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What kind of book do you like to read? Fiction or non-fiction? Memoir or self-help? When you get ready to write your book, think about what you enjoy. Look closely at the books you like.

Study their structure
A book is more than loose pages of writing. A book may start this way, yet a structure must arise or be imposed on the writing for the reader to follow your thoughts. There are many structures from which to choose. For example, you can divide the material into main sections with several short chapters in each section. Remember: the material should dictate the form of the book. Here are a few ideas:

• Collection of essays or articles on a particular subject

• Story told by a narrator; with beginning, middle and end

• Manual with how-to exercises; with appendix of exercises

• Interviews with prominent experts; divided by topic

• Collection of course materials; increasing in complexity

• Individual stories with related theme; three to five main sections

In essence, you are taking the reader on a journey. You meet them at the door with the cover art and Table of Contents. You welcome them in the Introduction. You invite them to sit down and relax or get ready for a wild ride in Chapter One.

Think of your reader. Are you going to greet them with a hug and kiss? Do you smile or shock them with a surprise that gets their blood pumping? Are you planning to guide them through a garden, wandering from one beautiful plant to the next? Are you going to sit across from them as a counselor with her client? What does the journey look like? What is the destination? What feeling or thoughts do you want the reader to experience? What action do you want them to take? What are you trying to prove about the world?

Many of these questions will be answered as you write your book. When you are clear about your intentions, hopes and dreams for the book, you will help the reader understand where you are going and the benefits of the journey. Here are some helpful tools:

Journal
Brainstorm. Record dreams, conversations and thoughts that pertain to your book. Gather as much information as possible. Don’t worry about fitting all the ideas into the book. You will keep what works and save the rest for your next book!

Binder with divider tabs
This helps you organize your thoughts. Collect all your writing pieces, title ideas, marketing ideas and outline in a binder. The outline provides the basic structure of the book. It can always evolve as you write. The three major parts are: Intro, Body (chapters) and Conclusion. Chapters can be different topics, principles, etc. Once you have an outline, you can start writing chapters and decide on the order.

Storyboard with stickies
Use this filmmaker’s trick. Buy a 2’ x 3’ foam board from an art supply store. On your computer, print the title (it can be your working title) and chapter headings. Paste these on the board. Write individual ideas or chapters titles on stickies (Post-It notes). You can move the stickies and rearrange the order. You can check off each section as you complete it. While you
work, you can prop the board on an easel or seat of a chair where you can see it at all times.

Add an illustration of the cover if you have one. This will help keep you focused on the project as a whole and the individual steps that comprise the whole.
© 2001 Dr. Claudia Rose


Dr. Claudia Rose is a Certified Holistic Counselor with a doctorate in psychology. She is the author of Daughter of Spirit, Daughter of Peace: A Prayer for Humanity. For information about her classes and private sessions:
call: (888) 522-4628
e-mail: DrRose@daughterofpeace.com
website: www.daughterofpeace.com