How long should a self-help book be?

rosepetal720 · Sep 15, 2010

How long are most self-help books?

I can't find a good place to get advice on my weight loss book, so I figured Nonfiction might be the way to go.

thothguard51 · Sep 15, 2010

Any book, in any genre should only be as many words as it takes to tell the story. Even in non-fiction.

Just don't fluff it up to get a higher word count.

rosepetal720 · Sep 16, 2010

Come on, that's the most non-commital response ever! You make a good point, of course, but self-help books are different from fiction: it's easy to add in or take out a chapter or two of advice without hurting anything. I'll stay true to the message and say what I want to say, but it would still be nice to know generally what's appropriate and accepted.

adtabb · Sep 16, 2010

I've read a minimum of 80,000 words. I am finally almost at 90,000 and in edits now, hoping to add another 400 as I go along.

thothguard51 · Sep 16, 2010

Look at Chicken Soup for the Soul...

Shadow_Ferret · Sep 16, 2010

rosepetal720 said:
How long should a self-help book be?

To quote Lincoln, when asked how long a man's legs should be, "Long enough to reach the ground."

Stijn Hommes · Sep 16, 2010

rosepetal720 said:
Come on, that's the most non-commital response ever!

That might be true, but it's the right answer. I've seen self-help 'books' of just a handful of pages and I've seen thick ones similar in size to the Dummy books.

But if you want to take a different approach to the answer it would be: as long as your intended publisher wants manuscripts to be.

thothguard51 · Sep 16, 2010

rosepetal720 said:
Come on, that's the most non-commital response ever!.

I thought for a generic question, it was a rather pointed non-commital reply...

How can you honestly expect someone to give you a pointed reply of xxx amount when there is so little info given?

What kind of self-help are we talking about, spiritual, technical, or autobiographical experiences? Do you include pictures, charts, graphs, or scratch-and-sniffs?

Most non-commital respnse ever? Really.

scarletpeaches · Sep 16, 2010

rosepetal720 said:
How long are most self-help books?

Try reading some.

veinglory · Sep 17, 2010

Self help books have to be big enough, including words and pictures, to profitably bind and distribute in book form. If you go to the self-help section of a bookstore it is apparent that is a pretty wide range. probably anywhere from 40,000 to 90,000 words.

rosepetal720 · Sep 20, 2010

thothguard51 said:
Most non-commital respnse ever? Really.

Geez, I didn't mean to offend you. I usually write fiction, and they have very specific word counts that you have to reach for publishers to accept the book, usually between 80,000 and 100,000 words. I guess I just assumed that self-help books would have the same requirements.

rosepetal720 · Sep 20, 2010

Veinglory, thank you. That was very helpful.

Paps · Sep 21, 2010

rosepetal720 said:
How long are most self-help books?

I can't find a good place to get advice on my weight loss book, so I figured Nonfiction might be the way to go.

I think you should worry about content and not length. Most non-fiction books are padded out and that detracts from the core message (which can usually be summarised in afew sentences).

There is the need to make it a "credible" length in order to make it "serious." Often, this is done by using case studies.

Think of Covey's Seven Habits - seven sentences padded out to a $500m dollar business.

rosepetal720 · Sep 23, 2010

That's so true that most self-help books can be summarized in a few sentences. I hate that.

EmpoweredOKC · Sep 24, 2010

The most insightful book on weight issues I ever read was Mary Pipher's "Hunger Pain," which is only 144 pages and a small-size paperback. Something doesn't have to be as massive as "The Courage to Heal."

TopSecret · Sep 24, 2010

I personally believe a book like that could take many years. I have a great deal of knowledge in weight loss (over 100 lbs), studied to be a personal trainer, and technical school for leadership, so I could write a series on it. I sure wouldn't make it a hollywood cookie diet book, it would be purely motivation, organization, will power, self awareness, exercise and health knowledge, food knowledge, cooking, easy cooking tips/tidbits, so you could see how this could add up to 1500 pager! As long as you got your message along well, and the reader learned anough to change their life then it is ready. If it can't change a few lives yet, don't publish it. One good book from the heart is so much better than 4 little books.

rosepetal720 · Sep 24, 2010

TopSecret, do you have any book recommendations for me, since you're so knowlegable? I'll definitely look into "The Courage to Heal," thanks Empowered.

How long should a self-help book be?

rosepetal720

Let the wild rumpus start!

thothguard51

A Gentleman of a refined age...

rosepetal720

Let the wild rumpus start!

adtabb

Quiet Normally, Loud when Provoked

thothguard51

A Gentleman of a refined age...

Shadow_Ferret

Court Jester

Stijn Hommes

Know what you write...

thothguard51

A Gentleman of a refined age...

scarletpeaches

veinglory

volitare nequeo

rosepetal720

Let the wild rumpus start!

rosepetal720

Let the wild rumpus start!

Paps

rosepetal720

Let the wild rumpus start!

EmpoweredOKC

TopSecret

rosepetal720

Let the wild rumpus start!