It's confession time. I'll go first.
Even though I've written more than thirty books at this point in my career, it took me years to write the first one.
I struggled to finish even one book--all because I didn't have a plan.
Along the way, a close friend (who I later married😊) suggested I'd have an easier time if I just outlined the book before I tried to write it. But the idea of outlining sounded too restrictive. I didn't want to stifle my creativity. I wanted to be free to write.
And I was free. I was free to write myself in circles, quitting on one idea to start another, and then doing it all over again—never finishing a book.
Once I finally accepted the reality that a comprehensive outline would make writing much easier, I still struggled.
The processes I'd learned to outline an essay in school didn't really serve me well when it came time to plan a book.
But when I landed a job co-writing a book for Top Chef finalist Antonia Lofaso (well, top 3 on her season), I couldn't play around anymore. I was committed to helping her write a phenomenal book. I had to figure out how to structure a book in a way that worked for me.
I learned what I needed to know, outlined her book, and helped her land a book deal with Penguin.
You have a story to tell (or many stories) and knowledge to share—you already know this—and writing a great book is one of the best ways to reach the people who need to hear from you.
You don't need to be on TV to succeed with your book. But you do need a comprehensive outline.
No two books are alike--and no two outlines are alike either. That's good news!
I'll show you how to outline your book in a way that works for you and the way you think about information and storytelling.
This is what successful authors already know and do.