Victor Editorial House · A note from the margins
Name the change for the reader
Try finishing this sentence: After reading this book, my reader will understand or be able to do ___. A useful answer is specific enough to distinguish this book from its neighbours.
Test every chapter against it
Each chapter should advance, complicate or provide evidence for the promise. If a chapter merely repeats it, ask what new question it could answer. If it cannot, consider cutting or combining it.
Let the sentence evolve
The statement is a tool, not a slogan carved in stone. As you revise, you may discover a sharper argument. Update the sentence, then look again at the beginning and ending to ensure they belong to the same book.
These ideas are a starting point, not a diagnosis of your manuscript. The useful question is what your particular readers need from your particular book.