So You've Written A Book. Now What?

By Jim Magwood

Things You Need to Know As You Begin Writing Your Book. "So You've Written A Book. Now What?" was written to help others on the journey of writing to learn and get ahead of some of the pitfalls that are on the horizon. As the book title says, after we've done the writing, then what? And, how do I get there in the first place? What am I facing as I begin this process?

Written from the author's almost fifteen years of writing my first five books and publishing and marketing them, it’s not “expert” material; it’s just what I’ve learned and what I'd like to share with you as you are perhaps on the same writing trail.

Filled with hundreds of hints and suggestions to make your writing life easier.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jim Magwood
• Release date: Mar 7, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311727305

Jim Magwood

I was born too many years ago in Vancouver, Canada, and was dragged south across the border by my parents when I was too young to protest. I've lived in California the rest of my life.I entered the military right after high school, then attended college and began a career in business. My military work and years in various business management positions had me traveling to many parts of the world and I remember well the beauty (as well as the poverty and unrest) of so many places.I am happily married to Gayle.I retired early and moved from the city to our quiet country place in Twin Oaks, California. The loudest noises now are the few barking dogs, some howling coyotes, the wandering cattle and a million raucous birds. The rabbits, quail, coyotes and mountain lions have come to recognize that Shiloh (the ranch) is a sanctuary for them, so they hang around every day looking for handouts.I just hang around the ranch trying to be a hermit (at least that's what a lot of people think.) I do still manage to get shaved once in a while and can look half-way presentable when someone comes up the driveway (if given enough warning.)My work now appears to be writing. SANCTION took about ten years to finish, as it was written in bits and pieces. However, right after it was finished and sent to the publisher, what was left of the old mind began churning and there may be another few novels coming out in the future. Don't hold your breath, but... THE LESSER EVIL, COP, NIGHTMARE, JACOB, ONLY THE WATCHMEN WEEP and THEREFORE I AM are now out in the reading world waiting for you. More coming? We'll see...I'd love to hear from you, especially if you've bought a dozen or so of the books and passed them out to all your friends and neighbors. Give me a write some day, ask questions and swap stories. After all, I don't have anything else to do. You can catch me at [e-mail]. (And I do answer my mail.)

Book preview

Things You Need to Know

As You Begin Writing Your Book

So You’ve Written A Book.

Now What?

Jim Magwood

Author of SANCTION, THE LESSER EVIL,

COP and NIGHTMARE

Shiloh Productions

Twin Oaks, California

So You’ve Written A Book.

Now What?

Copyright © 2014 by Jim Magwood.

Published by Shiloh Productions at Smashwords

Cover by GEM

Twin Oaks, California

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

INTRODUCTION

This mini-book was written to help others on the journey of writing to learn and get ahead of some of the pitfalls that are on the horizon. As we pick up our pens and begin writing, we usually just think of the story we have in mind and figure that when the story is written we’ve been successful. That may partly be true. As I note later on, some day you will be able to say, I did it, and feel that surge of success - completion. But as the book title says, then what? And, how do I get there in the first place? What am I facing as I begin this process?

I wrote this from my experiences over almost fifteen years of writing my first five books and publishing and marketing them. It’s not expert material; it’s just what I’ve learned. When I started, I had no idea what it was all about. But, I thought I did. Then I came to the realization that this authoring business was a lot more than I realized. So I’ve learned things over the years and I simply want to share them with you.

This mini-book is written from my viewpoint as an author, a writer. However, the basic principles in it are adaptable to others doing creative work; poets, musicians, artists, filmmakers, even those building widgets. If you are doing something other than writing, then simply adjust the ideas and principles in here to your own work. Principles such as Write the very best book you possibly can or How are you going to get someone to actually look with interest at YOUR work are just as valid for someone painting a landscape or building a new mousetrap as someone writing a novel.

So, I hope this will be of value to you. As you read it, if you have any comments, suggestions or ideas, I’d love to hear from you. Write me at [e-mail] and/or visit the website at JimMagwood.com. (http://www.JimMagwood.com)

Best wishes to all of you and

Keep On Writing.

CHAPTER ONE

So You’ve Written a Book.

Now What?

I’ve written a book—a suspense novel. What do you mean, So What? Big Deal!? Well, it was a big deal to me. I’m famous now, right? I’m a real live author. Okay, my name isn’t Grisham, or Clancy, but I’m pretty close, aren’t I? Once you’ve written a book, the world sits up and cheers, right? You get famous? Rich? Well, something?

However, probably the main thing you get after you’ve written your life’s work is depressed and discouraged. Here you’ve spent all this time—years even—creating your baby, and the big question becomes, Now What? There’s all those pages sitting there. Just sitting there. They’re supposed to be on library shelves, coming out of bookstores in fancy wrappers, lying beside easy-chairs everywhere—and they’re just sitting there. Now what?

I’ve been an avid reader since early childhood and read everything from newspapers, Reader's Digest and National Geographic, to mysteries and autobiographies. One day a book just popped into my mind and, lo and behold, a novel (SANCTION) was born. But, as I’m sure you are all aware, that was just the beginning of a long process that ended up, years later, with a real novel being published. Years of writing, then throwing the papers across the room, then trying to find some more to write about, then just about burning the whole thing, then… Sound familiar?

I believe most of us have stories to tell: from our own lives and experiences; from things we've seen and heard; from dreams and ideas that just pop in on dark nights and lazy afternoons. Probably nothing starts a story quite as well as actually being awake when the storm hits and the lighting is flashing or on a quiet morning with a cup of coffee while taking the time to simply see life around us.

Writing takes the courage to put ourselves down on paper where others can criticize and poke fun. It also takes the desire to reach and inspire others with word pictures; pictures that will enable them to see beyond the moment, to go beyond their own space, and to dream. Sometimes, the only thing that keeps us going on the project is that this story, this work of art, is coming from our heart and it simply has to come out and be laid gently, lovingly, even tearfully, on paper where at least we can see it. But, we’ve kept at it and it’s now sitting there, and the question again is, Now what?

I’m not the expert on writing books. I managed to get the first four novels written (SANCTION, THE LESSER EVIL, COP and NIGHTMARE) and, with the help of some great people, have gotten them published. Maybe someone will actually buy them some day. Maybe not. But, what I want to do now is just put my thoughts down here on paper—my experiences over the past fifteen years of writing and publishing and marketing—for those of you who’ve perhaps started this journey yourself and who might be wondering just what’s facing you. How are you going to take this brainchild of yours and get it into the hands of people you know will love it and benefit from it as much as you have? What are you going to experience along this journey and how will you get through the experience with your heart and mind and soul still intact?

So, perhaps the first questions become, How do I write this thing? Is what I’ve written even readable,