Books don’t just write themselves. You have to invest everything you have in order to create an incredible piece of work.

Your strengths, weaknesses, life experiences and the books you read, play a crucial role in shaping you into a great author.

Plot your ideas. Decide what  you will write about in advance. Have a clear view of your story before you begin. Then, research to back it up. Readers will expect accuracy.

Step # 1 write that first sentence, then the paragraph, followed by an entire chapter. Writing happens in fits and starts, in bits and pieces. Dedicated writers plan the entire book but only write one chapter at a time.

There are subtle differences between fiction that’s passable and fiction that moves your readers —fiction that shows you know what you’re doing. Tell a fabulous story — go beyond the five senses by using body language.

Writing a great book is a process with 3 basic phases:

  • Begin: start writing.
  • Stay motivated: get feedback. Write from your heart.
  • Finish: a published book is your success.

Phase 1: Getting started

Decide what the book is about: choose your topic. Lay out your book with the beginning, middle, and end.

Set a word count goal: One page is only about 300 words. That is not a lot, so write often. Setting a goal small enough to be attainable, then start building the momentum.

Set time aside to work on your book every day: Consistency makes creativity easier. Schedule your time in advance. The further you get into your story the more addicted you will become.

Have your own space to write: Make your writing location a special space.

Phase 2: Doing the work

Set a total word count by beginning with the end in mind. Use these general guiding principles:

  • 10,000 words: pamphlet or business paper
  • 20,000 words: short book
  • 40,000–60,000 words: novella
  • 60,000–80,000 words: nonfiction book or standard-length novel.
  • 80,000 words–100,000 words: long nonfiction book or novel.
  • 100,000+ words: novel, academic book, biography.

Give yourself deadlines: weekly or daily.

Ask for feedback from trusted advisors.

Phase 3: Finishing

Commit to finishing: Get ready to release your book to the world.

Embrace rejection: Not everyone is going to love your book, but some will. If one person loves your book it is a success.

Write another book: As a published author you should be fired up to give it another go.

Writing is easy. All you have to do is cross out the wrong words.
–Mark Twain

“Linda has published sixteen books. She blogs about the publishing world, posts useful tips on the challenges a writer faces, including marketing and promoting your work, how to build your online platform, how to get reviews and how to self-publish.”