Heidi Yi - How to Write Your First Book: A Simple and Effective Guide to Writing Your First Book (from someone who had no confidence in writing)

2018 Heidi Yi and Heidi Yi Cosmetics Pty Ltd

Published by Heidi Yi Cosmetics Pty Ltd

PO Box 217, Sutherland NSW 1499, Australia

www.heidiyi.com

Email:

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

Cataloguing-in-Publication entry is available from the National Library of Australia.

ISBN: 978-0-6484162-0-3 (paperback)

978-0-6484162-1-0 (ebook)

Titles by Heidi Yi (available at heidiyi.com/books):

Big Tips for Small Business

How to WRITE Your First Book

How to SELF-PUBLISH Your First Book

Pro Makeup and Essential Skincare for Everyday Beauty

Lets Talk Foundation!

The DeTerminator: From Powder Puff to Chemo

Publishing Consultant: BookBoffin.com

Cover Design: Miladinka Milic

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (for example, a fair dealing for the purposes of study, research, criticism or review), no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, communicated or transmitted in any form or by means without written permission. All inquiries should be made to the publisher at the above address.

Disclaimer: The material in this publication is of the nature of general comment only and does not represent professional or medical advice. It is not intended to provide specific guidance for particular circumstances and should not be relied on as the basis for any decision to take action or not to take action on any matters which it covers.

Readers should obtain professional medical advice where appropriate, before making any such decision. To the maximum extent permitted by law, the author and publisher disclaim all responsibility and liability to any person, arising directly or indirectly from any person taking or not taking action based on the information in this publication.

I am passionate about Access Outreach Australia who give so much to the community. 10% of profits from this book will be donated to help operate the mobile service Access Street Vans that attend to the needs of the homeless and the lonely.

Funds are needed for this organisation to enable their good works to continue. Selfless volunteers and the pastors within the organisation are dedicated to the ongoing welfare of the needy based in Brisbane, Queensland. I joined Access Street Vans in 1999, and continue to make financial contributions. I encourage you to support Access Outreach Australia too. It is a registered charity organisation.

The first thing I want to share with you is that writing requires passion.

When I started university, many years ago studying for my Bachelor of Commerce I found it very challenging to write my assignments.

But my motivation was different when I was given the opportunity to write a makeup training manual for a workshop. I had worked as a makeup artist for many years, and I was very passionate about it. Suddenly my writing really meant something to me. I found opportunities to write and submit articles for magazines and to write award submissions many of which were successful, which was gratifying.

When my first book was completed I felt a huge sense of achievement. I had never self-published a book before. But once I did, I then knew what to do for my second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth book!

And I want to share that experience with you, so you can do it too.

When I am asked to talk about my author journey to audiences, I ask people, Have you thought about writing a book?

A common answer I get is, Yes, but its too difficult.

I then ask, Which part? Coming up with the content or writing it into a book?

They generally say, The whole process, from start to finish is too much work and too expensive.

I have done it multiple times, in fact Im here to show you its not.

When answering your own why ask yourself: What is the purpose of writing a book?

It's a big accomplishment, so get clear on why you want to achieve this. Once you have that in mind, then you can set yourself a goal and the timeline you want to achieve it by.

If you are ever having doubts along the way, and not sure you can finish writing a book (it happens!), check back in with your passion and ask yourself again what your bigger purpose is for this book.

You dont need a degree or qualification to write a book I started as a makeup artist and then became an author! Just like moving to a new job, we all start somewhere. What you do need is a topic or skill youre passionate about.

Some people are full-time authors, writing or revising many books on different topics. While some people write part-time. Some write as a hobby, such as writing simple eBooks to create a sideline income.

Some people co-author or ghost write other peoples books. And some people write about themselves, particularly if theyve had an unusual or meaningful experience in their lives.

Some are business owners wanting to write a book that complements their services or products. Some write to give it away as a marketing tool for their business; others may write specifically with profit in mind.

So, yes, anyone who wants to write a book, can! There is no one best way to be a writer. Particularly for certain genres, you dont need a fancy title next to your name, or a credential, or awards behind you to become an author.

When I wrote a memoir about my cancer journey, the feedback I received was that it was an achievement in itself, having survived cancer. People felt I was brave and inspirational and, therefore, keen to read about my personal journey. So, although I have written books to support my professional expertise, in The DeTerminator From Powder Puff to Chemo, the message I am writing about is from a cancer survivors perspective.

You may have heard people say that its hard to make a living being an author and for many of us, theyre right! When I wrote my first book I kept my core business going the whole time (manufacturing mineral makeup and doing wedding makeup), so when the inevitable decline in book sales occurs usually after about 12 months I still had a livelihood that didnt have an expiry date.

Make a list of all the things you want to write about; everything youre good at and enjoy doing; and all of your skills. Include hobbies, workplace skills and subjects youre particularly knowledgeable about.

Then, read through your list several times: is there one topic that fills you with enthusiasm and ideas? Thats a good place to start. Once you start writing you wont be able to stop! Here are some ideas to get you started:

• If you are passionate about property renovating write about how to renovate and sell your property for a profit.
• Perhaps youve managed to successfully save a deposit for a house that some people only dream of, on an average income. A book on accelerating your savings would be valuable to others.
• Or maybe you are passionate about coffee and work as a barista you could write about coffee art or coffee blends.
• Or a hairdresser on how to successfully run a hair salon business or about easy haircare or hairstyles to do at home.