How To Write Your Book Within A Week


Everyone has a book inside them, or so the saying goes. But few people get that book out. Often it's because of lack of time. So, how can you get your book written inside a week or two?

I was talking to a friend yesterday who complained they couldn't find time to write their book. They had an idea, but could never find the time. They wanted to know how did I manage to get books written so quickly - was there a magic formula I used. So I told him my story and thought I'd share it here.

I've written 27 books which have been published by traditional publishers, plus I have written five books which I have published myself. Not one of these books has taken me more than two weeks to write. And, even though one of them is 12 years old, it still continues to sell well in seven different countries in five languages and is one of the most borrowed books in libraries (according to my PLR statistics). So, even though it only took two weeks to write, it can't be that bad!

Here's my 'trick'. When I get an idea for a book I get a ring binder and label it with my book title. Then I chuck into that ring binder some blank paper and a few plastic punched pockets to store things in. Then as I go about my work over the coming days I'll just scribble down on the paper in my folder any ideas I get which might be useful for the book. Also if I see any articles in newspapers or magazines, I'll rip them out and place them in the plastic pockets in the binder. Similarly, if I see a web page which might have some value to my book, I'll print it out and shove it in the binder. I do not make any value judgements, I do not try to put things in order, I simply chuck everything that might be useful into the ring binder. I also jot down questions that people ask me that are related to the book subject and I try to come up with my own questions which the book might answer. Anything and everything is collected into the ring binder.

Once I've got a reasonable collection of material, which might take days, weeks, or months to accumulate, I'll then go through it and start to put it in order. I'll use the list of questions I've written to help guide me in this and then I'll use the sorted piles of information to help me come up with chapter headings. This might take me a day, but by the end of that day I'll have a complete, detailed outline of my book - plus all the associated background information which will help me write it.

Then I can start writing. To do this I often go away from home. In the past I used to hire a holiday cottage somewhere idyllic. Nowadays I go to my own holiday home down near Bognor Regis. But it means I can write without the distractions of the office. If you have a book of, say 30,000 words to write, that's only 5,000 words a day for six days. That's one chapter in the morning and one in the afternoon. Or, put it another way, you need to write around 750 words an hour - or one word every five seconds. Now that's not many is it?

It might sound a daunting task, but with a detailed outline and all the background information already prepared, it is actually quite straightforward. I'm convinced that people who can't find the time to write their book haven't actually formulated their ideas fully or got their information collected. Once you have down that, the writing is relatively straightforward.

So, in short, getting your book written in record time is easy if you follow a 'system'. Mine is:

* Collect any information that might be relevant

* Write down any idea which might be relevant

* Sort through all the information and ideas you collect and put them into an order

* Write a detailed outline of your book - chapter headings, sub headings etc.

* Take some time off from your normal work - a holiday away for a week, say

* Set yourself a daily target of words to write

Barbara Cartland used to write 10,000 words every day. You might not like her work, but there's no denying she was successful at what she did. Being organised and having a target to reach is the only way to get that book written. Your book will never get written if all you do is wait for 'enough time'.

Graham Jones is a psychologist who has specialized in the way we use the Internet. He is an expert on information products and runs Infoselling.com where you can get a FREE report on how to sell your own infoproducts.

