Golden Stylus

I want to be like Mike.  That was a familiar slogan when the popular basketball star Michael Jordan was playing for the Chicago Bulls.  He is still noted to be the best basketball player of all time, and the reason behind that is that he was himself.  He was not the next anyone, but he was and still is the only Michael Jordan.

The same goes with a successful writer/author.  There is no such thing as a spectacular author or writer if all that is happening when that particular person writes is copying a style.  The style is what

tends to set players apart.  Most basketball players can dunk, but the way they do it is what people remember.  Always keep this in mind when creating a story.  You are the author of the creation that is supposed to represent you and you only.  If in fact your writing is just like someone else’s, nine times out of ten, it isn’t unique enough to be remembered, though it may be a good book.  There is already one Toni Morrison, there is no need for another, at least as of yet.

Be yourself is one of the most important items to remember when writing.  It will take the author a long way when trying to sell the book to a major publisher, agent or to the general public directly.  Word of mouth is the best publicity that you can give yourself.  So you may not be golden as of yet, but if the book leaves the audience wanting more, great word of mouth will follow thus more sales.

Just for more practice in writing and developing a style of your own, try Writing with Style: APA Style for Social Work

There is no such thing.  Never in one million years can you over publicize your book.  As a matter of fact, whether or not your book is rated as excellent or just a dud, all that counts in the end is that people are talking about your book.  That’s right.  Therefore, the notion that everything must fit into a perfectly happy world where those who have read your book think that it is an A+ read is a fabrication.  Too many times has a best selling author gotten a review that, well, tells the opposite story of their book sells.  Actually, great publicity is what sells anything prior to the actual test.  For instance, when a movie is about to release, there are thousands upon thousands of dollars spent at least a couple weeks  to six monts prior to the release date.  The reason for this is they need it to sell, so they package the movie up in bits called trailers, previews etc to do just that.

This is the exact same thing a writer must do for their book.  On every corner and every store…anywhere that you can be creative, do so.  The book must be marketed many months before its release.  The closer the release date, the more aggresive one should become.  The audience should already be waiting on it, and you, as the writer, should be ready to sell it.

Learn more about marketing and PR in this title The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Podcasting, Viral Marketing and Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly

For the most part, an idea is easy to come up with, however, there are a multitude of problems that come immediately after the idea is thought up.  The major issue to be dealt with at this time is the story line.  What on earth will it be and how does one make it long enough for a novel?  Is this even a good idea, and has it been done before?

These are only a few of the questions that any writer/author on their first go at it will possibly say to themselves while sitting there awaiting for the masterpiece to spill from their minds onto the computer screen via their fingertips.  Some even begin writing with a pen and pad, scribbling out the idea in their heads not knowing how to do the most important thing…create.

The creation.  It is more than an idea.  It is a living and breathing image mentally that must correctly be put down in story form in order for it to be successful.  For instance, there has already been a bright idea about saving money on gas by making a car that is hybrid, however, the fine details or the things that make it come to life must be put together before the idea is a success.  The same thing with a story.  The fiction or nonfiction writer must after the idea get the materials together that one needs to bring it to life.

Write it down.  The idea and all.  Summarize it, the idea that is.  For a complete book or novel, go ahead and figure out the ending.  That tends to be the easiest thing for the most part.  Just as in the example in the previous paragraph, what made the idea about the gas saving car so great is just that…the end result of the car saving money!  Therefore, the end of the book is more than likely the easiest thing to come up with.  Write it down in summary, then focus on how you are going to get there.

There is something called boredom and then there is the opposite that is called excitement.  Figure this out as well when it comes to writing your book.  Now, every writer isn’t the same and therefore, every audience isn’t the same, so come to grips with everyone not liking your book.  It will never happen.  After that, let yourself go, and begin to fill in the gaps until it connects with that great ending that you had in mind.  It is like building a house - lay the foundation only after figuring out what it will look like(the ending).

For more on writing a book, pick up The Author’s Toolkit: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing and Publishing Your Bookor How to Write Fiction Like a Pro: A Simple-To-Savvy Toolkit for Aspiring Authors