How Should I Structure My Book? - Infographic

I write fiction as Amy C Fitzjohn, but when I'm not writing, my day job is to help others discover the joy of writing - in particular, businesses. 

As a Content Coach, I work with small businesses every day to help them bring their words to life, using my experience as a fiction author, story fanatic and a trainer.

I'm working with a client who is writing a non-fiction book.

At our last session, we talked about how to structure her book, the 'architecture' behind building that book.  

It made me realise that putting together a book, whether it's fiction or non-fiction, needs to follow a sensible structure and there are differences between books, and in the world of digital publishing best practice is still evolving.

For example, in a print book there are sections that would traditionally be in the front, such as, achknowledgements, list of other books by the author, etc.

However, in an eBook it's better to put these in the back. 

This is bacasue when people go to 'look inside' the book on Amazon, they want to read the book! 

There's nothing more infuriating than not being able to read any actual book content! 

You really don't want to infuriate people before they buy - they'll never be a customer if you do!

I've put together this handy infographic for anyone planning a book. 

It gives you a sense of how to structure it and where to put things.

When you write the first draft, don't get too hung up on the order of things and what should be where - writing a book does not have to be a linear process. 

The most important thing is to just write. 

Get the words out of your brain, just as they come, then chop, change a rearrange later.

 
Happy writing!

10 Tips for Beginner Writers

Today, I'm proud to host a guest on the blog, Rachel Summers.

Rachel pitched an idea for an article to me. I'm always happy to welcome guests PITCH HERE.

Even as a published author, there are some great tips in Rachel's article, especially for those days when you just can't seem to find the writing mojo...

10 Tips for Beginner Writers

 

Starting out a career in writing, or just looking to expand on your skills? You can improve your skills quite significantly by learning from the experts, and taking on board some of these simple tips.

1. Be Concise

The title for this tip could have been ‘Don’t spend too much time explaining yourself’. Instead, it is ‘be concise’. By ensuring that you use only the words necessary to fully explain your point, you can keep your reader’s interest for longer. Be concise in your wording, but don’t miss out important points either. 

2. Be an Editor

On some days, writing can be daunting. On the days that you don’t feel like writing, use that time to be your own editor. Spend time going over content you have already produced, checking your spelling and grammar, and seeing if there is anywhere you can simplify what you have written.

3. Have Patience

Writing something you are really proud of isn’t always instant. While the learning process will allow you to write better content, quicker, you will still have to be patient during the writing process. It make take a couple of attempts before you get the piece you imagined, and it could take quite some time editing. This is advice you can obtain from a wide range of writing specialists, including Goins Writer.

4. Write for Yourself

A piece of advice that many people question, is to write for yourself. Even when you are writing for an audience, writing for yourself has a number of benefits. You will become more honest, more open and more thorough in what you write. You won’t need to lie or exaggerate, and you will develop a style that is uniquely you. When you stop worrying too much about the audience and focus instead on writing quality content that portrays the right message, you become a better writer. Writers over at Writer’s Digest swear by this method.

5. Disconnect

Disconnect yourself from social media. That means logging off Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t let these notifications distract you as you are writing, as even just five minutes away from writing puts you in a different headspace and takes you out of your ‘zone’.

6. Create a Workspace

Rather than writing from bed, or in your favorite chair, set up a workspace that is dedicated only to writing. When you enter your workspace, log off your social media and enter the ‘zone’. Writers over at UK Top Writers will tell you just how important this is to write quality content.

7. Read

Someone who doesn’t read will find it difficult to become an exceptional writer. Read the books and articles of people you admire and who you aspire to write like.

8. Practice Your Summaries

When writing a longer piece, it’s important to summarize your points so that you can take readers through a complex journey. Practice your summaries, by writing summaries for shorter pieces, and not publishing them.

9. The Three Ps

The three Ps are ‘patience, purpose and perseverance’. Always remember that patience and perseverance are necessary for you to create good content, but your writing must also have a clear purpose. If a reader is unsure of what you are trying to say and why, they will become disinterested and stop reading.

10. Manage Your Time

It’s important to manage your time and create schedules that you stick to. If you don’t stick to your schedule, you will find yourself missing deadlines or simply taking longer than you need to. Time management is a big part of being a writer.

Bio:

Rachel J Summers is an experience local newspaper reporter and journalist with a passion for truth and great writing. She also works at UK Top Writers, and has years of experience as a freelance writer and editor. You can find her on Twitter at @RachelJSummers.

A big thank you to Rachel for contributing!

