Do you dream of a book with your name on it as author? You’re not alone, if you do. Researchers say 81% of us have a book dream hidden in our heart. Yet many never accomplish this lofty goal, leaving only a select portion that go on to write a saleable book.

If you’re anything like I was, you sincerely want to write your book but lack the focus and know-how to bring it to fruition. For years, I stumbled around this secret (I’m about to share with you) with little results. I used the stop and start system that didn’t work. You know the system of getting excited, starting your book, telling everyone you know that you’re writing it and then life happens. You lose focus and stop writing the book.

The manuscript goes into a drawer along with your high hopes and dreams of becoming an author. It’s probably no news to you but that system never helped me reach my goal of a completed manuscript. Then one magical day, I discovered how to write a book in 100 days or less. I set a goal (not the 100 day goal that came later.) The point is I set a goal, accomplished it and never looked back. It could be a 30 day, 48 day or 90 day goal. Whatever works for you will do.

Now, you can join that elite group of aspiring authors that write their book to completion in a few short weeks. Here’s a few tips that will help you feel the magic, get started and reach your goal of a completed successful, saleable book manuscript in 100 days or less.

Develop a plan

Remember, rarely anyone reaches a goal without a plan. This statement is trite but true; failure to plan is equivalent to planning to fail. Develop a plan for how you are going to complete your book in the following weeks. If you’ve never written a book before, get a plan from someone who’s been where you want to go. Sign up for a book writing course or hire a book coach. Your plan is your roadmap to success and profits.

Make a commitment

Prepare your mindset. Do a reality check. Don’t believe those who say you can write a book with little or no effort. If that were true, everyone would be accomplishing it, right. It’s a doable goal but it’s going to take some work, maybe even hard work and commitment on your part. Write your commitment down on paper. I’ve found nothing crystallizes your intentions better than writing them down. Make a written commitment and watch the will and determination to finish follow your action.

Prioritize your book project

Take it off the back burner. Move your book’s completion into your top 3 priorities. Set up a regular time schedule to write. Keep your commitment and allow the cumulative effect (doing a little bit at a time) to build. Even so, unless you want it to take years to write, you must schedule 15-20 hours writing time each week. For example, you could write 2 pages in an hour a day and have a short book in weeks.

Avoid over checking progress

An important key to achieving your book within the 100 day goal is to not focus on the results while you are working. It’s kind of like when one is trying to lose weight and always checking the scales. It works against your momentum. Just keep writing each day of your schedule until the 100 days is up or you finish. This way there is less chance for a break in your momentum as you see how close or how far you are from your goal.

Stop taking breaks too early

Don’t be so easy on yourself. As soon as one sees progress there is a natural tendency to relax. We want to put our feet up and take a break. No, don’t do that. Your goal is not achieved yet. After the 100 days is up and your book manuscript is complete, treat yourself. Take a few days off; celebrate. Then you can start your next 100 day project.

Don’t put it off any more. Take your dream off the shelf. If you wait, you can be this time next year without making your dream of writing a successful book come true. You have the plan, the knowledge and the solution. Now write it all down. Your audience is waiting. Use the magic of a 100 day goal and write a successful book. Make it different. Make it count. Make it yours.

About the author: Are you ready to get started writing your book in next 100 days or less? Go get my free 7 lesson mini-course Jumpstart Writing Your Book! You can get instant access to this ecourse and other How to Write a Book tips at the http://www.bookwritinghelp.com web site From Earma Brown, 14 year author and book writing coach

Courtesy: Bluegrass Solutions

If any of the above applies to you, there’s good news! You don’t have to become a hermit or trade in your life anymore to write a saleable book. You can use the cumulative effect and still get your book written in record time. Here are some easy tips from a fellow weekend writer to help you in your journey. Discover how to take the short way home to your successful book.

Write a book in an organized way. Leading experts say we waste over 150 hours a year looking for misplaced information. Get organized in a way that fits you. For example, to get started you can create a master folder with your book’s title. Inside, keep a separate file for each chapter. Assign each chapter a short title that will make sense later. If you don’t have a title yet then assign chapter names by topic.

