How to Write 1

I get many emails from people asking me how to write. They have an idea for a book or an article but do not know what to do with it. Or, they have vague notions about writing but just can't seem to bring them to light. If you're one of these people, then the How to Write series is for you. It is a new series designed to get people writing. It does not promise that your book will be a bestseller neither does it promise that your article will revolutionise the magazine industry. What it does aim to do is get people to start writing. 

 

All magazine articles and books start with an idea. The Bible says that there is nothing new under the sun. How true! Your lightning idea might be new to you but not to editors. Believe me when I say that they've read it all before. That is not to say that they are not interested in your idea. They are. Editors are constantly looking for fresh angles on what's been written before. It's like reality television. The format is the same but the angle is different. Think about Extreme Makeover, Big Brother and the Bachelor. They are all reality televison shows with different angles. So think about your idea; what makes it different from what has been done before? Put yourself in your reader's shoes; would you read your book/article knowing that there are others in the market just like it? Remember, the aim is to give your readers something different, a fresh perspective on something they might or might not know that will cause them to pause/think.

 

Your idea is a product and every product has a targeted audience. Think about it; who would read your book/article? Knowing your target audience will make your writing more focused. For example, if your book/article is on company management, then you need to make it clear if the book is targeted at small, medium or large businesses. A management style that works for a company with ten employers will not work for a multinational corporation with employees dotted around the world. In the same vein, a book on company management has to be written in such a way that company managers can digest it in sizeable chunks. I'm not sure about you but I wouldn't buy a 500 page book on company management because I know I wouldn't have time to read it. Research your audience. Do not be like the farmer that sowed his seed on sand. It did not take root and the seeds perished just like your idea will if you do not do your audience research.  

This brings us to writing style. Going back to that 500 page book on company management. If the book/article is written in a way that's designed to send its readers to sleep by the third page, then the writer (and publisher) haven't done their jobs properly. Your writing style will dictate the success of your book. Ever read the Prayer of Jabez? It's a small book and simply written. I have no doubt those two factors and the subject matter have contributed to the book's phenomenal success.

 

Your writing style is the way you communicate your idea to your audience. Think about it, work on it and develop it. You wouldn't regret it.

 

Tasks:

 

Next week.

How to start writing an article/book