Today, I have a special advanced copy of the post that will be published tomorrow. But, as a Paid Member, you get to see it today!

​Here’s a non-public link to the chapter.​

I’ve also pasted the chapter text below.

Enjoy, and if you have comments, please reply to the email!

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Welcome to BRIEF BOOKS BLUEPRINT

First off—welcome. Truly.

If you’ve landed here, there’s a good chance you’ve been carrying around a book idea for a while.

Maybe it’s been scribbled in a notebook.
Maybe it lives in the back of your mind.
Maybe you’ve even tried to start it a dozen times… but it never quite took off.

That’s where Brief Books come in.

This book—and the entire Brief Book series—was created to give aspiring nonfiction authors a simple, flexible, and focused way to go from vague ideas to published brief books.

Not by writing a 300-page tome or chasing a traditional publishing deal. But by writing a short, purpose-driven nonfiction book that brings real value to your audience—without overwhelming you in the process.

You don’t need permission. You just need a plan.

About This Series

The book you’re reading right now is the first in a 4-part series I’ve titled:

THE BRIEF BOOKS SERIES

Each book in the series mirrors a stage of the journey:

1. BRIEF BOOKS BLUEPRINT
   ​An Over the Shoulder Guide to Planning & Outlining Your Brief Book
   ​—This is where we start. Idea to outline. Structure, scaffolding, and strategy.
2. BRIEF BOOKS CONSTRUCTION
   ​An Over the Shoulder Guide to Writing & Editing Your Brief Book
   ​—The actual writing part. Plus a self-editing system built for brief books.
3. BRIEF BOOKS LAUNCH
   ​An Over the Shoulder Guide to Publishing & Marketing Your Brief Book
   ​—We demystify Amazon KDP and teach you how to get your book seen.
4. BRIEF BOOKS BUSINESS
   ​An Over the Shoulder Guide to Generating Residual Revenues with Your Brief Book
   ​—Your book becomes the beginning of a creative revenue stream, not the end.

Together, these books form a complete system.
But each one stands on its own, just like your first one will.

This Book: BRIEF BOOKS BLUEPRINT

In this volume, we’ll focus exclusively on the early phase: planning your book, choosing your outline, and shaping the central idea into something that actually wants to be written.

You don’t need to be an expert in book publishing

You don’t need fancy tools or writing software.
And you definitely don’t need a perfect idea—just one that resonates with you and can resonate with someone else.

This book is built around real-time, over-the-shoulder guidance—not theory.

I’ll walk you through how I plan each of my own brief books, starting with the same blank page you’re staring at now.

You’ll see how I apply frameworks like the 3 Ps (Promise, Path, Payoff), explore different outline formats, title brainstorms, cover design considerations, and more.

By the final chapter, you’ll be what I call Construction Ready.

That means you’ll have:

• A validated, well-scoped central idea
• A working title and subtitle
• A solid outline that actually makes writing easier
• And the clarity to move confidently into your first draft

You don’t need a book coach. You’ve got this book. And I’ve got your back.

A Quick Note About My Style

Instead, I’ll show you what worked for me, invite you to borrow what makes sense, and offer practical steps you can follow—or adapt. It’s a conversation, not a command.

Think of me as your writing buddy who’s just a few steps ahead on the trail.

And if you're reading this on my Substack, Brief Books, you may know that I'm writing this book in public—one chapter at a time. It’s all part of my philosophy: build in public, write in community, and share the process as you go.

Let’s Begin

So… you ready?

Crack your knuckles. Fire up your notes app or your yellow legal pad.

The moment has arrived to stop dreaming about writing a book—and start building one.

Let’s start with the first pillar of your blueprint: your central idea.And we’ll shape that idea using a tool I rely on for every single book I write—the 3 Ps Framework.

Ready? Let’s go.

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The 3 Ps Framework: Designing a Clear and Compelling Brief Book Idea

They were interesting, even compelling, but they didn’t coalesce.

I’d open a new document, type a few strong lines, and then stall. The idea lacked shape. And without shape, there’s no structure.

Without structure there is no momentum,

No momentum. No book.

That’s when I started using a framework I now consider essential at the start of every project—whether I’m sketching out a short Zen guide or mapping out a business brief book.

Why the 3 Ps Matter

Writing a brief book doesn’t mean you're writing something less than a traditional book. In fact, it demands more intentionality.

Since you’re working within a tighter page count—say 50 to 100 pages—every page must pull its weight. That’s where the 3 Ps come in. They give your book a clear mission, a grounded structure, and a satisfying conclusion.

Let’s walk through each of the 3 Ps, and then I’ll show you exactly how I used this framework to shape the idea behind my own Brief Book, From Chaos to Clarity.

#1: The Promise

This is the “why should I care?” part of the book.

It’s your value proposition. The thing that lights up the reader’s curiosity and keeps them reading because you’ve promised to solve a problem, answer a question, or offer a breakthrough they genuinely want.

