Posts Tagged ‘Book’

Book Writing Mistakes That Block The Completion of Your Book

January 21st, 2010 by admin | 1 Comment | Filed in Tips Writing

What’s blocking you from releasing your significant message in a book this year? For many, an unfinished manuscript is the culprit. No worries; read this article to finish strong and sell sooner than you imagined.


Don’t make the simple mistakes that blocked many of us for years. A wildly successful book could be in your near future. But you’ll never know if you don’t complete and release it to the world.


To make sure you finish strong and your book garners all the attention it deserves, start with correcting the simple book writing mistakes below:


Mistake 1 Failure to make the editor’s cut.


Many inexperienced writers are in love with their words. They can’t bear to part with the long wordy prose in their manuscript. Shorten your stories and examples. Use the popular question answer format. Ask a question in the heading; then answer it in the text. Most audiences are busy and respond better to this easy direct style.


Solution: Go ahead you can do it. Edit your book and cut anything not necessary to support your thesis (main central point). Editor cuts make your book concise, easy-to-read, and compelling for your readers. They will reward you by reading it and telling all their friends about your easy to read helpful book.


Mistake 2 Failure to submit one’s writing to a professional editor


First time authors settle for the easiest opinion to get (their family and friends). Always get a professional opinion of the final edition. Someone not blinded by love and concern for your feelings will tell you the truth about your wordiness or grammar mistakes. They’ll help you weed out passive constructions like, “there is”, “is”, “has”, “begin or start”. A professional editor will energize your writing by limiting the “ly” adverbs that tell instead of show. A good editor will spot your tense changes.


Solution: Invest in your book to make it the best it can be. Make it your goal to paint a picture that your readers respond to with their emotions. Professional proofreading pays off with more book profits.


Mistake 3 Failure to know your audience.


Aspiring authors gather all their extensive knowledge and write a book. They often fail to consider the audience they will serve. Write for a specific audience. Top selling books focus on one topic for one audience at a time. Your audience waits for the easy to read and easy to implement solutions you provide in your book. Save them time and money, make life more enjoyable, help them profit; they will love you for it.


Solution: Today choose one or two of your audiences; prepare a profile of their needs or problems. Keep it close to your book writing station. With a targeted market, you’ll write a book for an audience that’s looking for solutions.


Mistake 4 Failure to sizzle your title to sell well.


Titles set the stage for your potential audience. They either work to grab your reader by the collar and pull them in for the read or they don’t. Top titles create excitement, anticipation and enthusiasm for more. You want your titles to express the heart and passion of your book or be ‘the match’ that ignites your reader’s interest in reading your important message.


Solution: Develop this valuable skill and you add magnetic pulling power and punch to all your marketing documents including your front book cover and chapter titles that will get your message read. Remember, don’t stop at your book cover title, sizzle your chapter titles, headlines, bullets and sell more.


Mistake 5 Failure to focus on one main topic.


Top selling authors focus on one main topic. They make sure each chapter supports that subject. If you scatter your focus, you’ll come across as unorganized, long winded, and boring. Your readers may find your book hard to understand.


Solution: Instead of an encyclopedia type book, chunk your information into modules, segments, chapters or parts. In each segment, offer plenty of detail to make it useful to your reader.


To continue with these book writing mistakes could mean your book never reaches the audience for which it was designed. On the other hand, you could finish strong and put your book into the hands of those waiting for your easy to read solutions. Don’t make them wait any longer. Go to your destiny; write and complete a wildly successful book.

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How to Write Your First Book

January 20th, 2010 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Tips Writing

It’s not procrastination. You are more than ready to start your book. How does one start, you may ask? You may just need a simple plan to get started writing your book. Here’s ten tips to JUMPSTART writing your first book to completion:


1. Find your target audience.


When you give your book a target, it will hit the mark of good sales. To be honest, not everyone will be interested in your book. When you target one audience at a time, each tip, each story or how-to will be more effective. Aim your message and you will have a competitive edge on many book writers. Create an audience profile.


Are your potential readers male or female? How old are they? Are they interested in self-help, mystery, romance, how-to books? What problems do they face? Are they business people or professionals? Are they techies or non-techies? Are they willing to spend $15-30 on your book?


