Message development helps you determine what to emphasize when communicating about your book, whether it\u2019s on social media or during media or podcast interviews.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not hard to do, but it does take thought, testing, and tweaking.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s how to do it.<\/p>\n
7 steps to messaging that matters<\/h2>\n
Follow these seven message development steps before posting about your book on social media or doing an interview. They will help you get clarity and focus.<\/p>\n
1. Review your book to determine the three most important points you want to communicate.<\/strong><\/h3>\nThis applies to both fiction and nonfiction.<\/p>\n
With a novel, you might want readers to know that it\u2019s a fictionalized version of a true event or that you used your great grandmother\u2019s diaries to help write the setting for your historical fiction.<\/p>\n
For nonfiction, think about what you want readers to take away from your book. Why did you write it? What do readers need to retain when they\u2019re done?<\/p>\n
Write down all three points you want to make.<\/p>\n
2. Identify supporting information for each point.<\/strong><\/h3>\nThis can be statistics, compelling facts, and anecdotes that illustrate the message point.<\/p>\n
Relevant facts for the great grandmother\u2019s diaries might be the number of diaries, the years they covered, or how you came to possess them.<\/p>\n
For a nonfiction book on the impact of climate change on endangered species, for example, you might use eye-opening statistics from scientific studies to support a message.<\/p>\n
3. Create draft messages.<\/strong><\/h3>\nBrainstorm possible messages, but remember: You want messages that resonate with your target readers, not anyone else.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why knowing your ideal reader<\/a> is important.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n4. Test your draft messages.<\/strong><\/h3>\nTry them out on people you want to influence \u2013 people who read the types of books you write. They can be friends or colleagues, but they need to be able to provide honest feedback.<\/p>\n
\n- What language seemed to resonate with people?<\/li>\n
- What language confused them?<\/li>\n
- Where did they get confused?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Listen carefully to their responses and take their input seriously.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n5. Refine the messages.<\/strong><\/h3>\nTake what you learned from the testing process to make any necessary changes to the messages.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n6. Test again.<\/strong><\/h3>\nThe repeat testing is important because you want to be certain that your key messages are appropriate and can influence the behavior you\u2019re looking for.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n7. Adjust again.<\/strong><\/h3>\nKeep making changes \u2014 and testing \u2014 until you\u2019re confident that you\u2019re using language that will generate the reaction you want.<\/p>\n
Do your messages do the job?<\/h2>\n
As you work on your messages, make sure they:<\/p>\n
\n- Contribute to your goals.<\/li>\n
- Resonate with the people you want to influence \u2014 even if this means they don\u2019t resonate with you.<\/li>\n
- Get a response when you use them. If they don\u2019t, they might need more work.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Message examples<\/h2>\n
For an example of a message you\u2019d communicate about a work of fiction, let\u2019s revisit great grandma\u2019s diaries.<\/p>\n
A message with supporting information could look like this:<\/p>\n
Message:<\/strong><\/p>\nI used my great grandmother Tillie\u2019s diaries to make sure I recreated the 1920s as accurately as possible.<\/p>\n
Supporting information:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- I read through 7 of her diaries to find what I needed.<\/li>\n
- My book is set in the 1920s, so while I had diaries from other decades, I focused on the period I wrote about because I knew that going through all of them would be too distracting.<\/li>\n
- The diaries almost left the family. My great aunt owned them and forgot they were in her attic when she moved. Fortunately, I discovered them when I was helping her.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Now let\u2019s look at that nonfiction book about the impact of climate change on endangered species. (Note that I\u2019ve made everything up for the example; I haven\u2019t researched the topic.)<\/p>\n
Message:<\/strong><\/p>\nIf climate change conditions don\u2019t improve, we will completely lose at least 15 percent of the world\u2019s endangered species every year \u2013 and more will be added to the list as time goes on.<\/p>\n
Supporting information:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- According to the Endangered Species Research Foundation, global warming has already altered the habitats of more than 100 endangered species.<\/li>\n
- Researchers at the University of Wauwatosa report that they can no longer find evidence of three types of endangered lizards, including the Eight-Toed Lounge Lizard.<\/li>\n
- Scientists at the Global Warming Institute report that the melting polar icecap will have a significant effect on all wildlife, not just endangered species.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Use your messages<\/h2>\n
Once your messages are final and you\u2019re confident they communicate what you want them to, work them into:<\/p>\n
\n- Media interviews<\/a><\/li>\n
- Press releases<\/a><\/li>\n
- Tip sheets<\/a><\/li>\n
- Website text<\/a><\/li>\n
- Social media content<\/li>\n
- Marketing materials<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
You might need to massage them to meet the needs of these different communication vehicles, but stay as true as you can to the language you’ve tested and refined.<\/p>\n
