The Zazew Book Writing Process

So you have registered and you want to create a writing project either for your individual pursuit or for opening up to the Zazew collaborative community to participate. Step by step here's what you need to do

Create your own Project...

Non-Fiction - Reference Books/How-to-Guides/Manuals etc

1. Think carefully about what you want to achieve. Write a mission statement for the book. For example, if it is a book about personal financial management, you might have a mission statement such as. “This book will help anyone unable to manage their income and expenditure and provide them with the tools and confidence in order to get out of debt and become more financially independent and successful”
2. At this stage you might be ready to give your book a title. For example in the above we might chose “Winning Personal Financial Management in 10 easy steps (How to change your finances and your life for the better)”
3. What’s your elevator pitch? In other words if you were stuck in a lift with a potential reader of your book and you had time to pitch your project to them in the time it took to travel between floors, summarise in a few sentences why they might want to read your work in preference to a similar title
4. If it is a reference book or a manual you are writing, write a summary that will help other potential contributors understand your aims and objectives. For example, in the above, you might define what us meant by “more financially independent and successful” and outline how you intend to do this. Explain why you are writing it, who it might appeal to, If you are offering it to the Zazew community to contribute, outline what sort of contributors and levels of knowledge or types of experience you are looking for. Explain why you believe that you are qualified or experienced to propose such a project.
5. Think Marketing - You might want to sell the book when complete, so continually ask yourself to whom and what the appeal for the project is and remember to put the 'sizzle in the sausage'. Sell yourself and differentiate your work. This is your chance!
6. Plan your journey. Think of your objectives as milestones on the way to achieving your aim. What steps must you take and what route must you take to get there. Your chapters and sections are these steps. Each chapter/section is the stage, milestone or stepping stone on the way to the final destination.
7. Next, whether you are writing independently. Inviting a select writing group or offering to the Zazew community for contributors, write chapter/sections headings that succinctly and accurately outline what each chapter or section should be about. Write under each heading a summary outlining what each part of the book that you are aiming to produce will be about. This way you will ensure the likelihood of attracting the most knowledgeable and valuable contributions.
8. Now, when you are ready hit the ‘Save Changes’ button and your project will be mailed to a waiting group of subscribers if you decide to go public or if y have decided to mark the project as private, you now have a plan against which to commence your work and invite individual contributors as you see fit
9. At last, your chance to write something, so get writing. If you are offering the project to the Zazew community for contributors, make sure you select the chapters you wish to write
10. Finally if you have opened the project to Zazew contributors, then watch your personal email inbox and look out for emails from eager Potential co-writers, who you are at will to accept, request further information or reject as you feel appropriate. as they apply for each chapter or section on offer

Also see the Zazew guides to

• Writing a reference book
• Becoming a best selling author

Zazew Online writing courses for

• Planning researching and writing a reference book

Fiction: Novels/Short Stories/Biographies

Wow, so now we have to try and cover the process of creativity in a few short paragraphs. Here goes…

1. Unlike the Non Fiction process, wherein an outline plan for the finished article is developed at the outset in order to ensure the finished article achieves the aims as established by the author, Planning fiction project (novel, short story, biography etc) is entirely different. Here’s how:
2. What’s your book called, imagine the jacket displayed on a book shelf, what would the title say? It might only be a working title at this stage.
3. So OK, the early stages are similar to wiring non fiction, in that you should write a mission statement for the book. For example, if it is a book about one family’s ancestors and their journey from Their native Africa back in 17xx to 20th century America, you might write something along the lines of “An epic journey through the last 300 years and the tale of one families ancestors and their journey from slavery to 20th century America and their rightful democratic place in American society” And if you recognise that example from a famous book,  all correct entries to admin@zazew.comfor a free annual Zazew membership
4. Think about your book outline. Imagine the rear sleeve of the book and a customer picking it up from a bookstore shelf . How would you outline your story, Is there a main character, what sort of journey are they on?
5. Whether you are planning to write a novel, short story, or writing for children, the number one rule is make sure that your plot/storyline and characters go hand in hand in other words make sure the characters are closely related. One memorable piece of advice comes from the saying “readers won't care what happens in a story if they don't care WHO it happens to.”  So remember you don’t have to make your characters likeable, but make sure the reader cares what happens to them (good or bad). In other words if they are good, the reader wants them to succeed and if they are bad, they want them to fail. Try to communicate the direction for the main characters in a central storyline summary.
6. Outline the main characters at the end of your summary. If you are offering the project to the Zazew community for contributions, you may decide at this stage to only outline the central characters and leave some to the creativity of the co writers. It’s up to you.
7. When you have a Working title, your summary, it’s time to write the first chapter. Remember Non-Fiction projects are different to fiction Projects in that the default setting is for only the first chapter or section to be named and released for contributors chapter by chapter. So until you have completed the first chapter, your co writers cannot offer to join your project. So get writing!

For project contributors

1. First of all, have you completed your profile. Have you written about yourself, your life experiences, skills and interests in your profile so others can look at your details when you apply to join projects. Sell yourself!
2. Next perform a project search and if you see something where you feel you have a point of view, relevant experience, a story to tell, then apply to join. Select the chapter that interests you and…
3. Write your cover letter – It’s just like applying for a job, state what you can offer, how you can help make the project successful, what experience you have, what qualifications or skills, communicate to the project owner why you are the best person for the job. Once again, sell yourself and when yo are ready.hit the submit button
4. Finally, when you hit the 'Submit Application' button, this will go to the project owner, who will review your offer and respond. If you are accepted, you then get to download all of the relevant sections/chapters which at that point have been completed.
5. Next you have two weeks to write your contribution and upload it. So get writing!