Diary

When you’re putting together the information your ghostwriter is going to need, one of the most important pieces of the project is your book outline. Your ghostwriter will use your outline to make sure your book comes together the way you picture it – but an outline has many other uses as well.  Think of the outline as the roadmap of your book.

The outline can help you see the “big picture” and it can organize the smaller details into a cohesive unit as well.

Is there a “right way” to do a book outline?

The truth is, there is no “ONE” right way.  One of the most important tips I give my clients if they haven’t already outlined their book, is to do it in a way that makes them feel comfortable and helps them stay  organized, and that makes sense to them.

Here are some of the most common ways to outline your book:

1. One way is to use the method you were probably taught in high-school English… Grab a bunch of index cards, write one topic (chapter or idea) on each card.  Once you’ve written everything down you think you want to include, lay the cards out on your dining room table, and start moving them around until you get them in the order you like best – and then transer that to an outline form on a word document.

2. Use a legal pad and create a list of topics or chapters. After you’ve got your list made, go through them and number the in the order you think the chapters make the most sense. (Use a pencil for this part, so you can erase as you need to.) Again, when you’re happy with it, create a list in a word document.

3. Use a mind map. Mind maps are usually software programs – and they range in price from being very expensive to being free. Some also have more of a learning curve than others, but once you’ve learned how to use them – if you like the way they work, you’ll never want to use another method.

My personal favorite is the mind map.  And I like a free version called “free mind” – for a few reasons.  First of all, it’s free.  Secondly, the learnng curve is almost nonexistent.  Most people can figure out the basics in about 20 minutes.  And thirdly, it works on both PCs and Macs, so no matter which type of computer my clients have, we can use it.

The process for creating your outline

  • Start with an overview.  This isn’t part of the outline itself, per say. Think of it as the ‘big picture’.  Give a brief description of what your book is about and who the target audience is.
  • Then create a list of broad topics or sections.  For example, if you were writing a book about diet and exercise, you might want to think about things like: Diet, Healthy eating habits, Recipes, Exercise, Diseases, What to talk to your doctor about, etc.
  • Next, create a short list of narrower topics that could go under each section.  So for example, under exercise you might want to include: cardio, stretching, walking, water aerobics, etc.
  • Once your outline is fleshed out, you can start adding in ideas for graphics, charts, tips, lists of symptoms, or whatever else will make your book more interesting and useful to the reader.

A finished outline is the first big step in turning your idea for a book into reality.  And as you can see, it’s not that difficult to do if you understand the process.

But if you have any questions, feel free to post them in the comment section and I’ll be happy to answer them for you!

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