The eighth tip for writing a self-help book is to take a break from the manuscript every once in a while.

Writers like to refer to this as “letting the manuscript rest”.

If you’re experiencing intense writer’s block or you’re struggling to write a particular chapter, that’s a sign for you to take a break from your manuscript and let it breathe.

Go do something that you enjoy like going for a walk, having a snack, or watching your favorite show. Anything to take your mind off the book.

You will feel more energized and invigorated the next time you sit down to write again.

And who knows? You just might find the inspiration that you need to write your book during your break from the manuscript.

9. Highlight Your Products or Services

The ninth tip for writing a self-help book is to highlight your products or services in your book.

If you’re looking to write a self-help book, you’re probably already a teacher or expert in your field.

This means you probably have other offerings such as online courses, seminars, or coaching services.

Well, your book is the best place to let your readers know about your products and services.

If they read your book and love it, they will definitely want to come to you for more!

Weave your products and services into your personal stories and experiences.

Remember that you are offering additional resources to help the readers transform their lives.

10. Start Without A Publisher

The final tip for writing a self-help book is to start writing now—even if you don’t have a publisher yet.

It’s incredibly easy to self-publish your book nowadays using self-publishing services such as Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing or Apple Books For Authors.

Yet some people refuse to write a book without a publisher and so they end up taking their “book” to the grave.

Ask yourself this question and be honest with your answer, “What is your goal for writing this book?”

Are you in it for the money? Or do you genuinely want to help others (even just one person) transform their lives?

If you answered yes to the latter, then start writing your book today!

Everyone has a message to share that will be appreciated by someone else.

As long as your message is backed by service and inspiration, you will find your tribe.

There’s a student for every teacher, and there’s a teacher for every student.⁠