Self-Help? Expert? - Writers Forum

InkQuillParchment · 05-04-2005, 05:50 PM

Do I have to be an expert in order to write a self-help book? Is that information correct? If so, is the argument the fact that you have to be expert to tell people what to do, as opposed to motivational/inspirational where you tell people what's worked for you?

Please e-mail me (InkQuillParchment@comcast.net) or reply to the website with the answers. Thank you.

mammamaia · 05-05-2005, 10:04 AM

that's pretty much it, in a nutshell... not so much that it's a law, but that people won't buy your book if you set yourself up as an expert when you don't have any background to justify the claim...

whereas the inspirational type book can be written by anyone who's had experiences worth sharing with others who may find themselves in similar circumstances... you don't have to be 'known' or provide any credentials... but you do have to be a good enough writer to hook the reader and get them to pay for the book... same goes for a publisher, if you don't self-publish...