Start with the Big Picture
As a medical professional or expert in a complex field, you often write about intricate topics for an audience that lacks your level of expertise. Readers might find your work difficult to understand without sufficient context.
Imagine teaching someone who has only ever owned dogs how to interpret cat behavior before they need medical attention for roughhousing with an angry cat. To grasp these seemingly simple topics, we must first understand the overall framework.
The Four Stages of Competence
Understanding how people learn can help you guide them from confusion to mastery. The four stages of competence provide a useful model:
- Unconscious Incompetence–The reader is unaware they lack knowledge. Example: A new pet owner assumes cats behave like dogs, unaware that feline communication is different.
- Conscious Incompetence–The reader realizes their knowledge is lacking and seeks information. Example: The new cat owner notices their cat reacts differently and begins researching feline behavior.
- Conscious Competence–The reader has learned but must focus to apply the skill. Example: The owner now recognizes signs of stress in their cat but still refers to guides for reinforcement.
- Unconscious Competence–The skill becomes second nature. Example: A seasoned pet owner instinctively understands their cat’s body language and behavior.
As an expert, you exist in unconscious competence, but your readers are just beginning their journey. Recognizing this gap helps you craft an engaging and accessible book.
Start with Why
Simon Sinek’s “Start with Why” concept applies to writing as well. Before introducing technical details, clarify why your topic matters to the reader.
For example, in How Not to Die, Dr. Michael Greger doesn’t begin with medical jargon. Instead, he explains how diet and lifestyle choices can prevent chronic diseases, capturing the reader’s interest by connecting the topic to their well-being.
Know Your Readers
Your readers may have already attempted to understand your topic through other means. Consider the challenges they face in acquiring this knowledge.
For instance, heart patients often struggle with lifestyle changes despite clear medical advice. Research shows that strict dos and don’ts alone don’t lead to better health outcomes. Instead, understanding patient fears, social pressures, and psychological barriers allows for more effective communication. The same approach applies to your book—identify your readers’ challenges and address them with empathy.
Talk to Your Readers
Engage with potential readers to understand their questions and concerns. You can gather insights through a variety of avenues. Talk to your patients, ask questions on social media, and have one-on-one conversations with your ideal readers. One of my clients, a medical doctor, held retreats. The retreat participants offered a wealth of information outside of a clinical setting.
Think back to times when your patients or clients resisted advice. What barriers did they face? What misconceptions did they have? Understanding these frustrations from their perspective will make your book more effective and relatable.
Conduct Online Research
Not everyone is at ease posing questions in person, but online platforms offer a treasure trove of unfiltered perspectives. Consider:
- Reading comments on forums like Reddit or Quora
- Analyzing social media discussions on your topic
- Exploring patient or professional support groups
For example, a quick search on Reddit for “how to start exercising after heart surgery” may reveal common fears and struggles that you can address in your writing.
Analyze Similar Books
Understanding published works helps you position your book. If submitting a book proposal to an agent, you’ll need to compare it to existing works.
Take Sacred Medicine by Dr. Lissa Rankin:
- Positive Aspects: Readers appreciate the integration of holistic and Western medicine and the author’s personal narrative.
- Criticism: Some found the book’s political discussions distracting.
By reading reviews, you can gauge what your target audience values and what they might find off-putting.
Reflect on Your Growth
Think about your own learning journey. What misconceptions did you have early on? What were the pivotal moments that shaped your expertise?
Your past struggles provide a roadmap for guiding your readers. Pay attention to frequently asked questions in your field—tools like Answer the Public analyze search trends to reveal common queries on your topic.
Identify Myths and Misconceptions
Unaddressed myths can create obstacles for readers. Whether it is medical misinformation or common industry myths, acknowledging and dispelling these early builds trust and credibility.
Competence vs. Intelligence
Your readers are not lacking intelligence—only experience. Expertise doesn’t always correlate with formal education.
While living in Peru, I met a shoe shiner who was knowledgeable about global politics, despite being illiterate. He demonstrated critical thinking, proving that competence is about exposure and opportunity, not intellect. He learned by chatting with his clients all day, different perspectives and ideologies, and then made up his own mind.
Always treat your audience as intelligent and capable—they just need the right guidance.
The Curious Layperson Test
Before finalizing your book, ask someone outside your field to read your introduction. If they understand and find it engaging, you’re on the right track. If not, revisit your framework and examples. At Nutritious Truth, we ensure your book passes the curious layperson test. We specialize in helping you understand your reader, creating a framework for your knowledge base, and working with you to produce an accessible, engaging and impactful book. Book a call to learn more about how we can support you.
By breaking down complex topics into engaging narratives, you empower your readers to learn, apply, and benefit from your expertise. The key to an accessible, informative, and transformational book lies in meeting your readers where they are—and guiding them forward with clarity and purpose.
NOTE: This article’s writing level is grade 10.
(Your book should be no more challenging to read than this article.)