{"id":2484,"date":"2011-04-02T10:39:15","date_gmt":"2011-04-02T15:39:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lisatener.local\/?page_id=2484"},"modified":"2023-01-26T21:00:02","modified_gmt":"2023-01-27T02:00:02","slug":"how-to-write-a-book","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/how-to-write-a-book\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Write a Book"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>How do you start to write a book?<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Start with your goals and vision. What do you want to say and what do you want to accomplish with your book?<\/li>\n<li>Who do you want to reach with your message?<\/li>\n<li>How do you want to get your story out into the world? Do you envision starting with a short ebook? A self-help book? A\u00a0 memoir? Turning real life into fiction for more flexibility?<\/li>\n<li>Can you think of special features to make your book stand out and resonate for your audience?<\/li>\n<li>Who can help you make this happen? You may want the guidance of a book coach and editor, the help of a researcher, or even a ghostwriter. Will you need a literary agent and a publisher (and a book proposal) or do you plan to self publish?<\/li>\n<li>Flesh out your book or story idea with an outline and sample pages or chapters.<\/li>\n<li>If you&#8217;re interested in a traditional publisher, you&#8217;ll also need a book proposal and query letter.<\/li>\n<li>Now you\u2019re ready to write your book.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em><strong>Let\u2019s dig a little deeper into this process.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"number\">1.<\/span> Determine your goals<\/h3>\n<p>What do you want to achieve with your book? Being clear about your vision and goals in the beginning will help you make the right choices as you move along this path of learning how to write a book. Your book writing coach can help you clarify your goals.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"number\">2.<\/span> <strong>Know your audience<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Be clear who you\u2019re writing for and what they want and need. You can\u2019t figure out how to write a book if you don\u2019t know who you\u2019re writing for. If you know your audience well, you may already know what they need and want. If not, you may need to do some research to better understand their needs.<\/p>\n<h3>3. Develop Your Book Concept<\/h3>\n<p>Here are some of the questions you\u2019ll need to ponder and answer as you conceptualize and write your book:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>How will your book be most useful to your readers? In what format?<\/li>\n<li>What tone and voice would speak to your anticipated readers and also capture your unique gifts?<\/li>\n<li>What features would help your readers really get what you\u2019re trying to say?<\/li>\n<li>What might be in the way of your readers being successful in what your book has to teach? How can you help them overcome these potential blocks?<\/li>\n<li>What stories will help you illustrate your points?<\/li>\n<li>What information do your readers need to know?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>My <a title=\"book writing courses\" href=\"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/blog\/store\/quickstart\/\">Book Writing Starter Kit <\/a>will take you step by step through the process of writing a book beginning with workbook exercises to help you answer the above questions in more detail. This self-study course will help you organize your book\u2013one of the tasks people find most challenging. You\u2019ll find tools to organize your ideas, to write an outline for your book and to craft an engaging table of contents\u2014one that helps readers see the value of your book when they are thumbing through it to make their buying decision.<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re still in the brainstorm, idea-formation stage, you may also want to use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Joy-Writing-Journal-Creativity-Minutes-dp-195581127X\/dp\/195581127X\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Joy of Writing Journal: Spark Your Creativity in 8 Minutes a Day<\/a>, to start forming ideas and create a consistent writing practice.<\/p>\n<p>I also offer a book concept consultation, just <a href=\"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">email me<\/a> for details and pricing.<\/p>\n<p>Are you writing fiction? <a href=\"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Email me<\/a> to help you find a fiction editor or coach.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"number\">4.<\/span> Write an outline and sample chapters<\/h3>\n<p>The more detailed your outline, the easier it will be to write a book. Time spent on your outline is time well spent. Once you have a meaty outline, you can begin writing sample chapters.<\/p>\n<p>You may use your sample chapters in a book proposal, or you may just want to create a typical chapter to use as a template for your other chapters, particularly if you are writing a how-to or self-help book. You may also use your sample chapters to get feedback from readers. Read this article about <a href=\"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/2011\/06\/book-proposal-tip-how-to-choose-sample-chapters-for-a-book-proposal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">how to choose sample chapters for a book proposal<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"number\">5.<\/span> Determine your publishing plan<\/h3>\n<p>Do you want to self-publish or traditionally publish your book? You may think you can wait to determine this, but it\u2019s actually important to know up front, because the type of publishing you choose will determine your next steps.<\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>If you&#8217;re self publishing, skip to step 8.<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>If you\u2019re looking for a traditional publisher\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"number\">6.<\/span> Write a book proposal<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-15731 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/how-to-write-a-book-proposal-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"how to write a book proposal\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/how-to-write-a-book-proposal-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/how-to-write-a-book-proposal-100x150.jpg 100w, https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/how-to-write-a-book-proposal.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A book proposal is a compelling case for why your book should exist, why it will sell, and how you will help sell it.<\/p>\n<p>Click the link to read this post for the nine basic steps to <a title=\"how to write a book proposal\" href=\"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/how-to-write-a-book-proposal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">write a book proposal<\/a>. The article also includes several links to articles of mine that guide you through some of the more challenging sections of a book proposal and includes insider tips for each of those sections.