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musicblind

(4,484 posts)
14. I've been published three times.
Wed Jul 5, 2017, 04:10 PM
Jul 2017

It's really not hard if you break it down into steps.

Here are the steps I use:

1.) What do I want the overarching moral of the story to be?

2.) Summarize the story in a single paragraph.

3.) Break that paragraph down into segments. These segments will later become chapters.

4.) Write bullet points under each chapter. Use those bullet points to detail specific things you want that chapter to include.

5.) Write a 15 to 20 page treatment of the story using the information in steps one through four.


The next step is to write the book! It's that easy!

Fiction or nonfiction? The Blue Flower Jul 2017 #1
Non Fiction...but could go either way angstlessk Jul 2017 #5
Do you mean a memoir? That is a very specific style, otherwise non-fiction and fiction are miles anneboleyn Jul 2017 #15
Thank you, very informative angstlessk Jul 2017 #19
See I am getting angry...angry for my mother who sent me there angstlessk Jul 2017 #20
It sounds like you have a really important story to tell. Do it. Tell it. I have no Squinch Jul 2017 #27
You open a new document in Word The Velveteen Ocelot Jul 2017 #2
I want to say...very funny, but you are probably the best advise... angstlessk Jul 2017 #7
And find a good proofreader who will know you meant 'advice'. trof Jul 2017 #21
The question is...where do I post it..with proof it will not be stolen? angstlessk Jul 2017 #9
Don't post it at all, or if you do, add the copyright symbol to anything The Velveteen Ocelot Jul 2017 #11
ROFL snooper2 Jul 2017 #18
For some people, this actually works. musicblind Jul 2017 #25
Have you looked here? Wounded Bear Jul 2017 #3
Do you journal or blog? NRaleighLiberal Jul 2017 #4
I love to read, but never journaled my life angstlessk Jul 2017 #6
My advice - read Stephen King's book On Writing NRaleighLiberal Jul 2017 #8
Open Microsoft Word and type the first sentence. MineralMan Jul 2017 #10
You are correct...no shortcuts angstlessk Jul 2017 #12
Message auto-removed Name removed Jul 2017 #30
I do not know how to write A book, I only know how to write this one. politicat Jul 2017 #13
This is fabulous. I'm bookmarking this. Squinch Jul 2017 #29
I've been published three times. musicblind Jul 2017 #14
Great advice -- I also pointed out basics that are very hard (dialogue for example). I can always anneboleyn Jul 2017 #17
For some, dialogue is hard. musicblind Jul 2017 #24
Speaking more as a reader than as a writer, dialogue seems to be The Velveteen Ocelot Jul 2017 #31
Funk and White's Elements of Style... haele Jul 2017 #16
For later tnlurker Jul 2017 #22
This message was self-deleted by its author tblue37 Jul 2017 #23
One word after another. Go from there. WinkyDink Jul 2017 #26
Contact your local University English Department.... Adrahil Jul 2017 #28
Take a book you like and outline it. AngryAmish Jul 2017 #32
My mom used to do that, she was the ghostwriter for a few books. hunter Jul 2017 #33
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