How to Write a Book
TL;DR
Writing a book can be an outstanding use of your time while serving a sentence. It can transform the time inside from being a waste, to being a time of exceptional productivity. Further, The finished product can help an author restore confidence, and open income opportunities. To write a book, I encourage authors to follow a structured approach. They should draw on personal experiences and think about lessons they want to share, or the story they want to tell.
Subject: How to Write a Book
Serving a lengthy prison term can bring a lot of collateral consequences. The earlier we begin to think about the challenges we’ll face on the other side of the journey, the more effectively we can lay out a plan to prepare for success. With a 45-year sentence to serve, I had to think about ways that I could build an asset that would allow me to launch a new life once I got out. The idea I had was to write a book.
Once I started to write, I realized that I didn’t know what I was doing. I remember sitting at a desk with a pencil or pen in my hand, and trying to write. I’d stare at the page for hours. I didn’t know how to turn words into sentences, or sentences into paragraphs. Fortunately, I had multiple decades to learn.
Writing became a crucial part of my journey. The exercise helped me immensely, both in prison, and also in building my career upon release. It’s the reason that I’d like to offer some tips that others can use to learn how to write a book.
First, answer the question: Why Write a Book?
From my perspective, writing a book allows a person to share experiences, lessons, and insights with a broader audience. It’s a way for a person to leave a legacy, influence others positively, and advocate for change. Further, it can persuade others to see the author as something more than the way that others want to portray him. Had I not authored books during my imprisonment, others would not have opened opportunities that I could leverage to build a better life.
Every person has the right to a better life. But we all most work, taking incremental steps that will get us to the next stage in our journey.
In Earning Freedom: Conquering a 45-Year Prison Term, I tell the story from the day of my arrest to the day that I got out of prison. It shows the strategies that helped me keep building while I climbed through years and decades in prison. In another book I wrote, Prison: My 8,344th Day,” I wanted to show readers the relationship between daily decisions and new opportunities.
In the event others in our community want to write their own book, I’ll share the steps that worked for me:
1. Identify Your Purpose:
Start by understanding why you want to write a book. Do you want to share your personal story, teach others, advocate for a cause, or inspire change? Your purpose will guide the content and tone of your book. You may also want to tell a story, or entertain. Either way, start by thinking about your audience. How much time will you readers give to the project?
2. Outline Your Story:
As a writer, I think in terms of work count. A big book, like Earning Freedom, is longer than 100,000 words. It will require more than ten hours of a person’s time. Some people will not want to read that much. How much time will your reader give you? If the book is only worth 25,000 words, then use that as your guide. But figure out the length you want to write before you start. Then, outline the chapters. If you know you want to write a 50,000 word book, then divide it into the number of chapters you will need to cover your story. If you need 25 chapters, you should plan on writing 2,000 words for each chapter. The more time you spend thinking about your outline, the easier it will be to stay on track. At least that is what I found. In “Earning Freedom,” I outlined my journey from arrest to release, highlighting the strategies I used to transform my life. Since I was in prison for so long, I had to write a long book.
3. Write Regularly:
Once you have a clear idea of the finished product, I encourage you to write daily. Consistency makes all the difference. I used to force myself to write at least 1,000 words every day. Even if I had to discard much of what I wrote, the discipline of writing 1,000 words daily helped me push through the project. Discipline forced me to write regularly, which helped me complete several books.
4. Draw on Personal Experiences:
Use your experiences as the foundation of your book. Personal stories resonate with readers and provide authenticity. I often referenced historical figures like Socrates and Nelson Mandela in my books to show how their teachings influenced my journey. These strategies helped me, but for a person who wants to become a novelist, the approach would differ. I encourage you to find the strategy that works best for you, but always have an end product in mind.
5. Edit and Revise:
From writers who were much more accomplished than I am, I learned the art of writing is truly in rewriting. Don’t be afraid to edit and revise your work multiple times. This process helps clarify your message and improve the overall quality of your book. Seek feedback from trusted friends or mentors if possible.
6. Publish and Share:
Once your manuscript is ready, explore publishing options. Today, there are various platforms available for self-publishing. You can also consider traditional publishing if you have the resources. The key is to get your book out there and share your message with the world.
By documenting your journey and sharing your insights, you contribute to society. And the harder you work, the more opportunities will open. To succeed, you must want to succeed. You must think about the ways that you can create tools, tactics, and resources that you can leverage to open opportunities. Writing a book may help you create more mentor relationships, and possible, more income opportunities–as it happened for me.
Keep striving for greatness, and remember that your efforts today will pave the way for a brighter future tomorrow.
Today’s Question
What personal experience or lesson in your life could inspire others if shared in a book?
Steps to Build Your Profile
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By taking these steps, you can memorialize your journey and demonstrate your commitment to a better future.