Assign research notes or resources to each chapter named folder. Make a how-to folder as well, such as short-key notes, style or formatting notes. With this system you can manage multiple projects easily. Don’t waste anymore time being disorganized. Remember you only have weekends and small blocks of time to complete. You can do it; just get organized.

The Nighttime Novelist: Finish Your Novel in Your Spare Time

Write a book with a clear 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.

Writing your book’s thesis before you begin will help crystallize your message. With your book’s thesis in mind, you can stay on the path of focused, compelling yet easy to read book. You could end up with a top selling book written on the weekends all because your message was tightly focused.

Write your book with extreme focus

Throw away your plans to go away for a week, a month or a year to write your book. Weekend warriors don’t have the time to dedicate solely to their book. So, it’s a good thing you don’t have to become a hermit to write and complete a successful book these days. You can commit to the tracking approach. Do a set amount; even if it’s only 30 minutes to an hour each day builds a cumulative effect. You could write 1 chapter per week and have a short book in 7-12 weeks.

Write a book overcoming writers block

Writers block can be a serious hindrance, especially when you only have a small window to work on your book. Here are a couple of tips to get rid of writers block anytime you face it. Know you don’t have to write chapters in order. You can jump around and fill in the blanks to gain momentum. Maintain your momentum. Don’t give in to writers block. Move on to work on the chapter you feel passion bubbling for at that moment.

Write a short book

Because your book is shorter and easier to write fast, you can expect to go to market sooner. To accommodate your weekend writing, write your book in chunks, chapters, sections and parts. Writing this way will allow you to easily refine, repeat and repackage your information. You’ll be able to synch your book with a website and pull out a stream of articles, reports, follow-up products and even services to build your book, your brand and your business.

Write a book using the Q & A format

Make a list of 7-10 burning questions or problems that you have collected from your clients. Write an introductory or overview chapter. Then take each question and answer it in an individual chapter. Pad your chapters with a case study, a real story or an illustration to explain the answer. Write a closing chapter, review everything and congratulate your reader for finishing your book.

Write a book with a chapter template

You need a shell to just slip your book content into. Using a chapter template as a shell is similar to building your best crispy taco. You bake (form) the shell and start putting your meat in; then add lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, etc. until you have built your best taco. After creating a book chapter template, you can easily see where your introduction, 7 supporting points, stories and summaries fit into each chapter.

If you don’t use the principles above to write your book in the small blocks of time available to you, you may never finish. My vote as a fellow weekend writer says you can do it! You don’t have to say I can’t because I don’t have time anymore. You have the knowledge; you can now say I CAN. Go make us all proud; write your book in the midst of your busy life with the time YOU have.

About the author: Are you ready to become a weekend warrior in book writing? Go get my free 7 lesson mini-course Jumpstart Writing Your Book! You can get instant access to this ecourse and other Book Writing Coach tips at the http://www.writetowin.org web site From Earma Brown, 14 year author and book writing coach

Courtesy: Article Directory

This article is based on the assumption that you are using a word processing program of some kind in a Windows environment. If you are not using a word processor, the principles will still apply, but they must be implemented manually.

Writing and editing are two totally different tasks. Writing is a creative process, whether the work is fiction or non-fiction. Editing is a critical process. If writers attempt to edit as they write, their creative ability is inhibited. Because each task demands a very specific focus each must be handled separately. Editing should not start until the writing task is completed.

When editing your own work, your eye and mind tend to either fill in, or correct, many errors and, as a result, they are left uncorrected in the manuscript. In order to avoid this, it helps to break any patterns used in creating the original work. If at all possible, the work to be edited should be allowed to “cool off” in a file or desk drawer for a while. The purpose of this is to break the connection between the work and the writers’ remembrance of the exact words and phrasing used. An additional technique used for breaking this connection is to reformat the work. This can be done by changing the margins, font face and font size, line spacing, etc. This should be an easy task for any word processor.

When saving your work as you edit, the product of each editing session should be saved with a different name. If your original work was called “manuscript.doc,” your first save should be called “manuscript1.doc.” This means you will always be able to go back and check your original page setup.

If the task of editing is broken down into four (4) steps it becomes less of an onerous task and the result is a much more thorough job.

