So you want to write a book? - Part 4

A deep dive into why you are writing this book

As I alluded to in the last article, often our first draft is just that, a first draft.  Hate to tell you, but likely one of many. The good news is that with each version you are getting closer to the final, finished product.

 But let’s get back to the beginning for a moment.  Early on I asked you why you were writing your book?  Who was your potential reader? And what were your key messages?

Has that changed?  Because sometimes it does as you go deeper into your topic and learn more.  Sometimes the writing process digs up more than you expected in your personal life. Stuff you’d kept under wraps.  Your decision is whether to include these insights or stories in the book, and only you can decide what gets included and what gets left out.  But just a heads up that writing can stir up issues you thought were long gone.

The clearer you can be on what you want to achieve through your book, the better it will be.  By clarity, I mean the key messages, the outcome for the reader, and yes, what you want to get out of it too.  If it is making a fortune through your book, I hate to disappoint you, but unless you are Stephen King, making lots of money as an author is a pipe dream.

What a book does is it gives you is credibility.  We live in a society that admires and respects people who have written a book.  If you are in business, your book can become a platform from which to establish yourself as an expert.  In fact it is often through public speaking that you sell the most books.

There will be times when you feel like giving up.  It is then when you want to remember your why.  Why you are doing this in the first place.  It is that why that will give you the tenacity to carry on.

Taking a break is OK too.  Sometimes coming back a few months later gives you a fresh perspective and a renewed enthusiasm for the project.

Personally I find it hard to write when I am not in the “flow.”   I am far better off to “step away from the computer” take a walk, do something else rather than force myself to write when I am tired and not feeling that creative.

Having said all this, there is something very rewarding when a reader contacts you to say that your words have been helpful, resonated and made a difference.  That’s when you know you are on the right path.

This post is part four of a series on writing books by Anne Day, President of Full Circle Publishing and author/editor of five books on Women and Entrepreneurship.  Her next book, co-authored with Amy Vodarek will be coming out in Spring, 2017

When less is more

Word count is vital whether you are writing an article, blog or a book. When I worked at Today’s Parent, we would often ditch the first paragraph of articles submitted.   Why?  Because we would have lost the reader if we’d run it as is.

Often the hook to keep the reader engaged is further down the page.  Partly it’s because the author wants to set the stage before leaping into the meat of the piece. 

But with low attention spans and a need for an instant take on articles, we lose the reader before we’ve even started.  And that’s who we want to entice to stay with us.

In working with authors on shaping their books, I often have to remind them about the reader.  What will they learn from reading your book?  Is this piece of information useful or more feeding your need to get it down on paper?

Get clear on your message, your audience and why you are writing in the first place. Clarify what you want to write about. As Michael Hyatt recommends,  first you do the writing and then the editing, and should not try to do both simultaneously.  In her book Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott talks about the “shitty” first drafts, because that’s what they are – first drafts.

But we also need to learn to write tighter, to use fewer words and to keep it simple, instead of using our writing as a way to show off our extensive vocabulary. Less is more.

There are ways to tighten up your writing and it takes practice.  Next piece you write, try cutting it down by 50 words.   You’ll be surprised how many superfluous words we use.   What to watch for? 

• ·      Avoid empty filler words like it, here, there.
• ·      Replace lightweight verbs with ones of action – instead of She is blogging. try She blogs.
• ·      The words really and very add nothing to your writing
• ·      Tell it straight.  You will then hold the reader’s attention.
• ·      Avoid using words that spell out what’s obvious – such as free of charge – when saying free will do.
• ·      Avoid using extra words that aren’t doing extra work – using the word Many for example, instead of A large number of … Or saying A complete stranger when A stranger will do.
• ·      Use short paragraphs so the reader carries on.

This blog was much longer, but I took my own advice and cut it down.

Why do you write?

Welcome.  With the launch of my new publishing company, it seemed appropriate to start a blog that focused on writing.

Although I have four books under my belt, it wasn’t until I wrote the third one that I started to consider myself a writer.  Funny that.  I was also hesitant to introduce myself as a writer as I wasn’t sure I’d won that stripe yet.

Writing is such a personal craft.  Often we start writing just for ourselves. I find writing is my way of sorting out the mixed emotions I feel inside but sharing your innermost thoughts with the world makes you feel vulnerable and I don’t always take that risk. There’s many a blog that I’ve written in anger that will never see the light of day.  Just getting the words out and down on paper was my therapy.

But just sending your words out into the universe can be a brave act.  After all what if no one likes what you have to say. Worse, what if no one even reads your epistles.

I have to say when I started blogging over eleven years ago, I didn’t actually care if I had an audience, I was just enjoying the excuse to write and post what I had to say or my thoughts on a specific topic.

It was later that I began to realize that I maybe had some wisdom to impart and that perhaps my words would bring comfort or understanding to someone else.  As I became more immersed in the world of entrepreneurship, I also started to share my thoughts on running a small business, something I was doing at the time with an element of success.

Why do you write?  I am sure it is different for all of us. And there’s different types of writing too.   When I worked as a consultant I used to write long, long reports that I questioned if anyone read, let alone followed my recommendations.  And when I was in government, it was briefing notes to politicians that would be written and re-written to ensure we had covered the essentials as well as our backs.

Today I like to share people’s stories.  I love interviewing people and helping them articulate their innermost thoughts and share them with the world.   I also love helping other writers weave their books into something that people not only want to read but enjoy.

In the months ahead I will be sharing different ways to entice and hold your readers’ interest and looking at the specific tasks in writing your book. 

Meantime, back to my original question --- why do you write?  Let me know.