Last week I shared the first three steps of breaking down your book idea. In short, it’s this:
Step 1: Make a list of everything you wanna add (and might wanna add) to the book.
Step 2: Expound on that list.
Step 3: Add due-by dates to everything you have to do (getting the list down, expounding on the list, etc.)
[Here’s the full version of the three steps.]
Then you keep expounding and rearranging and rewording it until it’s a completed book. I understand that’s easier said than done (we all have superpowers and writing a book is one of mine). So in addition to offering my services to help you to the finish line, I also wanted to let you in on how I’m doing this with my own book. A little later down the road, I’ll share Crystal’s book-writing process.
Yep, it varies from person to person and experience to experience. While I follow this same step 1-2-3 format, how I do it has differed from my first book to my second to my third and so on. Here’s how I’m writing my new book–a collection of essays on my relationships with myself, my family, my period, sexuality, etc.
Note: These steps work for every type of book, not just essays.
Here’s a picture of the actual list itself so you can see 1) how messy mine looks (lol) and 2) how some things on the list are a word or two, while other things are a few sentences.
Mine not necessarily make sense to you, and yours might not necessarily make sense to me. That doesn’t matter. I don’t even ask to see this part of my clients’ process. Nonetheless, in case you’re super curious to know what’s on mine, but can’t make it out on the picture, here ’tis typed out:
-meeting Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong
-open marriage (and wanting to leave)
-knowing I was pregnant/conception
-maybe abortions?
-UU church
-emotionally raising my mom
-first romantic relationship with another woman
-actual mooning journal entries
-CJ going back to school
-talk with Tasha in Chippewa square
-good mom essay
-adjustment disorder and hyperthyroidism and 21 Day fruitarian feast
-visions, not obsessing, just trusting, simply getting (with examples)
Some of the stuff on my list might intrigue you and some of it might confuse you lol. Again, everyone’s list will look differently. Just write what makes sense to you, how it shows up. The next step is fleshing it out with a few sentences, a few paragraphs, or finishing up the whole experience of that particular thing on the list.
Also, this list ain’t complete. It’s just what came to mind first. As more things come to me, I’ll add them.
The first thing I plan to expound on is the second from last thing on the list, about being diagnosed with adjustment disorder and then hyperthyroidism while being in the middle of my first 21-Day fruitarian feast.
My due date is next Sunday.
You can call your “due date” whatever you want, by the way (deadline, due-by date, due date, goal, etc.). I’ll post how I expounded it on it afterwards. If you aren’t already, join my email list, so step 2 of my book-idea breakdown will go straight to your inbox instead of you having to remember to come here.