In Module 1, you learned what an online book is, how online books differ from printed books, and what advantages online publishing offers. You also explored different types of online books and publications and discovered examples of materials you can publish.
Now, let us begin planning your own book!
Before you start writing or creating pages in Drupal, you need to decide what your book will be about and why you want to publish it. Choosing a clear topic and purpose will help you organize your ideas, prepare useful materials, and create a book that meets your readers' needs.
1. Choosing a Topic
A topic is the subject that your book will cover. It can be something you already know well, something you have experience with, or something you want to research and explain to others.
For example, you could write a book about:
- Learning a language.
- Using a computer or a particular software application.
- Cooking traditional dishes.
- The history of your family, village, or region.
- A subject you teach or study.
- A professional skill or practical task.
- A cultural tradition or local knowledge.
- A research project or a collection of articles.
When choosing a topic, consider three important questions:
- What do I know or want to learn? Choose a subject that interests you and that you are willing to explore.
- What can I explain or share? Think about the knowledge, experience, information, or materials you can contribute.
- Would this topic be useful or interesting to other people? Consider what readers might learn from your book and why they might want to read it.
You do not need to cover a large subject in its entirety. A focused topic is often easier to plan, write, and organize. For example, instead of writing a book about all aspects of computers, you could write a practical guide to using a particular application.
2. Defining Your Book's Purpose
The purpose of a book explains why you are creating it and what you want it to achieve. A clear purpose helps you decide what information to include and what readers should gain from reading your book.
Your book might aim to:
- Teach readers a new skill.
- Explain a subject in simple language.
- Provide step-by-step instructions.
- Share personal or professional experience.
- Preserve family history or local cultural knowledge.
- Present research findings or useful information.
- Collect related materials in one organized place.
- Help readers solve a particular problem.
A book can have more than one purpose. For example, a language-learning book might teach vocabulary while also introducing readers to the culture of a country.
Try to describe your book's purpose in one or two sentences. Be specific about what you want to share and what readers should be able to understand, learn, or do after reading it.
3. Connecting the Topic and Purpose
Your topic and purpose are closely related, but they are not the same.
- Topic: What is your book about?
- Purpose: Why are you creating it, and what should it help readers achieve?
Consider this example:
- Topic: Using the Drupal Book module.
- Purpose: To teach beginners how to create, organize, edit, and publish an online book using Drupal.
This topic identifies the subject, while the purpose explains what the book is intended to accomplish.
Our bilingual user manual is another example. Its topic is online book publishing with Drupal, and its purpose is to guide readers through the process of creating and managing online books. Because it is written in English and Tajik, it also provides an opportunity to practise English while learning practical publishing skills.
4. Start with a Clear and Achievable Idea
When planning your first online book, choose a topic that you can reasonably cover with the time, knowledge, and materials available to you. You can always expand your book later by adding chapters, examples, illustrations, and new information.
Remember that your first book does not have to be long or complicated. A short, well-organized guide that serves a clear purpose can be more useful than a large book without a clear direction.
In the next sections, you will identify your intended readers, define the scope of your book, plan its chapters and sections, prepare your materials, and create a book outline. These steps will help you turn your initial idea into a structured publication.