Not yet. And that is a useful answer.
A book is a big project. Right now, at least one of the three things that make a book work is missing: a clear reason, a clear idea, or a clear reader. Writing before those are settled is how people spend a year and end up with a draft they do not want to publish.
The good news is that getting clear costs nothing but some honest thinking, and you can start today.
What your answers say
Get clear first. It is free.
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Write down why, in one sentence
What should the book do for you, and for the person reading it? More clients, a message you need to share, something for your family: each is a good reason, and each leads to a different book. The Scribe Method chapter Figure Out Your Book Objectives walks you through it.
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Pick one reader
Describe the one kind of person who most needs this book: their job, their problem, what keeps them up at night. "Everyone" is not a reader. Read Figure Out Your Audience, then talk to three people who fit the description.
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Find your book's North Star
Use Scribe's free North Star tool to turn your reason and your reader into one short statement of what the book is for. If you cannot finish it yet, that tells you exactly what to think about next.
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Come back and take the quiz again
When you can say your reason, idea and reader in a sentence each, take the quiz again. Your result will likely change.
What "not yet" saves you
Most of the cost of a book is time. The Scribe Method puts it simply: if your time is worth $250 an hour, 100 hours spent on publishing tasks is $25,000 of your time. Hours spent writing toward an unclear idea are the most expensive kind, because many of them get thrown away.
It also protects you from the most common disappointment. The average nonfiction book sells fewer than 250 copies a year, according to the Scribe Method chapter on realistic expectations. Books that pay off do it because they were aimed at a specific reader for a specific reason. That is the part to get right first.
Want the bigger picture? Read Is writing a book worth it?
Want a second opinion from a person?
Leave your name and email and someone from the Scribe team will reach out to talk your answers through. There is no pressure and no obligation, and "not yet" is a fine place to end the conversation.
Rather pick a time yourself? Book a free 15-minute consult or call 512-325-0249.
Thank you. Your answers are with the Scribe team.
Someone from Scribe will reach out by email. If you would rather not wait, pick a time for a free consult.
Questions about this result
How do I know if I'm ready to write a book?
You are ready when you can answer three questions in a sentence each: why you are writing it, what it is about, and who it is for. If any of those is fuzzy, the writing will be slow and the book will be hard to use. Time and money decide how the book gets made, not whether it should be.
Is it bad to start writing before I know my audience?
It is not bad, but it is expensive. Writers who start without a clear reader tend to rewrite whole chapters later. Deciding the reader first is usually the fastest route to a finished book.
What is a book's North Star?
It is Scribe's name for the short statement of what your book is for: the reader, the problem it solves for them, and what you want it to do for you. Chapter 9 of The Scribe Method explains it, and the free North Star tool helps you write yours.
When should I take the quiz again?
Once you can say your reason, your idea and your reader in a sentence each. For most people that takes a few weeks of thinking and a few conversations with people who would read the book.
See the other results: Write it yourself · Get help · Ready now