Are You Selling Aspirin or Vitamins?
Why Your Book Must Solve a Real Problem
I recently picked up a copy of Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World. I know nothing about the author, but the book spoke to me. Lately, I’ve felt a bit tangled up in my goals and the endless treadmill that is productivity. I saw this book and thought, tell me more.
One of the biggest issues we help authors like you tackle is aligning your book’s message with your audience’s problem. That’s what Tiny Experiments did for me. A core fundamental belief I hold is that books are about problems and promises. To do that, you have to work on your book’s messaging. Over the next three weeks, we’re going to cover how to create strong book messaging.
Today, in part one, let’s talk about pain points.
How do you craft really great book messaging that helps your reader? You start by identifying the pain.
Here’s the hard truth: your book can’t be for everyone. If you try to reach everyone, you end up reaching no one. That’s why we always start with this question: What pain does your book solve?
In our messaging framework, we call this the Felt Need—a problem your reader feels on a busy Tuesday afternoon. It should be specific, emotional, and instantly relatable. Think:
- “I got angry and screamed at my kids again this morning. How can I get in control of my emotions?”
- “My husband and I argued about the budget again last night. We just can’t get on the same page.”
The best books don’t just inspire. They solve.
Take time this week to think through your readers' pain points. Got a good one you want to share? I’d love to hear them. Send me an email with them to [email protected].
Next week, the promise.
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Keep writing,