Need help? Build Book Buzz Publicity Forms & Templates<\/a><\/em> has a simple fill-in-the-blanks form you can use to create your messages. Learn more here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
This can be statistics, compelling facts, and anecdotes that illustrate the message point.<\/p>\n
Relevant facts for the great grandmother\u2019s diaries might be the number of diaries, the years they covered, or how you came to possess them.<\/p>\n
For a nonfiction book on the impact of climate change on endangered species, for example, you might use eye-opening statistics from scientific studies to support a message.<\/p>\n
3. Create draft messages.<\/strong><\/h3>\nBrainstorm possible messages, but remember: You want messages that resonate with your target readers, not anyone else.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why knowing your ideal reader<\/a> is important.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n4. Test your draft messages.<\/strong><\/h3>\nTry them out on people you want to influence \u2013 people who read the types of books you write. They can be friends or colleagues, but they need to be able to provide honest feedback.<\/p>\n
\n- What language seemed to resonate with people?<\/li>\n
- What language confused them?<\/li>\n
- Where did they get confused?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Listen carefully to their responses and take their input seriously.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n5. Refine the messages.<\/strong><\/h3>\nTake what you learned from the testing process to make any necessary changes to the messages.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n6. Test again.<\/strong><\/h3>\nThe repeat testing is important because you want to be certain that your key messages are appropriate and can influence the behavior you\u2019re looking for.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n7. Adjust again.<\/strong><\/h3>\nKeep making changes \u2014 and testing \u2014 until you\u2019re confident that you\u2019re using language that will generate the reaction you want.<\/p>\n
Do your messages do the job?<\/h2>\n
As you work on your messages, make sure they:<\/p>\n
\n- Contribute to your goals.<\/li>\n
- Resonate with the people you want to influence \u2014 even if this means they don\u2019t resonate with you.<\/li>\n
- Get a response when you use them. If they don\u2019t, they might need more work.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Message examples<\/h2>\n
For an example of a message you\u2019d communicate about a work of fiction, let\u2019s revisit great grandma\u2019s diaries.<\/p>\n
A message with supporting information could look like this:<\/p>\n
Message:<\/strong><\/p>\nI used my great grandmother Tillie\u2019s diaries to make sure I recreated the 1920s as accurately as possible.<\/p>\n
Supporting information:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- I read through 7 of her diaries to find what I needed.<\/li>\n
- My book is set in the 1920s, so while I had diaries from other decades, I focused on the period I wrote about because I knew that going through all of them would be too distracting.<\/li>\n
- The diaries almost left the family. My great aunt owned them and forgot they were in her attic when she moved. Fortunately, I discovered them when I was helping her.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Now let\u2019s look at that nonfiction book about the impact of climate change on endangered species. (Note that I\u2019ve made everything up for the example; I haven\u2019t researched the topic.)<\/p>\n
Message:<\/strong><\/p>\nIf climate change conditions don\u2019t improve, we will completely lose at least 15 percent of the world\u2019s endangered species every year \u2013 and more will be added to the list as time goes on.<\/p>\n
Supporting information:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- According to the Endangered Species Research Foundation, global warming has already altered the habitats of more than 100 endangered species.<\/li>\n
- Researchers at the University of Wauwatosa report that they can no longer find evidence of three types of endangered lizards, including the Eight-Toed Lounge Lizard.<\/li>\n
- Scientists at the Global Warming Institute report that the melting polar icecap will have a significant effect on all wildlife, not just endangered species.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Use your messages<\/h2>\n
Once your messages are final and you\u2019re confident they communicate what you want them to, work them into:<\/p>\n
\n- Media interviews<\/a><\/li>\n
- Press releases<\/a><\/li>\n
- Tip sheets<\/a><\/li>\n
- Website text<\/a><\/li>\n
- Social media content<\/li>\n
- Marketing materials<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
You might need to massage them to meet the needs of these different communication vehicles, but stay as true as you can to the language you’ve tested and refined.<\/p>\n
Need help? Build Book Buzz Publicity Forms & Templates<\/a><\/em> has a simple fill-in-the-blanks form you can use to create your messages. Learn more here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
4. Test your draft messages.<\/strong><\/h3>\nTry them out on people you want to influence \u2013 people who read the types of books you write. They can be friends or colleagues, but they need to be able to provide honest feedback.<\/p>\n
\n- What language seemed to resonate with people?<\/li>\n
- What language confused them?<\/li>\n
- Where did they get confused?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Listen carefully to their responses and take their input seriously.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n5. Refine the messages.<\/strong><\/h3>\nTake what you learned from the testing process to make any necessary changes to the messages.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n6. Test again.<\/strong><\/h3>\nThe repeat testing is important because you want to be certain that your key messages are appropriate and can influence the behavior you\u2019re looking for.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n7. Adjust again.<\/strong><\/h3>\nKeep making changes \u2014 and testing \u2014 until you\u2019re confident that you\u2019re using language that will generate the reaction you want.<\/p>\n
