Writing Tips for New Authors

 

This article first appeared Edgar Books  Blogspot during our virtual book tour for HOT MESS: A Practical Guide to Getting Organized 

Many people have the desire to write, but getting started is easier said than done. There are two types of writers, literary authors and industry experts. As an industry expert who spent 7 years in the blogging world before publishing my first book, I quickly learned that there are some major differences between blog and book writing. Below are 5 tips for the new author:

  1. Create an Outline. When I first started, HOT MESS: A Practical Guide to Getting Organized I was all over the map. I was used to writing short articles approximately 300-500 words, and each week was a completely different topic. However, when you write a book, it has to flow. Jumping from one topic to another is not going to fly. The best way to stay on task is to follow an outline.

 

  1. Hire an Editor. You know your content, but it takes a fresh set of experienced eyes to critique sentence structure, punctuation and all of the countless details that go into making your book a cohesive piece of work that is both meaningful and professional.

 

  1. Know your Audience. In the immortal words of Rick Warren, “it’s not about you.” I can’t tell you how many people write a book to check it off their bucket list. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with that, but if you want to sell books and make an impact, you need to know your audience and what problem you are going to solve.

 

  1. Market, Market, Market. Writing your book is one thing, but selling it is another. Unless you have a big publishing house backing you, chances are you are going to have to do some PR and marketing to get the word out there. If that’s not your wheelhouse, hire someone who can get your messaging out to the masses.

 

  1. Have a Call to Action. What do you want people to do after reading your book? What’s the message you’re sending? Whether you want them to hire your services, or buy your next book, the key is to be clear in what you want from your audience, and make sure you deliver.