30 Days to First Draft

This week, I'm approaching the end of a writing marathon for my 365 Adventures in Writing and Entrepreneurship... 

 

2015 is Authorpreneur Almanac 


 

Why wait for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)? There's no rule that says the only time you can try to write a novel in a month must be November.

I knew that August would be a fairly quiet month for me and I really want to get the last book in the Sheridan and Blake Adventure Series written so I set myself the challenge of completing the first draft of 'Garbriel's Game, Part 2: The Black Knight' by the end of August.

The first part of the final book in the series, 'Garbriel's Game, Part 1: The White Queen' came out a few weeks ago.

Read more on the blog on my website: 

30 Days to First Draft

I share my 9 top tips to get that first draft written in a month - Why is August a better time than November? ... a bonus extra day in August!

 As I approach the end of the month, I must confess, I am behind on my word count but I'm quietly confident that I can finish the first draft of 'Garbriel's Game, Part 2: The Black Knight' at the start of September and I'll be very happy with that!

Here are a couple of quotes from the book:

What helps you to get that first draft written? 

Please share your tips in the comments.

Writing: A Space Between Pleasure and Pain

In the great scheme of things, the struggles that writers have are a very first world problem, but still, when you are in the thick of it, being a writer is wrought with frustrating challenges.

I can certainly relate to this:

I found this image on Pinterest from The Write Practice

I recently read this feature by the super talented Brian A Klems:

http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/top-10-normal-struggles-when-writing-a-novel?et_mid=759276&rid=235241213

About the struggles we face as writers. Nice use of the word 'normal' - It's good to be reminded once in a while that you're not the only one!

In it, Brian shares 10 struggles writers can relate to:

1. Title dilemmas
2. Giving up part way through
3. Being a recluse
4. Choosing between creativity and money
5. The time spent researching
6. Deciding how your novel will end
7. Insomnia, as you think about the next page
8. Interfering editors
9. Constantly re-writing
10. Characters going off on tangents

Most of these are familiar to me, but we all have our own creative process and our writers brains are all wired up a bit differently.

Here's my response to these struggles and how I tackle them so I can press ahead and stay motivated:

1. Title Dilemmas

It's not immediately obvious from my books, but this helps me to catalog them in my brain; I have a reason for using BB, SS, GG alliteration for the books in the Sheridan and Blake Adventure series:

The Bronze Box (Bronze)


Solomon's Secrets (Silver)


Gabriel's Game (Gold)



There is space for a PP (Platinum) but I intend for Gabriel's Game to be the last in  the Sheridan and Blake Series.

Tom Sheridan and Sasha Blake will make cameo's again in future books but after the final installment; Gabriel's Game, Part 2: the Black Knight - I need to give poor Tom Sheridan and Sasha Blake a rest, I've tortured them enough!

With everything I write, I always go through multiple incarnations of working titles before I make a decision. Often the process of writing the story starts to reveal what the most appropriate name should be.

Solution:

Jot down a few ideas and ask the opinions of others to help you make a decision

2. Giving up part way through

A stark example of this is the first time I ever set my mind to writing a book. I was about 15 at the time. The book was called 'Running Free'.

I started, chopped and changed and ditched it on and off for 15 years before I picked it up again as a serious project. But even then, I had the book in my head but couldn't find the means to write it. So the first novel I wrote was a sequel to this unwritten book. I then wrote the sequel to that, before I actually wrote the book that had been marinating in my brain since I was a teenager.

I had to write those three books to learn how to write a book, and it was my fourth novel, The Bronze Box, that I eventually published.

I have plans to re-write and publish those first four books, but I need to sort Tom and Sasha out first before I let any other characters get comfortable in my imagination.

Solution:

It's OK to give up on a particular story, but no writing is ever wasted. Keep all of it, you never know when you might be able to re-purpose it into a another story 

3. Being a recluse

I'm generally a pretty sociable person, it's my poor husband who suffers when I disappear into my writing bubble.

Having said that, I've done NaNoWriMo (write a novel in a month) for the past two November's, but I more than make up for it in December by muscling my way into as many Christmas parties as possible - 'Tis the season to be jolly', after all!

Solution:

Strike a balance.

As creatives we all have periods of immersion. Communicate this to friends and loved ones and by and large they accept it, as long as you don't neglect them for too long.

4. Choosing between creativity and money

This is one I've not really faced. I'm going to be creative anyway. I am a relentless writer and if I make some money from my work, bonus!

Solution:

Go with your gut.