2. Examine your book’s significance.


Many writers tremble in their tracks with fear that their book won’t sell. Don’t be afraid. Your book is significant if its presents useful information, answers important readers questions, and impacts people for the good. If it’s entertaining or humorous it could go further than you imagined.


It creates a deeper understanding of humanity, animals or this world. With one to three of these elements your book is worth writing. More than three, it has potential of making great sales even to best seller status. Go ahead, write your book and make the world a better place.


3. Develop your book’s working title.


In the literary world it’s called a working title for everyone knows it may change. You may decide to change it or your publisher. Even so, working titles help direct and focus your writing. Some non-fiction writing does better with subtitles. If needed, it clarifies the title. Obscure titles will miss the mark and sales.


Which titles grab you and stir a desire to read what the author has to say: Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money – That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! or How to Teach Others About Money; How to Win Friends and Influence People! or How to Make Friends.


4. Write your book’s thesis.


A thesis reflects the main central thought and greatest benefit of your book. It should answer your audiences’ question, “How will this book solve my problem of? Writing the thesis before you write the book will keep you on the path of focused, powerful yet easy to read content.


All chapters support your book’s main concept. For “Win with the Writer Inside,” the thesis is “How to write, complete, and publish your best book fast.” The best titles often include the thesis statement in some form.


5. Design your book’s 60 second “Poster” before writing chapter 1.


Make your 2-3 sentence blurb into a sound byte. Like a hallway poster that you only have a few seconds to read, you condense your sound byte message into a 60 second blurb to tell and sell.


Use your poster board at networking meeting, in the elevator, in the grocery line, anywhere you only have a few seconds to tell about your book. Composing your poster board should include your title, 3 top benefits and compare your book with a successful book in your field.


Writing a book is a journey. Most journeys go so much smoother with a map or travel plan. Taking the simple steps above will get you started and keep you going to completion. Start today then complete and release your significant message to the world. Write your first book and prosper!

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Eat the Book Writing Elephant One Bite at a Time

January 20th, 2010 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Tips Writing

Have you started your book yet? No. Don’t beat yourself up any longer. Keep reading this article; it was written especially for you. With the right focus and knowledge, you can successfully start and complete YOUR book within weeks.


Remember the old adage, Q: How do you eat an elephant? A: One bite at a time. The same applies to writing your book. How do you eat the book writing elephant? You eat him one bite (one step) at a time. More and more people are successfully completing their books in less time. Even your competitors are getting it done. Why not join them.


Here’s some tips to get started writing your book:


1. Plan a significant book.


Many aspiring authors tremble in their tracks; they wonder if their book will sell. Good question. No one wants to invest time or money into a sinking ship. Don’t be afraid; test your book’s significance. Your book is significant if it presents useful information, answers important reader questions, and impacts people for the good. If it’s entertaining or humorous it could go further than you imagined.


It’s significant, if it creates a deeper understanding of humanity, animals or this world. With one to three of these elements your book is worth writing. More than three, it has potential of making great sales even to best seller status. Go ahead, write your book and make the world a better place.


2. Know who will buy your book.


When you give your book a target audience, it will hit the mark of good sales. Top selling books focus on one main topic per book. When you target one audience at a time, each tip, each story or how-to will be more effective. Aim your message and you gain a competitive edge on many book writers.


Create an audience profile. Are your potential readers male or female? How old are they? Are they interested in self-help, mystery, romance, how-to books? What problems do they face? Are they business people or professionals? Are they techies or non-techies? Are they willing to spend $12-25 on a book like yours?


3. Write your book’s thesis.


Did you cringe at the word thesis? For some, it brought back memories of English class and writing essays. No worries, a thesis simply reflects the main central thought of the book. Make sure the main central thought includes the greatest benefit of your book and you’re done.


In other words, it should answer your audiences’ question, “How will this book help, encourage or solve my problem for me?” Writing the thesis before you write the book will keep you on the path of focused, powerful yet easy to read content.


All chapters support your book’s main concept. For “Win with the Writer Inside,” the thesis is “How to write, complete, and publish your best book fast.” The best titles often include the thesis statement in some form.


4. Create your book’s first title.


In the literary world it’s called a working title because everyone knows it could and probably will change. You may decide to change it or your publisher. Even so, working titles help direct and focus your writing.


