writing a book » Wally Bock's Zero Draft

3 ways to make your case

May 222013

Why should anyone agree with you?

Don’t just state your case. Support it. Here are three ways.

Use surveys, statistics, and academic studies to provide expert proof. When you use this kind of support, be sure to cite the source.

Tell stories and use examples that the reader can relate to. People project themselves into stories. That’s why stories are so powerful.

There are two kinds of quotes you can use to support your case. Quotes from authorities provide expert testimony. Quotes from people like the reader send the message that your point applies to them. No matter who said it, a pithy quote that sums up your argument is a great persuader.

Writing a Book: The Research Treasure Hunt

Writing a Book 1 Response »

Apr 222013

In school, doing research was usually a slog. Your teacher picked the topic. Almost all your research involved reading. And a lot of that reading was mind-numbing. It was like breaking rocks on a chain gang.

The research that adds value to your book is more like a treasure hunt where you run from one great discovery to another. It’s exciting and energizing. Here are some tips for doing it well.

Start with your very own personal brain. Try to wring out everything you know and want to know about your topic. Make lists of questions, key points, information sources, ideas, and people.

The research that will add value to your book will be the research that brings information or insight that’s not common knowledge yet. You get that from talking to people and from making connections between bits of information.

Use one source to point you to others. Use published information to point you to people and other published information. Use people to point you to published information and to other people. Here’s an example.

Do a search on Amazon for your topic. You’ll get a list of books, of course, but you’re on the trail to much more. Those books have authors and the authors know more about the topic than what’s in their books. Interview them.

When you talk to someone about your topic, always ask two questions. What should I read to learn more? Who else should I talk to?

Your book research is different from most of the research you did in school. It’s about something you’re interested in and the process is like a treasure hunt.

4/13/13: My Recent Writing on Writing

Wally's Writing No Responses »

Apr 132013

Here’s my writing about writing for this week. There were posts on why writing a book should be a great learning experience, why you shouldn’t wait for perfection, and this week’s selection of posts and articles to give you “The Writing Edge.”

Writing a book: The Great Learning Experience
Writing a book is hard work. It should also be a tremendous learning experience.

Writing tip: Don’t wait for perfection
People won’t be impressed with the book or blog post you haven’t published. So go for excellence, not perfection.

4/12/13: The Writing Edge for Business Writers
Writing well gives you an edge in business and in life. Here are some posts and articles that will help you write better. This week I’m pointing you to pieces on making more time for writing, using relationship marketing to promote your book, and Chris Brogan on what he’s learned from 15 years of blogging.

You’ll find my writing about leadership and talent development on my Three Star Leadership Blog.

Current Client Projects

I’m writing blog posts for two clients. I’m helping working on a book about what Professor Clay Christensen says could be “more important than disruption.” I’m writing a training manual and coaching two other authors through the process of writing and publishing their first book.

If you’re interested in writing a book, hiring someone to write for you, or just improving your own writing, you should read my Zero Draft blog about the writing that makes a business or career grow.

If you want to get a book done or improve your writing, let’s talk about options. My coaching calendar currently has space open.

Information Products

If you’re a boss, you should check out my Working Supervisor’s Support Kit.

Writing tip: Don’t wait for perfection

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Apr 102013

Lucy was delightful and the only person I’ve ever known who played the harp. She was also something of a perfectionist.

Lucy went through an entire Masters program getting an incomplete in every course. She simply wouldn’t submit a paper that wasn’t perfect until she absolutely had to. So every semester she refined papers right up to the last possible moment. Don’t be like Lucy that way.

No one will be impressed with the book or blog post that you haven’t published. And you won’t get productive feedback from readers either.

So, go for excellence, not perfection. Publish and learn and keep getting better.

Writing a book: The Great Learning Experience

Writing a Book 1 Response »

Apr 082013

Human beings love to learn. It’s a natural thing. Learning helps your brain grow and remain young.

That’s why and how writing a book should be a great experience. Sure, it will be a lot of work, but writing a book should be one of the great learning experiences of your life. It should be a joyful process that adds brain connections by the millions.

That’s why I love what I do. When I help someone write a book, as a ghostwriter or coach, it’s always a great learning journey. That’s how it should be for you if you want to write a book.

Pick a subject that you’re passionate about. Even if you’re already an expert, writing a book will help you learn new things, refine your concepts, and hone your explanations to a razor’s edge.

4/7/13: My Recent Writing on Writing

Wally's Writing No Responses »

Apr 072013

Here’s my writing about writing for this week. There were posts on picking a writing coach, developing your unique creative process, and this week’s selection of posts and articles to give you “The Writing Edge.”

Picking a Writing Coach
A good writing coach can make your life easier and help you produce a better book. Here are some thoughts on how to pick a good coach for you.

Writing Tips: Develop a process
If you want to write consistently and well, you need to develop your own creative process.