Step 1: Run your spell checker without the grammar checker.

This seems like the most obvious step however the spell checker can only do part of the job. It will check every word against an internal dictionary and highlight or underline in red, those words that it doesn’t find in its dictionary. That means that if you spelled the word “too” and meant to use the world “to” your spell checker will accept either because they are both correct as far as it is concerned.

Spell checkers are normally set to NOT CHECK capitalized words or names, or words with numbers. Ignore these names on your first pass and just correct any misspelled words brought up by the spell checker.

On a second pass with the spell checker, not only verify the spelling of the proper nouns, but also make a note of the correct spelling on a separate piece of paper or in another program. The easiest way to do this is to boot up a text program and multi-task – switching between your manuscript and the text program. This will enable you to quickly verify the spelling of a proper noun throughout your work.

Step 2: Run the grammar checker.

Almost every word processing program has the ability to check grammar and will allow the user to establish both the type of work to be checked along with the specific grammar rules that are to be used during the check. You can set these parameters to fit your need, but remember that your writing style is most important. Don’t let the grammar-check program dictate what your style should be. As you go through your manuscript, make those changes, which are obvious problems, such as punctuation, run-on sentences, subject and verb agreement, etc. Don’t change your writing style to fit the grammar-checker.

Step 3: If your manuscript includes dialog, it should be checked for problems with syntax and general usage.

The best way to do this is to have someone else read the dialog, out loud, with no voice inflection. Your ear will uncover problems with dialog better than your eye. If you don’t have someone else to work with, you will do almost as well by reading the dialog out loud and recording it on some kind of recording device. When you play the dialog back, you will discover problems that your eyes overlooked.

In reviewing writing where there is no dialog, check each paragraph for focus. Is it lean and direct, or are there words that can be removed that will provide a clearer structure? Since this type of problem involves a broader discourse on writing techniques, we can only refer you to the vast number of books on writing that are available for almost every writing project.

Step 4: Check the overall appearance of your work for uniformity.

Have you used the same font face and point size throughout? Is the first line of each paragraph indented the same number of spaces? Is your line spacing consistent? Are your margins consistent? On of the beauties of a good word processor is that once you establish the rules for “page setup” and a “normal” paragraph, and use them throughout your work, you can change the appearance of your entire manuscript by simply changing the settings of either or both rules. This can be extremely helpful if you are submitting the manuscript to several organizations, each of which has different formatting requirements.

Conclusion

If you follow the 4 steps listed above, editing your own writing will be much less difficult and the result will be greatly improved.

About the author: In addition to an interest in Writing, Ryan Round is a leading expert in revealing how to do amazing mentalism and magic tricks even if you have no experience in magic.

Courtesy: www.bluegrasssolutions.info
Photo: Steven Combs

Any professional writer will tell you the foundation of success begins with putting your behind in the chair and writing. It’s that old adage: a writer writes.

And it’s true … once you see yourself as a writer.

At first thought, this may sound rather ridiculous. However, as with most roles we play in life (parent, driver, spouse, homeowner), the success we achieve is directly related to how we perceive ourselves in that role. If you struggle to see yourself living the writer’s life (with all the self-discipline, rejection, and uncertainty that comes with it), you’re going to have a far more difficult road to travel than if you have complete confidence as a writer.

So how does a beginning writer get there?

Here are some tips to keep in mind …

1. The Process

Every writer approaches his or her craft differently. In fact, while some aspects of a writing routine may be consistent, others may not. You may set aside a certain time of day for writing, but prefer to write on a computer some days or by longhand on other days. You may prefer to write in your office some days, or at the local coffee shop on others.

The point is this: you need to find your writing routine. It doesn’t matter when it is, where it is, or how it’s accomplished. It just needs to happen. And it needs to be comfortable enough that you look forward to doing it. So if writing in longhand on a park bench is distracting and difficult, find another approach.

2. It’s True – A Writer Writes

It doesn’t matter what form of writing you chose … novels, short stories, essays, blogs, articles … do the work. Don’t talk about writing. Don’t fantasize about being a great writer. Write. That’s all that matters … getting words on paper. The more you do it, the more comfortable it will become and the better you’ll get at it.

