People who are interested in psychology or have advanced degrees in psychology might be interested in writing a book to share their knowledge with the world.
Learning how to write a psychology book and get it published requires a little bit of a different route than writing something like a fiction book, but there are still some basic steps to follow.
You will also have to think about whether all of the work of writing a book is worth it in general, which we will cover, too.
Let's dive into some basics of writing psychology books, and then cover what it will take to write one.
Table of Contents
Who Should Write A Psychology Book?
While anyone can technically write a book, if you have distinct qualifications for writing about psychology, that can help your book.
There is a difference between psychology books written by professionals with degrees and people who are interested in psychology and only write it on their own.
There is also the option of writing a psychology textbook, which is a whole different type of commitment. It also will also require you to not only have a degree but often an advanced degree in a psychology in order to write a textbook.
Keep in mind, most authors do not make a lot of money, even when their books sell well. However, there are a lot of reasons that people might write books such as establishing credibility or creating more career opportunities down the line.
Types Of Psychology Books
Down below, we will be covering some examples of types of psychology books, but just to give you an idea of things, here are some different types of psychology books:
- Textbooks
- Pop psychology books
- Self help books
- Academic books
- Informative books
- Resource books
How To Write A Psychology Book
#1 – Figure out your niche
If you want to write a book and stand out with a book on psychology, you will need to pick one specific area or topic related to psychology that you will deeply study.
Even if you are helping to write a psychology textbook, it still often covers only one part or level of a topic.
If you have a degree (or multiple) in the psychology field, you most likely already have an area of expertise.
You will also need to figure out why people would care about your topic and think about if enough people would care for your book to sell well.
That is, if you plan to sell a lot of copies. Lots of people write books also for the credibility of writing a book at all, which is perfectly fine.
However, if you do want to sell a lot of books, you will have to find a topic that a lot of people care about and would pay to learn more about. That's why topics like happiness, habits, sleep, and so on, do well.
#2 – Establish your expertise
In order for you to publish a psychology book, you will generally need to establish that you are an expert on the topic or at least gather enough of a community for publishers to be interested in who you are.
If you want to publish a book, especially on a heavy topic like psychology, you will need to answer the obvious, “Who are you and why should I care about your book?” questions.
With fiction, people often care less about the author and more about the story, but with psychology you need to address both.
#3 – Pull in your studies, information, resources, and facts
Unlike fiction books, if you are writing about psychology, it will be important that you bring in facts and studies to backup your claims and information.
This can take quite some time and you might need to consult other experts to get their opinions and help as you put your book together.
#4 – Pitch to publishers
Yes, you can always choose to self-publish your book, but you will often have more credibility and reach if you go the traditional route. It will be up to you what route you choose to go.
However, if you want to go the traditional route, you will have to learn how to pitch publishers.
Examples of Psychology Books
There is a list above of more types of psychology books, but let's take a look at a few of the categories in more depth.
Self Help
These days there seem to be endless self help books out there, but for good reason as it is an incredibly popular type of book genre.
Some examples of these books include:
- Atomic Habits by James Clear – A book all about how to successfully figure out which habits will make your life better and then do them.
- The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz – This book is about the source of our self-limiting beliefs that hold us back from joy.
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey – A book all about the productive habits people have that can make their lives better.
Informative books
Informative books are where you are educating the reader on a topic. This does not necessarily mean they are textbooks, but instead, they often dive deep into a topic or subject in order to give the reader enough information.
Some examples of these books include:
- Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker – This book is about the science behind sleep and why it is so important for us to get enough.
- Thinking Fast And Slow by Daniel Kahneman – A breakdown of two types of thinking: “System 1” is fast, instinctive and emotional; “System 2” is slower, more deliberative, and more logical.
- Influence: Science and Practice by Robert Cialdini – This book is all about the psychology behind influence and why we feel it or do not feel it around certain topics.
Psychology Textbooks
It is pretty clear what psychology textbooks are, but let's take a look at some different examples of some of the ones out there:
- Psychology by Saundra K Ciccarelli and J Noland White – A beginning textbook on the basics of psychology.
- Psych 101: Psychology Facts, Basics, Statistics, Tests, and More! by Paul Kleinman – Essentially, what the title describes it as.
- The Psychology of Human Behavior: Fundamentals of Human Behavior, Emotions, Social Approach, and Communication Levels with Deep Analysis by Z. Henry – Once again, a book that is exactly what the title is about.
Ready To Write Your Book?
If you are ready to write your book, you will not want to miss out on our free training to walk you through the steps to writing a book that stands out. After watching the training, reach out to the team at SelfPublishing – we'd be happy to pair you with a book writing coach who specializes in nonfiction. They'll help you write and publish the book you've always wanted to!
It is one thing to write a book but it is another to write one that will have an impact on people and will be something people want to read.
