On the Podcast: The Empowered Author, 10.3 It Takes Intentional Planning to Write a Marketable Book
How to Plan and Write a Marketable Book That Sells
Planning a book is exciting, but if you want your work to sell and not just sit on a shelf, you need to think beyond writing—you need to write a marketable book. In this episode of The Empowered Author Podcast, Stephanie Feger teams up with her friend and fellow author Jennifer Crosswhite to unpack exactly how to plan your book so it connects with the right readers and achieves your goals.
Whether you’re a first-time writer or working on your next book, this conversation will help you balance creativity with strategy—and set yourself up for success.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
✅ The difference between writing a book and writing a marketable book
✅ Why defining your target audience matters more than you think
✅ How to align your book with your business, platform, or personal goals
✅ Practical tips to actually make time and space for writing
✅ How to avoid blank-page paralysis by brain-dumping and structuring your content
✅ Simple tools and sensory triggers to fuel your creativity and focus
Key Takeaways
- Know who needs your book.
It’s not for everyone—and that’s okay. Define your audience clearly, and make sure they see the need for your book. - Decide how you’ll use your book.
Is it part of a business model, a lead magnet, a coaching tool, or a passion project? Your purpose shapes your structure. - Plan how you’ll get it done.
Books don’t write themselves. From carving out time to repurposing blog or social content, there are creative ways to get words on the page. - Build your roadmap.
Brain dump your ideas, group them into chapters, and think of writing in layers—starting with the skeleton before refining. - Refill your creative well.
Inspiration doesn’t thrive in constant busyness. Step back, rest, and feed your creativity with books, conversations, and downtime.
Why This Matters
A great idea isn’t enough. A marketable book is one that readers immediately recognize as valuable, urgent, and aligned with their needs. By planning with intention—who it’s for, how you’ll use it, and how you’ll get it done—you set your book (and yourself) up for real impact.
Listen Now
🎧 Tune in to hear Stephanie and Jennifer’s full conversation on planning your book with purpose and strategy:
