“I want to help people.”

You’re not alone. Most authors do. It’s the go-to phrase when someone asks why you’re writing a book.

And on the surface, it sounds great. Noble. Purpose-driven. Like you’ve got your heart in the right place.

But if we’re being honest?

It’s vague. And vague doesn’t change lives. Vague doesn’t build a platform. Vague doesn’t sell books.

It feels like a mission, but it’s a placeholder, a foggy idea standing in for something you haven’t quite named yet.

Why We Default to Vague

Most of us start writing because we’ve been through something. A loss. A turning point. A transformation.

We’ve learned lessons. Gained insights. Survived something. And we want it to mean something, to matter to someone else.

So we say, “I want to help people.” “If this helps even one person, it’s worth it.”

But deep down, what we’re also saying is: “I don’t know who I’m writing to.” “I don’t know what I want them to do with it.” “I’m not ready to own the real reason I’m writing this.”

Why That’s a Problem

Books don’t help people just because they exist. They help people because they resonate. And resonance only happens when you’re specific.

This is something elite ghostwriter @tim, whom I interviewed on the podcast this week, nailed. He said:

“Most people don’t know what they’re really trying to say.”

And he’s right.

Clarity is what separates books that live on someone’s nightstand from books that get shelved and forgotten. It’s the difference between being read and being remembered.

You don’t get there by throwing ideas at the wall. You get there by deciding who you’re for, what they’re going through, and what your book is doing for them.

Listen to the full episode here: https://www.rising-authors.com/podcast

Brianna Wiest: From Fluff to Fire

A great example of this kind of leap is author Brianna Wiest.

Brianna Wiest - The Mountain is You Graphic

She started like a lot of writers do publishing short essays that felt poetic and inspirational. Think vague reflections on self-growth, pain, purpose. Pretty words. Good intentions. But not quite sharp enough to stick.

Then she made a shift.

Instead of trying to “inspire everyone,” she started speaking directly to people who were sabotaging their own lives and didn’t know why. She honed in on self-sabotage, emotional intelligence, and inner work that nobody was talking about clearly.

Her book The Mountain Is You exploded.

Why? Because she got specific.

She didn’t say “I want to help people heal.” She said:

“I want to help people understand why they keep breaking their own hearts and how to stop.”

That’s the power of clarity. Same writer. Same voice. But now it landed. It resonated. It changed lives.

What Clarity Actually Sounds Like

Here’s how this plays out in real life:

“I want to inspire people” becomes “I help high-achievers recover from burnout and redefine success on their terms.”
“I want to share my story” becomes “I guide new mothers through the emotional rollercoaster of postpartum identity loss.”
“If it helps one person…” becomes “This book is a practical path for people stuck in toxic work environments who want out, but don’t know how to leave.”

See the shift?

You’re not just writing. You’re guiding. You’re not just sharing. You’re solving. That’s how you build a brand.

That’s how you create lasting impact.

Back to Tim Cooke for a Second

Tim’s ghostwritten for political leaders, executives, and bestsellers, and the one thing he emphasized again and again in our conversation was this:

Clarity is what makes a book powerful.

It’s not just about voice. It’s not about story. It’s not even about expertise.

It’s about knowing exactly what you want to say, who it’s for, and what you want it to do in their life.

Most authors never get that clear. They stay in the “I want to help people” zone and wonder why their work isn’t landing.

So What Should You Do Instead?

If you’re still sitting in that vague space, here’s a quick gut check to break through it:

Ask yourself:

Who exactly am I trying to help?
What are they struggling with right now, in their own words?
What transformation am I guiding them through?
Why am I the person to do it?

If you don’t have sharp answers to those, stop writing and start listening. Talk to your audience. Interview people. Reflect on the hardest parts of your own story. That’s where the clarity lives.

Your intention matters. But intention without direction doesn’t help anyone.

The authors who build real platforms, who sell books, who change lives, they’re not louder. They’re clearer.

They know who they’re for. They know what they’re doing. They’re not afraid to say it out loud.

So stop saying “I just want to help people.” Start saying something that actually gets heard.

When You’re Ready, Here’s How I Can Help

If you’re tired of the spaghetti-posting hustle and want a plan that actually fits you:

Power Pack Pro → Clarify your brand, build your site, define your positioning

Power Pack Boost → Weekly content strategy, video scripts, lead systems, platform growth

Power Pack Ultra → Done-for-you content engine, podcast-ready video, full visibility support

DM me or reply to this email. We’ll build something real. Something that works, because it’s based on who you really are.

Why ‘I Just Want to Help People’ Isn’t Helping Anyone