Want to write a book? You can. You start writing, and you keep going. At around 80,000 words, you've got yourself a book. Now what? You sell the book to a major publisher, hit the bestseller lists, and order your new cherry-red Ferrari.
Clear your life of other distractions. You probably have a day job that you can't quit just yet, but for the next 100 days put off everything else you can. Don't plan a vacation or a party or spring-cleaning. You don't want to lose your momentum once you get started. Make an outline. Decide on chapter titles and a logical sequence of information. It's more efficient to think this through ahead of time than to go back and re-write later. Decide how long your book will be, then divide the task into 80 smaller units. This gives you a little leeway, and also time for one day off per week. At 3-4 pages a day, you can produce a book of 240 to 320 pages. Don't plan to write a 500 page textbook in this limited amount of time. It simply will not work.
What Kind of Book are You Writing? Most new authors start on their book writing and publishing adventure by reading a book and getting inspired. They don't think about the kind of book they're writing, or who would want to read it.There are basically two kinds of books: truth and lies, otherwise known as nonfiction and fiction (novels). Some hundred thousand books are published in English each year, both nonfiction and novels. You must know what kind of book you're writing before you start.
Let's imagine that you've read a Harry Potter novel, and you're so enthusiastic that you're inspired to write your own children's novel. The words pour out of you; you're on fire. You write and write and write, and the pages pile up on your computer's hard drive.This is great. While you're writing, ask yourself: "In a bookstore, where would this book of mine be shelved?"If you're not sure, go to a bookstore and wander around the shelves. Is your book in the nonfiction section? In the children's section? In the romance novel or mystery section?
Reward yourself when you're done. You need to put your manuscript aside for a few weeks, anyway. Even Stephen King follows this practice. So have a party or take a vacation. Refresh yourself before the real work, the re-writing, begins.
How do I know this will work? Because I did it myself. The original version of 101 Ways to Save Money on Healthcare was written in 100 days and on the market another 100 days later. I must have done a reasonably decent job at writing because a major publisher found the book and contracted with me for a re-release. I hope this works equally well for you.
Clear your life of other distractions. You probably have a day job that you can't quit just yet, but for the next 100 days put off everything else you can. Don't plan a vacation or a party or spring-cleaning. You don't want to lose your momentum once you get started. Make an outline. Decide on chapter titles and a logical sequence of information. It's more efficient to think this through ahead of time than to go back and re-write later. Decide how long your book will be, then divide the task into 80 smaller units. This gives you a little leeway, and also time for one day off per week. At 3-4 pages a day, you can produce a book of 240 to 320 pages. Don't plan to write a 500 page textbook in this limited amount of time. It simply will not work.
What Kind of Book are You Writing? Most new authors start on their book writing and publishing adventure by reading a book and getting inspired. They don't think about the kind of book they're writing, or who would want to read it.There are basically two kinds of books: truth and lies, otherwise known as nonfiction and fiction (novels). Some hundred thousand books are published in English each year, both nonfiction and novels. You must know what kind of book you're writing before you start.
Let's imagine that you've read a Harry Potter novel, and you're so enthusiastic that you're inspired to write your own children's novel. The words pour out of you; you're on fire. You write and write and write, and the pages pile up on your computer's hard drive.This is great. While you're writing, ask yourself: "In a bookstore, where would this book of mine be shelved?"If you're not sure, go to a bookstore and wander around the shelves. Is your book in the nonfiction section? In the children's section? In the romance novel or mystery section?
Reward yourself when you're done. You need to put your manuscript aside for a few weeks, anyway. Even Stephen King follows this practice. So have a party or take a vacation. Refresh yourself before the real work, the re-writing, begins.
How do I know this will work? Because I did it myself. The original version of 101 Ways to Save Money on Healthcare was written in 100 days and on the market another 100 days later. I must have done a reasonably decent job at writing because a major publisher found the book and contracted with me for a re-release. I hope this works equally well for you.