<\/p>\n<p>You will also want to use the best book to guide you in the book proposal writing process. I personally love Jody Rein&#8217;s and Michael Larsen\u2019s book, <em>How to Write a Book Proposal.<\/em> My clients and I have had great success with it and I know that agents love Michael\u2019s format.<\/p>\n<p>(Don\u2019t make the mistake of a Harvard-educated psychologist I know who sent me a book proposal he wrote using a \u201cDummies\u201d book. He sent this proposal to a number of agents using the format recommended in the book. One agent outright rejected it and he never heard back from the other two. I knew those agents and asked them to let him revise his proposal and they agreed. In the end, he got an agent and a publisher, and was able to laugh about his mistake, but why waste time when you can get it right the first time?)<\/p>\n<p>What are key elements of a winning book proposal?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>It\u2019s got an important message that needs to be heard by a clearly defined market.<\/li>\n<li>It\u2019s got a compelling story or powerful information that will attract interest, be easy to promote, and by the way, here\u2019s a promotion plan.<\/li>\n<li>As the author, you are the best person to bring this book to the world. Your expertise, authority, visibility and reach provide a potent author platform.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If any of these elements is missing, I can help you develop those areas of the proposal, or even develop strategies to expand your author platform and make it more compelling to agents and publishers. <a href=\"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/contact\/\">E-mail me<\/a> to explore.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"number\">7. <\/span>How do you find a literary agent?<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Identify potential literary agents by researching the agents for books similar to yours (Hint: Look in the acknowledgements section).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meet agents at conferences such as<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/leadership.hmscme.com\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Harvard Medical School\u2019s CME publishing course<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0or the <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.iwwg.org\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">International Women\u2019s Writing Guild<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read about agents online and in books. Who is interested in topics like yours?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Send a query letter to potential literary agents only when your proposal is complete. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>DO NOT send them the whole book proposal. That\u2019s a sure way to have your proposal end up in the slush pile and maybe never hear back. Your query letter will allow literary agents to decide whether they\u2019re interested in your book. If they are, they will invite you to send them your book proposal. Of course, if you\u2019ve met an agent at a conference and they said to send them your proposal, you can skip this step and just send your book proposal with a cover letter.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"number\">8.<\/span> Send your book proposal to interested agents<\/h3>\n<p>It used to be you could only send your book proposal to one literary agent at a time, but nowadays most agents accept and expect you will send it to a handful at once. Don\u2019t send your book proposal to too many agents. You may get valuable feedback on something you need to change, and you wouldn\u2019t want to burn all your bridges by sending it out without having gotten some feedback. Make sure the subject line of your email indicates that this is material they requested to see. Also, be sure to follow their submissions guidelines.<\/p>\n<p>Note: Some authors have enough of a platform and a fresh, relevant book idea to interest publishers, but perhaps they are likely to get a very small advance. This will make it hard to attract an agent. In such cases, you may decide to query publishers directly. Read the submissions guidelines on their website to see if they accept author queries and to find out exactly what they want.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"number\">9.<\/span> Time to finally write your book and complete it.<\/h3>\n<p>You&#8217;ve done the early work of defining your book concept, vision, market, features, tone, etc. You&#8217;ve created a detailed structure or outline. You&#8217;ve even created a couple of sample chapters.<\/p>\n<p>Now, get some feedback from your readership, people who are in your target market.<\/p>\n<p>Then, using your outline, write the rest of the book. You don&#8217;t have to write it in order. Feel free to skip around and write whatever you feel drawn to from your outline. You may even have ideas for new sections not in your outline. That&#8217;s fine if you&#8217;re self-publishing. If you&#8217;ve signed a contract based on your proposal, you may want to check with your agent or acquisitions editor before making substantial changes, such as adding a new chapter.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re serious about getting that book done, look into my <a href=\"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/book\">Bring Your Book to Life\u00ae Program <\/a>or sign up for a <a title=\"book writing coach consultation\" href=\"https:\/\/df115.infusionsoft.com\/app\/manageCart\/addProduct?productId=35\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">one hour book consultation here<\/a>. I specialize in nonfiction (self-help, how-to, business, health, some memoir or narrative nonfiction). I can also refer you to a colleague for other genres.<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re writing fiction, check out my colleague, C.S. Lakin&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/cslakin.teachable.com\/?affcode=26347_sjngsyot\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">fiction writing courses<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How do you start to write a book? Start with your goals and vision. What do you want to say and what do you want to accomplish with your book? Who do you want to reach with your message? How do you want to get your story out into the world? Do you envision starting&#8230;<a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/how-to-write-a-book\/\"><em>&nbsp; Read more<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":21509,"parent":0,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-2484","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"entry"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2484","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2484"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2484\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21509"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jodieburdette.net\/lisatener\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2484"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}