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Ten Tips To Get Started Writing
Your Book
Judy Cullins ©2002
You are far more likely to successfully write
and publish your book if you follow these tips before you write
a single chapter.
1. Write your book's working title. It helps
you focus and answer the readers' questions about the topic.
Most non- fiction has subtitles as well. It's better to be clear
than clever, but clever and clear are fine. Passion At Any Age:
Twelve Ways to Unleash It, Self-Promotion for the Creative Person,
Quadruple your book's Online Sales in Less Than One Month.
2. Write your book's thesis. A thesis is a
sentence or so stating the audience's main problem and how your
book will solve it. Knowing the thesis before you write the
book keeps you on track. All chapters should support it. The
thesis could be "Each of you has passion and you can unleash
it through these twelve steps."
3. Test your book's significance. While most
writers fear their book won't sell, it takes only two significances
to write a book, and three for a great seller. Ask yourself,
Is it relevant? Then write it! Does it present useful information?
Does it have the potential to positively affect people's lives?
Is it lively, humorous? Does it help answer important questions?
Does it create a deeper understanding of human nature?
4. Pinpoint your target audience, all-important
to your book's success. No, not everyone will want to read your
book. How old are your prospective readers? Male? Female? Are
they interested in personal growth, science fiction, mystery,
how-to books? What challenges do they face? Are they business
people? What magazines and Web sites do they like? Are they
Internet savvy? What causes do they support?
Once you know them, write a letter and tell
them why you are writing your book and what benefits it will
bring them. Dear over-50 reader, "I'm writing Passion At
Any Age to help you live life full throttle—with more abundance,
joy, and meaning."
5. Write your reasons for writing this book.
Your reader, the media, the television and radio talk show hosts
all want to know why you wrote this book. Be prepared up front,
so you will shine when opportunities come your way. For instance,
"I wrote this book because so many of my clients and students
asked me to. They didn't want theory; they wanted practical
how to's to help them live life well. This audience, primarily
over 50, wants and needs practical and spiritual tools to let
their passion out.
6. Write down your publishing goals for this
book. Do you want to give it away to members of your family
or a particular group? Do you want to sell it? How many copies
do you want to sell your first year? How much money do you want
to make each month? What publishing format will you choose—self-
publishing, traditional publishing, Print Quality Needed or
Print on Demand, or eBook?
7. Organize the parts of your book. In one
file, keep your introduction; in another, your index or resource
section. Include your bibliography and keep a file of all people
you will quote in your book who may give you a testimonial later.
Keep each chapter in its own file labeled correctly so you can
find it within minutes. Twenty percent of your papers are important.
Be sure to file them vertically and in order to save you time
and frustration as your book projects grows. Keep computer files
also.
8. Write down your chapter's format. Readers
expect a clear map to guide them. They like consistency. In
non-fiction, each chapter should be approximately the same length
and have the same sections. To make your chapters sparkle, use
stories, anecdotes, headings, photos, maps, graphs, exercises,
tips. Readers like easy-to-read side bars in boxes.
9. Write the back cover material before you
write your book. This "outline" helps give your book
direction and helps you focus only on what's important to your
thesis or theme. Your back cover has around 8 seconds to impress
your prospective buyer. Include what sells: reader and famous
people's testimonials, a benefit-driven headline to hook the
reader to open the book and read the table of contents, and
bulleted benefits. Your bio and picture can go on the inside
of the back cover to leave more room for your sales message
on the back cover.
10. Mock up a front cover in your book's early
stages. Keep it by your workstation to inspire you. To sell
your books, your cover and title have around four seconds to
hook your buyer. Covers are more important than what is inside.
Browse the bookstore and copy a few ideas to get you started.
Do you have color preferences? Is you title powerful and short
enough to be read across the room?
Writing a book is so much easier when you
approach it in small bites. As soon as you get these ten parts
written you will be able to start asking more specific questions
that become your chapter headings.
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Judy Cullins: author, publisher, book coach
Author of Ten Non-techie Ways to Market Your Book Online and
Write your eBook or Other Short Book-Fast!
http://www.bookcoaching.com/products.shtml
Email: Judy@bookcoaching.com
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