Jaime Vendera - 11 Simple Steps: To Writing, Designing, Self-Publishing & Marketing Your Very First Book

I dedicate this book to my mother, Linda Fagan,

For always believing in me, supporting my crazy ideas,

Putting up with my screaming, & Driving me to be my best.

Copyright 2012 by Jaime Vendera. All rights reserved.

No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically or mechanically, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher, unless such copying is expressly permitted by federal copyright law. Address inquiries to Permissions, 711 Press, P.O. Box 33, New York, New York 10034.

For information about this and other 711 Press titles and products, visit us on the World Wide Web at:

www.711press.com

Cover and Interior Design by Scribe Freelance

www.scribefreelance.com

ISBN: 978-1-936307-18-0

Published in the United States of America

In memory of

Joyce Foster

Who instilled in me

The love of writing

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

I t is said that your first book is the hardest to write. I concur. Ive been writing since I could hold a pencil but never pursued a writing career until 2000. At the turn of the century, I decided I could tap into my extensive vocal background and write a book on vocal methodology in about a month. That month turned into nearly four years.

What I discovered during those four years is that many writers can become plagued by lack of motivation, which can be a destroyer of many great book ideas. I hit many roadblocks during those periods, but it was my own fault. I was consumed with trying to figure out how to improve my writing skills, prepare my book for distribution, design my own cover, draw the illustrations (and Im not an artist), and build a website, all by myself.

Trying to wear all those hats at once was exhausting. My solution appeared near the end of those four yearsfind professionals to complete the tasks I was unqualified to tackle so that I could focus on writing and the tasks I could do myself.

After releasing several books, Ive fine-tuned that solution into eleven simple steps, eliminating the guesswork from writing, formatting, releasing, and promoting a book from beginning to end. This solution isnt anything new. In fact, there are multitudes of self-publishing books, but most are out of date the moment they hit the shelves because self-publishing rules are continually evolving and changing. Because of this fact, Ive made 11 Simple Steps special by creating an online companion resource with continually updated material at:

http://711press.com/11-simple-steps-links/

The online companion resource puts extras and links at your fingertips to help you bypass the roadblocks that can kill your book idea. Think of this resource as your 11 Simple Steps workbook, a workbook that will continue to change and grow, following the changes in the publishing world.

Everyone has a book inside them waiting to be written. Dont lose sight of that book because of roadblocks thrown up by technical details. Use this book and the online resource companion to help you write and release your own book in minimal time.

Are you ready to get started? Great! Follow along with the steps in this book as you write your book, and you could be a published author within four to eight weeks. How do I know? Ive done it! Before we begin, I want to mention that although 11 Simple Steps is written from the nonfiction author perspective, the steps in this book will work for a fiction title as well. Now lets move on to Step One.

NOTE : All words and phrases that are bold and underlined refer to resources listed on:

http://711press.com/11-simple-steps-links/

STEP ONE

Choosing a Book Topic

B efore you start writing , you need something to write about. The secret to becoming a successful author is to write about what you know. What are your interests/hobbies ? Do you like singing, fishing, quilting, designing computer programs, gardening, racing, chess, cooking, cleaning, boxing, or auto mechanics? Do you like horror, romance, satire, YA, or sci-fi adventures?

The first step is to choose a book topic, preferably one that interests you. I write books about vocal technique because I love singing and I understand the mechanics. I wouldnt write a book on ballroom dancing because I know nothing about dancing and it doesnt interest me.

Maybe you love bowling and youve mastered the 7-10 split. Sharing that secret would make a great-selling book! If youre a fiction writer and Harry Potter is your favorite read, you might consider YA (young adult) fantasy.

If a book topic eludes you, not to worry, book ideas are everywhere. Youll discover book ideas while driving, working, eating, sleeping, and even when playing. Start paying attention, and if a great book idea suddenly comes to mind, write it down. With the endless thoughts flowing through our minds every day, I guarantee someone else has picked up on the same idea as youand you want your book out first!

My first book idea was to create a set of unique vocal exercises to isolate notes in my vocal range to increase vocal strength. This concept became the Isolation Method, which has been used by thousands of singers. I reinvented ways to improve the age-old process of voice strengthening. It all started with that initial idea popping into my head, and if I hadnt followed through, someone else may have beaten me to the finish line.

Your goal is to finish first by picking a topic that interests you and then brainstorming ways to take that topic to the next level. An example of a great book is when a fishing enthusiast who has caught a ridiculous number of bass with a one-of-a-kind fishing lure shares his knowledge with others, showing them how to make their own lure. What fisherman wouldnt love great lure-making techniques guaranteed to increase his catch?

So, whats your amazing book topic ? Write down your answer, and then add your initial thoughts in your pre-writing notes . Any ideas you have about your book, such as chapter titles, specific topics, etc., should immediately be added. Dont worry about typos for now; just write down your thoughts before you forget them.

RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH

Now its time for research. A great book must be up-to-date with the latest information. Go to your local library, search the Internet for articles, and buy books about relevant topics. When I begin writing a new book, I buy and research at least ten books in my related field. I list the titles in the research book list . I study each book, copying all important information into the research notes section.

These are my study up notes. They cannot be added to a book word for word. That would be plagiarism. Youre studying other resources that contain up-to-date facts on your topic to build a framework or skeleton for your book.

Now that youre building that skeleton, heres where to find the meat for those bones. Go to online book sites, such as amazon.com, that feature book reviews. Reviewsboth good and badare full of gold nuggets, because reviews tell you exactly what a reader loves and hates about a book. Reviewers will also tell you what information they feel was missing and what theyd like to see added to the book. The bits of information missing from other books are the gold nuggets that will turn your book into a treasure chest.

During the research stage, youll become a pro note taker. I suggest keeping an audio recorderhand-held or smart phone appwith you at all times. You can record voice notes on the go and transcribe them later. An audio recorder is a must because you never know who youll meet. What if you bump into a celebrity or an expert in your field and they offer to be quoted in your book? Without an audio recorder, you might not remember what they said. It can happen! When I was writing the second edition of Raise Your Voice, many rock stars and professional vocal coaches offered quotes and articles.