In the very first Hungry Authors’ Idea Lab, Liz and Ariel discuss their updated scorecard for evaluating book ideas. We focus on three key aspects: timeless topics, timely topics, and unique angles. We provide detailed criteria for each category, explaining what constitutes a strong book idea versus a weaker one. The episode also includes the evaluation of submitted book ideas from the community, offering constructive feedback to refine and improve them. Finally, we introduce their upcoming Book Mapping cohort, aimed at helping authors structure their books from the initial idea to final chapters.



To see the updated scorecard, check out our Substack post: “Watch the Hungry Authors Idea Lab.“



00:00 Introduction to Hungry Authors Idea Lab



01:39 Meet the Hosts: Liz and Ariel



02:53 Overview of Hungry Authors and Today’s Agenda



03:08 Timeless Topics: Evaluating Your Book Idea



09:26 Timeliness: Making Your Book Relevant Now



23:22 Unique Angles: Crafting a Compelling Argument



39:20 Case Studies: Applying the Rubric to Bestsellers



45:20 Evaluating McConaughey’s Book



45:44 Timelessness vs. Timeliness in Devotionals



48:20 Voice and Celebrity Influence



50:03 Community Book Idea Critiques



50:26 Memoir of Escaping a Cult and Finding Meaning



59:57 Creative Spiritual Practices



01:06:46 Parenting in Multicultural Families



01:16:00 Lessons from an Equine Veterinarian’s Wife



01:22:30 The Importance of a Big Idea in Book Writing







Don’t miss the Map Your Book Cohort!



Map Your Book is starting next week, October 7, and we’d love to see you there! We’ll help you refine your big idea, create a table of contents, and plan your book’s chapters from start to finish. This is important creative work; do it with friends and get feedback from two experts who have done this countless times for traditionally published books.



Learn more + register today on Maven.

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