Writing a book

Many of you met LmL at the B&P. She is a new member and hasn't got enough posts to start a thread. She wants to know some things about writing a printed book. I know several on here have done that and may have words of wisdom for her.

LmL, please post your questions so that we can help you.

Thanks Runum!
Simple Question, You write a draft and then what?

Do you ask how to finish writing it or how to publish/print it?

I guess I'll jump in with some questions if you don't mind.


If you have a lot of material to cover, what's the best way about doing it? I was considering just audio recording everything first then writing off speech.

Secondly, who is the first person you should give it to read?

Welcome, LML!

I wrote and self-published a book in just nine months after joining this forum. Some people say that the real work starts after the book is done, but I can at least help you get to this point. I really encourage you to read The Luck-Struck (Success?) Story thread, in which I have chronologically compiled the many conversations that helped me go from "Writing a Stupid eBook" to publishing a project of which I am proud.

Before you wade through that story, let me distill my advice into some small bites:

1. Plan in reverse. I learned this from RussH. Envision your goal first. How many books will you sell? Who will read it? How does that fit in with your life goals? Then plan backwards. Envision the steps it would take to get there. Picture the milestones along the way. Then picture the small steps in between. Trace the path all the way back to your present day, until your first step is clear to you. (FYI, I'm a visual learner, so I used FreeMind to map my plan.)
2. Write, write, write. This is a step you will be doing through the whole process. Just keep writing. Don't worry about formatting or continuity. That comes in the editing phase. Just crank out content. (I am guilty of distracting myself by playing with chapter headings and small details when I should have been dumping energy into the flesh and bones of my manuscript.)
3. Decide whether to be traditional or to go it alone. A publisher has the expertise and the connections to introduce you to the literary world. A publisher may also be distracted by the better horses in the stable. I chose to self-publish, because no one can sell me like me. Either way, this will be a personal decision you must make based upon your won research.
4. Pay attention to requirements. There are a million ways to do this, but if you have specific goals (Amazon.com, Oprah, NY Times, etc.) learn the rules. If you want your book to be sold anywhere besides the trunk of your car and truck stops, your book will need an ISBN. And a LCCN won't hurt either. Publishers will arrange these things for you. Self-publishers must keep these requirements in mind for themselves.
5. Get feedback. Yes, you can let Mommy and Daddy read it, but what kind of feedback will they give you? "Our little girl is a genius!" Great for the ego, useless to a writer. Give manuscripts to your friends and acquaintances. I doled out about a dozen copies to high-rep. Fastlaners that generously offered their time. The honest feedback you will get is invaluable. Not only will they catch small errors that you have overlooked a thousand times, but they will give you your first reviews on style and likability. Better to get the bad news in private before some professional destroys you in his news column.
6. Sell, sell, sell. Learn how to do (or outsource) all of the following (and more): Facebook, Myspace, AuthorsDen, Twitter, Digg, Del.icio.us, blogging, web-design, SEO, PPC, E-mail autoresponders, Analytics, direct mail, marketing, psychology, eBay, Craigslist, Google, Google, and Google! Google, Wikipedia, and the Fastlane can turn a know-nothing into a passable expert* on any topic overnight. Search, read, refine search, read, diversify search, read, etc.

I'll probably edit or add to this post as more comes to mind, but I hope this gets you started. Good luck!

*Actually, Malcolm Gladwell posits in Outliers that it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert. That's five years of 40-hour study weeks or one year and nine months of studying every waking hour.

Great post PEERless.

First draft is about 5% of the time spent on the book.
Most of my novels have about 10 drafts
and 3 different editors working on it.
Editing is SO important
because you may think your book makes perfect sense,
but odds are
it doesn't.

Then there is marketing and selling
which takes up about 80% of time spent.

What type of book is it?
Fiction or non-fiction?

If you are looking to get published, you need to get an agent. This can be very difficult since agents have to ACCEPT you as a client. They need to see your work and then take you on. Usually, the acceptance rate is less than 1%...

THEN, it is their job to try to find you a publisher. There is no guarantee that they will find one for you either.

I am by no means trying to discourage you, nor am I doubting that you can ultimately get an agent, I am just letting you know what you are up against.

My friend is trying to get some novels published right now, and he recently told me about this process. Unfortunately, I don't remember if the agent supplies an editor or if you have to find one yourself.

I asked him about self publishing, and this is even more difficult. You CAN self publish, but the chances of even getting on bookshelves are even lower. Therefore, your best bet is to go through an agent, then a publisher.

Best of luck!

Wow, Thank you for all the start up info! As for what kind of book..., Short, funny, equine stories.

I really agree with this. You will not believe how bad a first draft is, after you have gone through a rigorous editing process. It is humbling.
This reminds me of that stat: 99% of startups fail. Really, the stat should be 99% of people who start a business shouldn't have. If you are exceptional, you will succeed. Your odds of success are directly related to how hard you work... not some obscure probability.
Great! You've got a niche. Now is the time to start a website (with a blog) in this niche. Build a community of readers. Make them your friends. Feel them out for what they want. Subtly make them realize they want your book!

I 100% agree with you. Like I said, I wasn't trying to discourage, just merely point out the competition that, like business owners, an author would inevitably face.

If the message or book is outstanding, like you said, the author or business owner will indeed triumph.

I was also pointing out that going through an agent, even though the acceptance rate is small, is probably the smarter way to go than self-publishing. Also, given the tasks that would be required, self-publishing is probably anything BUT fastlane.

They won't triumph if no one knows about it.

Like RK said... "I'm a best SELLING author - not a best WRITING author."

It is all about marketing, selling, and otherwise getting the word out.

I disagree for the reason ATW quoted:
I stand by my opinion that I am the best salesman of myself. Agents and publishers only see their writers as a means to an end -- which is OK. Most employees see their employers as such. But as my own agent and publisher, I work my ass off day and night to sell myself in order to feed myself and my baby.
I'm seeing how this one could go both ways. Many authors go from obscurity to fame overnight through traditional publishing channels. I'm not trying to become well-known in the literary world. I'm trying to create income. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the big guys in this field, from Tony Robbins to Richard Kiyosaki, all self-published first.