Write a howlingly successful nonfiction book

— 14 stepping stones

 

by Marilyn and Tom Ross

 

Writing a book can be as difficult as trying to repair your car with a set of jewelers tools—or as simple as penning a "To Do" list. How you approach the project makes all the difference. Below are 14 guidelines to make the job easier, quicker, and more satisfying.

 

Develop a mindset of positive expectancy. See this project as something you're enthusiastic about doing, an enjoyable activity that will allow you to stretch in new and rewarding ways.

 

Think of your book as a series of steps rather than one gigantic leap. You've probably written an article or columns. Perceive your book as simply a series of articles or columns with some transitional literary glue in between. Just as cleaning one room of the house or doing one remodeling job at a time makes the whole process seem possible, writing a book chapter-by-chapter is a painless approach.

 

Set a goal. You will have X number of pages by X date. It should be a doable deadline, not something swathed in fantasy. Will you take four months? Eight? A year? Two years? Now divide and conquer. If you plan to take a year, think about the book in 12 pieces or steps. Write these down and stay with it!

 

Develop a mission statement like you did for your speaking practice. This keeps you focused and pinpoints the essence of your message. It needn't be long: 20 to 40 words is fine. Refer to it each time you begin writing and frequently during the process.

 

Pull all relevant material together. What about speech outlines, workbooks you use in workshops, articles or columns you've written on the subject, newspaper or magazine pieces you've collected, notes you've made? All these are grist for your mill. So are transcriptions of audio and video presentations. Get your spouse and staff involved. They may know of things you've forgotten and can certainly embellish your concept with worthwhile ideas.

 

Dictate your thoughts. Have your assistant transcribe it double spaced. Use this as an alternative to, or refinement of, the above. Hiring a ghostwriter is expensive. You'll pay less for a professional to do a rewrite and have more of your personal "voice" in your book if you generate the first draft yourself. Then go through and make notes about what needs to be elaborated on, what should be cut, etc.

 

Create a table of contents or an outline. Group like topics together. Present information in the most logical, easy-to-follow order. You may find a Part I/Part II approach works well after you see how the material breaks down into chapters.

 

Write the Introduction. This sets the stage for the whole book. An Introduction tells the scope of the work and details in what ways people will benefit from reading it. It also keeps you on target. (You may want to change it slightly after the book is complete, but doing it now gives you a road map.)

 

Now write a sample chapter. Choose the one you're most excited about so the creative juices will really flow. Think of ways to enliven it. Add stories, humor, and quotes to give your book texture and interest.

 

Brief is better than wordy. Familiar words, lean sentences, and concise paragraphs are the workhorses of language. Even most Ph.D.s enjoy reading material that doesn't tax their intellect. This isn't the place to parade your erudite vocabulary. Use short, pithy words.

 

Think about a title and subtitle. Invite all ideas; one might be King. Jot them down. While one might not work as a title, it could turn out to be a perfect subhead within a chapter. Titles should be short. Punchy. Definitive. The subtitle usually further explains what the book is about.

 

Get professional help with rewriting or editing. Remember the adage, "An attorney who represents himself has a fool for a client"? You need an outside perspective. Someone with the ability to hone your work to a fine edge. A person with an eagle eye.

 

Writing a book gives your special message permanence, your career fresh impetus, and your bank account additional revenue. We wish you well on this exciting adventure and hope the above strategies will take some of the pain out of your gain!

 

 

Special Tips for Professional Speakers

 

Write what you speak about—or plan to speak about. This can be an excellent way to diversify and introduce a new topic area. On the other hand, choosing a subject that doesn't dovetail with your presentations is wasted time and effort.

 

Be aware the written and spoken word differ. When speaking, we have the advantage of facial expression, gestures, voice inflection, and pacing to convey our message and make a point. In a book the words alone must do all the work. To see if they're succeeding, read your writing aloud. This quickly pinpoints awkward phrasing.

 

© Copyright 2005 Marilyn Ross

 

Marilyn and Tom Ross are the coauthors of 13 books including the best-selling Complete Guide to Self-Publishing and the award-winning Jump Start Your Book Sales. Through phone consultations and ongoing coaching/mentoring, Marilyn empowers authors and self-publishers to realize their dreams. She can be reached at 719-395-8659 or Marilyn@MarilynRoss.com. Visit http://www.SelfPublishingResources.com for free meaty information on writing, self-publishing, and book marketing strategies.