Can I let you in on a secret? That whisper that keeps telling you to write the damn book… it’s not going away.

Your friends and family that keep suggesting you write a book… they’re not going to stop suggesting it.

How many more hints do you need?

Write the damn book already!

To be clear, I’m talking to those of you who have been saying for years that you want to write. Those of you who are sitting on bestselling ideas. Those who have put writing a book on the back burner for far too long.

Why haven’t you started writing?

You could share your life story through a memoir or your expertise through a self-help book. You could even use your imagination to create characters and new worlds.

You could write one book, or it could be the start of your writing career.

But you won’t know until you give it a try.

Aside from your gut telling you so, you should write a book because the world needs to hear your unique story and point of view!

Let’s be clear…

Writing a book is hard work!

Yes! It will require you to have some skill in writing. It will require you to devote at least a year to get it written.

And… you will be challenged!

No! Writing a book is not for everyone! But for those willing to put in the work…

Being a published author opens doors and creates opportunities. It provides you with a new skill set and expands your resume.

Have I convinced you to take the first step? Here are some of the essentials you must know to help you get started:

Hone your book idea

Give serious thought to what your book will be about.

Do you want to write a book about your life?

What themes will you cover? What experiences will you share?

Or perhaps you have a great idea for a novel…

What’s your book’s plot? Who are the main characters of your story?

As you begin to jot down your ideas, remember to provide as much detail as possible. When you look at your notes again, you want your idea to come alive. You don’t want to look at your notes and wonder, “What was I talking about?”

Identify your book’s target audience

Knowing the target audience for your book is essential to its success because it defines your book’s purpose.

Many first-time authors skip this step because they feel they know what readers want.

Or… in their over-confidence, they declare that their book is for everyone!

This is a costly mistake! Your book is not for everyone. It’s for the person who will gain the most value from it.

Be clear on your genre

Whether you choose self-help or a memoir, you need to understand the expectations for the genre you plan on writing in. You can learn this by reading books within your genre, reading Amazon reviews to see what actual readers thought, or even doing something as simple as a Google search to learn the genre’s tenets.

For example, when I Google self-help, here’s what it says:

A self-help book is one that is written to instruct its readers on solving personal problems.

Google your genre and learn the expectations so your book can compete with others within the market.

Choose your publishing journey

Self-publishing vs. traditional publishing? Which one should you choose?

Everyone’s publishing journey will differ and depend on your individual writing goals.

Do you want to be a bestselling author? Do you have a plan for accomplishing your goals, no matter your publishing journey?

There are many benefits to each publishing path, and both can garner successful, long-lasting careers depending on what you bring to the table.

I’ve seen writers excel on each publishing path and struggle. With realistic expectations and a keen understanding of the publishing industry, your journey should be based on what works best for you!

Create a book outline

After you’ve opened up Google Docs or an MS Word document, take time to create an outline of what you plan to write. According to most writers, beginning and ending your manuscript is the hardest part of writing a book.

Creating an outline serves as the blueprint for your book and is among the first steps to writing a successful book.

For fiction writers, outlining will include all the possible names and descriptions of characters in the novel, where scenes should take place, backstories, or anything else that’s likely to appear in the larger picture. By creating an overview, you’ll spark new ideas on how to structure your plot and alleviate the chance of any characters being pointless additions or undeveloped.

Similarly, non-fiction writers can also outline chapters, giving special consideration to any research needed to be done during the writing process. You should also consider your reader and the logical order your chapters need to appear for them to gain the most value.

By the end of your book, the reader should know why you’re an expert on the subject and want to read more.

What I’ve shared is the barebones approach to getting started. You’ll need to do more in-depth research on all of the above steps. However, your goal right now is to take the first step. By taking the first step, you’re that much closer to reaching your goal of becoming a published author.

Write the damn book!

If you’re tired of saying you’re going to write a book and ready to finally put fingers to keyboard… Grab a copy of Write The Damn Book! on Amazon in paperback or Kindle version and learn how to overcome your fear of writing to become a published author!