How to Finish That Ebook You Started Six Months Ago

A guest post by Ali Luke of Aliventures

Admit it. Somewhere on your hard drive, there’s an abandoned document: ebook-in-progress.

You once had high hopes for it. You were going to launch it to the world, make lots of money, and bask in your new-found fame and fortune.

Except, it wasn’t quite that easy.

At some point, you put that ebook draft aside … and you haven’t picked it up since.

Maybe you think you just haven’t got it in you. Sure, you can write blog posts … but a whole ebook?

Trust me, you can finish your ebook. And here’s how:

Step #1: Look Over What You’ve Already Got

This can be a surprisingly tough step, so be prepared to feel some resistance. Push on anyway – it’s only a document, and it can’t hurt you.

Open up that file. Skim through what you’ve already written. Chances are:

  • You might have done more than you remember
  • You’ll have forgotten writing some of it
  • Your writing will probably be better than you thought it was

Even if you’ve only written 1,000 words of your ebook, it’s a good start.

Once you’re clear about where you’d got up to, it’s time to create an outline.

Step #2: Put Together a Complete Outline

If I didn’t write outlines, I’d never finish anything. Your outline is a crucial tool for both the structure and organization of your ebook itself, and for the motivation that you feel when writing. It’s a lot easier to work from a series of bullet points than from a blank page.

Your outline doesn’t need to be insanely detailed. And it’s not even that hard to get started: just begin by creating a summary of the material that you’ve already got.

A good outline might be:

  • A rough chapter heading for every chapter (you can tweak this later)
  • Three to five key points that you want to cover in each chapter

 

For instance, if your ebook was about novel-writing, your outline might start like this:

Chapter 1: What is a Novel?

  • Give a dictionary definition
  • How’s it different from other forms? (Short stories, memoir, etc)
  • The history of the novel
  • Key types of novel today

Chapter 2: Why Write a Novel?

  • Much more popular than short stories
  • New publishing possibilities, e.g. as an ebook
  • The desire to write and create

 

Step #3: Set Yourself a Deadline

Now that you’ve got your ebook planned out, you’ll be able to decide on a deadline.

A good deadline allows enough slack that you don’t give up entirely – but keeps enough pressure on you that you build up a good writing momentum.

To work out a sensible deadline, you’ll need to figure out:

  • Roughly how long your ebook is going to be (work out the average word count of the chapters you’ve already written, and assume that each chapter will be that length)
  • How fast you can write (if you’ve no idea, time yourself across a couple of writing sessions)
  • How many hours you’ll be able to spend writing your ebook each week (aim for at least four hours)

If your deadline ends up being a very long time away, you might need to adjust your plan. Perhaps that 60-chapter ebook could be split into a series of five 12-chapter ebooks.

Step #4: Book in Your Next Three Writing Sessions

One of the reasons that your ebook ended up gathering virtual dust is because there’s never going to be a “perfect” time to write. Perhaps you were in a good routine with your blog posts … but your ebook kept getting shunted aside.

To avoid that happening again, make time for ebook-writing sessions. Put them in your calendar, and treat them as non-negotiable appointments.

Try to position your sessions during your best writing times: for me, that’s morning (I’m typing this at 9.23am) but for you, it could be afternoon, evening or late at night.

Block out your next three sessions – ideally, within the next week.

Step #5: Work Out Your Target for Each Session

Simply having “write ebook, 10am – 12 noon” on your plan isn’t going to do much for you. It’s all too easy to sit down and stare blankly at the screen … only to end up chatting on Twitter instead of writing.

Give yourself a specific target for each session. That might be “finish chapter two” or “write the first two sections of chapter five” or “revise the introduction”.

Setting your goals in advance removes the element of indecision when you sit down to write. It also helps to focus your thoughts: if you know that you’re going to be working on chapter five tomorrow, you may find that some new ideas bubble up while you’re in the bath or cooking dinner. (Keep a notebook on hand to capture these.)

Step #6: Repeat!

One week of effort isn’t going to get you a finished ebook, unless you’re working on something very short.

If you really want to finish your ebook, you need to put in consistent effort, day after day, week after week. Yes, there’ll be times when it’s not easy … but once you start making steady progress, you’ll realize that it can be done.

A half-written ebook is no good to anyone. It won’t bring you any fame or fortune, and it won’t help your readers either.

So make the decision today to finish that ebook and get it out there. You can do it – and I promise you, it’ll be a great feeling.

