Writing a technical book can be an intimidating endeavor. Many individuals struggle with where to begin, often overwhelmed by the daunting blank page.
Even for those who start writing a technical article earnestly, it’s easy to become intimidated and halt progress. Facing a goal of tens of thousands of words can be frightening and unrealistic. As in other aspects of life, breaking down a large goal into smaller, manageable segments is beneficial. When writing a technical book, one effective approach is to compose a series of blog posts. This allows for gradual development of content, which can later be transformed into a book.
Advantages of blogging your book
- Reduced intimidation: Blogging allows for a more relaxed approach to writing. The flexibility of using various media, such as images and videos, adds a fun element that is not always possible in a traditional book format.
- Immediate feedback: Blogging enables the publication of smaller content pieces. This approach allows for earlier audience engagement, providing valuable feedback and insights that can enhance the final book.
Challenges of This Method
Despite its benefits, this method does have drawbacks:
- Repetitiveness: Converting blog posts into book chapters can sometimes feel redundant. This can be particularly challenging when working on a tight schedule or providing regular updates to an editor.
- Inconsistency in depth and tone: Writing blog posts over time may result in varying content depth and writing style, influenced by evolving trends and personal inspiration. Compiling these into a cohesive book can be challenging, as books demand uniform depth and consistent tone.
Planning your technical book
Once you’ve thoughtfully considered and decided that this approach is suitable for you, here’s a general outline of how the process should unfold.
Please note, these are broad estimates and individual experiences may differ. If you discover an alternative blog-to-book method that suits you better, feel free to pursue it.
Total word count
The simplest approach is to set a total word count target for your book and plan backwards from there. Typical nonfiction books range from 50,000 to 80,000 words. I recommend aiming for brevity. A shorter book offers several advantages, including a quicker completion time.
Let’s target 65,000 words, a modest figure on the lower end of the spectrum. Keep in mind that technical books are different due to their extensive use of tables, figures, and callouts. While it may not be the shortest book, strive to maintain brevity without compromising its overall value to readers.
With the total word count established, our primary aim is to break down this figure to make it less daunting. I suggest dividing it into blog posts in a structured manner.
Chapter breakdown
Next, let’s consider the number of chapters for the book. I recommend aiming for 10 to 12 chapters. Remember, the first and last chapters will likely serve as the introduction and conclusion. The key is to develop a structure that feels manageable and easy to navigate.
I also suggest dividing these chapters into three overarching sections of the book. This structure, akin to a three-act play, helps in organizing content coherently. If you ever feel lost during the writing process, you can refer back to these sections to realign your content with the broader theme of each part. Such literary frameworks exist for good reason – they provide clarity and direction.
Blog posts per chapter
Having established a basic framework of three sections with ten to twelve chapters, it’s time to delve into the specifics of writing. This involves dividing each chapter into individual blog posts. Ideally, a chapter should encompass no more than three to five main ideas. Conveniently, each idea can be expanded into its own blog post. This methodical division not only simplifies the writing process but also ensures that each chapter remains focused and cohesive.
Post length and total count
Now that you’ve played around with the key variables of word count, chapter count, and to some extent, posts per chapter, you’ll start to gauge how many posts are needed to complete the book. The aim is to find a balance that is manageable for you.
Aiming for a total of 40 to 50 posts is a practical approach. This number is manageable, assuming you could write one post per week, allowing for a steady progress towards completing the book, with some breaks in between.
If you’re also aiming to maximize the SEO potential of your posts, keep in mind that blog posts should be at least 1,400 words for optimal SEO performance, possibly extending to 2,000 words. If you find it challenging to write lengthy blog posts, that’s okay. The primary goal here is to aid in writing a book, not necessarily to maintain a blog. Quality content is key, especially when your intent is to convert these posts into a book. Quality always trumps quantity in this context.
Below is a simple worksheet designed to help you experiment with the total word count and see how it correlates with typical blog post lengths. I’ve included some data validation as well, since I enjoy working with Excel. Feel free to save a copy for yourself and play around with it:
From blog posts to book
Now that you’ve outlined the general structure of your book, including page count and chapter distribution, it’s time to delve into the finer details of the writing process.
The previously discussed number of blog posts per chapter was a speculative estimate. This phase is where you get to plan and document each piece in detail, including their URLs, assigned chapters, and any personal notes for reference. This is also the stage to track your progress.
I recommend keeping the status tracker simple, as its primary purpose is for your personal accountability. However, feel free to customize it to suit your needs, such as by adding different progress statuses or additional columns. Here’s a basic template to get you started:
Remember, eventually, you’ll need to amalgamate these individual posts into a unified narrative. While strict serialization isn’t necessary, maintaining coherence is essential. Use the Notes column to keep track of themes, datasets, sample industries, and other elements to ensure consistency and avoid too much variation in your content. This approach will make the transition from a collection of blog posts to a cohesive book smoother and more manageable.
Embrace the drafting process
This leads to a crucial point: what you’re creating is essentially a draft’s draft. Writing in this blog-based format can be less intimidating. The style of blog writing often differs from book writing, allowing for more casual elements like embedded tweets, memes, and YouTube clips. However, these elements may not translate well into a book format, especially in terms of printability.
The primary purpose of this approach is to break through the initial writing barrier. Eventually, you will need to compile and synchronize everything, ensuring consistency in examples, refining download files, and more. This process might seem overwhelming, akin to starting from a blank page, but in reality, it’s often less daunting than anticipated.
During the process of writing your posts, it’s common for the outline to evolve. You might find yourself cutting, combining, or expanding certain sections. This flexibility is part of the process. While keeping an eye on the overall book length, aim for about 40 to 50 substantial blog posts. This should put you in a good position to complete the book.
Remember, the content will need reworking. Often, when transitioning to the book format, the writing becomes slightly more formal, and formal citations replace quick links. This can lead to a slight increase in length, but it’s a necessary step to elevate your blog posts to the level of a comprehensive, cohesive book.
Conclusion: To blog or not to blog
I hope this post has provided you with insights into the process and nuances of blogging a technical book, highlighting both its advantages and challenges. While the concept of blogging a book isn’t new, its application in the context of technical writing may differ from other genres. Many technical book authors are not familiar with this approach, so this guidance could be particularly beneficial.
Please review this post and the accompanying download files. Your feedback or further inquiries about writing a technical book are welcome. Additionally, I’ll include a link to my technical book coaching program below for those interested in more personalized guidance.
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