How to Start Writing a Book

You may think you don't have enough time and ask, "Can I learn how to write a book in 28 days? Or "Can I write a book in two weeks?"

You may want to know how to start writing a book to promote your business. As a long-time bookcoach, I can enthusiastically recommend you write a business book or a non fiction book. Your target audience is out there, especially online. Like me, write the book to solve your reader's problems or challenges. The time it takes will seem short, because when you follow a coach's advice, you save a lot of time and money mistakes and get to the goal--you make a difference in your book audience's life and you either make a lot of money from your book or it brands YOU and then makes you a lot of money.

Here's Some Tips for Writing a Book:

1. Change your belief system.

Writing a book looks daunting, doesn't it? So many steps, and a learning curve you're not sure about. Every author says this, and if you are really passionate about your book, nothing else matters but your willingness to take the first step, the second step and more-one chunk at a time.

Don't buy into the myth, "Writing a book takes too much time."

TRUTH: The best chapter writing happens fast! Steps on how to write a book are easy with the "Fast-Forward Writing Technique," chapter blueprint. This template makes you write an easy to read, compelling, organized chapter. You write it right the first time. Because you pre-planned and outlined your book, you only do 1 or 2 edits or drafts. Stop revising; write naturally when you post your readers' questions, then answer them Get your audience's feedback on their needs.

2. Write a short book for your first effort.

Many of us expect a New York publisher to sell millions of books for us. We know they want a 250 page "real" book. My research says that we busy people want our information short, fast, and easy. Maybe 50-100 pages but not much more. We want the meat, concise and compelling information, and not so many stories. And remember, your how to book audience is looking for you on the internet, and not in the bookstore. I agree with John Kremer, book marketing guru who says, Bookstores are the worst place to sell books!

For writing your book, expand an article, a talk, or report by adding a few stories, anecdotes, quotes, tips, or how-to's. book. This book may even be just one chapter idea you have for your longer book. People will buy a series of a topic too. Divide and conquer--make longer books into a related series. Focused, slanted writing sells well too. People online and off want easy-to-read short information because they are so busy. They don't want to spend a lot of time reading.

3. Write your print book and eBook at the same time. It's like cooking--you create a dish that you can serve twice for a one-time effort.

Make two word files, one for each format.

As you lay out your chapter titles and their theses, decide what components to leave out in your eBook version. You don't need long stories or a lot of quotes. Give your potential buyers the meat they want. Short, but useful information!

In your print version that you may want to publish via Print on Demand for much less cash outlay, offer more client examples or other stories to illustrate your point. Add extra, useful information in tips, sidebars, charts or graphs. Make your perfect bound print book from 100-120 pages. That's substantial enough for traditional minds, yet financially fruitful and time saving for the busy entrepreneur. Now, you have two products for the time price of one.

"Inch by inch, life's a cinch." And so is book writing when you apply fast-writing know how.

Formatting Your Book to Benefit Readers

Compelling, easy to read professional writing that hooks and engages your reader will also benefit you.

You may be a professional, an entrepreneur, a coach or consultant, even an author. It's one thing to know your topic and business focus, but another to get your readers hooked, and ready to buy what you offer. Ask yourself, "How can formatting my book benefit my readers?"

You need to know how to write crisp, compelling copy in your book so your audience will FINISH it and rave about it. Your website must educate your visitors so they will want to click over to read about your services and products. You need to write short articles like this one that are succinct, organized and offer something new and unique.

To sell well, your articles, reports, books, and copywriting need to pass the 5- item checklist below:

1.___ Make your book , article title or headlines grab your reader by the collar.

If your titles and headlines are ho hum, your prospective audience will leave you instantly. Headlines and titles are far more important than the copy that follows. A clever title is great, but an even better title is clever and clear.

Short titles with an abundance of key words in them sell best. The search engines love them and they are easy to remember. Make each word count because your potential buyer will spend only four-eight seconds on the book front cover.Your website sales letters and your home page headlines must grab your visitors' emotions and curiosity to lead them to buy. Make your headlines benefit driven and specific for more impact.

2.___ Create your opening paragraph of your book chapter, your article, your book's introduction, or your web copy to entice your reader to continue.

It's not the book, it's the hook. In fiction chapters, start with the most exciting and important incident first. For fiction and non-fiction, open with dialogue. It's more present and exciting. It shows rather than tells. In non-fiction chapters open with two or three compelling questions your reader can connect with. Point out your readers' challenges through them. Then follow with the thesis, a story and other solutions. Apply this to article and web writing.

3.___ Pursue savvy friends and associates to edit your work.

Send them a survey asking for their feedback on small amounts at a time. Always reward them with a free book at the finish, or a free special report you create from your longer pieces. Edit two times before you submit your piece to a professional editor or book coach.

4.___ Use strong, emotional or visual, power verbs rather than linking verbs like "is," "there is," "start to" or begin."

