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.
Airbnb cleaning service Glenview ..Creative Writing Tips ?For a theme to work and the... Read More
What's the best way to plot?Quick answer: the best way... Read More
When I was young, I used to talk to myself.... Read More
As a child, I loved to write. I can't remember... Read More
It turns out that "tips and templates on how to... Read More
If your dream is to get published, the chance is... Read More
Story Structure Templates are the fastest way to write screenplays.... Read More
I do on occasion run out of ideas for my... Read More
Everyone has a unique story to tell. From explaining business... Read More
"Do I send samples, a media kit, or just the... Read More
To help build your profile and reputation within a large... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?How we usually begin the preparation stage... Read More
You've decided to write your very own Newsletter to promote... Read More
~TYPES~You Want Us to Write What? Understanding the Task AssignedWhich... Read More
How long should your chapters be?I can't resist... I have... Read More
(Skip directly to ten for the fastest shortcut!)Like any field,... Read More
It's easy to feel overwhelmed by marketing. First, there's so... Read More
No one is born a novel writer. But do you... Read More
What is Sense of Place? It's the image of a... Read More
Every part of your book can be a sales tool.... Read More
How many of you take the time to really write... Read More
Here's something from my mailbag. "Dear Michael, do you need... Read More
What to do when you get rejected.You've just finished your... Read More
You send me an e-mail. You tell me you've written... Read More
Simply put, it is the art of writing scripts for... Read More
efficient cleaning crew Highland Park ..How do you choose a name? Do you put down... Read More
1. Turning your idea into a bookWith non-fiction books the... Read More
The decision to publish a book is very exciting! It... Read More
1 - Join a reading or writing group. Ask members... Read More
This is a tough question for every freelance writer. For... Read More
"The Magic of Layout..."???Okay... "magic" might seem a bit over... Read More
1. Write it fast, fix it later.2. Commit to writing... Read More
Paulo Coelho was born on August 24th 1947 in Rio... Read More
"If you want to change your life," Harry Beckwith wrote... Read More
'Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always... Read More
Or do you?Writers write. You shouldn't wait around for inspiration... Read More
The self-indulgent writer listens only to the mumblings of sycophants,... Read More
If you have an online home based business you know... Read More
In most aspects of business, we will be expected to... Read More
Your computer is a writing machine, a word processor, a... Read More
When most people consider writing a book, they don't think... Read More
The works you've written are numerous, ranging from short stories... Read More
For many authors just starting out, it can be a... Read More
Want to write a how-to article but can't come up... Read More
Questions and answers on writing life experiences for ourselves and... Read More
Do you have trouble getting your thoughts and ideas down... Read More
Charles Dickens was born in Portsea, England, in1812. His father... Read More
We all need a cheer squad.We all need people to... Read More
For any great novelist, defining your cast of intriguing characters... Read More
Wired Online has recently announced its plans to drop capitalization... Read More
Writing |