Is anyone else working on something that has to do with relationship self-help?

I'm writing a middle grade story that deals with children of divorced parents. it didn't start off that way, but it's looking good. If it helps kids my job here on earth is done.

My book (published) is on relationships (or de-relationships).

I haven't seen many books on that lately. I mean, I know they're out there, but I haven't heard anybody here say they're writing them. Maybe they're not the "in" thing right now? Could it be that the market for them is smaller at the moment?

I'm working on a book that addresses relationship self-help in terms of friendships -- including friendship with your partner.

Justin,

I've published a parenting book with a major publisher on children's friendships, and I have another parenting book in the works. I'm a psychologist with a PhD, I frequently speak at conferences and schools about children's social and emotional development, and I've been quoted in magazines and newspapers through out the country.

I'm telling you all of this, not to brag, but to demonstrate that the market for relationship/self-help books is very, very tough: My new book has been turned down by several major publisher because they felt my platform was not big enough (although some other publishers are interested). So, yes, without a degree, an affiliation with a major university, your own syndicated column or national TV show, or some other means of connecting with a large audience, you'll have a hard time getting a major publishing house interested in your relationship book.

You have two main options to increase your odds of publishing your book: You could try to find a collaborator with credentials and a big platform, or you could target smaller publishers.

I think it will be very hard to find a collaborator. No ethical people are going to want to just put their name on your book, and true experts are going to have enough of their own ideas that they'll prefer to write their own books or at least work with a colleague they know well.

I think your best bet is to target smaller publishers, but you'll still have to establish your credibility somehow. Have you had interesting or unusual life experiences that lead to your insights? (It would be especially good if you have a dramatic story that would lend itself to media coverage.) Have you used your insights in some way to help others? Do you have some overlooked facts/data to back up your surprising assertions? Have you played a leadership role in some organization related to the difficulties you address? Do you have or could you build the go-to website that contains lots of facts/information about the difficulty you address?

A "sells itself" proposal is one that establishes that there's a lot of potential reader interest in your topic AND that you're the one to write this book.

Justin K said:

I'm just wondering.

Click to expand...

In my mind, yes.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, reread wallfull's post and take ever word to heart.

I've written and been fortunate enough to have had many nonfiction books, retail, for MG's, YA's, and Adults published (some spilled over into other markets like libraries and schools). Nevertheless, I'm far from an expert in the many subject areas I've written about. That's not to say I don't know anything about what I write, be it is to point out that even an author with a platform that includes many Published Books and a terrific Bio MUST align himself with a respected expert in the area written about. Without it you are MAYBE left to what's well described by wallfull. It's needed to lend credence to the books and for publicity and marketing purposes. You can try without what's needed, but at least now you know the real facts going in --- not what we would all like to believe to be true.

Good luck.