Craft Your Book with Pre-Outline Questions: For Non-Fiction Writers

When you write a book, you usually begin with a general idea. No matter what you start off with, that general idea needs to be developed. That’s where the pre-outline questions come in. Answering the pre-outline questions that follow will help you to establish what you want with your book and what you want your book to be, in some bigger strokes.

Remember that the questions that follow have no “right” or ”wrong” answers. Keep evaluating your responses—look for those that offer meaty possibilities or intriguing ideas—until you feel you’ve exhausted the angles for the time being. If you don’t yet know the answer to some of the questions, feel free to skip them and return to them later in the process of discovering your story.

Remember that your answers are not set in stone. This is not the end of your creative process—this is just the beginning.

Pre-Outline Questions

Book

• What kind of book do you want to write (example: a memoir, a self-help book, a step-by-step guide, a textbook, a travel book, a collection of essays, etc.)?

• What feel or tone do you want your book to have (example: academic, inspirational, helpful, etc.)?

• What is your goal with your book (example: to educate others in your niche, to help solve a specific problem, to create another stream of income for your business, etc.)?

• What do you not want your book to be?

Niche

• What niche will your book be about?

• Do you have all the expertise needed to give your audience the best information possible, or do you need to research something?

• Are you able to turn the knowledge of your niche into several books (example: several books on recipes for those who suffer from lactose intolerance, several books on the different aspects of interior decoration, etc.)?

Go back to look over your answers and highlight the ideas you believe are most interesting or helpful.

There you have at least some pre-outlining questions you can use to develop your initial idea.