Ali Luke is the author of several ebooks, including the popular Blogger’s Guide series. She’s just released The Blogger’s Guide to Irresistible Ebooks, which covers the whole ebook-writing process from initial idea through to post-launch promotion. Click here to find out more about it.

 

Categories: Business

How To Make One Story into Many By Being Multimedia Savvy

By Drew Tewksbury of Ebyline’s Blog

It’s not hard to get discouraged about writing and journalism with all the negative news in the media world. Newspapers are ceasing production, magazines are going online-only, and new outlets are few and far between.

It’s a lot of gloom and doom, written by journalists who themselves are fearing for their own job security. But it’s not just hype.
So as a writer, how are you going to get your work out there when it seems like there are fewer publications than ever before?

The key to surviving the clear cutting of print publications: Redefine and reimagine.

Try to adjust your self-image, you’re no longer just a writer, you’re a multimedia producer. You produce, you create, not just words on the page, but images, sounds, stories. You don’t have to go back to journalism school to learn to use multimedia tools or spend a lot of money on equipment; many new journalism tools are already in your pocket today. With some clever smart phone hacking and a multimedia mindset, you can make every story you report into three (or four, or five…) more stories.

Here’s how:

1. Get the Tools.
These days, being a multimedia journalist is easier than ever before. Many of us already carry the tools of the trade with us everyday. Your iPhone, Droid, or other mobile device can make a good makeshift solution in a pinch. Check out Poynter Institute’s “10 Best iPhones Apps for Journalists” for apps that shoot and publish good video, or programs that help you edit images quickly. If you want to go more pro, keep in mind that you will be able to pay off your gear with increased number of gigs you land. It’s worth it.

2. Audio.
Probably one of the easiest ways to flip a story is to repurpose your audio. Next time you go to do an interview, bring a professional quality recorder with you. The Marantz PMD620 is a professional grade digital recorder that you can slip in your pocket. It has external mics but if your own mic isn’t a bad idea either. Zoom makes some good recorders, which are even cheaper than the Marantz, but both of these recorders are less than $400. So once you’ve recorded your audio, you can use that audio for many different things. You can pitch your the sound of your interview to a radio station or NPR, who will often buy sound files, or “tape synchs.” Also you could pitch a scripted piece that you will write out and voice, with the sounds from your interview woven throughout.

3. Slideshows.
Online publications are in desperate need of photos for their sites. Photo galleries are some of the most financially lucrative parts of websites, so many publications have been hard pressed by their business departments to add one or many photos to their sites. Even if you’re not David LaChappelle, consumer grade digital cameras basically take a photo for you. Bring one along for your next story and you can add a couple extra dollars onto your story.

4. Audio Slideshows.
If you combine steps two and three together, then you have the newish phenomenon: The audio slideshow. These galleries are always a delight to see on a website, and they are relatively easy to create. Soundslides is a great program that lets you take your audio and lay it under a slideshow. If you take your audio from an interview, and juxtapose it with the images that you took, you have successfully become a multimedia journalist. It’s a simple process that adds a whole new dimension to storytelling.

5. Video Clips:
Online publications are dying to be patient zero of a viral video. If you shoot some footage on your phone, or on a Flip cam, perhaps you can help them to realize their dream. If you’re shooting with your phone or another hand held device, the best thing to do is put it down. Maybe you can set it on a book, or a table to eliminate that “Blair Witch Project” shaky-cam look. If you’re in a situation where you can’t do this, use the hand not holding the camera to hold your wrist. This will steady your camera arm enough for some passable video. Once you have the video, you should pitch it to the online or web editor at a publication.

Drew Tewksbury is a radio producer and the editor of Ebyline’s Blog, which explores the business of freelancing life.

Image by Loca Luna / Anna Gay

Categories: Blogwriting, Freelancing

7 Reasons Why Joining a Book Club Will Help Your Writing

A guest post by Jules Clancy of Stonesoup.

There are many rules of good writing, but the best way to find them is to be a good reader.
Stephen Ambrose

We’ve all heard accomplished authors say that the best thing for writers to improve their craft is to read widely.

When deadlines loom and life gets hectic, reading can be one of the first things to fall off the radar. Especially reading for pleasure.

Recently, I stumbled upon an online book club of fellow food bloggers and jumped at the chance to join them.

And the thing is, I’m finding there are so many more benefits than I had originally hoped for.

If you’re find you aren’t reading as much as you’d like, here are 7 reasons to get out there and find yourself a book club virtual or otherwise.

