How to Write and Sell Simple Information for Fun and Profit: Your Guide to Writing and Publishing Books, E-Books, Articles, Special Reports, Audio Programs, DVDs, and Other How-To Content

At the next level of content, above information, is knowledge. Knowledge is a deeper understanding of the facts.

Phone interview.

The most basic mistake made by even experienced writers who turn their hand to how-to and self-help writing is telling readers “what to do” instead of showing them “how to do it.”

Research and knowledge accumulation.

When in doubt, clip and save material you might want to refer to some day for a writing project. At the same time, don’t be like the famous Collier brothers, who saved every newspaper they ever bought in their Manhattan brownstone until it became a rat-infested fire hazard. When you want to save something, tear it out of the magazine or newspaper,

in a world dominated by Google’s ocean of data, the wisdom, knowledge, and guidance people are seeking is in short supply. As librarian Richard Yates once observed, “We are drowning in information but starved for knowledge.”

Read.

Do. Doing the thing you are writing about gives you greater understanding of the topic and greater credibility with your reader.

Today’s successful how-to authors establish a platform—a reputation and a built-in audience in a particular topic or niche—and focus their writing in just one or two areas. The more you build your platform in your niche, the more money you will make. Therefore, the first and most important decision you must make as a how-to writer is choosing the r