|
What it takes to write a successful book:
You obviously need to have:
|
•
|
a very interesting and original idea (fiction) |
|
•
|
or something special to say (non-fiction)
|
|
•
|
a flair for using words effectively |
|
•
|
the time to write |
but you will need a lot more than this to write a successful book. As a minimum you will need:
|
•
|
an aptitude for clear planning |
|
•
|
a LOT of patience
|
|
•
|
a willingness to ask for and respond to positive and negative feedback |
|
•
|
an ability to carry out methodical research |
you may need professional help with:
|
•
|
research |
|
•
|
structuring the book
|
|
•
|
editing |
|
•
|
honing, polishing and proofreading the final draft |
|
•
|
finding the right publisher for you |
remember:
However good the writing, a professional looking final text has an astronomically greater chance of acceptance by a publisher than one you have simply “dashed off”. Do not assume that your publisher will correct errors and edit the messy bits. You may never get to this stage if your manuscript does not inspire the Commissioning Editor.
|
