Tour Stop for Author Carol Denbow, a.k.a., Author 101

[Author101]

Carol Denbow is the author of three books, including, “A Book Inside, How to Write, Publish, and Sell Your Story.”

Host: Welcome Carol.

Carol Denbow: Thank you; I’m really honored to be here today.

Host: Many of this blogs’ visitors are interested in writing a book but don’t know where to begin. How does one decide what to write?

Carol Denbow: With proper direction, all writers have the ability to see their story in book form. Whether you have a full length novel in mind or a unique life story you want to share, book writing has become the most popular way for one to truly express themselves. Your visitors aren’t alone with their book ideas, there are about 195,000 new titles published in the U.S. each year.

Ask yourself this—will your expertise benefit others? Has your imagination run wild with thrilling mysteries others may enjoy reading about? Was there a special event in your life you’d like to share? Or do you simply have a story to tell? If you feel there is a book inside you, the first step to turning your idea into a book is of course, writing it.

First and foremost, write what you know. With experience comes knowledge, and a person will enjoy writing more when they are familiar with their subject. When you choose your books subject matter, check your resources (library or internet) to make sure the book market is not already saturated with similar books. Look for a niche, something new that hasn’t been previously published or puts a new twist on a subject.

Host: How important is it to create an outline before writing a book and how does one accomplish this?

Carol Denbow: An outline is a blueprint—it’s crucial in creating comprehendible text and staying on target with your goals. Every manuscript contains an introduction, information, and conclusion, in other words, a beginning, middle, and ending. To start, define each of these categories in relation to your book idea. For instance, a non-fiction book on stress relief may begin with “what is stress.” The middle text may explain “how to relieve stress.” The ending may finish with “now that you are stress free…”

For a fiction book, the beginning may open by developing your characters and their place within your story. The middle is your story line or plot, and the ending is where your story concludes.

Once you have established these elements to your book, you can begin filling in the chapter titles according to the order of your stories events. Choose titles which are clear and define the content of that particular chapter; especially for non-fiction books. Compile your chapters and organize them in a logical order.

Once you have a complete outline finished, it’s time to begin “filling in the blanks.” With a proper and orderly outline of your story, you can flow through your writing process with confidence and ease.

Host: What more does a writer need to know about writing a book?

Carol Denbow: Well of course there is more to putting your book together than is listed here and I’d love to be able to say that after your book is written, the hard part is over—but I can’t. There will or may be a need for front and back matter to your book, an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) number, bar-coding, etc. The best way to determine your pre-production needs is through research. Simply by opening some books and comparing the content, you will learn of additional book components. To learn more about each one, either search the internet or ask your local librarian.

Book production and marketing require quite a bit of work as well—possibly the most. There are several good books and Websites devoted to walking an author through the entire process. But be prepared to make a commitment to invest a lot of time to selling your new book.

Host: So where can we find your books and do you have a Website?

Carol Denbow: All my books are available by clicking on Amazon.com as well as through my Website at http://www.booksbydenbow.weebly.com.

Right now, if viewers purchase one of my books through my Website, I will donate one copy to Friends of The Libraries in support of re-building libraries affected by the Katrina disaster and the Cedar Rapids Iowa flood disaster as well as donating 10 percent of the proceeds from the sale to Breast Cancer awareness.

I also have a great blog for new and seasoned writers at http://abookinside.blogspot.com. To see some of my past book tour stops, visit my Website Events page at http://www.authorsbox.com/upcomingevents.htm.