As a professional ghostwriter and editor, a significant part of my work involves helping professionals write and publish books that will establish them as thought leaders in their fields. Lawyers, doctors, realtors, CPAs, and business consultants have found that publishing a book can help them reach new markets and attract new clients.

Since self-publishing has become both ubiquitous and affordable, the market for professional books has exploded. Nowadays, if you’re a consultant, having a physical book to give to clients and prospects has become almost mandatory.

Many of my clients ask me what a good length is for a professional book. Of course the answer depends quite a bit on what you, the author, have to say, and the complexity of your message. The important thing to remember is that your target reader is probably very busy and does not have a lot of time to read a long and complex self-help book. Businesspeople, especially, want concise information that packs a punch in a short amount of time.

We’re talking about a total reading time of two hours, maximum. That’s about 40,000 words. Anything longer than that requires too much of a commitment.

That’s why I call the books that I edit and ghostwrite “airplane books.” Why? Because you can put the book in your briefcase or purse, get on the plane in New York, read the book in flight, and by the time you land in Chicago or Atlanta, you’ve read the book.

Los Angeles to Denver, Houston to Boston – wherever you need to go, you can pop the book into your carry-on and read the whole thing in flight.

Airplane books do not pretend to tell the reader every possible detail of how they can improve themselves or their business. The goal is to encourage the reader to seek out your services, and, in a larger “macro” sense, establish you as an expert in your field.

– Thomas Hauck, freelance book editor and ghostwriter, serves authors in Boston, New England, the United States, and around the world. Please contact Tom today to learn more about how you can publish a book that will help you reach your professional goals.