Do your messages do the job?<\/h2>\n
As you work on your messages, make sure they:<\/p>\n
\n- Contribute to your goals.<\/li>\n
- Resonate with the people you want to influence \u2014 even if this means they don\u2019t resonate with you.<\/li>\n
- Get a response when you use them. If they don\u2019t, they might need more work.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Message examples<\/h2>\n
For an example of a message you\u2019d communicate about a work of fiction, let\u2019s revisit great grandma\u2019s diaries.<\/p>\n
A message with supporting information could look like this:<\/p>\n
Message:<\/strong><\/p>\nI used my great grandmother Tillie\u2019s diaries to make sure I recreated the 1920s as accurately as possible.<\/p>\n
Supporting information:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- I read through 7 of her diaries to find what I needed.<\/li>\n
- My book is set in the 1920s, so while I had diaries from other decades, I focused on the period I wrote about because I knew that going through all of them would be too distracting.<\/li>\n
- The diaries almost left the family. My great aunt owned them and forgot they were in her attic when she moved. Fortunately, I discovered them when I was helping her.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Now let\u2019s look at that nonfiction book about the impact of climate change on endangered species. (Note that I\u2019ve made everything up for the example; I haven\u2019t researched the topic.)<\/p>\n
Message:<\/strong><\/p>\nIf climate change conditions don\u2019t improve, we will completely lose at least 15 percent of the world\u2019s endangered species every year \u2013 and more will be added to the list as time goes on.<\/p>\n
Supporting information:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- According to the Endangered Species Research Foundation, global warming has already altered the habitats of more than 100 endangered species.<\/li>\n
- Researchers at the University of Wauwatosa report that they can no longer find evidence of three types of endangered lizards, including the Eight-Toed Lounge Lizard.<\/li>\n
- Scientists at the Global Warming Institute report that the melting polar icecap will have a significant effect on all wildlife, not just endangered species.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Use your messages<\/h2>\n
Once your messages are final and you\u2019re confident they communicate what you want them to, work them into:<\/p>\n
\n- Media interviews<\/a><\/li>\n
- Press releases<\/a><\/li>\n
- Tip sheets<\/a><\/li>\n
- Website text<\/a><\/li>\n
- Social media content<\/li>\n
- Marketing materials<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
You might need to massage them to meet the needs of these different communication vehicles, but stay as true as you can to the language you’ve tested and refined.<\/p>\n
Need help? Build Book Buzz Publicity Forms & Templates<\/a><\/em> has a simple fill-in-the-blanks form you can use to create your messages. Learn more here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Listen carefully to their responses and take their input seriously.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Take what you learned from the testing process to make any necessary changes to the messages.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n The repeat testing is important because you want to be certain that your key messages are appropriate and can influence the behavior you\u2019re looking for.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Keep making changes \u2014 and testing \u2014 until you\u2019re confident that you\u2019re using language that will generate the reaction you want.<\/p>\n As you work on your messages, make sure they:<\/p>\n For an example of a message you\u2019d communicate about a work of fiction, let\u2019s revisit great grandma\u2019s diaries.<\/p>\n A message with supporting information could look like this:<\/p>\n Message:<\/strong><\/p>\n I used my great grandmother Tillie\u2019s diaries to make sure I recreated the 1920s as accurately as possible.<\/p>\n Supporting information:<\/strong><\/p>\n Now let\u2019s look at that nonfiction book about the impact of climate change on endangered species. (Note that I\u2019ve made everything up for the example; I haven\u2019t researched the topic.)<\/p>\n Message:<\/strong><\/p>\n If climate change conditions don\u2019t improve, we will completely lose at least 15 percent of the world\u2019s endangered species every year \u2013 and more will be added to the list as time goes on.<\/p>\n Supporting information:<\/strong><\/p>\n Once your messages are final and you\u2019re confident they communicate what you want them to, work them into:<\/p>\n You might need to massage them to meet the needs of these different communication vehicles, but stay as true as you can to the language you’ve tested and refined.<\/p>\n Need help? Build Book Buzz Publicity Forms & Templates<\/a><\/em> has a simple fill-in-the-blanks form you can use to create your messages. Learn more here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n5. Refine the messages.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
6. Test again.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
7. Adjust again.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Do your messages do the job?<\/h2>\n
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Message examples<\/h2>\n
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Use your messages<\/h2>\n
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![\"message](\"https:\/\/buildbookbuzz.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/message-development.png\")
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