5 Tips to Writing Your Book

5 Tips to Writing Your Book
By Monique Houde

ShhhhhIm going to let you in on a secret. According to an article in the March 2005 issue of USA Today, 82% of all Americans want to write a book someday. The fact is that most writers simply need a jump-start. They have what it takes to write, but arent sure where to begin.

So you have an idea that youve been wanting to write about? Maybe its a How To book or a Life Event that you believe others can benefit from reading. Maybe you have a Racy Romance novel that is burning up the pages of your notebook. Well, here are 5 Tips that will give you that jumpstart you are looking for.

1Do your research. Find out who wants to buy the kind of book that you are writing! Whats the market like? Are there enough people looking for the kind of book you want to write or is the subject matter juicy and timely? Where would you go to find your book? Start looking there. Type the subject into the search field of Amazon.com and see what comes up. Be persistent so you can feel confident that your subject matter will be well received. It will help you write.

2Organize your thoughts. Write and outline to help you organize your thoughts. Dont worry about naming the book, in fact, the title should be the very last thing you do since you will not know the complete essence of your book until it is done. Create ten chapters (to start with and you can add or take away later), decide what facts and feelings need to go into each chapter, figure out which chapter will contain the climax and then determine how you will wrap it up neatly for your readers in your last chapter.

3Dedicate the time. Only you can dedicate the time needed to accomplish this goal. Write every day. Never stop writing for even one day. If you do, it can make it much harder to get back into the flow of your book the next time you begin. Do it, even if it is only a paragraph or a few sentences. Make it fun.

4Understanding your publishing options. You can submit your work to be published by a conventional publishing house or you can decide to self-publish. Exploring both options is important, as there are benefits and drawbacks to both, such as money you may need to invest and how well you handle rejection letters!

5REWARD yourself. The process of creating, editing and rewriting is not an easy task. This is a piece of you that you are getting ready to put out there in front of the world; it can be scary. Remember to reward your hard work. Do not make finishing the book the only chance for celebration. Set small goals for yourself and when you reach them reward yourself. Maybe it is some much needed time alone with friends or a trip to the mall for those sunglasses you have been coveting. Having a coach to keep you working in the right direction and encourage you along the way has been the way to go for thousands of authors; yes, even the most famous ones!

Monique Houde is the author of Blinded by Love, a novel the deftly describes her personal account of a violent relationship and her subsequesnt survival.

Contact Freedom Coaching to talk about your book idea and to learn more about the Six-Week Book Writers Bootcamp 978-764-6600

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5 Reasons to Write a Book Today

5 Reasons to Write a Book Today
By Terry Dean

You should write a book. It just may not be for the reasons you think.

The quickest way to get started in the information business is by doing an audio interview. Do a quick outline or put together a few questions. Find an expert. Record an hour interview. You now have a product. No more than 2 hours were invested in the processand a minimum amount of money (a simple phone recording device can get you started).

A book takes at least a week to write, and you have to pay for a well designed cover to sell it. Yet, I still recommend a portion of my clients create a book. Why?

Its simple really. Becoming an author provides you with immediate benefits that are hard to compete with in any other way.

1. Improve Credibility for Consultants and Coaches

If youre currently doing any consulting or coaching, having your own book separates you from the competition. Would you rather hire the consultant who studied all these booksor the author of the books they studied?

Instead of simply giving someone your business card or a brochure, you can hand them your book. Youre the expert. While most people wont read your book, it now goes on their shelf with other books theyve purchased. It makes them feel better just having it.

2. Increase Fees

Want to increase your fees? Publish a book. This one goes right along with number one. Youve improved your credibility, so you can now raise your rates. This includes consulting, coaching, and speaking fees. Youre a busy author (doing publicity campaigns and more). Your time is valuable.

Youll also run into less price resistance as an author. It seems miraculous, but your perceived value in the eyes of your clients has now went up. Youre an authorand your expert fees seem more reasonable now.

3. Generate Publicity

Send out review copies. Do radio talk shows. The media is starved for good interviews. You now have something to talk about in your new book (I recommend creating your book with publicity in mind from the beginning).

Not very many people will listen to an interview and hire you to consult with them. They will buy your low cost book and be added to your customer list. Then you can follow up on them with all your higher profit items on the backend.

4. Backend Sales

A book is a perfect entry point in your product funnel. Lets say you sell DVDs, home study courses, and even do workshops. Your higher price point items might require an endorsement from a trusted source or someone to speak to them on the phone. The book simply has be offered as a solution to a problem theyre having. Its an easy sale.

You can then have upsells and other offers throughout the book. Dont turn the entire book into a sales letter. DO offer items that solve their problems. The book can be a doorway into your other product offers.

5. Deepen Your Knowledge Base

Even if you never sold a copy, a book can still be profitable to you. It requires you sit down and organize your thoughts. You have to outline. You have to study your subject more in depth. Youll have a broader base of knowledge and skill when youre finished with your book.

To put it simplywriting a book will help you grow. It will stretch you. Youll come out of it with greater knowledge, experience, and value to give to others.

Terry is the owner of the Integrity Business Blog, Find out more about how you can Earn More By Working Less by creating your own books, CDs, DVDs, and more at his Free blog today: http://www.terrydean.org

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