Topic: Evaluating the Possibilities of Your Book

10-Second Review: Testing whether your idea for a book is good.

Title: “Put a Nonfiction Book Idea to the Test.” Mary F. DeMuth. The Writer (August 2008), 12-13. The Writer is a publication by writers for writers. Its purpose is to encourage writers not to quit writing.

Quotes. Ask yourself the following questions:

1. What genre is my book?

2. Where would a bookstore shelve it?

3. How well do I know that it is about?

4. Do I have access to good research, great interviews?

5. How unique is my book?

6. If this book were to go before a publishing committee, would the panel find it compelling?

7. What is a one-sentence summary of my book?

8. When I share it with others, does their interest seem piqued?

Comment: I should have asked my self these questions before I self-published my book, Teaching English, How To…. I’ve about decided that what was missing from my book was this kind of preparation and eventual refinement. On the other hand, if I prepared too much, I might never have written it, and I am glad that I wrote it! I said what I wanted to say about teaching English and my convictions are available for anyone who wants to discuss them and to teachers who are starting out to teach English. RayS.

The purpose of this blog is to share interesting ideas I have found in recent American professional publications dealing with the teaching of English at all levels, elementary, secondary and college.