I live in a log house that was built in the 1970s. What I love about my house is that it’s so easy to see the bones of its construction. The contractors established a foundation, and then they started stacking logs. They followed a plan, and knew exactly which logs to place where—the slightly larger one over the window frame, the particularly beautiful ones as cross-beams. There’s not a log out of place.
When you’re creating a book, you need to decide on the building blocks. You know you’re building something, but it might not be a book, at least not right away.
Readers are smart—they can tell if you’re padding an idea that should have been an article instead of a book. Sharp readers can also tell when you’re stuffing too many ideas into a book.
It’s worth taking the time at the beginning of your writing project to figure out the shape of the idea. Don’t waste your valuable ideas and your even more valuable time by figuring out what you’re doing in the middle of doing it. The contractors who built my house certainly didn’t stand there, with logs scattered around them, wondering what they were doing. They followed their plan and they got to work.
Skilled editors can instantly tell if an idea is better suited for an article or a book. In acquisition meetings in publishing houses, editors sit around a boardroom table and decide: book, article, series of blog posts.
My new program, The Publishing Plan, is intended to replicate that experience of sitting at the table with an experienced editor. In just one hour, I will help you determine if you have an idea worth pursuing, if you need an agent or a book proposal, which publishing model is best for you, and if you should build an outline or just start writing. I can also hep you build a plan for writing accountability and momentum (and yes, that includes all you aspiring novelists, too).
After our call, I’ll send you a written summary with action steps, so you can hit the ground running. The Publishing Plan is an affordable investment in your writing career.
I’m booking only six coaching calls for June, so reach out to secure your spot.
Reach out at ahoy@amandalewis.org and share a bit about your project, and let’s get you in the book!
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