how to decide what to write a book about

Staring at a blinking cursor is every future-author’s rite of passage. You’ve cleared your calendar, stocked up on coffee, and even bought the fancy notebooks… but the only thing missing is the actual idea. If you keep googling “how to decide what to write a book about” and still feel stuck, you’re in the right place. Below I’ll walk you through a dead-simple, stress-free way to pick a topic you’ll still love 70 000 words from now—no mind-mapping on 27 sticky notes required.

Why “how to decide what to write a book about” feels impossible

Our brains treat book ideas like wedding dresses—everything has to be perfect before we commit. Meanwhile, TikTok, day jobs, and that friend who keeps saying “you should write about my life” keep piling on options. The result: decision paralysis. The trick is to stop chasing the one “perfect” concept and instead test a bunch of candidates side-by-side using clear, personal criteria.

The 5-minute brain-dump that starts everything

Grab a timer and list every possible book idea you’ve ever day-dreamed about. Fiction, non-fiction, a YA fantasy set in a laundromat—whatever. Don’t judge, just vomit-onto-the-page for five minutes. You’ll probably end up with 8-15 raw contenders. That’s your starting lineup.

how to decide what to write a book about using a Decision Matrix

Now we turn those raw ideas into a smart shortlist. On StaMatrix you can build a “Book Topic Matrix” in literally two clicks. Here’s the mini-framework I give writing coaches:

Step 1: list your personal parameters

Typical ones are:

• Passion (will I still care in month 9?)
• Market demand (are people searching for this?)
• Expertise (do I already know enough or will research bury me?)
• Speed (how fast can I realistically finish?)
• Career boost (does it feed my business, brand, or academic cred?)

But the beauty of StaMatrix is you can add anything—“Mom would finally stop asking when I’ll write a ‘real’ book” is a totally valid row if that matters to you.

Step 2: weight each parameter

Drag the slider so Passion gets 40 %, Market 25 %, Expertise 20 %, etc. The total always auto-balances to 100 %, so no math headaches.

Step 3: score every idea

Give each concept a 1-10 gut-score for each parameter. StaMatrix multiplies the weights and spits out a ranked list. The top two or three are your finalists—no endless pros-and-cons lists necessary.

Quick tip: if you’re torn between fiction and non-fiction, build two separate matrices. Comparing dragons to “how to retire early” in the same grid is like judging pizza vs. socks.

Example walk-through: how Laura picked her memoir topic in 11 minutes

Laura had four ideas: a travel memoir about teaching yoga in hostels, a gritty family saga, a cookbook for college students, and a self-help book for burnt-out nurses. She created a matrix with Passion (35 %), Audience size (25 %), Competitive titles (15 %), Research pain (15 %), and Film/TV potential (10 %). Result: the yoga-hostel memoir scored 8.7, beating the family saga (7.2) and the other two (both under 6.5). She started outlining that same afternoon.

how to decide what to write a book about when you have TOO many ideas

“Idea spaghetti” is real. If your brain keeps birthing new plots every shower, create a parking-lot matrix instead. Dump every fresh concept into StaMatrix once a week, assign quick 1-10 scores, then forget about it. At the end of the month sort high-to-low. The highest score is your next project; the rest stay in the lot for later. You’ll stop second-guessing yourself every time someone says “Ooh, you should write about….”

Using StaMatrix’s AI assistant if you’re truly blank

Sometimes the problem isn’t too many ideas—it’s zero. Click the magic-wand icon inside StaMatrix, type something like “I’m a software engineer who loves baking and I want to write a cozy mystery but I don’t know what angle to use,” and the AI will pre-fill a matrix with parameters such as Unique hook, Series potential, Cozy tropes, and Recipe integration. You can tweak the weights and options until it feels like yours.

Final reality-check questions before you commit

Even the mathiest matrix can’t replace a quick gut audit. Ask:

1. Can I talk about this topic for 45 minutes without notes?
2. Would I happily read three competing books to see what’s already out there?
3. Am I excited enough to defend the idea when my brother-in-law says “who’s gonna read that?”

If you answer yes to all three, congrats—you’ve solved the “how to decide what to write a book about” puzzle. Time to change that file name from “BookFinal_FINAL3.doc” to Chapter One.

Ready to pick your book idea today?

Stop doom-scrolling writing Reddit and start ranking your ideas like a pro. Open StaMatrix, create a free “Book Topic” decision table, and you’ll have a data-driven answer before your coffee gets cold. Future-you (the one holding the printed copy) will thank you for finally deciding.