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Book Writing: The Job of a Chapter

The chapters in your book are not just ways to break your book into parts.

Each chapter has a job, and that job is to answer a question posed by your book title. The answer may be short or very long with its own parts, but still it answers a question.

Let’s take a look at a chapter from my book, Color Your LIfe Happy: Create the Success, Abundance and Inner Joy You Deserve, for example.

The title of my book, when turned into a question is How do you color your life happy?

Each chapter is an answer, but poses its own question as well.

Let’s look at Chapter 2, Preparing Your Mind for Happiness, for example.

Turning that chapter title into a question, it becomes How do you prepare your mind for happiness?

Here are the sections within that chapter that answer the chapter’s question:

  • What’s wrong with rose-colored glasses? (when the section heading is a question, you can bet the content usually will answer in the affirmative)
  • You are not alone
  • Happiness doesn’t require complex skills
  • Your happiness is up to you
  • Happiness is a choice
  • Thinking about change is the first step
  • Maybe you should disregard sensible advice
  • There are two sides to getting what you want
  • Are you stuck in preparation mode?
  • Spiritual beliefs are for daily use, not just weekly worship services

But no matter how much one chapter answers the book’s questions, it leaves some things unanswered. The biggest job of the chapter is to make the reader wanting more and seeking it in upcoming chapters.

Are you ready to let your chapters do their job? I would love to be your partner in crafting your chapters. If you are ready to begin, pop me an email right now with “READY” in the subject line at [email protected] . Then tell me about your book plans. If you include your phone number I’ll call you within 24 hours. If you get started right away, sign up for my e-course, Rockin’ My Book at http://addauthortoyourresume.com/ecourse

I’m going over to check for your email right now.

Would Writing Your Book Be the Fulfillment of a Dream?

I recently attended a book signing like no other. Bestselling author and breakthrough specialist, Lisa Nichols, presented 14 of the 39 authors whose inspiring stories appear in “Unbreakable Spirit: Rising Above the Impossible,” an amazing anthology available on Amazon and other booksellers.

Held at University of California, San Diego, this red-carpet event and book launch attracted authors, editors, photographers, and poets, all eager to support and meet the brave authors who poured their hearts into the stories that fill the book in the style of other best selling anthologies such as Chicken Soup for the Soul.

The highlight of the evening was Lisa’s heartfelt and animated message of encouragement and empowerment urging all of us to rise above the impossible and experience our own unbreakable human spirit.

Select any story in the anthology and begin reading. You’ll be drawn into the lives of amazing women who experienced the unthinkable, embraced the impossible and emerged because of unbreakable spirits.

From the first story by Millicent St. Claire who discovered herself while serving a prison term for killing her abusive husband to the last story by Dr. Jan Kohl who overcame opposition and depression to gain the strength to be an advocate for the exploited,  you will find yourself among the pages.

Lisa sums it up best in the conclusion of the book:

You have a dream and a purpose. You  may not see the fulfillment of your dream, your purpose, according to your timeline, but if you persist and lean heavily on your unbreakable, unshakable human spirit, you will get there.

Is writing a book one of your dreams? I would love to be your partner in getting it fulfilled. If you are ready to begin, pop me an email right now with “READY” in the subject line at [email protected] . Be sure to include your phone number and I’ll call you within 24 hours.

I’m going over to check for your email right now.

How to Turn Your Content into the Rough Draft of Your Book

If you are a coach, a blogger, entrepreneur or speaker, you already have the content.
You share it with your clients and audiences all the time. Now you can learn how to
repurpose that content to reach a larger audience with your valuable message.

Why would you want to do this?

Because the word “author” is still the key part of “authority,” and writing a book
is still the most recognized indicator of authority.

Join me in a free webinar on Wednesday, April 18, 2012
at 4 PM PDT (5 MT, 6PM CT, 7EST)

to learn how to turn your content into the rough draft of your book.

This is the best time in publishing history for aspiring authors, especially those of you who already have content and a platform (even if you’re just starting.)

You will learn

  • The one tip that will free you to create your rough draft fast
  • Why fast is better than good
  • Three easy ways to turn your current content into your rough draft
  • How to start your rough draft tonight even if you don’t have any content yet
  • Why you need a book
  • Why a traditional outline may not be your friend

Dash over to register at http://www.abookin90days.com/webinarinvite

Register even if you can’t attend live so you can receive the replay.