1. Read more.
Most of us need a push to get motivated and joining a book club provides clear deadlines on a regular basis. I’m finding that making the time to read for my book club has also opened windows in my day for other reading as well. It’s a bit like the more I read, the more I remember how much I love reading. And the more I read.

2. Read things you wouldn’t normally read.
We all know that it is more beneficial to read a wide variety of styles and genres to help your writing grow, but it can be difficult to push yourself to pickup books outside your comfort zone. Book clubs are a great way to expose yourself to variety. We writers can learn from both the good and the bad.

3. Meet new people
While making friends is always good for the soul, a book club gives you a chance to meet people from different walks of life. This has the added benefit of opportunities to observe new people – great fodder for your writers observational brain.

4. Experience books in a whole new way.
Reading alone is wonderful. Sharing a book with others who have followed a similar solitary journey brings a whole new perspective on the experience. It can open you up to different explanations and insights you may have missed.

5. Gives you insights into the minds of other readers.
As a writer, having a glimpse into how readers react to different topics, styles and techniques can be very enlightening. Seeing what works and what doesn’t is invaluable for learning what invokes strong reactions both positive and negative.

6. Learn new techniques and approaches.
Having the opportunity to analyze writing with fellow authors can only help you gain a greater understanding of the writing process. Likewise, explaining your own observations to others will cement the lessons more firmly in your own mind.

7. It’s fun.
Taking the time to enjoy yourself and have some fun with books and other people is reward in itself. Don’t forget that it also helps inspire and recharge your creative juices and that alone wil

If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have time to write.
Stephen King

Jules Clancy is a qualified Food Scientist and the creator of The Stonesoup Virtual Cookery School. She blogs about simple 5 ingredients recipes that can mostly be prepared in 10 minutes over at Stonesoup.

Categories: Reading

How To Avoid Barriers That Weaken Your Headlines

A guest post by Sean DSouza of Psychotactics

Assume I visited your home. How would I enter? Through the window, or the backdoor. Surely you’ve reserved the chimney for good ol’ Santa. So where do I enter?

Why through the door, right?

And when you write copy, what’s your door? Why the headline. So think about it. How many obstacles would you put in the way, if you wanted me to enter? What a silly question, eh? You’d make darned sure you freed up the entry to the doorway, so I could get in quickly.

Not true.

Most websites seem to do just the opposite. They put in barriers. They put in dozens of distractions. And if by chance their customers do get to the door, they’re now confused. Are they standing at the door, or was there a door before?

Your doorway is your headline

So if you want the world to see your headline, what should you do? Why, you’d do what any sensible homeowner would do.

1) You’d make your doorway prominent.
2) You’d make your doorway different, somehow.
3) You’d make your doorway free of obstructions.

1) Making the doorway prominent

So how does this translate to websites, for instance? If you look at headlines, you’ll find that most websites have headlines that are weak and wimpy. Look at the headline in this article. You’ll find that it’s kinda Arnold Schwarzwhateverhisnameis.

And you’ll find that your eye went to the headline in a fraction of a second. That I didn’t need to put flashing lights and dancing girls around the headline for you to take notice. I just had to make it bold. And prominent. So that you can instantly see the ‘door’ and know that hey, this is a headline.

2) You’d have to make your doorway different
When I say different, you’re probably confused. Yes, you can see the boldness of the headline, but won’t that be enough? No, no, no, no, no. That ain’t enough. A headline needs to be different. As in, different font. Or different colour. Or different size. Not just bold, but different. A boring doorway doesn’t get noticed. And an overdone doorway is laughed at.

But a doorway that’s elegant and stands out, is one that’s starting to get (and keep) your customer’s attention. So yes, notice how the font is ‘serif’ vs. the copy that’s ‘sans-serif’ (Georgia vs. Verdana). Notice how the colour is red vs. the text being black. Notice that the point size is 18 while the text point size is 12. It’s the little things that make it a headline. It’s the itsy-bitsy fundamentals that make it prominent and say, “Hey, you, the welcome mat’s here!”

3) You’d have to remove the darn obstructions
Don’t give me ten lines to read. I don’t want to read that stuff. I want to read your headline. I want to know if I qualify. Don’t put your testimonials in front of your headline (unless the testimonial ‘is’ the headline). Don’t put twenty billion links and stupid photos.

Sit down. And count the hoops that customers have to jump through to get to your headline and remove those hoops. Chop anything that’s getting in the way of your doorway, ruthlessly. Yes, chop, chop, chop.

