How to Know Your Book Idea Is Worth It: 10 Signs It’s Worth Writing
Most writers experience the excitement of finding a new idea for a book – a spark that ignites countless possibilities. Yet, the path from that first thought to completing a book manuscript requires an extremely invested effort (time, energy, commitment) from the author. So how do you determine whether this “brilliant” idea is actually going to result in a quality book (or just be another short-lived inspiration that collects dust)?
Putting time into developing a concept that is weak or mediocre will cause the writer a lifetime of regret. This article identifies ten clear indicators that will demonstrate if your idea has the potential to develop successfully into a full-length book. The indicators are designed to help validate the writer’s vision and to give the writer confidence when making the decision to pursue the writing process.
10 Signs Your Book Idea Is Worth Writing: Don’t Waste Your Words!
1. It Inspires Intense Personal Passion (The Fuel)
The best ideas for your book are hard to forget. They stay in your head for days on end; you see them whenever you space out during a boring moment of life; And most importantly, they continue to say “write me!” So this excitement is what keeps you going during that laborious process of writing.
Additional Detail: The reason that this compelling idea is so powerful, is because it is always on your mind. You can’t sleep or eat because you are overwhelmed by the possibility of starting to write it down. This level of energy is essential to overcome the majority of people’s doubts and want to turn in their own projects at about the halfway point of any major project.
2. It Has a Strong, Clear Conflict and High Stakes
Every good story, whether it is fact or fiction, has a central place for conflict. For narrative purposes, the story revolves around a main character who wants something; has obstacles to achieve their goal; and there are consequences or ramifications for failing that goal.
Additional Detail: The tension of the story has to be evident to the reader at the very beginning. The higher the stakes for failure, the more invested the reader will be in the outcome of the story. This means that if you are having trouble figuring out what kind of tension you need to build, you may need to spend a little bit more time writing out the outline of your story before you actually start the drafting process.
3. The Characters Feel Real (Not Just Props)
Plot is important, but it doesn’t make a story what it is. People remember characters the most and that’s what defines a story. A great character should feel like a real person, having individual traits, realistic weaknesses, and the potential to go through some sort of growth or progression throughout the story.
Detailed: If your characters exist only to move the plot forward, then the story will probably get lost in the process and feel pointless. It’s important for each character to have their own goals and reasons behind those goals, even if they are not always connected to the main plot. People can relate more to flawed characters than to perfect props.
4. You Can’t Stop “Writing Scenes in Your Head”
When your story begins to write itself, when your characters develop voices and personalities of their own, when your characters argue amongst themselves without any input from you, then you know that your story has become a true creation.
Detailed: This ability for your mind to create independently and connect with the characters indicates a deep-seated relationship between you, the material, and the characters. In this creative state, it becomes much easier for you to write and a highly enjoyable experience.
5. You Have a Unique Take on a Familiar Theme
A promising book will provide a new perspective, unique voice, or original take on a familiar topic. This is how your book will be different than others already on the market.
Detail: Examine the current best-selling books in your genre to see what they are missing. Your original perspective is your competitive advantage.
To help you create a distinct voice for your book, consult the resources on finding and developing your unique writer’s voice.
6. It’s “Big Enough” for a Full Book (The Scope Test)
The core concept of your story should have enough material (subplots, depth, potential for emotional impact) to support a word count of approximately 60,000 to 80,000+. If the basic premise of your story can be summarized in 10,000 words or less, it would likely be best presented as a short story.
Detail: What additional obstacles exist, how will you build the world in which the story exists, and what is the overall emotional journey of the protagonist? Does your story have enough layers to last through an entire 300-page book? If you struggle with determining how to pace your novel, consider creating a detailed chapter outline.
7. It Has a Relevant Theme or Message (The Universal Truth)
In addition to the narrative, literature must illustrate social values such as the elements which connect humanity: love, death, and changing society; therefore, all literature must also reflect some value of the human experience in additional to just entertainment value.
Details: Themes are fundamental concepts a work is attempting to communicate about the human experience; a relevant theme allows a work to remain available long after the plot has concluded.
8. Other People Get Excited When They Hear About It
The presence of an author’s internal fires may provide motivation to write, however, it remains an important measure for marketing potential, due in large part to the impact of external validation from those with whom you share your work.
Details: When you initially pitch your idea to people you trust (friends, peers, etc.), do you receive enthusiasm from them? Do they ask follow-up questions regarding the story (ending, characters, etc.)? Enthusiastic, positive responses indicates that you have a strong, compelling and commercially viable premise.
9. You Have Years of Knowledge You Want to Pass On (Non-Fiction)
A Non-fiction writer is validated within seconds based on their knowledge and experience as an expert. Has your experience led you to answer similar questions repeatedly from clients/colleagues? If so, then your knowledge/skill as an expert is valuable enough that there is enough to be filled in a book and improve the lives of others.
Detail: The amount of experience/knowledge accumulated by an expert can serve as a built-in authority. It can help dramatically cut down on the time needed to conduct research for the expert’s writings.
If you are an expert in your field and want to write about it, be sure to check out our resource for structure and how to create an outline for your Non-fiction book.
10. You Are Committed to the Process (The Writer’s Will)
Ultimately, if you believe in your Idea enough to write about it, then you also need to be committed to the long, arduous journey of writing. Even the best ideas fail if the author gives up on them halfway through.
Detail: Are you willing to spend the countless hours to learn how to write, to face rejection, and finally finish the project? It is this commitment that ultimately proves whether or not you should proceed.
FAQs
How do I know if my book idea is good?
A book concept should elicit enthusiasm, an unmistakable primary struggle, and have realities that generate enough recognition to be able to create their action in your imagination independent of you.
What makes a book idea worth writing?
A story will have enough unique angles on a universal concept, a large enough scope to hold a complete novel (over 80,000 words) and will allow you to fulfil your long-term goals as a writer.
Should I write a book if I doubt my idea?
When you are uncertain of your concept, look for these 10 confirmed indicators before you fully dedicate yourself to your project. Although the doubt in the beginning is typical, a solid concept will possess sufficient power and scope so as to be able to move you past that fear.
What obstacles can hinder a book idea from reaching its full potential?
The greatest areas of concern are insufficient scope (due to it being too small in scope to encompass a novel), insufficient commitment (to write the story), unclear principle struggle (central), and unclear audience (for whom you are writing).
What methods are recommended for developing characters and plots?
Actionable methods include an in-depth outline (for plot development), completing character profile questionnaires (for character flaw development, motivation, and functioning), and conducting “what if” scenario testing (to develop increased urgency and conflict for your characters).
What are the most profitable book genres for authors?
Historically, the most lucrative genres have been Romance (due to high volume, loyal reader base), Thriller/Mystery, and Non-Fiction, or Business/Finance/Self-Help (due to perceived value).
What marketing strategies do new authors use to find readers?
Building an email list is imperative for authors today. Other areas of focus should include advertisement targeting over Facebook and Amazon with both posts and ads (these are both under the realm of Social Media Advertising), getting reviews from Launch Teams (which are groups of interested readers), and building up a consistent Author Platform with supplemental materials related to the content of the books.
How do I come up with a book idea that sells?
A successful book will fill an immediate unmet need in the reader’s market through the author’s unique twist or perspective, generate excitement in the reader to read more about it, and provide an inclusive theme or message that people are interested in.
What if my book idea is similar to another book?
If your idea is similar to other books, find a unique voice, perspective, or implementation for your book idea. There is no reason why all classic stories cannot be told in different ways. In other words, your task is to figure out the angle that only you can bring to the story and tell it through your lens or through your writing style.
