Book Writing Know-How:
I wrote it wrong before getting it right.
As we all know, it is essential to know the requirements, skill, and basics, before initiating action and implementation for any enterprise. Writing for publication is no exception. I made the mistake of assuming I could write an acceptable book by relying on my ability to write well. In the end this didn’t work for me. There was a reason it fell flat.
Although I purchased recommended writing manuals and publishing books, my basic know-how in book writing was only rudimentary. These were not enough to do the job with skill or finesse. It was a sad day, the day I learned that my unfinished manuscript fell short in a number of areas. The manuscript errors could easily have been avoided if I had solicited advice during an earlier stage in the writing process, or better yet, before beginning. Today, with the advent of numerous internet resources and growth in the self-publishing market, there is much less cause for naïveté in the writing field. For wannabe writers, the door is wide open. However, some serious preparation is in order.
Writers have ideas just itching to get out. Communicating through the written word is a stimulating, almost heady experience. It is fun! Writing is like a stimulant, it can get the creative juices flowing. Those who love the craft are able to formulate clever sentences with a certain amount of ease. The editing process and the perfecting of the manuscript are the time-consumers, often requiring mental gymnastics in search of the best way to express a thought in a way which speaks life into its pages. Effective book writing takes all this and then some.
My prior experiences in writing were in the genres of essays, poems, and plays. Despite their success and positive responses from my audience, these writing experiences were not enough. My knowledge base did not deliver the goods on my first attempt at book writing. Their most glaring deficit was that I wrote in a passive rather than active voice. Instead of showing the reader what I was feeling, I was telling the story and also telling the reader what to think (a real no-no). Telling is rather boring, uninteresting, with all the appeal of a textbook. Showing is intriguing, exciting, pulling the reader into the thought and action. In addition to this error, telling rather than showing, my manuscript had other writing errors common to beginning, unproven authors: inappropriate verb tenses, overuse of adjectives, unnecessary adverbs, over-use of clauses and so forth. A writing coach set me straight.
The craft of writing.
A Smooth Approach to Writing a Better Book
Write well and you will find yourself heading in the right direction. What was passed on to me I pass on to you. Basic formats with specific language structures are the basis for the craft of writing. The more I write the more I realize that these are common sense guidelines.
Once a person becomes aware of them it is easier to spot these writing structures. Ever since I became serious about my writing, I make mental evaluations while reading literary text. The author’s use of writing style and language is assessed more acutely than before becoming aware of what good writing looks like. This comes with the territory. I share a few guidelines with you as a first consideration while undertaking a writing project. The following tips have been useful in my writing ventures.
Make the first sentence count—
The most important sentence in a book is its opening sentence.
-The first sentence must be an attention-grabbing sentence. Makes you want “more.”
-Gripping enough to capture the interest after the book is pulled off the shelf.
-Interesting enough to keep the person perusing through a few of its pages.
Make the message speak—
Every book has a predominate message.
-A book’s content is related to its central message.
-Prepare in advance by stating the book’s message in concise language.
-Then keep to it.
-Don’t let the inside matter get side-tracked by side-eddies.
Make an organizational web—
A “chapter web” will help organize the main points.
-Arrange ideas in thought-bubbles forming a star-burst surrounding the main idea, or use an outline.
-Jot key content in bubbles, use this content for potential chapter guides.
Make it worth while—
Each page should be interesting enough to hold the reader’s attention.
-Tempt the reader to be willing to plunk down $25 to buy your book.
-Give the book-browser a reason to purchase your book.
-Whet the appetite. Make each page speak on its own.
Make the reader join up—
Show the emotion, details, and physical sensations.
-Refrain from telling about the story.
-Place the reader into the scene by using descriptive words.
-Avoid over-explaining the content.
-Show what the character is expressing, feeling, or experiencing.
Make the narrative active not passive—
Write in an active voice.
-Choose active, present tense verbs when applicable i.e. “is” versus “was.”
-Avoid words that may bog down the narrative and risk boring the reader.
-Be careful to not flip tenses or first/third person in the inside matter.
-Train yourself to spot these by oral proofreading the text.
Make the use of adjectives and adverbs a rare occurrence—
The writing stands alone without the clutter of adjectives and adverbs.
-Infrequent use of adjective and adverbs is preferred.
-Write clean. Write sharp. Write clear sentences.
Make the writing intrigue the reader by being slow to show—
The reader wants to figure it out; skip telling them what or how to think.
-Don’t tell too much too fast or hint at the book’s conclusion.
-Allow the reader to find their own way, to figure it out.
Make the book reach its intended point without over-doing it—
The reader will be insulted if you explain the obvious.
-Don’t tell the reader how to process the clues.
-Trust the reader to interact with your message.
Make the book free of clichés, jargon, and words to impress—
Certain genres are prone to “in-house” vernacular.
-Political, spiritual, historical writings etc. may assume background knowledge.
-Refrain from the use of terms not familiar to a general audience (or explain them).
-Language must be pure, direct, and understood.
-Complicated words should be toned down if they impede the reader.
So, there you have it. A few tips that should help with writing clean and get you started. Book-style writing is not writing the same way we speak, unlike many of us were taught during our formal education. Book writing has its own format. It requires the developing of a necessary skill, a craft that will be shape and morph until its hidden beauty speaks. The avid mind will soak up print as a tunnel to a world of delight.