Everyone has a book inside them, or so the saying goes. But few people get that book out. Often it's because of lack of time. So, how can you get your book written inside a week or two?
I was talking to a friend yesterday who complained they couldn't find time to write their book. They had an idea, but could never find the time. They wanted to know how did I manage to get books written so quickly - was there a magic formula I used. So I told him my story and thought I'd share it here.
I've written 27 books which have been published by traditional publishers, plus I have written five books which I have published myself. Not one of these books has taken me more than two weeks to write. And, even though one of them is 12 years old, it still continues to sell well in seven different countries in five languages and is one of the most borrowed books in libraries (according to my PLR statistics). So, even though it only took two weeks to write, it can't be that bad!
Here's my 'trick'. When I get an idea for a book I get a ring binder and label it with my book title. Then I chuck into that ring binder some blank paper and a few plastic punched pockets to store things in. Then as I go about my work over the coming days I'll just scribble down on the paper in my folder any ideas I get which might be useful for the book. Also if I see any articles in newspapers or magazines, I'll rip them out and place them in the plastic pockets in the binder. Similarly, if I see a web page which might have some value to my book, I'll print it out and shove it in the binder. I do not make any value judgements, I do not try to put things in order, I simply chuck everything that might be useful into the ring binder. I also jot down questions that people ask me that are related to the book subject and I try to come up with my own questions which the book might answer. Anything and everything is collected into the ring binder.
Once I've got a reasonable collection of material, which might take days, weeks, or months to accumulate, I'll then go through it and start to put it in order. I'll use the list of questions I've written to help guide me in this and then I'll use the sorted piles of information to help me come up with chapter headings. This might take me a day, but by the end of that day I'll have a complete, detailed outline of my book - plus all the associated background information which will help me write it.
Then I can start writing. To do this I often go away from home. In the past I used to hire a holiday cottage somewhere idyllic. Nowadays I go to my own holiday home down near Bognor Regis. But it means I can write without the distractions of the office. If you have a book of, say 30,000 words to write, that's only 5,000 words a day for six days. That's one chapter in the morning and one in the afternoon. Or, put it another way, you need to write around 750 words an hour - or one word every five seconds. Now that's not many is it?
It might sound a daunting task, but with a detailed outline and all the background information already prepared, it is actually quite straightforward. I'm convinced that people who can't find the time to write their book haven't actually formulated their ideas fully or got their information collected. Once you have down that, the writing is relatively straightforward.
So, in short, getting your book written in record time is easy if you follow a 'system'. Mine is:
* Collect any information that might be relevant
* Write down any idea which might be relevant
* Sort through all the information and ideas you collect and put them into an order
* Write a detailed outline of your book - chapter headings, sub headings etc.
* Take some time off from your normal work - a holiday away for a week, say
* Set yourself a daily target of words to write
Barbara Cartland used to write 10,000 words every day. You might not like her work, but there's no denying she was successful at what she did. Being organised and having a target to reach is the only way to get that book written. Your book will never get written if all you do is wait for 'enough time'.
Graham Jones is a psychologist who has specialized in the way we use the Internet. He is an expert on information products and runs Infoselling.com where you can get a FREE report on how to sell your own infoproducts.
shuttle to Midway Beardstown .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareThe purpose of this article is to consider Print-On-Demand publishing... Read More
"I don't know if I should put 'writer' on my... Read More
The big question. Do you submit directly to the publishers,... Read More
Each author has special editing needs. To save yourself time... Read More
If you find your sentences filled with commas, and they... Read More
The first and final rule of quality writing is this:... Read More
In the current job market, many editorial workers have turned... Read More
I'm a writing fool! 2 book proposals, 1 user's guide,... Read More
A UK based freelance proofreader should be able to provide... Read More
As a previous article ("Making Better Word Choices ? 4... Read More
Finding the time to write a novel is one of... Read More
Nothing is more daunting for any writer than having to... Read More
Becoming an author is probably a lot easier than you... Read More
I just finished to read a book. A story for... Read More
There's nothing that kills a scene like hackneyed dialogue. Just... Read More
Typically when falling asleep in bed at night great thoughts... Read More
You know, I really hate it when someone catches me... Read More
~TYPES~You Want Us to Write What? Understanding the Task AssignedWhich... Read More
People want information, they want it quick, frequently in short... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?I have said above that if a... Read More
If you think proofreading equals editing, then you're wrong! Editing... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?We all tackle plotting differently. How you... Read More
Right off the bat, I want to say that there... Read More
Word processors are so widely used now that I tend... Read More
Being a great writer is no longer enough if you... Read More
Green Bay Hummer H2 SUV rentals ..Next time you're tempted to use italics for emphasis... STOP!"Why?"... Read More
Be careful when you write.Words you use, sentences you phrase... Read More
The dash--that curious mark of punctuation people use in their... Read More
Ever wonder what an author's life is like? What that... Read More
Structure in the form of frameworks, work processes and goals... Read More
There is a lot of confusion about recommendation letters.Recommendation letters... Read More
Taming the Book Proposal: The BasicsOh, that most maddening of... Read More
William Faulkner, the great Mississippi writer, said, "The tools I... Read More
Writing leads to reading. Therefore, it's only fair to supply... Read More
Anyone who has read any of my articles on the... Read More
Peter Abrahams is the author of thirteen novels, including "The... Read More
Part 1 of this article discussed the experience you need... Read More
If you want to be a writer, you must write... Read More
The journey to having my first novel for children published... Read More
Have you given up on getting your book out of... Read More
For any great novelist, defining your cast of intriguing characters... Read More
Plagiarism has been condemned lately by all types of experts,... Read More
Verb and SubjectIncorrect:"I bet you two had a fine time,"... Read More
Effective screenwriting relies on the good understanding and use of... Read More
Long ago, movie directors mastered the technique of creating a... Read More
Most writers are familiar with first and third points of... Read More
What is Sense of Place? It's the image of a... Read More
An island in the Mediterranean. A beach in Africa. The... Read More
In the 7th grade I wanted to be an architect... Read More
Welcome to the zany ideas of a productive writer. My... Read More
Writing |