Where are you at in your book development?
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”― Maya Angelou
“Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.”― John Steinbeck
Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people, citizens of distant epochs, who never knew one another. Books break the shackles of time ― proof that humans can work magic.”
― Carl Sagan
“A writer is a person who cares what words mean, what they say, how they say it. Writers know words are their way towards truth and freedom, and so they use them with care, with thought, with fear, with delight. By using words well they strengthen their souls. Story-tellers and poets spend their lives learning that skill and art of using words well. And their words make the souls of their readers stronger, brighter, deeper.”― Ursula K. Le Guin
Many of you have been writing for quite some time and have amassed a lot of pages that we are working on together to bring into form. Others of you have lots of ideas and thoughts, but not the time or experience to write them down. I may be working with you to use my experience to express your thoughts. Some of you have enjoyed the excitement of getting a draft chapter and reading my interpretation of your idea or life journey.
If you are working with me, your ideas are taking shape and we are working on the structure, organization, purpose, and intent of your book and its chapters. For some of you, we are into the writing phase and you are seeing your ideas come to life! For others, we are having conversations that are recorded and transcribed and you are getting clarity on what your book should be.
If you are still thinking about whether or not to employ help to write your book, let me give you some words of encouragement. When I wrote my first book, I couldn't believe how satisfying it felt. It didn't matter whether or not it sold lots of copies, since just the act of putting it together was so very important.
Up to that point in my life, I had been pretty confused about my direction. I had done so many things (space program engineer=rocket scientist!, environmental educator, teacher, musical act manager, photographer, bonsai artist, and more). Putting together my book was a marvelous opportunity to examine all that I have done and see how it all fit together. To this day, I still love holding it in my hand and sharing it with people.
If you have never thought of writing a book before, I encourage you to do so! Here's how you might start.
First, think about what has been important to you in your life and write it down. Next, think about what you want to be remembered for by your family, your children, your spouse, and the world and write that down.
Next, think about what you would like to change in the world and how you would do it if you had the power to do so. Write that down. Next, update your resume, putting in everything you have done (including volunteer efforts). Now go take a walk!
That's right, go take a quiet walk and think about your life, the things you have done, and how you would like to be of service to make the world a better place with what you have to offer. Sleep on it a day or two and then sit down and start writing!
First, come up with a table of contents and write ideas for each chapter. Then, pick the chapter you feel like creating and work on it. That's right! You don't have to start with Chapter 1.
Write a page a day and next thing you know, you have a book. Or, call me and I can create a process for us that get's what you want to say out there to the world.
Keep thinking and writing!
Jackie
Jackie Jackie Alan Giuliano, Ph.D.
Ghostwriter / Freelance Writer
Seattle, WA http://www.iwriteyourbooks.com
jackie@deepteaching.com CELL: (206) 755-9272 | FAX: (206) 494-7689
