They’re written for people.
When you write a book, you’re not competing with a platform’s algorithm.
You’re competing for human attention—and that never changes.
Create a title that grabs their curiosity.
If it stops them in their tracks, they’ll want to know more.
Write content that speaks to their needs.
People read business books to find inspiration and solve problems.
Offer a solution, your reader didn’t know they needed.
Help them understand their struggles, then guide them forward.
Write for the human attention algorithm.
When you do, you won’t have to worry about gaming any system, because real readers will find you.
You have been concentrating on the wrong algorithm
Forget social media algorithms.
Concentrate on ‘Human Attention’ algorithm instead.
Platforms evolve. Algorithms shift.
But the Human Attention algorithm Never Changes.
Human attention has been driven by the same timeless principles:
🔹 Curiosity
🔹 Emotion
🔹 Relevance
We stop when something surprises, intrigues, or challenges our thinking.
We engage when something makes us feel—whether it’s joy, anger, inspiration, or nostalgia.
We pay attention to what speaks to our desires, struggles, and aspirations.
Instead of chasing ever-changing platform algorithms, write for the human attention algorithm.
Because when you capture real attention, the platforms will follow.
What writing 8 books taught me about becoming ‘Google-able’
When I published my first book, I thought it would change everything.
Spoiler: It didn’t.
No flood of readers.
No media calls.
No client inquiries.
But something changed after Book #3.
And then again after Book #5.
By Book #8, I noticed a pattern:
– I was showing up in Google searches.
– My name was getting mentioned in comments.
– People were quoting my work before they met me.
That’s when I realized—books don’t just sell.
They brand you.
Each book became a digital breadcrumb leading back to me.
Each one said: “Hey Google, Neera Mahajan knows her stuff.”
So Google created a profile page for me.
I don’t even need a website now.
Google has put all my work under my name.
So here’s what I’ve learned:
Write what you want to be known for
Your book topic will become your Google identity.
Don’t chase trends.
Your book should age well, like a good wine.
(Or at least, a decent Shiraz.)
Think beyond the book.
Chop it into blogs, quotes, podcasts.
Be everywhere in your niche.
If you want people to find you
(clients, partners, media)
give Google something worth indexing.
For me, that started with a book.
And then another.
And another.
Why I created ‘Author Circle’
Early in my writing journey, I joined a writers’ group.
It was an off-shoot from a writing course I did.
We met once a month for 15 years.
We wrote stories about our life.
But more than that, we supported each other through life’s ups and downs.
The group only ended when two of our members passed away and another moved away.
A decade later, in 2015, I joined another writing group.
This time, formed from a fiction writing course called A Year of the Novel.
Five of us bonded over our novels, critiquing each other’s work and offering unwavering support.
We called ourselves Gutsy Gals.
It was more than just writing. It was a safe space to share ideas, struggles, and dreams—knowing we had each other’s backs.
When this group eventually dissolved, I found myself longing for that connection again.
So I created one.
Author Circle, a writing community on Substack.
We meet online every week to support each other’s writing journeys.
Rather than facing the challenges of writing and business-building alone, join us.
Let’s grow together.
Start with the first sentence
Telling personal stories is hard, but it’s what makes you a writer.
When you share your stories, two things happen:
– You conquer your fear of vulnerability.
– You become better at storytelling.
Often the hardest thing is the first sentence.
Below are seven sentence openers for storytelling.
Focus on crafting a good first sentence.
The rest of the story will flow by itself.
What Chapter 1 of your book actually needs (and what it doesn’t)
Most writers obsess over Chapter 1.
They rewrite it 43 times.
They lose sleep over the first sentence.
And still get it wrong.
Here’s the truth after coaching dozens of authors
(and writing 8 books myself):
Chapter 1 is not where you show off.
It’s where you hook the reader and earn their trust.
Chapter 1 doesn’t need:
– Your resume
– A full life story
– Long preambles about “why I wrote this book”
– Fancy quotes from dead philosophers
So, what does Chapter 1 actually need?
1. A clear articulation of the problem
If your reader doesn’t see their problem in the first few pages, they’ll never make it to the solution.
2. Your story, why you’re the one to write this book
Not your entire life story. Just the relevant part that makes us lean in and say, “Okay, I trust her.”
3. A crystal clear sense of who this book is for
One reader. One struggle. One reason they picked up this book.
4. A bold promise
Tell me how my life, business, mindset, or even my Sunday mornings, will change after reading this book.
That’s it.
No fluff. No philosophical quotes. No slow build.
Make Chapter 1 about your readers.
And I promise, they’ll follow you all the way to “The End.”