(1) Take the time to organize your thoughts before you get started writing. Creating an outline is the #1 thing that I recommend if you want to get your book written more quickly. I often tell students that my first book, for which I did not create an outline, took 5 years to complete. My second book, for which I DID create an outline, took only 5 weeks.

(2) If you’re writing for a general audience, it is best to write at the 6-7 grade level. One of the bestsellers of all time, “Jonathan Livingston Seagull”, was written at the seventh grade level. My books are written at a 6-8 grade level. Unless you are writing a PhD dissertation or some highly technical book, it’s best to leave out jargon that most readers will not understand.

(3) Use short sentences. Don’t let your sentence run on for three or four lines (there are exceptions, of course). If the sentences are too long, your reader will tend to get lost.

(4) Use short paragraphs. Don’t let your paragraphs take up the entire page. Shorter paragraphs are always easier on the eyes and easier to read. Again, of necessity, there are exceptions.

(5) Vary the length of your chapters. Not too long, not too short. If you estimate that an average chapter should run about 10 pages, then some could be 8 pages while others could go up to 14 pages — but not usually 3 pages or 24 pages.

(6) Use simple words to express your thoughts. Sometimes simpler words make for better flow and clearer understanding.

(7) Contrary to what you’ve been taught in your grammar lessons, it’s fine to start sentences with “and” and “but” and certain “unacceptable” sentence starters. Don’t worry so much about using proper grammar that you never get your book written. Just use your best judgment and you’ll be fine.

(8) Before you send your book to any printer, make absolutely sure that it has been edited. Try not to do the final editing of your own work. No matter how good you are, you’ll still pass over errors that a good editor would spot right away. Having a second set of eyes in the editing process is another of my most important tips on writing a book.

(9) Write with passion and integrity, and approach your writing with excitement and energy. For some reason, a part of your energy is conveyed in your words, written or spoken. No one seems to know exactly how it happens, but it does.

(10) Experiment with alternate ways of writing your book. One of my favorites is to dictate my “writing” and make a recording of it to be transcribed later. This is a great way to get over writers block and start your creative juices flowing again.

From the moment they have their finished, edited and formatted copy of the book to the time they receive their hard copies, their wait would have been reduced to somewhere between 4 to 6 weeks. That’s the power of today’s printing technology.

And it’s getting better each day. I predict that within a decade, an author would be able to go from completed, formatted manuscript to printed book in a few days. In some cases such as the Espresso Machine being promoted by Lightning Source, that is already happening.

Print on Demand Publishing – Formatting

To use this method, you have to have your book formatted in a particular way. There are many services that can do this at a relatively small cost. Or you can do it yourself if you have the right software and know-how.

You can format your work in Microsoft Word and go from there into a PDF file using Adobe Acrobat software. Actually, new versions of Microsoft Word make it possible for you to go directly to PDF format without having to purchase additional software.

I do not suggest becoming a technophile unless you already are one and you enjoy that. It would be simpler, by far, to use an outside service, which can easily be found online.

Now, just to repeat what I’ve said, you convert (or let someone else convert) your word processing document of your manuscript into a PDF file. After you have your PDF file, you need to get a cover for your book. Many services are available to make a cover.

While there are many new methods of book promotion that are now available with the advent of the internet, some of the best book marketing strategies have existed for decades, and are still extremely effective as part of your overall promotion strategy.

Effective Methods For Marketing Your Book

Here are a few of the methods that I personally used years ago to make my book “When You Can Walk On Water, Take The Boat” an award-winning best seller:

1. I sent review copies to my local newspapers, magazines and newsletters. Most of them ignored it, but the few that did respond printed a short review that gave me enough material to use in further promotions.
2. I sent review copies to national publications and found that a few actually looked at my book. I used the great comments and ignored the ones that were not too good.
3. I went to a number of local bookstores and asked them to carry my book on consignment. Instead of the normal 40% discount, I offered 50% discount. It was a win-win situation. The bookstores received a larger than normal discount and they didn’t have to pay for the books until sold. What I found was that some bookstore owners read my book and started recommending it to their readers. Then I was asked to give a little lecture and to sign my books. And this led to more exposure at lectures, at bookstores and more book-signings.
4. I did unorthodox things such as leaving a copy of my book on an airplane seat. On every flight I’d take extra books and would leave one on the seat hoping that someone would pick it up, read it and tell everyone that they found the greatest book ever written abandoned on an airline seat   Did anyone ever read those abandoned books? I don’t really know for sure. Somebody, somewhere would probably read it. That’s one of those crazy, mystical things that fascinate me.Your book is an energy system. The book, of itself, has no value except as a bunch of paper with printing ink splattered all over it in the form of words. The value of the book is in the information it conveys. There are some who believe that information is alive – that it has a special built-in energy. Your personal energy is a part of the information in your book. Love your book, treat it with respect and it will carry your energy and message to all its readers. It’ll become “attractive” because it will attract readers to it. I’ve seen this happen over and over again.
5. Many times I’d stop at a bookstore and ask if they had a copy of my book in. They’d check their computers and say, “No, but we can order it for you.” I’d smile and say OK and order it under my friend’s name. (I had my friend’s permission to do this.) When the book came in, they’d call my friend and he’d say he didn’t want it any longer. The bookstore would then put the “WaterBook” for sale on their shelves. Generally, a customer would buy the one copy and the bookstore would order more.
6. I accepted almost every invitation to speak and I’d always take some of my books with me. Inevitably, a number of attendees bought some and asked for autographs. As time went by, I was asked to speak at larger gatherings. I started getting paid for speaking. Word got around and the more I lectured, the more books I sold.
7. Interviews sell books. Shortly after the “WaterBook” was published, “Body Mind and Spirit” magazine did a short review. I sent them a “Thank You” note and mentioned that I’d be happy to agree to an interview in an upcoming issue. For a while nothing happened, but eventually they did a wonderful interview with me that increased my book sales substantially.
8. Radio interviews are great for getting known quickly and getting your books into the public psyche. Weeks after “WaterBook” was published, because of the kindness of a good friend, I was asked to be a guest on a radio show in Nashville, Tennessee. The name of the show was “Beyond Reason” and the producer was a well-known, Nashville celebrity by the name of Teddy Bart. The show was a fantastic success and resulted in many bookstores in Nashville stocking my book.
9. In addition to lecturing and giving workshops, I also attended lectures and seminars. It wasn’t what I learned at the lectures and seminars that was important (and I did learn a lot), but the contacts I made proved to be invaluable. In one case, a lady introduced herself to me and asked what I did. I told her about my book and gave her a copy. A week later, she phoned and told me how she enjoyed my book. Would I, she asked, be willing to sell her 200 copies of the “WaterBook” as gifts for her real estate clients? Of course, I was willing! Paul Zuromski, founder and former editor-in-chief of Body, Mind and Spirit magazine purchased thousands of copies to give away as incentives for those who subscribed to his magazine.

These are just a few “out of the box” things that I’ve done to promote my books in the past. There are many other methods besides these that make promoting your book easier than it has ever been before.