Week 3 of 13 · Phase 1: Architecture

Map every chapter
before you write a word.

A complete Chapter Map with a title, a one-paragraph summary, and a key takeaway for every chapter in your book. When this is done, drafting becomes a series of small assignments instead of one impossible one.

The Assignment

The full Chapter Map: title, summary, takeaway, for every chapter.

This week you build the architecture of your entire book before you draft a single chapter. The Authority Book Architecture is below. Follow it. The discipline of this structure is what separates books that read like trusted advisors from books that read like blog posts in a paperback wrapper.

For each chapter you will write a working title, a 3 to 4 sentence summary of what the chapter covers, and the single key takeaway the reader walks away with.

Word count target: 800 to 1,200 words (the full Chapter Map).
The Framework

The Authority Book Architecture

Every book produced through this system follows the same arc. Map your chapters to these slots.

  • Chapter 1, The Hook. Open with a story or scenario that makes your reader feel seen. Describe the problem so accurately that they think you have been reading their email. End with the promise of what the book will give them.
  • Chapter 2, The Credibility Chapter. Why should they listen to you? Not a resume. A story. The failures and discoveries that led to your methodology. This chapter earns you the right to teach.
  • Chapters 3 to 8, The Teaching Chapters. Each chapter teaches one element of your Unique Mechanism. Six steps, six chapters. Four pillars and two advanced chapters, also six. Each chapter follows: Opening Story, The Concept, The Method, The Application, The Transition.
  • Chapter 9, The Integration Chapter. Show how all the pieces work together. A full case study, a before-and-after, or a walkthrough of the methodology applied end to end.
  • Chapter 10, The Call to Action. What should the reader do next? Not a sales pitch. A genuine next step. End with conviction. Leave them knowing exactly what to do Monday morning.

For Every Chapter, Write

  1. A working title.
  2. A 3 to 4 sentence summary of what the chapter covers.
  3. The single key takeaway the reader walks away with.
If You Get Stuck

Here is my Unique Mechanism and my Reader Profile: [paste]. Help me identify the right number of teaching chapters and what each one should cover.

Open Dave Open Paige
Completion Check
You are done when: A stranger could read your Chapter Map and understand the complete arc of your book. Every chapter has a clear purpose. No two chapters cover the same ground. The order feels logical and inevitable.

Finished Week 3? Unlock Week 4.

Marking this week complete unlocks the next module immediately. Move at the pace that fits your life. The 90-day window is the ceiling, not the pace.

← Previous
Week 2: Position Your Book in the Market
← Back to Dashboard
Saved.