BOOK STRUCTURE Insights After Writing Three Books

How do you structure a book? Having the structure for three different books, the process of book structure can vary from project to project. Watch my explanation of how the structure came together for each of my books on YouTube above or by clicking here. If you prefer to read, continue onward.

Book 1: Path of the Freelancer (Published 2017)

My first book, Path of the Freelancer, stemmed from my own experiences. When I started writing, about 18 months before publication (dedicating roughly an hour a day), my initial approach was simply to dump everything I knew about freelancing onto the page. I was about three years into my freelancing journey at the time.

Looking at this "pile" of information, I realized my target audience – busy freelancers – likely wouldn't have time to read a massive tome cover-to-cover. They needed something they could dip into, find tangible, tactical actions quickly, and apply them immediately to move their business forward.

This led me to think about the natural structure of a freelancing journey. What are the key milestones or achievements? I identified seven core areas crucial for freelancing success (later adding an eighth). These became the main sections of the book.

1. 1. Fully Committed To Freelance (Slightly Different Format)
2. 2. Offerings In A Compelling Package
3. 3. Steady Stream Of Paying Clients
4. 4. Active Clients Are Maximized
5. 5. Unaffected By The Roller Coaster
6. 6. Wise & Precise Financial Management
7. 7. Unified Personal & Work Lives
8. 8. We Share What We've Mastered (Discovered Later)

Once I had this framework, I organized all my previously written content into these sections. This process immediately highlighted gaps – areas I hadn't covered sufficiently. To add further clarity, I developed a substructure within achievements 2 through 8: four specific "checkpoints" for each.

The Process: Content Dump -> Structure Creation -> Content Organization -> Gap Filling.

Book 2: The Jump (Published 2019)

My second book, The Jump: From Chaos to Clarity for Your Striving Small Business, catered to small business owners. This book emerged after I shut down my marketing company of seven years. It's essentially a letter to my past self – the advice I wish I'd had before starting that agency.

Interestingly, unlike the first book, I didn't have a clear structure mapped out from the beginning. I knew it roughly had two parts: my story and then practical guidance. However, the detailed structure for the second part came about unexpectedly.

While designing the cover partway through the writing process, I added four distinct icons purely for visual interest. These icons then became the catalyst for defining the structure! I asked myself, "What four key stages or steps do these icons represent for a business owner looking to move from chaos to clarity?"

This led to the four core steps in the second half of the book:

1. A New And Better Business Requires A Transformed Leader
2. Setting Up A Strong Business Foundation
3. Make The Jump With Your Dedicated Team
4. Transform Your Business With Bullet Proof Systems & Mental Models

The Jump is different from Path of the Freelancer. While the first is very tactical, The Jump focuses more on the mindset and personal growth required to overcome business plateaus. Many entrepreneurs hit a wall, becoming a bottleneck to their own company's growth. This book uses stories and prompts for self-reflection to help the reader mature and "level up," enabling them to lead their business more effectively.

The Process: Partial Structure -> Cover Design -> Structure Defined by Design -> Content Aligned.

Book 3: From the Garden to the Cross (Forthcoming)

My latest project, From the Garden to the Cross, is a departure from my business books. It's a Christian book exploring Jesus's Passion Week. I've been working on it for four years, significantly longer than the 18-24 months each of the previous books took.

Despite its complexity and the lengthy writing time, the structure of this book was the easiest to determine because it was given to me by the historical narrative. I followed the timeline of events. I broke the existing story into logical sections, mapped them out, and then began writing the content for each part. Having this pre-defined structure was a blessing, especially given how challenging the writing itself has been.

The Process: Pre-defined Structure (Narrative) -> Content Creation within Framework.

Finding Your Book's Structure

As you can see, there's no single formula for structuring a book. The best approach often depends on:

• Your Audience: Who are you writing for, and what are their needs and constraints?
• Your Content: Is it tactical advice, a personal story, a historical narrative, or something else?
• Your Goal: What transformation or understanding do you want the reader to achieve?

Sometimes structure emerges from the content, sometimes it's inspired by external factors like design, and sometimes it's dictated by the subject matter itself. Consider your specific project, and don't be afraid if the structure isn't immediately obvious – sometimes it reveals itself along the way.