3. Submit What You Write

The sole purpose of writing is to communicate. If you hide your work in the bottom drawer of your desk and never send it out, you’ve effectively cut the lines of communication. It’s scary to submit your work. It’s much safer to share it with Aunt Trudy, who loves everything you do. But if you’re truly ready to call yourself a writer, then it’s time to send your work to someone who doesn’t know you, to someone who cares only if the story or the article will stand on its own.

Send your work out into the world to be discovered.

4. Learn From Rejection

You’re going to be rejected. Every writer faces rejection. Even a powerful, page-turning novel of intrigue can face rejection if it’s not in line with the goals of a publisher. So if you’re going to be rejected, take advantage and learn from the experience. If the editor offers nothing more than a standard rejection form, send your work to the next editor.

If the editor offers some advice about improving your work, honestly evaluate the comments. He didn’t have to say anything. The fact that he took the time to offer suggestions is a huge compliment. That doesn’t mean the suggestions are right, but it does mean they are worth paying attention to. If you keep encountering the same suggestions over and over, then you need to take heed and make some changes.

5. Be Persistent

Finished up a story or an article? Submitted it? What now?

Start the next project.

Don’t wait to hear from your editor, get busy. You want to be a writer … write. Never stop writing. Treat it as a business … the next product should already be in production.

Conclusion

These are the things writers do.

If you’re just starting out and you want to become a writer … do as a writer does.

It’s that easy.

And that hard.

About the author: Ready to get started on that novel you’ve been meaning to write? Take a short cut. Read reviews of our top recommended courses: Novel Writing Courses. Or discover more here: articles on writing.

Courtesy: www.bluegrasssolutions.info
Photo: Wim Mulder

By Earma Brown

Are you only able to work on your book part time or on weekends? Most of us have to squeeze writing a book into small blocks of time. Perhaps you have a full-time job or a business to tend to and can’t take off three months or more to write a book. Or maybe you have children or aging parents to look after. Yet, you still dream of writing a book one day.

If any of the above applies to you, there’s good news! You don’t have to become a hermit or trade in your life anymore to write a saleable book. You can use the cumulative effect and still get your book written in record time. Here are some easy tips from a fellow weekend writer to help you in your journey. Discover how to take the short way home to your successful book.

Write a book in an organized way

Leading experts say we waste over 150 hours a year looking for misplaced information. Get organized in a way that fits you. For example, to get started you can create a master folder with your book’s title. Inside, keep a separate file for each chapter. Assign each chapter a short title that will make sense later. If you don’t have a title yet then assign chapter names by topic.

Assign research notes or resources to each chapter named folder. Make a how-to folder as well, such as short-key notes, style or formatting notes. With this system you can manage multiple projects easily. Don’t waste anymore time being disorganized. Remember you only have weekends and small blocks of time to complete. You can do it; just get organized.

Write a book with a clear 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.

Writing your book’s thesis before you begin will help crystallize your message. With your book’s thesis in mind, you can stay on the path of focused, compelling yet easy to read book. You could end up with a top selling book written on the weekends all because your message was tightly focused.

Write your book with extreme focus

Throw away your plans to go away for a week, a month or a year to write your book. Weekend warriors don’t have the time to dedicate solely to their book. So, it’s a good thing you don’t have to become a hermit to write and complete a successful book these days. You can commit to the tracking approach. Do a set amount; even if it’s only 30 minutes to an hour each day builds a cumulative effect. You could write 1 chapter per week and have a short book in 7-12 weeks.

Write a book overcoming writer’s block

Writers block can be a serious hindrance, especially when you only have a small window to work on your book. Here are a couple of tips to get rid of writers block anytime you face it. Know you don’t have to write chapters in order. You can jump around and fill in the blanks to gain momentum. Maintain your momentum. Don’t give in to writers block. Move on to work on the chapter you feel passion bubbling for at that moment.

Write a short book

Because your book is shorter and easier to write fast, you can expect to go to market sooner. To accommodate your weekend writing, write your book in chunks, chapters, sections and parts. Writing this way will allow you to easily refine, repeat and repackage your information. You’ll be able to synch your book with a website and pull out a stream of articles, reports, follow-up products and even services to build your book, your brand and your business.

