[Tipster] Which Format Is Best for Your Ideas?

We love books. We support writers on the journey to write and publish books. We’re even a book publisher.

But a print book may not be the right format for your content.

Many are the possible formats for your writing. So many formats, so little time!

I attended a conference recently and met a person who helps aging parents write “life letters” to family members or people they love. For example, an aging patriarch of a successful business might write a letter to his daughter, the successor to the family business. The letter might be one-part memoir, one part encouragement, and one part his hope for her future.

A letter, of course, is content. And it’s a format.

Be Original with Format

Audio is also a format.

I recently listened to “Miracle and Wonder: Conversations with Paul Simon,” an audiobook by Malcom Gladwell and Bruce Headlam, Gladwell’s long-time friend and journalist.

It’s a riveting listen.

It’s not a mere audio book derived from a book. This is an original audio creation. An audio biography of Paul Simon, the great songwriter and co-founder of Simon & Garfunkel.

The audio book was recorded from a series of 30 hours of conversation between Paul Simon, Gladwell, and Headlam. The authors “traveled from the mountains of Hawaii to Simon’s own backyard studio to record an artist they’ve idolized since childhood.”

The audio incudes never-before-heard live studio versions of Paul Simon singing some of his songs with only an acoustic guitar.

It’s a wonder what you can create and who you can influence if you think beyond the book format.

In addition to life letters and audio, other content formats include:

• blogs (there are now 600 million blogs in the digital universe);
• articles for print or digital platforms;
• whitepapers;
• short-form video;
• long-form video (documentaries, for example);
• online courses; and
• podcasts.

I’m sure I missed a format or two.

As you think about whom you want to influence, consider also which format is most effective for telling your story and sharing your ideas.

Now, buckle up and choose the right format,

Dave Goetz
Co-Founder