There are some interesting lessons for writers in a Guardian Unlimited article about Frank Close, one of Britain’s foremost science writers. He makes complicated ideas easier to understand by keeping his writing straightforward. He says, “…I enjoy talking about science, I enjoy giving lectures. I try to imagine when I'm writing my books that I'm actually giving a talk, so I can end up writing it as you speak." That’s a useful technique—I’ve given many lectures purely in my imagination in order to clarify what I’m writing about (even though what I write about isn’t rocket science).
When Nature magazine asked him to report on a scientific conference, he learned to step back and put yourself into the mind of a reader. He also realized that an intriguing headline could draw in readers who ordinarily might not be interested in his subject. The same applies to book titles, of course.
When Close wrote his first book, he sent the manuscript to a publisher who’d had a best-seller with a book that was somewhat similar. They weren’t interested, and he realized that often when a publisher has had success with a book on a certain topic, rather than wanting more they consider they’ve been there, done that. Often it's better to go to a different publisher but reference the success their competitors have had with a similar topic.
An editor who saw that first manuscript, The Cosmic Onion, recognized its flaws but also its potential. He said, “If he is prepared to be brutalized I’ll give him a half hour of my time.” Close was prepared to be brutalized and the feedback helped him revise the book and it became his first big success. The (tough) lesson: be open to criticism.