Day Seven Tasks
(^)
Task One: Write the sample chapter
Write the first chapter of^ your book.^
Task Two: Revision
Revise the first draft of your complete proposal.^
Today you write your sample chapter
Write your sample chapter using the A, B, and C method that we talked about. I've
also described a fast method that I use to write chapters of books below. If you prefer
to use a tape recorder, then by all means do that. I prefer to write first drafts by hand,
on yellow legal pads. I find that I can relax and enjoy myself when I write by hand.
Whichever method you use, just settle down and write the first chapter.
Note: invariably, after you sell the proposal, and are writing the book, you will
make changes and it's likely that the final first chapter you write will be very different
from the version you're writing today. Since that's the case, just write as quickly as
you can.A fast chapter-writing method
Writing a chapter of a book is like writing a long article. Most chapters are
somewhere between 20 0 0 and 4000 words, but if you want to write a short chapter of
1500 words, that's fine too. Remember that you can’t do any of this wrong, and it's
your choice.
Here's a method that I use when I'm writing a chapter in a book. Adapt it to
your own needs.1.^ Reread^ your^ notes^
Reread the notes that you've^ made during this week.^
2.^ Talk^ to^ yourself^ on^ paper^
Then take five minutes and write out exactly what you want to include in this chapter.
This isn't an outline; your notes can be as brief, or as lengthy as you wish. I usually
talk to myself on paper, like this: