Why the Reader Is the Most Important Character in a Nonfiction Book (with Elizabeth Dougherty and Marisa Solis)

​Many nonfiction writers blame their content when a manuscript goes sideways. But there's another potential culprit: the missing main character, aka the reader.

​On this live Q&A, I’ll be joined by two publishing professionals on a mission to change the world one book at a time: Elizabeth Dougherty and Marisa Solis. They are book coaches, editors, and coauthors of The Complete Expert-to-Author Guide: Plan, Write, and Publish Your Nonfiction Book. Combined, they’ve worked on more than 600 books. We’ll explore one of the most overlooked ideas in nonfiction writing: that the reader isn’t just an audience but the most important character in your book.

​We’ll get into:

• ​Why so many knowledgeable writers produce drafts they’re unhappy with

• ​How shifting from writing about your topic to writing for your reader transforms a manuscript

• ​What it looks like to write your reader into every page

• ​How the “I’m not an author” label keeps qualified people from starting in the first place

• ​How to tell if your draft is a monologue—and how to turn it into a conversation

​If you’re sitting on an idea, struggling with a draft that isn’t working, or wondering why your expertise isn’t translating onto the page, this conversation will give you a surprisingly simple reframe—and a more strategic path forward.

​🔒 Exclusively for paid and founding members of Author Insider