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| You can read this book on my website -- navigate to Phyl's Books/Children's Books/Weird Pie. |
I get this question (about getting started) at least once a week, so I decided to make a blog post I can refer people to. Then, if I get ambitious, I might create new blogs that talk about the next steps based on answers to these questions and link them here. Comment on my FB page if there's a specific answer you'd like me to create for you!
Round one:
What are you going to write? Fiction? How To? Memoir? Poetry?
Round two: Do you keep a journal or have you created blog posts on this topic? Are you someone that writes an outline first, or do you write things as you think about them? What's the longest thing you have ever written before? What is your motivation for writing a book (money, sharing history/something to pass down, book is a bucket list thing, urge to write, sheer boredom, example for kids)? Will your family be supportive of your writing? Will you be able to write without their support? Are you a goal-setter? Do you have a time-frame for writing a book? If you're planning to make $1M selling your first book, know that you CAN, but few do this without a major investment of TIME and MONEY -- one professional did an informal study that showed that people making a thousand dollars or more a month in book sales invested $1500.00 per title in marketing, freebies, and other promotions in the book's first three months. And most of them spent six months before that setting up other marketing events and plans before the book was available. (I linked to her Amazon page. When she posted about her study, it was part of a FB group that is no more. But you should be able to learn more from her via her books or blog.) I am not looking to discourage anyone. But like running a marathon, joining a gym, going back to college -- knowing why you are going to do something plays a big part in how to make yourself successful at it.
Round three: Around what central idea are you going to organize the book? Do you have one, two, or three books (or more) in the works? (If you think you have more than one, write or heavily prepare three before launching the first one)
What are your credentials (for non-fiction book)? Who makes up your SUPER-SPECIFIC audience?
Answering these questions should make you excited to write and get your book out there. If this questionnaire makes you more anxious than excited, stick to blogging or writing in your journal for now. You're free to change your mind later, but having material to draw from is always better than thinking about filling 200 blank pages! Ultimately, know that you are perfectly valid in whatever decision you make!!
Happy Writing!