Some non-fiction writing does better with subtitles. If needed, it clarifies the title. Confusing titles will miss the mark and sales. Which titles grab you and stir a desire to read what the author has to say: Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money – That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! or How to Teach Others About Money; How to Win Friends and Influence People! or How to Make Friends.


5. Make an inspiration cover early.


Keep it by your desk to inspire you. Book covers are the number one selling point of a book. Of course, in the beginning this is only a working cover. Nevertheless it will help crystallize your thoughts and propel you toward the fulfillment of your dream. Remember, you have about 4-10 seconds to impress your audience to buy.


Browse the bookstores and the internet to get a few ideas. Study the covers best suited for your audience. Choose colors that attract them. Consider blue and red for business books; aqua, yellow, and shades of red work for personal growth books. Avoid using too much red; it makes many feel suspicious.


I admit it; getting started writing a book can become a huge elephant in the way of your book’s success. Even so, it doesn’t have to stay that way. You can do like the author did; eat the book writing elephant one bite at a time. Start today; complete and release your significant message to the world. Bon Appetit!

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Book Writing Tips to Speed Write Your Book for Maximum Sales Sooner

January 16th, 2010 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Tips Writing

Where are you in writing your book? Whether you are almost finished after 2 years or just beginning, these book writing tips may help you. You owe it to yourself and your important message to finish fast and sell sooner.


For years, my book manuscript would end up in the drawer with the rest of my unfinished projects. No more; now I finish my book writing projects strong and fast.


I learned from my mentors who showed me the way. I even learned from my competitors who finished their books fast to sell sooner.

Here’s some book writing tips to help you speed write your book for maximum sales sooner:


1. Place book writing goals in your top 3 priorities. Setup a regular writing schedule. Think about your priorities right now. Can you fit 7-10 hours a week in? If you have to let something go that is not high on your priority list, do it. Now is your time. Later is not better.


2. Put your reader first. When writing your book, you should be writing to your reader. Use the word “you” and avoid as much as possible using the words “I” and “We”. An author friend chooses a friend interested in her topic and writes all her books to them.


3. Write an intention goal for your book. Do you have a plan in place? Write on purpose. Don’t set yourself up for failure by not planning. Even if it’s a simple intention goal like “I complete my book (title of book) this year by (date and year.) I educate myself and do what it takes to complete it.” Set one and write it down so you can hit the target.


4. Break your writing into short sections. It’s easier on you to write. Furthermore, it’s easier on your reader to read. Try to break long paragraphs into shorter, more digestible chunks. Make it easy to read and you’ll reach more readers.


5. Use short sentences and simple words. Writing and reading a long sentence takes longer than a short one. Cut lengthy sentences in half to make your writing easier to read. Aim your copy so a 6-7th grader could understand it. Remember using complex words won’t impress your readers. Most times it will annoy them to the point of not finishing your book.


6. Be concise but specific. Compelling copy is concise. Unnecessary words waste your time and most of all your reader’s time. It dilutes your message and makes your book longer than necessary. Additionally, be specific. When writing your book, stick to the specific information about your topic. The more relevant facts you include, the better. If you don’t bother to dig for specifics about your topic, your book may end up vague filled with meaningless words.


7. Write your book the easy way to finish fast. Three of the top ways to speed write your book includes: Act Now. Action will paralyze fear each and every time. Avoid marathon writing. Know you don’t have to become a hermit to write and complete a successful book. Commit to the tracking approach. Doing a set amount,even if it’s only 30 minutes to an hour, each day builds a cumulative effect.


8. Use laser focus. Apply laser focus to complete your book writing project faster. For example, if you look at a 40 watt bulb, the light is soft. Yet you can take the same 40 watts; put it in a laser gun and the same 40 watts become a focused beam of light that can cut through different objects like a sharp knife through paper. To use laser focus in your book project, prioritize, do only one project at a time and complete one project before you start another.


If you don’t use these book writing tips to finish fast, you may be this time next year working on the same book project. Remember to put your book writing in the top 3 priorities of your life, write an intention goal, put your reader first, break your writing into short sections, use short sentences and simple words, be concise but specific, learn to write the easy way and use laser focus. Using the above simple book writing tips you can easily write and complete your book fast. See you at the finish line. Finish fast; finish strong and sell sooner.

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