She was about the coolest girl I’d ever met. And she’d invited me, still in high school, to hang out near her college campus about an hour away.

That’s right, friends. This was the big leagues.

I was relaxed, though; you would’ve been proud of me. In the days leading up to my big date, I only mentioned it a measly 581 times.

Well, the day came, and I guess I wasn’t ready for the big leagues. I took a left instead of a right and traveled in the wrong direction for a good half hour before realizing my mistake. That made me an hour late. She said it was no big deal, but I was mortified.

Some wrong turns have bigger consequences than others. Say, for example, you pitch book A to publishers when book B would have been much better received.

Admit it. Just hearing of the possibility stings a little, right?

Problem is, how on earth do you figure out which idea to lead with? How do you gauge the strengths of one book concept over another? Well, look no further, because the purpose of this article is to help you evaluate the strength of your book concepts.

We’ll do that with three questions.

Question #1: Is this book idea at the intersection of my passion and the world’s need?

Frederick Buechner said the place God calls you to is where your “deep gladness” intersects with the world’s “deep hunger.”

Both are important. If you’re passionate about something but your audience isn’t, you can write your book, but it won’t sell. If your audience is hungry for a topic you don’t give a rip about, you’re not likely to write a very good book. And again, it won’t sell.

So, keeping both in mind is crucial. How do you determine your audience’s needs? One of the best ways is to produce a lot of content (think blog posts, articles, speeches, podcasts, videos, or webinars) and note which kinds of content resonate the most.

You can also send out a survey that asks readers to tell you where they most need help.

Question #2: How original or unique is this book concept?

Solomon from the Bible said there’s nothing new under the sun, and of course he was right. What can be new is how we combine different ideas or our specific approach to a topic. Publishing pros refer to this as an “angle,” often asking authors, “What’s your angle on this topic? What makes your approach unique?”

The Five Love Languages, a perennial bestseller by Gary Chapman, is not popular because it’s a relationship book. It’s popular because it’s a relationship book with an original angle (and it’s well written).

Publishers and readers are looking for a fresh idea—one that helps them make sense of the world in a new way. As you consider your concept, consider: How original is this approach?

Question #3: How surprising or intriguing is this book idea?

Often ideas that spread are intriguing or surprising. Simon Sinek told business leaders to “start with why,” and they wondered what he meant.

In the subtitle for his book Free to Focus, Michael Hyatt tells us we can “achieve more by doing less.”  That’s intriguing.

When considering this question, you might assume your idea is sort of boring, but consdier: Is there a way to turn the volume up on your idea? Can you make it more extreme?

Marie Kondo’s book could have called A Comprehensive Guide to Decluttering. Instead it’s called The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. She turned up the volume. She “extremified” her book idea, or maybe her publisher did. Either way, it worked. The book has sold a bejillion copies and kicked off a Netflix series to boot.

Evaluating Your Book Concept Is Important

The above questions will get you started. Other questions are helpful too. Does this concept lend itself to a book-length treatment? Does this book speak to our cultural moment?

As I’ve worked with writers over the past twenty years, what I’ve noticed is an eagerness to move right past the concept to the manuscript itself, or to getting a book deal. But hanging out in concept land for a while is a worthwhile use of time.

If you can develop a concept that meets your passion and an audience’s need, stands out as original and surprising, you’ll be going a long toward landing a book deal and writing a book that enjoys a wide and enduring audience. 

Question: As you think about the concept of your book, which of the above questions is most helpful to you? You can leave a comment by clicking here.