Your headline is your main attractor
It’s what most of your customers read. It’s what gets them to read the next fifty words, that then slides them down into the next fifty words, and so on. Make your doorway bold, and different, and without obstructions.

Us mortals have to find your doorway. Santa on the other hand, can manage quite well, thank you :)

To read more articles by Sean DSouza—and get a very useful report on “Why Headlines Fail”, go t PsychoTactics.com

Categories: Blogwriting, Craft

I Paid For This?! Surviving the Editorial Letter

A guest post by Lisa Kilian of What Not To Do as a Writer

There comes a time in every writer’s life when the plot is adequately twisted, the characters are adequately developed, and all the typos have been eliminated with a laser gun. You think.

Actually, you’re not sure if any of that is true because you’ve been staring at the same document on your computer for so long you’re kind of wondering if maybe you didn’t go blind last week. You think you’re reading words. You think those words are good. The dreams about your story have stopped and now all you dream about is book parties and signings and big wigs and wine.

You think you’re ready to submit. To publish. To throw caution to the wind and send that manuscript off for some close reading. Except you haven’t been able to read your own manuscript closely for months now and you’re honestly not sure what it says anymore. Your characters could be marrying dogs or lost somewhere else in the muddle, you have no idea.

That’s why you need an editor.

Someone who doesn’t know you or love you but knows writing and loves reading freshly pressed work. Someone who will look at your characters and say, “Hey, cool story, but did you notice Sally marries a dog on page 23?”

When I receive a manuscript to read, I welcome it with open arms. And the brave writers who have sent their words to me wait patiently in the background brimming with nervous energy. It’s a great relationship. We email back and forth about little things. We laugh. I read and make notes.

And then I send the editorial letter. And that’s when the fun stops.

Right there, in one convenient document, is an overview of all the concerns I have regarding their manuscript. Plot holes, flat characters, lagging prose, over-telling, over-explaining, back story — all of it. Their manuscript is suddenly less pristine and more of a mess and I know I’m not gonna be the one to clean it up.

Receiving an editorial letter after you’ve paid to have your novel edited sucks. It just — sucks. That’s pretty much the only thing I can say. But! That same editorial letter that sucks so much to read is also the heart and soul of what you paid for. You asked someone professional with an objective eye to read your manuscript and deconstruct it — and that’s exactly what they did. And they even went one step further and gave you suggestions on how to clean up your mess.

Still, I can hear it through the email; the writer’s happiness just deflates. I receive an answer just dripping with defeat. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Steel your skin and prepare your mind before you open that letter. And remember these things:

 

1. What is a Finished Piece to You is a Rough Draft to Me

 

You may believe your manuscript to be finished and polished — but if you’re sending it to an editor, it’s not. Why else would it end up on an editor’s desk? There are things going on in your manuscript that you are simply blind to because you no longer have the distance and objectivity to see it. Why would you? You’ve spent months with your nose to the screen trying to figure out how to finish this thing.

 

2. Just Because You Receive In-Depth Edits Doesn’t Mean You Suck

 

Everyone receives in-depth edits. Everyone receives suggestions for change. Everyone has to get edited. I, too, am a writer. And my critique group always makes suggestions for changes. They even tell me ::gasp:: that something is not working. And I get sad. I go home. I take a nap. And then I rewrite.

 

3. By All Means, Get Angry — Just Don’t Call Me

 

When you receive edits and they seem overwhelming, you’re going to get angry. And you’re probably going to be angry at me. That’s the nature of the beast. So get angry. But remember that it’s not me you’re angry with. Frankly, you’re upset with yourself because you sent something that you thought was ready to go and it turned out to not be so ready after all. And that’s okay, really. It’s human nature to get upset when things are hard and writing is just that. So read your letter, take a few deep breaths, hit a punching bag, and take a nap. Seriously. Naps fix everything. When your emotions are defused and you’re ready to get back to work, then you can email me.

 

4. I’m Not Here to Make You Feel Bad

 

My job is to make your writing better, and by default, make you a stronger person. My job is not to take your money and rip your work to shreds. It is not in my interest to be snarky and make you feel like shit. I don’t want to make you give up.

I want to make your writing better. I want to make your writing better. I want to make your writing better.

That’s the first and last concern on any editor’s mind when we read your work.

Lisa Kilian is the author of the blog, What Not To Do as a Writer. She has had essays published at Beyond the Margins, Best Damn Creative Writing Blog, and Write It Sideways to name a few. Follow her @LisaKilian or email her at lr.kilian@gmail.com She would love to read your work.

 

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