By Donna Kozik
Remember hearing the stories of tortured or starving writers? Luckily, it’s not that way anymore.
Now, with email, blog posts, status updates, tweets and more, we’re all writing more. And most of us find it’s really not that difficult.
A book though, that might be another matter. Even though it’s more common to write a lot, the idea of getting it all together for a book—one that makes sense—can be intimidating.
Start with these fast and easy tips. They are just a sampling of what I have to share in the upcoming call “5 Secrets to Write a Book in a Weekend.”
1. Your Inner Critic will ruin your writing party and stifle your flow. Invite them to the editing party only!
2. When to let a word or phrase be “good enough” comes with experience. Finish draft before worrying about minor details.
3. Readers want information in a quick & easy format. Short and powerful books are selling better than long-winded ones.
4. Chapters can be quickly written by answering a series of 10-15 questions you know your target audience is asking.
5. Read everything you can. Note what does and doesn’t engage you. The more you read the better you will write.
6. Two words are not always better than one. When you have said what you wanted to say–stop.
7. Use strong verbs instead of weak ones that need to lean on adverbs. Ex: “whispered” is better than “spoke softly.”
8. When it’s time to edit—print and read your manuscript out loud. Errors you missed on the screen will jump out at you.
9. Readers love lists. Whether it’s “11 Fatal Small Business Mistakes” or “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” lists are a hit.
10. Case studies are great fodder for books. They lend credibility, add a human face and liven up what might otherwise be dull.
11. Most writers can get by without a content editor but do not forgo your proofreader.
Although I hope you find these tips useful, even I know they probably won’t be the catalyst to help you actually get a book manuscript written and published. There’s more you want to know about overcoming procrastination, deciding on a winning topic, and settling on a final word count and great title for your book.
About the Author: Donna Kozik is a two-time award winning author and creator of the Write a Book in a Weekend® system. She has a personal goal of turning 1,000 people into published authors in the next 12 months and is well on her way.
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