Writing is hard. Writing is easy.
Writing is fun. Writing is drudgery.
Anyone can write. Writers are a breed apart.
And, the fun part. All the above are true, at one time or another. Yes, cognitive dissonance is our friend.
So you want to write a book, for a myriad of reasons. You have a great idea. You want to share your story. You enjoy writing to friends, on Facebook, the occasional note for your business or church or organization.
Yes, you too can write a book. But how do you actually, you know, WRITE the book?
That’s where the professionals at the Jenkins Group come in. We can help you from start (idea) to finish (publication). And everywhere in between, from the research, to the writing, editing, selecting the proper format, cover, typesetting, everything that comes with creating a book.
When it comes to writing a book, the writing itself is only one of many parts of creating the the book, though it’s the part most people think of. (It’s also the part that most people find so daunting, they never do write it.)
The writing itself can come from many sources. Perhaps you’ve been keeping a journal, or have done some writing as above for organizations to which you belong.
Or maybe you’ve been in business for a number of years and want to expound on the lessons you’ve learned.
Whatever the case, when it comes to the writing itself, I can cite many dos and don’ts. But two cardinal rules stand above all others.
First, only use your best work. If you don’t think your manuscript is up to par, potential readers certainly won’t.
Second, enjoy what you do. A reporter for the local newspaper once told me that if you don’t enjoy your story while you’re writing it, the readers won’t enjoy it either.
That’s true no matter what the story, format, genre or length is. Readers can tell when there’s passion in the work—and when there’s not.
In other words, write what you know and what you love.
But is hard, you say. That part of you that wants to write is held back by the fear of actually putting pen to paper, or in this computer age, fingers to keyboard.
That’s where we come in. We can help you with every step of the writing process, from defining your idea and your goals to editing your manuscript, from selecting an editor to working directly with a writer who will take your words, ideas and concepts and flesh them out.
The Jenkins Group works with writers, editors, designers, and other professionals across the country. We can offer you as much help—or as little—as you need to see your vision through, from coaching and encouraging to helping you select just the right people to assist you in creating the dynamic book you can use to further your business.
And make no mistake, writing—ahem, creating—a book with your name on the cover will help you become an acknowledged expert in your field.
That’s true whether you’re writing about music, the stock market, medicine, advertising, computers, art—pretty much anything. For example, no one outside her family had ever heard about Julia Child before she wrote Mastering the Art of French Cooking. She parlayed that into another book, and another, then countless television appearances.
That morphed into parodies, such as Dan Aykroyd’s hilarious encounter with a too-sharp knife on Saturday Night Live, even a second life in a blog, book and film with Julie and Julia.
Now, is there anyone who hasn’t heard of Julia Child? Your book may not be the springboard into international acclaim like what happened with Julia Child. But it might. And until you actually write it, you’ll continue to wonder.
Contact me with your questions, concerns, and ideas. We can help you realize your dream of authoring a book.
So stop putting it off, and start writing.