Examples of Book Promises:

• “Learn how to meditate in 10 minutes a day—even if you hate sitting still.”
• “Discover how to turn your daily emails into a marketing asset.”
• “Find out how a minimalist work routine can double your focus.”

When crafting your promise, get as specific as you can:

• Who is the book for?
• What pain point does it address?
• What is the tangible or emotional gain?

In my book From Chaos to Clarity, the promise was simple:

It wasn’t about Zen in the abstract.

It was about living better, through five specific practices I actually used. That’s what makes a brief book resonate: real-life clarity around a focused promise.

#2: The Path

After you’ve established your book’s Promise, the next thing your reader will unconsciously ask is:

This is where your outline starts to form.

The Path is the structure and sequence of the ideas, lessons, or methods you’ll share to take the reader from Point A (before reading your book) to Point B (the result you promised).

But here’s the trick: You’re not just walking them through dry steps. The path needs to feel like a journey.

A well-paced one. Like a winding but intentional trail through a landscape that ends at the perfect overlook.

Here are a few outline structures that fit naturally into the “Path” phase of the 3 Ps:

• The 5 W’s (Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How)
• Problem/Solution x10 (Each chapter tackles one specific reader problem with a matching solution)
• Step-by-Step Guide (E.g., 7 steps to building your author platform)
• Chronological Story or Case Study (Ideal for memoir-style nonfiction)

You can even blend structures.

In From Chaos to Clarity, I used a hybrid model:

• I presented five practices in five chapters.
• Each chapter opened with a brief story, then walked through the practice.
• The structure was both personal and practical.

That’s why this book series uses an “Over the Shoulder” approach. I’m, hopefully, not just teaching you something—but showing you how I did the same thing.

That’s what builds trust.

In writing this series of brief books, I asked myself the following questions:

• What outline format will help deliver on my Promise?
• What sequence (Path) makes the Payoff for this book possible?
• How can I share the ups and downs of my own experience so it feels more real?

#3: The Payoff

And, as you near the end of your book:

A great payoff isn’t just a repeat of the introduction. It’s the moment when you tie the bow on the entire package.

It’s how you show the reader that the journey was worth it. That the promise has been fulfilled. That they’re now in possession of a new tool, a new insight, or a new identity.

If your book promises to teach readers how to build a daily writing habit, the payoff isn’t just that they know how to do it.

It’s that:

• They’ve already taken the first steps
• They’ve seen progress
• They feel more like a writer

In my Brief Book Practical Zen, the payoff wasn’t “Now you know about Zen.”

Instead, it was:

That’s a powerful promise to fulfill—and I made sure that the final chapter reinforced the emotional shift that was possible.

A few ways to deliver a strong payoff:

• Summarize key takeaways from each chapter
• Include a final story that embodies the book’s message
• Offer a challenge or next step for the reader
• Reinforce the reader’s progress (“Look how far you’ve come!”)

A strong payoff makes the book feel complete, not cut short. And that’s especially important in short-form nonfiction.

Putting It Together: Your Book’s “Elevator Map”

Here’s an exercise I often do on a single index card or half-sheet of paper. I call it my Elevator Map—because it helps me pitch or shape the entire book idea in under 60 seconds.

Create three bullets:

• Promise: I help readers go from ___ to ___ by showing them ___.
• Path: I’ll walk them through ___, using ___ structure.
• Payoff: By the end, readers will ___.

Then, write out the logical plan for each. Since you haven’t written your brief book yet, these are what you’re planning to deliver for your reader.

Here’s an example from this book: Brief Book Blueprint:

• Promise: I help aspiring nonfiction authors stop stalling and start writing by showing them how to turn a vague idea into a clear, actionable outline.
• Path: I walk them through my 3 Ps Framework, chapter planning methods, and real examples from my own process.
• Payoff: By the end, they’ll have a complete outline—and the confidence to start writing their first Brief Book.

When I have this map, I feel grounded. I feel focused.

I know what the book is. That clarity translates to the outline—and to the writing.

Now, It’s Your Turn

Before you continue to the next chapter, take 10–15 minutes to craft your own 3 Ps.

You can use this prompt to get started:

Don’t worry about getting it perfect. This is your working blueprint. You’ll refine it as you go. But having it now will anchor everything that follows—from chapter structure to tone of voice to your marketing message.

Final Thought: Everyone Loves the Look and Feel of a Well-Tailored Suit🕴️

Your 3 Ps should fit your book like a hand-tailored Italian suit.

Sharp. Clean.

Nothing extra. Nothing missing.

It doesn’t need to be flashy—it just needs to fit.

And so will you.

This is the real starting point of your focused brief book.

You’re no longer staring at a vague idea—you’re standing on a blueprint.

Let’s build from here.

-end Chapter 1-

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