Money is not a dirty word, we all need it, so have a portfolio of ways to earn so that you minimise the risk of compromising your integrity for the next pay cheque.

5. The time spent researching

I spend many hours poring over websites, reading books, visiting places and talking to people in the name of my writing. I have used my 'I'm a writer' ticket to get access to some pretty cool archives and archeological sites.

I enjoy researching, it gives me an excuse to indulge my many fascinations and a reason to spend countless hours on Pinterest.

I find Pinterest an invaluable tool for collecting, collating and curating research links. Here are my boards:

Visit Amy Morse - Authorpreneur's profile on Pinterest.

But it can be a struggle fitting it all in and sometimes research can stray into the realms of procrastination.

Solution:

Establish a writing routine for yourself and be disciplined.

Experiment with different ways to manage your time until you find something your are comfortable with.

6. Deciding how your novel will end

Brian's; comment: "If I ever knew the ending of a novel in advance, I wouldn’t write it" really intrigued me, because my writing process isn't like that.

I've tried lots of techniques, but my default style is to; write the beginning and the ending (loosely anyway) but I then let my characters grow, develop, go through conflicts and interact with each other throughout. I poke them, link them in unplanned ways, mess with their heads, but ultimately; their journey will always take them from point A to point B. The way they choose to get there, however, is always unexpected.

Solution:

There is no right or wrong. We all have different writing routines and styles. Don't beat yourself up if you don't know the ending, let it flow and see where it takes you.

Be open to experimenting and remind yourself that you can change it as many times as you like before you publish.

7. Insomnia, as you think about the next page

I don't write in a linear fashion, so it's never about the 'next page' for me. It's about the scenes and the personalities. Only once I've written a few scenes can I start to stitch them together and see where they fit in the journey from A to B.

My insomnia is; daydreaming my characters traumas, passions, adventures, emotions, interactions and snatched conversations.

Solution:

I wish I had a solution to insomnia!

A note book, as Brian suggests, is a great way to empty your brain so you can make space to sleep. Keep one by your bed. I've snuck off into the next bedroom a few times in the middle of the night to frantically write stuff down without disturbing my long suffering husband.

8. Interfering editors

I independently published my books and haven't yet dealt with editors. However, I have listened to opinions and critiques and changed whole characters and scenes that I have later regretted because I was inclined to trust voices that were more experienced. But by the same token, my beta readers and critique partners have spotted massive plot holes and implausibilities that I'd not noticed.  

Solution:

Have the courage of your conviction. It's your book. Take advice, get opinions - yes absolutely, you'd be a fool not to - but ultimately it's your book so you need to decide what you want to keep in, remove or change. Do what feels right to you.

9. Constantly re-writing

Even professional writers don't write a prefect first draft. The editing, proofing and re-writing process can sometimes seem endless. I recently updated a post I wrote on editing with my 'ultimate tips', here it is:

Remind yourself of this fundamental fact:

Perfection is a fallacy.

Your work can only ever be good enough at that time in your life. Inevitably your work will improve over time, but it will only improve if you get feedback and continue to work at it. 

Solution:

It can never be perfect, perfection is an unattainable goal so don't set yourself up to fail by aiming for it. It's OK. Accept it. Move on.

Only by releasing your writing into the wild and getting feedback can you improve.

10. Characters going off on tangents

I view this as a positive thing - the moment your characters start finding their own way is the moment they became realistic.

People are inherently unpredictable, yes our personality will determine our behaviour, but when we're tested, when the unexpected happens, we react in unexpected ways.

Like Brian, I too get heavily invested in my characters and it's taken me a while to find a comfort zone in deep POV.

In Solomon's Secrets in particular, Tom Sheridan has more of a voice and as I was writing I really felt I got to know him well. I'm now a bit in love with him (despite the discovery that he's a smoker)!

Solution:

Let your characters breathe, really get to know them, sketch out biography's, collect images, the more real they seem to you the more real they'll seem to your readers.

To help me picture my characters I find actors that I imagine would play them if the books ever became a movie. I collect images with the actors in various poses, pulling different faces and dressed in different ways on Pinterest boards and find it a really useful reference point when I'm describing an expression on their face, a look in their eyes etc. I look like a bit of a celebrity stalker, but it helps my writing process. 

Here's the board for the lasted book, Gabriel's Game:


  Follow Amy Morse - Authorpreneur's board Gabriel's Game: Characters on Pinterest.

Read more of my tips, advice, inspiration and actions for writers and entrepreneurs here:

www.AmyMorse.co.uk

 

What struggles do you face as a writer?