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One Author, One Year, One Contract
Charlotte Booth • 21 September 2021
One Author, One Year, One Contract
Back in November 2021 Helen made the decision to commit to writing her first book. She had a fabulous idea for a book examining true crime with controversial legal outcomes. In particular she wanted to explore how these cases were received by the public and why people dedicated their free time to discussing and researching them.
Challenge
It was an ambitious subject, and Helen was feeling daunted. She didn’t know how to start. She had all these legal cases going around her head and knew which she wanted to include but wasn’t sure how to fit it all together.
“Before the sessions I had an idea for a non-fiction book,but it seemed like a huge mountain to climb to actually writeit and I had no idea where to start.”
So, she enrolled on my 12-week From Brain to Book
programme.
The Process
The 12-week programme is all about sorting those ideas into a Ridiculously Detailed Content Page, where all the details, arguments, sources and conclusions are laid out, rearranged and expanded on before starting to write the book.
“Charlotte's no-nonsense approach to mentoring takes away allof the mystery about writing a book.”
Within four weeks of starting the programme Helen had a content page she was happy with and she was able to see how the book would come together.
As she started writing, we discussed in our meetings every two weeks anything that came up which was relevant such as primary sources, copyright, writing schedules, and creating an angle to give the ‘story’ pizazz.
And pizzazz the book certainly had.
“Just a couple of months on I'd written around 50,000 words dueto Charlotte's methodical and practical approach and advice.”
Within eight weeks Helen had started sending proposals to traditional publishers and was beginning to think like a writer.
Outcome
The traditional publishing process is a slow one but it’s worth it to see your book in the bookshops on the high street.
In September 2021, Helen had received exciting news from a publisher. They loved the idea for her book but wanted to commission a slightly different one. They wanted her to expand one of her chapters into a book within its own right.
Helen was faced with a dilemma. Concentrate on finishing the book she was working on, or take up the publishing offer for the amended book and then finish the other one at a later date.
We had a chat about it, and I was amused to see how much she was now thinking like an author. She was now considering expanding other chapters from the original book into a series, so instead of one book she is now potentially writing two and thinks she could write another four.
This is a huge mental shift from when we started working together less than a year ago. I am so excited at the progress she has made, and that she is seeing the hard work pay off.
If, like Helen, you have an idea for a non-fiction book and don’t know how to approach writing it, why not enrol on the From Brain to Book
mentoring programme. This time next year you could be looking at a book contract, and planning book two, three… and four and five.
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