Site: http://WeightDestiny.com
So many times I’ve heard people saying: “I want to write a
book! I have so much to share, I got to write it!”
Well, this is a great intention, but unfortunately when I
meet them several years later, they haven’t even started writing a book.
Such a waist! Each of us has a profound value and sharing
own experience may help many others. I know authors who wrote about success and
those who wrote about failures, shared very personal stories or stories about
nations. Some talk about their blessings or miserable experience, funny things or
scary stories, wealth or poverty, challenges or enlightening.
Every experience is not a good or bad, it is a TEACHER.
Therefore, if you were taught – share your knowledge! Don’t delay until you are
retired, start it NOW.
I define 5 major keys for successful writing:
1. Knowing
your audience, neither book is for everyone.
2. Creating
a plan and a detailed scheme for your book.
3. Being
disciplined, making writing meetings and showing up.
4. Telling
stories.
5. Making
it simple.
1. Knowing your audience, neither book is for everyone
The mistake I made writing my first book Taste of Thoughts® was my belief that this
book is for EVERYONE, and everyone will love it!
On the first glance it makes sense, but it is not the case.
In fact, the narrower your audience, the easier and more creative will be your
writing, and more successful your book.
Investigate and evaluate your potential readers, do online
surveys, think about people you’d like to share your message with, and write
for THEM.
Consider their
·
Age
·
Gender
·
Marital status
·
Profession
·
Culture
·
Hobbies
·
Geographical location
You’ll be surprised how your writing for 30-45 age married
women will be different from your writing for 40-60 age single men. Or, writing
for students from big cities vs. middle age farmers.
2. Creating a plan and a detailed scheme for your book
The second thing to do is to create a scheme, a blueprint of
your future book.
Think about it as about a bouquet of roses, where the stems
are the chapters, flower is the main point of each chapter, and the leaves they
are smaller things you are going to describe. The first to consider is how many
flowers you want in your bouquet.
Take a big sheet of paper and clip it on the wall in your
office, or where you’ll be writing most of the time. Leave some space on the
top for a book title, because in may be the last thing you’ll come with. Put
your name underneath. Divide it into columns according to the number of your chapters.
Using different colors of sticky notes, start writing the
main points of each chapter, and stick them under chapter’s names.
Remember, this is not a final scheme yet, you’ll be probably
moving your points not ones afterwards. However, it helps you to get out of
your shell and organize your thoughts.
When you are done with the scheme, step back and take a look
at that. What do you see? You see YOUR BOOK!!!
Here it is! From bunches of scattered thoughts in your head
it is materialized on paper in a certain scheme, has its own shape and
structure, and requires a future developing.
Otherwise, you’ll never start, and your book will remain in
your head forever, instead being printed and offered to other people.
3. Being disciplined, making writing meetings and showing up
Writing a book is not leisure, it is a hard work that
required lots of time and efforts. Don’t rely on writing upon inspiration, and
don’t wait for the moments when your Muse will show up. Create those moments by
yourself, and inspiration will come.
Consider how many days and hours per week you can invest in
writing. That time should be totally dedicated to your writing without any
interruptions. You’d better schedule less hours and be more productive, than overbook
the entire week but will not be able to make it because of other obligations.
Mark your calendar as you have a meeting. It IS a meeting
with your book, with your Muse, and with your future. Take it seriously and
show up no excuses.
Even when you think that you don’t have any ideas for that
day, sit down and start writing. Your ideas will show up if only YOU are.
4. Telling stories
This advice is definitely more relevant for nonfiction
books, but maybe fiction writers can benefit from it as well.
As you begin exploring the contents according to your book scheme,
more and more ideas will come to you. Most likely, you’ll start removing,
adding or replacing your sticky notes, creating a richer pattern.
Even if your book is not a story-telling in its nature, try to
add at least one story to each chapter. It may be your own story from the past,
other people’s experience, description a scene from a movie or other book, a
dream, or related to the topic funny story or an anecdote.
People love stories. Stories make a book more personal,
create a closer connection between the author and the reader, and they are simply
more fun to read.
5. Making it simple
Unless your book is about rocket science or quantum physics,
make your writing as simple as possible (though in those cases it’s fair too.)
Nowadays, the simplicity, warm connection with an audience
and socializing, are more important than cold facts and perfectionism. It
doesn’t mean that your book may be written poorly, it is about using a more
genuine style in expressing your thoughts.
·
Don’t teach – share
·
Don’t judge – advice
·
Don’t blame – support
·
Don’t be stuck in the past – give hope
Make it simple, human and inspirational. Your readers will
appreciate it.
Good luck!
Dr. Irina Koles, M.D., M.H.M.
Bestselling author of “Taste of Thoughts®. Improve Your Health and
Whole Life”
#1 International bestselling
author of collaborative book “The Secret
Success Solution. Get Solid Results in
22 Areas of Business and Life”
