Getting Started Writing Your First Book – A Primer
Welcome to the Business Book Ghostwriters blog! Our friend and colleague Jerry Simmons published the post below in his informative and useful publishing e-newsletter recently. We thought we’d share it with you.
Many smart, talented businesspeople understand the value of having a book in their repertoire. They have a head filled with ideas, but in most instances that’s exactly where they remain: as thoughts in their heads. Why is that? We’ve identified three common problems faced by first-time business book authors:
First is an issue of cohering ideas into an argument. Ideas roam freely in our heads, often without enough formulation or organization. If a business is having a problem, then it should examine your solution.
Second is the execution, or transference, of ideas into a reasoned, well written argument. Books have a formal structure in which ideas, concepts, problems and their solutions, etc. are explained, described and validated in the sentences, paragraphs, and chapters.
Third is writing your argument in an interesting and compelling manner. The sentences, paragraphs, and chapters are progressively presented, organized, and delivered to make your book a compelling read.
Readers are discerning about both the quality of your content and the execution of your topic. With the advent of reader reviews on Amazon and other bookselling sites, potential buyers often make an informed decision after reading what others think.
Indeed, very little escapes readers these days, which makes it all the more important that you have a clear and distinctive sense of what your book is about from the very start. Where to start? We urge our novice authors to begin by writing each of the following:
- An elevator pitch: what your book is about, written in one sentence one or verbalized in one minute.
- A paragraph-long description of the subject, issue or problem you wish to address and how your book resolves the issue, provides deeper insight, or solves the problem.
- A one-page (250-400 words) précis that takes your paragraph and expands it to explain not just what you’re going to write about, but how, and why you’re the most knowledgeable and competent individual to undertake the task.
Don’t be afraid to begin this process. Work on it whenever you can. Whenever an idea or key concept comes to mind, write it down. This is a clarifying process, and all writers go through it. Eventually all this will distill into your thesis or subject and your approach to writing about it.
We’ve developed a self-assessment tool we give to our authors and potential clients to help them through this. It’s simply called “The Business Book Ghostwriters Getting You Started,” and for a limited time we’re offering it to you free. Just send us a comment below or drop us an email at businessbookghostwriters@gmail.com Please be sure to give us your full name and tell us a little about yourself and your project.
If you’d like to know more about Jerry Simmons, go to http://www.writersreaders.com. If you’d like to see his newsletter, write him at jerry@writersreaders.com.
