Tag: How to Prepare for Writing Your Book

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Instead of a Book Outline, Start with a Clothesline

You might have heard the first step of writing a book is creating an outline. It’s true that an outline can be a big help in organizing a book. But it’s not necessarily the first step.

Some book topics lend themselves well to outlines, especially how-to books where the steps of a process are clear. But other topics might be more difficult to put into an outline up front. Some books are a process of discovery in the writing.

How can you create an outline up front if you don’t know yet what you’re going to write?

How do you take that journey of discovery as a writer that leads eventually to an outline?

Introducing the clothesline: a flexible, creative, discoverable approach that will eventually emerge into an outline for your book.

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From Notes to Book: Collecting Treasures One Idea at a Time

Folks often ask how to turn their stacks of notes into a book. I compare the process to rock collecting: seeking and gathering treasures, discovering and appreciating what’s there, and arranging them into mini collections. 

This process isn’t about turning notes into a book overnight. It’s about the joy of discovering the treasures already in your notes and finding wonderful ways to arrange them into a book outline. The more fun you have in the process, the more engaging your book will be for your readers. 

Let’s look at how to turn notes into a book—rock-collecting style. 

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Writing a Book this Fall? End of Summer is the Perfect Prep Time

It’s summer: time for rest, play, enjoying longer days. And you’re torn. You know you want to write a book this fall, and you wonder if you should start preparing now. But you don’t want to miss one relaxing ounce of summer. 

Not to worry. You can take a few steps to prepare for fall book writing that fit easily into your summer pace. Let’s take a look. 

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