4/6/13: The Writing Edge for Business Writers
Writing well gives you an edge in business and in life. Here are some posts and articles that will help you write better. This week I’m pointing you to pieces on the current state of publishing platforms and how to write good copy.

You’ll find my writing about leadership and talent development on my Three Star Leadership Blog.

Current Client Projects

If you want to get a book done or improve your writing, let’s talk about options. My coaching calendar currently has space open.

Information Products

If you’re a boss, you should check out my Working Supervisor’s Support Kit.

Writing Tip: Develop a process

Writing Tips 2 Responses »

Apr 032013

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York recently concluded an exhibition titled “Matisse: In search of true painting.” For me, the most interesting part of the exhibition was the insight into Matisse’s creative process. If you write frequently and you want to write well, you have to develop your own creative process.

Every good writer has a process. Every process is unique, even though they all include the same general steps.

Capture your ideas. You get ideas all the time, but you can’t do anything with them unless you capture them.

Combine and modify your ideas. Most ideas need work before they become something useful.

Turn your ideas into a piece of writing. Revision is a big part of the process at this point.

Learn from what other people do, but develop a process that works for you. Here are some resources to give you ideas.

My post: “The Robin Williams Rules”

Michael Hyatt: “Using a Blogging Template to Write Posts Faster”

Karin Abarbanel: “Beethoven’s creative system“

Writing a Book: Picking a Writing Coach

Writing a Book 1 Response »

Apr 012013

A good writing coach can help you if you’re a business person who wants to write a better book. Here are some suggestions to help you pick a good coach for you.

Check experience. Writing a book is different from just about everything else in the world. Book authors have that experience, so do some editors. The best choice is someone with experience on business books.

A coach should be able to help you sharpen your ideas and your book plan and also help improve your writing. Use testimonials or client references to assess whether the person you’re considering can do both.

Make your decision with both your head and your heart. The right coach for you will have the right experience, and he or she will also have a style you’re comfortable with. Don’t settle for less.

3/30/13: My Recent Writing on Writing

Wally's Writing No Responses »

Mar 302013

Here’s my writing about writing for this week. There were posts on taking a break, the power of purpose in writing a book, and this week’s selection of posts and articles to give you “The Writing Edge.”

Take a Break
Taking breaks will make you more productive at any kind of knowledge work, including writing

Writing a Book: The Power of Purpose
This is the tale of two clients. One has a powerful purpose that drives her writing.

3/29/13: The Writing Edge for Business Writers
Writing well gives you an edge in business and in life. Here are some posts and articles that will help you write better. This week I’m pointing you to pieces on a blogging template that will help you create better posts more easily, how David Meerman Scott writes, how to do a better job of getting reviews and notice, and tech startup language in the publishing world.

You’ll find my writing about leadership and talent development on my Three Star Leadership Blog.

Current Client Projects

I’m writing blog posts for one client. I’m helping a strategy consultant write his book, and working on a book about what Professor Clay Christensen says could be “more important than disruption.” I’m also coaching two other authors through the process of writing and publishing their first book.

If you want to get a book done or improve your writing, let’s talk about options. My coaching calendar currently has space open.

Information Products

If you’re a boss, you should check out my Working Supervisor’s Support Kit.

3/29/13: The Writing Edge for Business Writers

Writing Tips 2 Responses »

Mar 292013

You’re a businessperson. You may not think of yourself as a writer, but you know that writing well can boost your results and your career. Naturally, you want to do better. Here are some recent blog posts and articles that might help.

This week I’m pointing you to pieces on a blogging template that will help you create better posts more easily, how David Meerman Scott writes, how to do a better job of getting reviews and notice, and tech startup language in the publishing world.

From Michael Hyatt: Use a Blogging Template to Write Posts Faster [Video]
“In this brief video, I share the six-part framework I use to write my own blog posts. This enables me to write faster and with more predictable results.”

From Kelton Reid: Here’s How David Meerman Scott Writes
“Content marketing — at its core — is finding the successful integration of great content and time-tested marketing strategies. International bestselling author and marketing strategist, David Meerman Scott, has made it his mission to help you find that sweet spot.

From Wise Ink: How To Target Beta Readers, Reviewers, and Bloggers [Sample Letters Included]
“Bloggers, even newer ones like Wise Ink, get spammed a lot. And here’s how not to come across as spam:”

From Todd Sattersten: Dangerous ideas from the world of startups
“Dustin Kurtz, marketing manager at Melville House, wrote a piece last week about the incursion of startup vocabulary in the world of book publishing.”

Becky Robinson is my go-to friend and expert for launching business books. Every week, she publishes a book launch tip on her blog. This week’s tip is “Join with Others to Learn Best Practices.”

Sources I Check Regularly

I find the posts and articles that I share with you on The Writer’s Edge in many places. But there are a few that provide insightful pieces again and again. Here they are.

The CopyBlogger Blog

Problogger

Digital Book World

Tools of Change for Publishing

jeffbullas.com

Becky Robinson’s Weaving Influence