Synopses & Reviews
If you follow only a third of Jean's advice, you'll have a successful book. --Jeremy Tarcher, Publisher Jeremy P. Tarcher, Inc.
""After Jean reworked my first draft, paperback rights sold for $137,000."" --Timmen Cermak, M.D., author of A Time to Heal: The Road to Recovery for Adult Children of Alcoholics
Mastering the craft and understanding the mechanics of writing self-help and how-to books is the key to getting publishers to take notice of your work. Now, in the first guide to writing self-help and how-to books, Jean Stine offers an insider's view of this growing genre. Her easy-to-follow program takes you step-by-step through the complete writing process. You'll learn the importance of:
* Structure and Style
* Clear, easy-to-understand exercises
* Creating catchy and compelling titles, subtitles, and chapter headings
* Using lists, charts, and graphs to maximum effect
* Checklists and other interactive elements
* Writing a proposal that sells
* Negotiating permissions for quotations, photos, and illustrations
* Preparing your manuscript for presentation to a publisher
Synopsis
An industry Insider shares her expertise In the first book on writing for this growing market
This book offers detailed tips and guidelines covering the entire process, from creating a proposal that gets you through the door to preparing your manuscript for publication. Successful how-to book editor and author Jean Stine provides writers with the tried-and-true strategies bestselling authors use, including clearly identifying your audience; writing effective chapter titles, heads, and subheads; and using illustrations and charts to enhance the text.
-- Draws on examples from actual editorial notes sent to published authors
-- Ideas can be used to write a self-help or how-to book on any subject, including health, home improvement, business, psychology, math, travel, and more
-- "If you follow only a third of Jean's advice, you'll have a successful book". -- Jeremy Tarcher, Publisher
Synopsis
"If you follow only a third of Jean's advice, you'll have a successful book." --Jeremy Tarcher, Publisher Jeremy P. Tarcher, Inc.
"After Jean reworked my first draft, paperback rights sold for $137,000." --Timmen Cermak, M.D., author of A Time to Heal: The Road to Recovery for Adult Children of Alcoholics
Mastering the craft and understanding the mechanics of writing self-help and how-to books is the key to getting publishers to take notice of your work. Now, in the first guide to writing self-help and how-to books, Jean Stine offers an insider's view of this growing genre. Her easy-to-follow program takes you step-by-step through the complete writing process. You'll learn the importance of:
* Structure and Style
* Clear, easy-to-understand exercises
* Creating catchy and compelling titles, subtitles, and chapter headings
* Using lists, charts, and graphs to maximum effect
* Checklists and other interactive elements
* Writing a proposal that sells
* Negotiating permissions for quotations, photos, and illustrations
* Preparing your manuscript for presentation to a publisher
About the Author
JEAN MARIE STINE has edited over 50 self-help titles, including such bestsellers as Women Who Love Too Much, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, and Chop Wood, Carry Water: A Guide to Finding Spiritual Fulfillment in Everyday Life. She has held numerous editorial positions, most recently Editor in Chief at Jeremy P. Tarcher, Inc.
Table of Contents
Partial table of contents:
WRITING AND SELLING SELF-HELP/HOW-TO BOOKS.
What You Should Know about Writing Self-Help/How-To Books.
Selling Your Self-Help/How-To Book Made Easy.
THE BASICS: TITLE AND OUTLINE.
Finalizing Your Title and Subtitle.
WRITING A SELF-HELP/HOW-TO PROPOSAL.
How to Write a Proposal That Sells.
WRITING THE SAMPLE CHAPTER.
Chapter Writing Step by Step.
Style Made Easy.
Lists Made Easy.
SELF-EDITING SELF-HELP/HOW-TO BOOKS.
Editing Your Manuscripts the Lazy Writer's Way.
Getting Friends to Troubleshoot and Edit Your Manuscript.
SELLING SELF-HELP/HOW-TO BOOKS MADE EASY.
Submitting Your Book for Publication.
SIMPLIFYING PERMISSIONS, CROSS-REFERENCES, ILLUSTRATIONS, CHARTS, TABLES, AND FRONT AND BACK MATTER.
Permissions to Quote and Reprint.
Appendices, Resources, and the Index.