Jessie L. Kwak - From Big Idea to Book: Create a Writing Practice That Brings You Joy

Foreword

Introduction: Learning to Love the Process

Who Is This Book For?

About This Book

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PART ONE: PLANNING

Planning Is Writing

A Couple of Notes

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Coming up with Ideas

Get Inspired

Get Bored

Get Distracted

Scratch Out Small Ideas

Start Brainstorming

List What Thrills You

Keeping Track of Your Ideas

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Developing Your Idea

Step 1: Find the Spark and Improvise on It

Step 2: Define the Core and Feel Out the Edges

Step 3: Write Out Your Idea Succinctly

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Understanding Your Audience

Defining Your Audience

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Researching Your Book

Nonfiction

Fiction

Knowing When to Stop Research

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Outlining

Outlining nonfiction

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Outlining Fiction

Pantsing

Plotting

Story Structure

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Understanding the Size of Your Idea

PART TWO: DRAFTING

Working the Word Mines

Create the Brain Space

Mine Those First-Draft Words

Commit to Making Time

Where Should You Start Writing?

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Silencing Your Critical Voice

Remember That No One Writes Amazing First Drafts

Visualizeand NeutralizeYour Critical Voice

Get a Change of Scenery

Practice Low-Stakes Writing

Just Get Going

Keeping Your Critical Voice from Silencing You

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Getting Unstuck

Figure Out Why Youre Stuck

Leave Yourself a Crumb Trail

Refill the Creative Well

Reconnect with Your Why

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Finishing the Draft

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PART THREE: REVISING

Four Steps to Revision

Rediscovering the Core Idea

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Fixing the Major Problems

Read Through Your Draft and Catalog Problems

Start Big and Go Small

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Fixing Section-Level Problems

Fiction

Nonfiction

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Polishing Your Prose

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Working with Early Readers

Critique Partners

Beta Readers

Alpha Readers

Tips for Working with Early Readers

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Working with an Editor

A Field Guide to Editors

Drafting Stage

Polishing Stage

Hiring the Right Editor

Working with Editors

The Editorial Letter

Line Edits and Copy Edits

PART FOUR: WHATS NEXT?

Put It Out There

Traditional Route

Self-Publishing Route

Which Should You Choose?

Find Community

And Finally...

RESOURCES

Books on Writing

Mindset

Planning

Story Structure

Doing the Work

Revision

Writing Podcasts

T he book youre now reading is the book I wish I wouldve had when I started my public writing career almost fifteen years ago. Jessie does a masterful job of demystifying all parts of the book publishing process, and I suspect itll be a guide that we readers will be turning to time and time again.

And, while Im letting you know what youre getting into, Ill also set you up to not be as surprised by Jessie as I was when I met her a few years ago. We first met because a client asked her to interview me for the upcoming launch of my book, Start Finishing . Id worked with ghostwriters before, so I expected that thered be a healthy amount of corrections and edits to make to the write-up of the interview. I slotted the requisite amount of time to address the anticipated corrections and edits only to find that there were a handful of small edits that were mostly idiosyncratic preferences. I had to reread the piece several times because, surely, Id missed something.

The only thing I missed was how excellent Jessie is at what she does. I later contacted her to help me get some articles done when I was in the crunch of the launch, and each article had the same level of quality. I started referring her to clients and they had the same delightful surprise, even though I told them to be prepared for her to nail their voice and content.

I later discovered that she was a prolific nonfiction and fiction author, as well. Shes that rare breed of writer who can nail writing for others, writing nonfiction, and writing fiction. Ive long wondered how she pulls it off; the contents of this book reveal the structures and practices that channel her magic.

Since Jessie so ably addresses the structures and practices that will help you go from idea to book, I want to touch on the magical side of writing books. My dear friend and author of multiple best sellers, Susan Piver, once shared a quote she got from Julia Cameron: The first rule of magic is containment.

Maybe you find the magic in wonder. Perhaps its the spark of service to help someone. Perhaps its a character or set of characters who take on a life of their own and surprise you as youre writing. Perhaps its that feeling of finally being able to articulate the simple insight thats been vexing you for years.

Ive seen too many of my friends, clients, and colleagues get stuck with their book because theyve lost the magic. A consistent cadence of writing, talking with friends, and getting readersall things Jessie covershelp you to stay in touch with the fire and magic of creativity. Thats the containment part of Camerons quote.