Write Your Book in a Flash: The
Paint-by-Numbers System to Write the Book of Your Dreams—Fast by Dan Janal (TCK
Publishing, 2018)
The most
established writers I have met say the best way to finish a book is simply to
get started writing it. Commonsense, right? Therein lies the difference between
those who aimlessly fantasize about completing a book and those who make an honest
effort at doing so, those who make endless excuses about why they can’t move
forward and those who face the task with dogged determination, those who duck the
due diligence that comes with struggling through the detail and those who work relentlessly
at it.
Would-be
writers clearly outnumber their successful counterparts. Dan Janal suggests a
prime reason is not unrealistic expectations or linguistic laziness, but
self-defeating attitudes. To counter negative approaches to authorship, Janal includes
an unusual element in his 10-step book-writing process: overcome limiting
beliefs. He wisely realizes that novices need encouragement to follow through
on their publishing goals, to ignore their naysaying critics, and to get over
their worst selves. Janal writes productively and he wants you to. Write Your Book in a Flash is a systematic, readable book full of practical tips and encouragement for aspiring
authors.
Janal
lays down numerous tips in each chapter. He starts with what he calls five levels
of book authority, from easy to complex, proving immediately that new writers
probably already have the seeds of their first book. He drills deeply into each
of his 10 steps with templates that make short work of positioning statements, audience
analysis, pitch letters, and review requests—all crucial parts of rendering a
publishable book. His DESCRIBERS mnemonic provides clear guidance for adding flesh
and blood to a skeletal book outline.
Plenty
of books promise to make their readers better writers. Janal assumes we already
are—if only we got moving. Write Your
Book in a Flash offers worthwhile tools to do so in the current publishing
world.
