Tuesday, December 16, 2008

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Today's read books Article
Turn Your Ideas Into Books

Turn Your Ideas Into Books

by Laura Backes, Write4Kids.com - The Children's Writing SuperSite

Maybe you're one of those lucky writers whose head is
bursting with ideas. Or perhaps you have one idea that's
been nagging you for weeks, always at the edge of your
thoughts. Either way, you're itching to begin writing.
That's good. But before you rush headlong into your story,
stop and ask yourself one question: Is this just an idea, or
is it a book?

Ideas, of course, are the seeds of any work of fiction or
nonfiction. But until an idea is fully developed, until you
can envision its beginning, middle and end, that one idea
might not be enough. The experience of writing for pages
about an idea and ultimately getting nowhere (or getting a
pile of rejections) has taught many writers to outline their
books before they begin. But if the thought of an outline
sends shivers up your spine, at least thinking your idea
through and making sure it merits months of writing can save
you future frustration.

Ideas for Fiction

A lot of writers, especially when they're beginners, get
ideas for fiction from their own lives. This can be useful
for several reasons: you're emotionally invested in the
topic, you can relate directly to the main character, and if
the situation actually happened to you, you're less likely
to be unconsciously basing the story on a book you've read.
But remember, just because you find this thing that happened
to you or your child fascinating, it doesn't mean it will be
fascinating to thousands of potential readers. Very often, a
real-life event is just that--an event. It's a vivid scene
you recall with pleasure, or a family joke that's repeated
over and over. It evokes strong emotions when you remember
it, perhaps you even look back on an event as a turning
point in your life. But only rarely does reality provide a
plot.

When writers stick too closely to what really happened they
fail to develop the elements necessary for a good story: a
believable main character who is faced with a problem or
conflict, mounting tension as that character tries to solve
her problem and experiences setbacks, and a tension- filled
climax followed by a resolution that's satisfying to the
character and the reader. If your main character is really
your son, you might not want to get him in trouble or throw
rocks in his path. But you have to. It's the only way you'll
create a story that will keep readers hooked and wondering
how it will end.

Speaking of endings, if the resolution of your story comes
too easily, it's probably obvious and predictable. Try
mixing up real life and have the situation evolve in a
different direction. Surprise yourself, and you'll surprise
an editor.

However you get your idea, focus first on whether it's a
plot or a theme. Many times, an initial idea is really the
underlying meaning of the story, what the author wants to
convey to the reader. Themes should be universal in their
appeal-- such as friendship, appreciating one's own
strengths, not judging others too quickly. Then play around
with the sequence of events until you develop a plot (what
actually happens in the book) that makes this theme clear to
the reader. And remember; if you're using a childhood
incident as the foundation of your story, tell it from your
childhood viewpoint, not how it feels to you now as an
adult.

Ideas for Nonfiction

Your nonfiction book should be based on something you're
truly interested in and passionate about. After all, you'll
be living with this idea for many months. The key to
successful nonfiction is to take your idea and approach it
in a way that no one else has ever done before. This means
doing most of your research before you begin to write. Don't
settle for the most easily-found information on your topic--
your readers have probably read the same information. Keep
digging until you find an aspect to your subject that
strikes you as unique. Then search through the library and
book stores to make sure no one else has already beat you to
it.

For a nonfiction idea to become a book, you need enough
information to fill the number of pages necessary, depending
on the age group for which you plan to write. Younger
children need a foundation of basic facts, but you can also
get fairly detailed within the scope of the approach you've
chosen as long as you explain concepts in a simple and
straightforward manner (how animals hibernate, why insects
are different colors). Older readers can draw on a broader
foundation of knowledge, and infer connections between your
topic and related subjects. A detailed outline of any
nonfiction book is essential to help you see if your idea
has enough substance and originality, or if you need further
research before you begin writing.

Whether it's fiction or nonfiction, your idea should mean
something to you, but also have the potential to mean a lot
to your readers. Think it through, add to it, take the
nonessential elements away, and make sure it has a
beginning, middle and end. Only then will your "idea" turn
into "an idea for a book."

# # #

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Laura Backes is the publisher of Children's Book Insider,
the Newsletter for Children's Writers. For more information
about writing children's books, including free articles,
market tips, insider secrets and much more, visit
Children's Book Insider's home on the web at
http://write4kids.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

About the Author

Recommended read books Items

The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich

The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich
What do you do? Tim Ferriss has trouble answering the question. Depending on when you ask this
controversial Princeton University guest lecturer, he might answer:

“I race motorcycles in Europe.”
“I ski in the Andes.”
“I scuba dive in Panama.”
“I dance tango in Buenos Aires.”

He has spent more than five years learning the secrets of the New Rich, a fast-growing subculture who has abandoned the “deferred-life plan” and instead mastered the new currencies—time and mobility—to create luxury lifestyles in the here and now.

Whether you are an overworked employee or an entrepreneur trapped in your own business, this book is the compass for a new and revolutionary world. Join Tim Ferriss as he teaches you:

• How to outsource your life to overseas virtual assistants for $5 per hour and do whatever you want
• How blue-chip escape artists travel the world without quitting their jobs
• How to eliminate 50% of your work in 48 hours using the principles of a forgotten Italian economist
• How to trade a long-haul career for short work bursts and freuent "mini-retirements"
• What the crucial difference is between absolute and relative income
• How to train your boss to value performance over presence, or kill your job (or company) if it’s beyond repair
• What automated cash-flow “muses” are and how to create one in 2 to 4 weeks
• How to cultivate selective ignorance—and create time—with a low-information diet
• What the management secrets of Remote Control CEOs are
• How to get free housing worldwide and airfare at 50–80% off
• How to fill the void and create a meaningful life after removing work and the office

You can have it all—really.

Customer Review: Just what I was looking for.

This book is great, just what I was looking for. A step by step approach to making money.

Customer Review: Please.

This book could have been written by any of my ex-boyfriends. How to make it look like you're working hard while you sit around only thinking about yourself and taking advantage of everybody?

But I will give Timothy Ferriss a second chance if he can do the following: explain to me how and why his book illustrates the limit of capitalism using orthodox Marxist terminology. Then, convince me that this is good thing, still without resorting to corporate-speak, cliche, or neologism. Bonus: don't try to sidestep the question by arguing that my viewpoint is just the residue of an outdated paradigm.

That would be worth my time. This book was not. I read this book as a skeptic who was keen to be convinced. Needless to say, I am not.

Headlines on read books
New book on cancer offers comfort and hope - The Hour

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 03:00:26 GMT

New book on cancer offers comfort and hope
The Hour, CT - 11 minutes ago
"I think knowledge leads to hope, and it is my hope that people will read this book and will feel a sense of empowerment," Frank said. ...

I Was Tricked

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 03:05:56 GMT
I've got books overdue at the library so it's time to stop talking about me and start talking about some reading.

Up close and personal with father of gonzo

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 02:41:43 GMT
Hunter S. Thompson is the father of gonzo journalism, a go-for-the-jugular journalistic style that could make any politician squirm.

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