 

How Your Overcoming Story Can Make a Difference

This story of unknown origin is an excerpt from Chapter 3 of my book, Color Your LIfe Happy: Create the Success, Abundance and Inner Joy You DeserveAvailable in print and as Kindle instant download–$7.99 (If you don’t own a Kindle, Amazon provides a free download to your computer or smartphone)

 

One day, a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. That animal cried piteously or hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed shovels and began to shovel dirt into well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement, he quieted down.

A few shovels later the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey did something amazing. He shook it off and took a step up. As the neighbors continue to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he shook it off and took another step up.

Pretty soon, everyone was amazed to see the donkey step up over the edge of the well and happily trot off!

In the end, the donkey found the right attitude toward the dirt hitting his back. He didn’t accept it as a death sentence.  He shook off the dirt and took a step up.

Like the donkey in the story, at some point in our lives we will find ourselves in deep trouble, stress, or what may seem like a hopeless situation. Our first reaction may be to cry, limit our troubles, cursed and fight against our situation. The sooner we turn from our fruitless actions and calm ourselves, however the sooner we can discover positive actions, shake off our troubles and rise to a satisfying solution. We cannot control or change others but we can definitely control our reaction to outside circumstances.

As a coach, an entrepreneur, or speaker do you have an overcoming story of your own that will give courage, motivation and hope to someone? Perhaps you already share such stories with your clients in your sessions or presentations. You can share your transforming stories in a bigger way through your book. I would like to become your partner in getting your book written, marketed and published.

If you are ready to share to get your book written, let’s talk to see if my program is a good fit for you. If it’s not, no worries because I’ll offer you great alternatives. Pop me an email right now with “READY” in the subject line at [email protected] with your phone number and I’ll call you within 24 hours. I’ll be filling these slots quickly so don’t push this deep desire of yours down again. All it takes right now is for you to step forward and put the universe on notice that you are ready to make a bigger difference.

I’m going over to check for your email right now.

 

One Surefire Way to Improve Your Writing

Staring at a blank sheet of paper or Word document as you start an article, a blog post or  your book is a scary thing. It stops the flow of creativity in even the most talented writer. As for newcomers to the process, it can kill the dream at the start.

Published writers, editors and publishers offer much advice about what you should do before you write your book. Most say you should create an outline or put pressure on yourself by announcing your plan to the world.

One thing that is extremely helpful to authors as they are writing their book is market research. You may have heard this term used as it relates to consumer research for marketing services and products, but it is also a very relevant practice for writers, too!

One of the best kind of “market research” is studying an author you admire.

There are three good reasons for this.

1. Inspiration

The mere fact that a favorite author has successfully shared her ideas in print is encouraging, especially at the start when your first words seem out of reach. Observing the author use words you can understand to unfold concepts before your very eyes will give you encouragement and often call forth your ideas that until now were too shy to reveal themselves.

2. Guidance

It is very instructive to turn an analytical eye to the work of an admired author or even the top authors in your genre, whether you admire them or not. You can learn about writing, structuring and publishing all in one place.

First, pay attention to how you approach the book as a reader: check out the title, author’s name, quick scan of front cover, flip over to back cover looking for proof that this book will keep the promise of its title and solve your problem or fill your need.

Second, go inside the book to see how the author delivers on his promise. How does he begin, develop and end the chapters? Is the book light-hearted, humorous or serious, with lessons and activities? Are there quotes, stories, illustrations, and if so, do they add to the message? Are there examples to make key points clear or does the author pose questions and leave you to reflect?

3. Direction

After you have read, examined and analyzed the book, you will begin to see gaps in what and how the author wrote his book and how you want to write yours.

You will notice omissions, ideas she didn’t cover or information glazed over that you’d like to explain in more depth in your book.

You will begin to see missing evidence you would set forth to support ideas in your book that somehow the author in question neglected.

In this phase you will begin to see your book emerge as distinctive. Even though it may be on the same or similar topic or style and isn’t even written yet, you will begin to see the gap your book will fill in the literature.

You will be able to visualize the books currently on the bookstore shelf moving closer together making just enough space on the shelf for your upcoming book to join them.

There are two more very practical reasons to study another author or authors in your genre:

  1. You will be able to return to them when your confidence wanes along the way (and it will).
  2. If you plan to approach a literary agent or submit directly to a traditional publisher, this will be a required part of your proposal, without which they will not even consider your manuscript.

Using these techniques and tips will keep you moving forward on your path to writing your articles, blog posts or your own book. Start putting them into action today!