Start Your Book: Call to Adventure

Every adventure starts with preparation. I covered that step, Stage 1: Start From Where You Are, here.

Today, let’s look at the next step, your first step into writing your book, Stage 2, Call to Adventure.

Every book starts with a word. What is your WORD? Your passion? Your compelling message?

Your Message to the World = [your message here]

DESCRIBE your book in 30-40 words. I dare you. It’s a challenge every writer gets to face. Enjoy it!

After yourself, WHO are you writing for?

Describe your audience. Get specific by noting age, gender, religion, income, and other statistics.

Then, list your audience likes and dislikes as they relate to your message. Also list their expectations for the type of book you’re writing.

WHAT are you writing?

What is the genre? Expected length. Get specific. If you’re not sure about the genre’s expectations, check out your bookshelves, the library, or bookstore.

A GENRE is a convention we use to categorize books, so that the bookstore can shelve them, so the reader can find them. Examples of genres are: literary fiction, horror, romance, mystery, thriller, children’s picture books, business book, self-help, biography, memoir, etc.

IMPACT: What impact do you want to have on your reader?

Describe either the EXPERIENCE you want your readers to have or the RESULT you want them to receive by the time they have finished reading your book.

Example: EXPERIENCE: By the time my readers are done reading my fantasy adventure novel, I want them to feel clear on their place in the  world and empowered to take action.

Example: RESULT: After reading my nonfiction book on writing, I want my readers to have completed the first draft of their novel or creative nonfiction book.

By the time you have finished reading this blog post, I would like to you to have the information you need to get started on your book. And I would like you to feel empowered to take action.

What first steps do you need to take to write your book? Are you doing it? Why or why not?

Happy Writing!

c. 2009 Beth Barany

Resources

You can find the rest of the stages in Beth’s new book, The Writer’s Adventure Guide: 12 Stages to Writing Your Book.

For more resources, subscribe to her newsletter, The Book Coach’s Creativity Sparks.