Book idea generator: find the book you can write
What you know and what you've lived through can become a book. We help you find it.
Got an idea? Makebook builds the outline, then helps you write the whole book.
Write my bookThe guide
A book idea rarely comes from a blank page. It comes from what you already do: your job, a hobby, a difficulty you overcame, a question that keeps coming up in your conversations. Start by listing five things you know how to do or have lived through, without censoring yourself.
For each topic, ask who it would help and what problem it would solve. An idea that promises "everything about photography" is vague. An idea that promises "photograph your kids without ever making them pose" has a reader and a promise. That precision makes the book easier to write and easier to sell.
Avoid two traps. The first is trying to write about everything: a book for everyone speaks to no one. The second is picking a topic you love but have never practiced, which makes it hard to go the distance. Keep the idea you could talk about for hours.
Frequently asked questions
How do you choose a book idea?
Start with what comes to you effortlessly: a skill, a hardship you got through, a passion you could talk about for hours. A good idea meets a specific reader who has a real problem.
Do you need to be an expert to write a book?
No. Plenty of useful books are written by someone who has just achieved what they describe. For a beginner reader, your recent experience is often worth more than a degree.
How do I know if readers will care about my idea?
Ask three people around you whether they'd buy the book, and why. Look at the books already published on your topic too: if other readers are searching for the answer, your idea has a market.