http://www.infoselling.com

MORE RESOURCES:
RELATED ARTICLES
Write With Passion: 4 Steps To Emotionally Charge A Nonfiction Article
You have just completed a draft of an article. It seems flat, even to you.
Format Each eBook Chapter Before you Write It
Do you have a problem creating a focus in your chapters? Does your writing slip around, leaving a muddy path to the gold--your unique, useful message? Format each chapter in your book. Your consistency, your organized, focused copy will compel your reader to want to read every chapter because they are easy to understand.
Platform Development Tip #1: Switch Writing Hats!
Around eighty percent of nonfiction books today are written by "experts," that is people who have a) earned credentials in the field they're writing about, b) germinated information via articles, live presentations or other media, or c) had extraordinary, unique or memorably told life experiences relevant to their topic.For an autobiographical work, such as a memoir, an author needn't have any special expertise-she is the foremost authority on her own life.
Effective Editing: It Spells the Difference!
If you think proofreading equals editing, then you're wrong! Editing is a lot more than just scrutinizing your manuscript for misspelled words or missing punctuation marks.As a whole:Edit only *after* you've written the *whole* piece.
And What Do You Do? ... How To Know When Youre a Writer!
It's the funniest thing. When someone asks me what I do for a living, I tell them, "I'm a writer.
Greatness
[When I was a nineteen-year-old high school student and budding poet - two years after my diving accident] many factors adversely affected my creativity. My trips in a special bus to school and back home, my courses, and my assignments, though I was spared a lot of writing and was mostly tested orally, all this was time-consuming.
Effective Collaboration - Working With Your Ghostwriter
Using a ghostwriter to craft your free reprint articles and marketing materials is an excellent way to maximize your time and profit. The fastest and most effective way to find a freelance ghostwriter or editor is to post your writing projects on an on-line service like Freelance Work Exchange at http://tinyurl.
Use These 3 Editing Tips to Ensure Your Writing Hits the Bull's-Eye
The first step in the writing process is to put your ideas down on paper. Once you have text to work with, the second step is to revise what you have written to make it as clear, accurate and powerful as you can.
Writing With Power: 5 Snappy Rules For Success
Almost everyone could profit from enhancing their writing skills. From writing more crisp meta-tags - which search engine bots find quite sexy - to turbo-charging your blog readership by writing with punch, a skilled pen can propel any online effort in the right direction.
Writing - Copyrights and Trademarks Protect You
When most people consider writing a book, they don't think about Trademarks. However, I highly recommend that you leverage your writing for multiple purposes, and that's why registering a Trademark for your concept is a good idea.
How To Write A Newsletter
In order to be successful with a newsletter, specialize in a subject not adequately covered in existing newsletters. A subject which you can give more, or better information on.
Dont Make This Huge Writing Mistake!
You can create a great headline, a dynamic first sentence, and a brilliant lead paragraph. But if you can't hold readers during those middle paragraphs, they'll never see your conclusion.
When Getting Stuck Goes Amuck
Many of us have always wanted to write. We have all gotten writer's block.
Zany Ideas That Increase Writing Productivity And Quality
Welcome to the zany ideas of a productive writer. My students keep reminding me of my unusual tools and how helpful they have been for them.
Writing Made Them Rich #4: Paulo Coelho
Paulo Coelho was born on August 24th 1947 in Rio deJaneiro, Brazil.At age 17 he announced his intention to be a writer.
Learning How To Write
As a student of Spanish, my goal was to think in Spanish. Skip the word-by-word translation so I'd have the necessary speed to speak and listen.
A Writers Life
Ever wonder what an author's life is like? What that breathing, sweating, hungry, weary, bona fide guy does when he's not at the keyboard? How does his "day job" affect his writing? When he's mowing the lawn, grocery shopping, or babysitting grandchildren - what goes through his mind? Is he sucking up every sensation as he moves through his day, tucking tidbits away for a future piece? Or, does he simply journey through life, just - doing - these things?How do I define myself? Am I Aaron Paul Lazar, with the obligatory middle name, author of the LeGarde Mystery Series? Sometimes. At book signings, indeed.
Vary Your Writing Style and Win Readers
First drafts are for getting down the ideas. Anna Jacobs calls the first draft the 'dirty draft'.
The Spectre Hound
And a dreadful thing from the cliff did spring, and its wild bark thrill'd around, His eyes had the glow of the fires below, 'twas the form of the spectre houndOne of the most chilling omens of death in English folklore is the large, spectral demon dog called Black Shuck. A death omen comes to collect souls and if you have the misfortune to see Black Shuck - expect death to come within a year.
What Can Go Into A Plot?
Creative Writing Tips -We all tackle plotting differently. How you plot will be individual to you, as it is with every writer.