Where do I start??

Often times I get asked "I have a book idea, but where do i start??". As common as this question is, there is no real concrete answer for it. When I started writing books and not just for leisure, I had to ask myself a few questions.

1. who am i writing to?

2. what is my purpose for writing?

3. what is the outcome of this writing?

4. what is my purpose for writing this?

These are just a few questions out of the thousands that i constantly asked myself at the beginning, middle, and end of my writing journey.

Once I had a list of questions to ask, I found that there were no answers for these questions at first. I was basically shoveling sand with a kids spoon. I quickly realized that I had to change my strategy. Once I got over the anxiety of having to change my approach, I began to sit and consider WHAT i was writing about.

My "what" was the premise for me writing in the first place. What was I trying to say and why and to whom? My "what" was whatever my message was to the world. The same goes for you, what are you trying to share with the world? what do YOU feel the world will benefit from, from you? What is your message?

Once you find your message, discover who your audience is. Who are you sharing with. You have a message but for who? Who will benefit from this message or who needs to benefit from this message?

Once you gain your purpose, take your time. Give yourself some room to breathe and think clearly. Don't overlook the smallest beginnings. Celebrate every sentence and give yourself a break! No author will get it perfect the first time, so give yourself room to make a mistake. Don't stress grammar and sentence structure as you write. Just pour out of your heart and let the fingers do the talking.

Remember this: nothing worth reading is ever spelled correctly in the beginning. They call it a ROUGH draft for a reason.

Outline your ideas, organize your thoughts, and take notes. Don't be afraid to be bold and don't be afraid to succeed!

Happy writing!!