Imagine this: You purchase a book about the strategies for maintaining compliance with multiple companies’ cyber security regulations. The cover has beautiful flashes of color, and the back has recommendations from some of the top people in the industry. In fact, it’s why you picked up the book in the first place.

As you excitedly dive deeply into the contents, you’re gradually overcome with a migraine. “What?” you keep saying to yourself over and over. “But how did you… But why did you…?”

They might be an award-winning author, but they’re not exactly a successful book strategist.

So many authors fall into this trap. Disorganized thoughts and writer’s block lead to an incomplete manuscript. It may have the seal of a publisher, but it’s far from complete.

When creating a successful outline, the secret weapon for a polished book comes down to book planning. It all depends on that outline, so you’d better have a plan.

“I’m not sure the book is flowing correctly.”

That’s one of the top complaints I receive from people when they come to me with a finished manuscript. And it’s one of the most common problems.

If you don’t have a general idea of the main theme of your book, its central message, its tone, or its narrative, you’ll lose focus quickly. Not to mention, you’ll find yourself engulfed in an endless series of revisions. And even artificial intelligence can’t rescue that disaster.

Just ask AI book creators.

On two separate occasions, I’ve been approached by authors who had created an entire manuscript using AI. Bits and pieces of each section seemed to make sense, but they didn’t work together coherently. One client had already sunk $10,000 into making the book more readable by going through more than ten rounds of professional edits. And most of it could have been prevented with a deep dive into a comprehensive outline.

But the importance of planning in writing a book goes beyond AI.

The downsides of not creating a book outline are even prevalent among some of the most acclaimed authors in history. Bram Stoker’s Dracula was acclaimed for its prowess in weaving multiple narratives into a single story. On the flip side, Lair of the White Worm, because of the confusing narrative, led to an incoherent plot. What’s the biggest difference? The poorly planned Lair of the White Worm has been metaphorically consigned to the trash heap of history, while Dracula endures as one of the most beloved books of all time.

A great bit of fiction or nonfiction comes from understanding the world you’re creating. For those focused solely on the reality of here and now, that makes your writing process a lot easier, but both require writing process organization.

The question you’re trying to answer is, “Why does this matter?”

If your answer to that question is, “So I can make some money,” you’re missing the point. It’s true that the effect of a well-written book boosts your brand and increases your pocketbook, but it should never be the primary cause for creating your story. For that, you’ll have to dig deeper.

I always tell the people who come to me for book coaching or ghostwriting to think about the passion that led them to create a book. Why does this matter to you, and, in turn, why would it matter to someone else?

Many people think that their passions don’t truly matter. They believe that the causes they’re supporting are reason enough to put pen to paper.

But even the greatest causes are shallow without human passion.

When starting your outline, think about the reason you care so much. People flock to a cause when thought leaders embolden them. That excitement rubs off on them. Even through paper or a screen, a passionate leader can light the fire beneath anyone.

The blandest books out there are written for the general public.

Most of the time, authors looking to reach the most people won’t take risks because they’re afraid anything might turn a reader off. Authors want to make as many sales as possible, so it’s easier if the text is squeaky clean. But, in doing so, nobody wants to read what they’ve written.

I always encourage the people I’m working with to think about one person they would write to. That’s right: one. A loved one is more open to your thoughts. In return, you’re more likely to be more vulnerable to that one person.

When you’re writing to a single reader, it becomes much more exciting to share what you love.

Readers are much more likely to pick up on your heartfelt words, feel as though you’re writing directly to them. Your book may have been written for your brother, sister, mother, father, or even granduncle, but to a reader who truly resonates with your book, it’s as though you’ve written directly to them.

When it comes to a successful book strategy, take those pieces you found through the previous process and put them in writing. It doesn’t have to look pretty—in fact, it shouldn’t. What you’ve produced is just the word salad that will eventually become your book.

This is the part that depends on your preferences. Some people like a book planning session that is highly organized with every thought written out. Others simply like the spirit of the idea. Choose a method that seems the most natural to you.

Next, cut out all the bullet points, either physically or metaphorically. Organize them into structures that fit thematically or chronologically, depending on your book.

I usually encourage authors to keep their outlines in a notebook they can carry with them. If you have thoughts on the fly, you can easily add them to your outline. You can also quickly jot down notes after waking up from a particularly enlightening dream.

The idea is to never cut yourself off from your thoughts. Your outline should evolve significantly throughout book planning. Only stop when you’re happy with the information you’ve added.

Despite all the thought you put into creating your book, what happens if you get stuck? And, believe me, it happens all the time.

Outlining doesn’t have to be a single-person sport.

It’s helpful to share your thoughts with someone else. When seeking an expert, keep in mind that ghostwriters offer a fresh perspective, one that comes from outside your usual circle. The best ghostwriters will have questions and concerns and will actively push back on some ideas. You might say we’re the therapists in the book writing industry.

Ghostwriters also have the unique advantage of working with some of the top performers in the industry. They know the thoughts that will grab attention and those that have been overplayed. In fact, as Forbes points out, “Not only will they see things like repetition, ambiguity and glitches in your logic, but they also will be more concise and instinctively know where to shave extraneous words.”

It’s a game of give and take, which provides the best feedback on a successful book.

One of my favorite stories comes from my tenure with Forbes Books. When interviewing for the ghostwriting position, I felt an instant connection with the author. He was the CEO of an actuary coaching business, and he wanted to write a book that involved business and math. As a science and tech writer, I knew we could create something unique.

But when I delved into the outline that had been previously created, I noticed his hesitation. It was a standard, black-and-white business book outline. It had no flavor, no drive.

I asked him if this was what he was really passionate about. He gave me a bit of a worried face before telling me that he didn’t feel like the outline matched what he really wanted to share with people. I asked him what his passion was, and he said math. But it was more than that. He wanted people to understand math and to find joy in it. A tall order, perhaps.

Over the course of the next four months, we created an outline that was far different than the original. Instead of focusing on business, the book became centered on his passion. We worked together, hand in hand, to create something different.

In the end, the book won several awards. Reviews stated that they suddenly saw math in a way they never had before. Those words were almost exactly what he had wished would come from the book.

The collaboration led to his incredibly kind offer to put my name on the book as well, which you can find here.

It’s the story of how an outline completely changed everything.

I’ve come across several advertisements that claim they can write a book outline in a day. I have no doubt that you can. But the question is, should you?

Outlines need a chance to breathe. Book planning is a process, and no one can create a successful book strategy without truly immersing oneself in it.

If you’re struggling with writing an outline, consider a ghostwriter. It could be that your goal of turning your book into a reality is just around the corner.