Write a book using the Q&A format

Make a list of 7-10 burning questions or problems that you have collected from your clients. Write an introductory or overview chapter. Then take each question and answer it in an individual chapter. Pad your chapters with a case study, a real story or an illustration to explain the answer. Write a closing chapter, review everything and congratulate your reader for finishing your book.

Write a book with a chapter template

You need a shell to just slip your book content into. Using a chapter template as a shell is similar to building your best crispy taco. You bake (form) the shell and start putting your meat in; then add lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, etc. until you have built your best taco. After creating a book chapter template, you can easily see where your introduction, 7 supporting points, stories and summaries fit into each chapter.

If you don’t use the principles above to write your book in the small blocks of time available to you, you may never finish. My vote as a fellow weekend writer says you can do it! You don’t have to say I can’t because I don’t have time anymore. You have the knowledge; you can now say I CAN. Go make us all proud; write your book in the midst of your busy life with the time YOU have.

About the author : Are you ready to become a weekend warrior in book writing? Go get my free 7 lesson mini-course Jumpstart Writing Your Book! You can get instant access to this ecourse and other Book Writing Coach tips at the www.writetowin.org web site. From Earma Brown, 14 year author and book writing coach

Courtesy: www.bluegrasssolutions.info

By Lynne Klippel

Several years ago, a New York Times study revealed that 80% of all adults want to write a book someday. Small business owners, consultants, coaches, and professional speakers have been bombarded by experts promoting writing a book as a marketing tool.

Naysayers assert that no one reads books any more. However, our society believes that answers can be found in a book or a website. When we have a problem or need information, we turn to the internet or the nearest bookstore or library.

According to the Association of American Publishers, book sales increased by 9.9 percent from 2004-2005. People in the United States bought 25.1 billion dollars worth of books in 2005.

Writing a non-fiction book can be an excellent business strategy. It can establish the author as an expert, generate attention from the media, and introduce the author to wide range of potential new business opportunities. Additionally, the feeling of satisfaction from completing a professionally done book gives the author a great sense of confidence and empowerment.

Are you ready to write your book this year?

Do you want it to be successful?

If so, consider these questions before you start writing:

What is your goal for this book project?

Do you want to write a best seller, create a passive revenue stream, go on the speaking circuit, or attract new customers? When you have a clear goal for your book, you can create a successful strategy to reach that goal. Your goal will determine the style of your book, the contents, the design, and the marketing plan. If you don’t have a clear goal, it will be impossible to measure the success of your book.

Who are you writing for?

This question is important because you are writing a book for a specific audience, not just to share your wisdom with the masses. The most successful non-fiction books are tightly targeted to solve a specific problem for a specific audience.

How will you tell people about your book?

Successful books have a marketing strategy. In fact, the most successful authors begin to market their new books before the books are fully written.

What can you offer readers after they complete your book?

The most successful non-fiction authors have a list of other products and services related to their books. Some common offerings include audio programs, workbooks, seminars, retreats, or coaching programs. If a reader loves your book, he or she will want more from you. It pays to create those opportunities before your book is published and find ways to follow up with interested readers.

When will you work on your book?

Writing a book takes a commitment of time and resources. Before your calendar gets too full, schedule time each week to work on your book for at least the next six months. If it doesn’t get on your calendar, you probably won’t find time to write.

Who will help you?

You can write your book more quickly and with a greater degree of success if you have some help. Consider taking a how-to class, joining a writer’s group, or working with a book coach. Getting expert assistance will help you avoid newbie mistakes that cost time and money.

How will you celebrate?

Plan your victory celebration before you write your first word. Writing a book is a huge accomplishment. Celebrate the completion of each chapter along the way to keep your motivation high.

Are you ready to begin?

Now that you’ve answered these questions, you should have a clearer vision for your book. By this time next year, you could be holding your first book signing.

Happy writing!

About the author: Need a book to build your business? Lynne Klippel is an author and publisher who specializes in helping entrepreneurs and aspiring authors write non-fiction books. For a free audio filled with publishing information, “How to Write Your Book the RIGHT Way,” visit www.LoveYourLifePublishing.com

Courtesy: www.bluegrasssolutions.info

Part 2 of Get Published TV’s How To Write A Book series. In this episode, Dale Beaumont goes through what is your reason for writing and publishing your book. Dale explains another two scales for you to think about and decide where you stand.