These linking verbs create passive, long sentences. They stop movement and slow readers down or bore them. Readers expect straightforward copy, and when they don't get it, they will put your book or other writing down, never to return. Not a good way to receive word of mouth referrals. Start your sentences with the subject, and then add a power, action verb.

5. ___ Stop loading your copy with telling words like adverbs.

Every time you see a "very" or an -ly ending in your work, rethink. Check with your Thesaurus to see the more compelling possibilities. Think corpulent instead of very fat. One specific word is always better than two mundane ones. When you see "suddenly," a favorite of most novice writers, map out a picture, dialogue, or emotion to show sudden movement.Your audience can relate to the picture or emotion, but not to -ly. This is how to engage your audience to stay with you.

Professional writing attracts contacts, clients, readers and web visitors because it is fresh, clear writing. Make a difference in others' lives using this "write like a pro" checklist.

Metaphor Writing - Money in the Bank for Authors

Surprise your target audience. Give them chocolate frosting!

After kindergarten we had a lot of subjects to learn. We left the sand box, the nap, and the all day playing with our imagination. No wonder we have lost touch with our original, playful, creativity.Today, we expect to read short, concise pieces. Yet, we can, if we play a little, add more of our original ideas to our book chapters if we use metaphors.

The definition of a metaphor? It's wedding a word to an image, sound or feeling. Metaphor is a fusing of dissimilar entities into one new image. . Metaphor asserts a likeness between two unlike things like simile.

Images are word pictures that give language power and richness by involving our senses in the experience. When you wed an image or feeling to something totally unexpected, you produce a new pattern--a metaphor that creates a powerful picture and reader enjoyment.

The purpose of metaphor is to intensify your awareness of the images around you.

Clichés are worn out metaphors. Think the word "nice." Now write specific synonyms for this cliche. In one book writing seminar, we counted 18. Avoid platitudes your mother told you such as "borrow or lend; lose a friend," or "birds of a feather flock together" because your reader will be bored with them and not read on. Write naturally and use literary devices such as similes, personification and alliteration in your chapter summaries and chapters.

Think of the military. They commit the biggest sin "utiilze." as do attorneys and the medical model. Avoid this pompous word in your writing. Simply use "use."

Metaphors create tension and excitement by producing new connections.

Hence, they reveal a truth about the world we previously didn't recognize. The power of metaphor is to surprise us.... Marilyn Ferguson, author of The Aquarian Conspiracy, says, "Metaphor builds a bridge between the hemispheres, symbolically carrying knowledge from the mute right brain so it can be recognized by the left as being like something already known."

How to Start Writing a Book with Metaphor Examples

1. Hook your readers with your front and back book covers. When your potential customers glance (about 12-15 seconds) at your front cover and back cover, and see originality there through metaphor, they will gain insight that sheds new light on a familiar concept, idea, event or feeling. Your metaphors hook and seduce them. Now, they will hand you their check or credit card feeling good about themselves for the decision.

2. .Start a Metaphor List. Keep it filed where you can find it easily and add to it. Every time you hear a good one, write it down. Use other people's metaphors as a springboard for your own.

3. Notice similes and metaphors in books you read.

Remember the money metaphor for Daisy in the Great Gatsby metaphors?

4. Practice playing with metaphor examples.

How about Writing is...

riding a roller coaster

as painful as a pulled tooth

5. Give a metaphor example in your book title or marketing message, the "tell and sell.

"Self care is...a bubble bath in the middle of a workday."

" Passion at Any Age is the Artist's Way for Seniors."

6. Complete these metaphor starters: Remember to use concrete words--of image, sound and feeling. Forgo all clichés.

• I'm as down as
• I'm as frazzled as
• I'm as happy as (no clams, please)
• I'm as dizzy as
• I'm as low as
• I'm as powerful as a
• I'm as sleepy as
• I'm as energetic as
• I'm as spiritual as
• I'm as loose as

Expand the list using the subjects of your book. Think and picture your audience as you create more powerful metaphor writing.

7. Re-define all general benefits in your introduction, "tell and sell," or sales letter. Instead of saying, "Read my book and live life well," make your benefit more specific such as "Read my book and your life will look like...." Or, "Read my book and your life will feel like...."

8. Finish These Statements to Warm Up:

• Stress is...
• Authentic is...
• Health is...
• Spiritual is...
• Marketing is...
• Promotion is...
• Goals are...
• More life is...
• Vision is...
• Better Communication is...
• More money is...

Let your potential buyer know how they will see or feel themselves after they read and use your book's ideas and

suggestions. When they can see or feel it for themselves, they are more comfortable buying. They need to see the results and feel themselves better for reading your book or using your service..

9. Try alliteration just for fun:

"I was as dizzy as a dervish, as weak as a worn-out washer, as low as a badger's belly, as timid as a titmouse, and as unlikely to succeed as a ballet dancer with a wooden leg."

Each of you has the powerful potential for making connections and seeing relationships in your own unique way. Metaphor making is a highly personal and richly creative experience. Play with metaphors and use them in all of your writing--even your sales materials.