Courtesy: www.GetPublishedTV.com

Dale Beaumont of  Get Published TV goes through how to write a book. He kicks of with asking you what your reason for writing and publishing a book is. There is a special thought process needed when making this crucial decision. He goes through his thinking and helps you to make these important decisions for yourself.

Courtesy: www.GetPublishedTV.com

Short story structure demands that you abandon all ideas of forming your own brand of storytelling. The rules are very simple: comply to the form that sells, or you don’t sell.

Short story structure has been around since the beginning of time. You can read short stories in the Bible and on cave walls. They all have the same structure; so don’t try to reinvent the wheel.

Every short story has a theme – that invisible thread that runs from beginning to end, delivering a silent message to the reader. For example, Moby Dick wasn’t about hunting whales. It was about revenge. Gone With the Wind wasn’t about love. It was about Scarlet O’Hara’s manipulation and control and how it led to her devastation.

So – what is your story about? When you know the overall theme, think of the middle scene – the plot. What will be the one scene that will turn the whole story? Get that firmly in your mind, take notes on it, and then head your whole story toward that objective.

Short story structure has been around since the beginning of time. They all have the same structure; don’t try to reinvent the wheel. The rules are simple: comply to the form that sells, or you don’t sell.

Every story must have conflict, and without it, you are dead in the water. What is your conflict? There are five kinds:

• Man vs. Man: any kind of man, woman, or child conflicting with anyone else
• Man vs. Nature: any kind of conflict where man battles nature, whether it be a storm or wild animal
• Man vs. Self: I advise new writers to stay away from this one. It deals with a man, woman or child battling with themselves. It is difficult to bring this kind of story to a good resolution.
• Man vs. Society: man, woman or child battling with peers, groups, society, organizations, authority, etc.
• Man vs. Machine: fantasy stories with aliens or machines

Where to Begin

Don’t begin at the beginning. For example, opening a story with a normal scene no longer works. Today’s readers are an action-oriented group that bases their entertainment on electronic toys, fast-paced movies, and faster paced stories, so start your first paragraph with gripping action. It can be part of a flashback, or even the middle of a scene.

Editors are buying third person (he, she) in past tense these days, so don’t write a story in first person unless the magazine you have in mind requires first person.

Be sure you include characterization, which is another whole lesson, but you should write out a list of 50 things describing your two leading characters – what they like, what they think, where they came from, physical description, etc.

Every story must have dialog. If you don’t think you can write believable dialog (or even if you do), go to a restaurant and eavesdrop. Take notes. Eavesdrop everywhere you go. It may not be polite, but it is the best teacher available.

If you are interested in writing, you can do it, because writing is a learned skill. Get out that pen and paper, typewriter, or computer and get started. Good luck! See below for more writing tips.

About the author: Deborah Owen – FREE writing evaluation. Receive an absolutely FREE 19-point analytical evaluation of your short story or article by CEO & Founder of two writing schools, Ms. Deborah Owen. See website for guidelines. NO strings. NO obligation. NO spam! See website for guidelines: Creative Writing Institute

Courtesy: Article Directory

You may be the next big thing in writing – a natural novelist with a flair for fantastic fiction – but you won’t get anywhere with publishers unless you present your book like a pro. This video will show you how to format your novel pages, how to lay out your text ready for typesetting, advice on font and all the top tips you need to create a slick-looking, blockbuster book.

Courtesy:  VideoJug

Writing a book takes dedication, determination, hard work, and – most importantly – time. There’s no easy fix to finishing your first novel, but this video has some handy hints that might help you find the time to write. Learn how to find time, make space and keep distractions at using 7 practical tips.

Courtesy: VideoJug

Author Russell Celyn Jones, Professor of Creative Writing and Director of the MA Programme at the University of London’s Birkbeck College gives expert video advice on: What drives you to write? When did you first know you were a writer? What do you love most about writing? and more…

Courtesy: VideoJug