From Vision Publishing’s, “Dispelling the Mystery, How to Write Your Own Book,” workbook.
It is our pleasure to have this opportunity to share with you some vital information about book publishing and how to overcome procrastination in writing your book. Some of the topics we will address are:
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- how to choose a topic
- where to find content
- how to organize your notes
- how to outline your book
- how to choose a title
- time management
- define self-publishing
- E-publication
- Creating your cover
- The 411 on websites
We will give you:
The What — Creating a book.
The Why — Why should I publish my own book?
The How – Well, I will come to that in a few minutes.
You may or may not have considered writing a book of your own. Perhaps you already have a book or two, if you do, congratulations! No matter which group you fall into, I suspect there is one thing we have in common, we have all been gifted with the ability to communicate.
Some may teach or preach the word on a regular basis. We prepare sermons or biblical studies to help people grow in God’s word. We know how to create content. How we deliver the content may differ from person to person. Others may not teach or preach, but nevertheless you are a communicator. You communicate with friends, family, church family, or Facebook audiences. We all communicate in one form or another and we all have a message to share with the world.
Has your Memory Ever Failed you?
We have all heard a good sermon or attended a fabulous bible study, watched a dynamic play or movie, then shared with friends how great it was. When those same friends ask what it was about, often we have trouble recalling what we heard. Wait a whole week and you may have forgotten all of it. This is the reason books are so important, they help us remember what our memory does not.
Now the task of writing a book may seem daunting, and you may say, I am not a good writer. Let me tell you a secret… not all authors are good writers. That is why we have ghost writers, editors, proof readers, etc. Even if you are a good writer, the task of writing a whole book may seem overwhelming. It does not need to be, that is why Vision Publishing was created, to help communicators get their content into print.
To tell you the truth, if you can create the content for a sermon or bible study, or make up a story, you can author a book. It does not even have to be written down, it can be an audio or video recording.
Dr. Stan has created books from his sermons on several occasions. Books such as “Transformation—the Process of Change”. The content came from a series he preached in Fontana. In fact, a book can be created from one good meaty sermon or one good story.
Just to prove this fact, I (Kathy) spoke in Ohio in June of 2016. I returned to CA and took the points of the sermon and expanded each with additional content that I did not have the time to share on a Sunday morning. By July, Vision had published the book, Wisdom Speaks, Hearing Her Voice in a Noisy World. It took approximately 30 days to create this small book.
Also, in July 2016, I was honored to teach a workshop on “How to Develop Your Own Pastoral Care Team.” I had already created the content for other seminars I had taught, so I simply organized the teaching notes to create a book. This too took approximately 30 days.
If you can create a sermon or bible lesson, if you have a story or personal experience you want to share, you can author a book.
Habakkuk 2:2 Then the Lord answered me and said, “Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets, that the one who reads it may run.
Why write a book? We have all been commissioned to go into all the world with God’s word. While you may not be prepared to go to China, Italy, or Brazil with the Word, the revelation, the teaching God has placed in your heart…. your book can go places that you cannot. You can more effectively impart the wisdom God has entrusted to you if you will commit it to paper.
Dr. Stan is a prime example, he goes to other nations to minister and teach the word; but he can make a longer lasting impact because he has a timeless legacy he can leave behind, his books.
Long after he has returned home, they still have his books and curriculum to review, study, and ultimately put into practice. Others can continue to share the word God gave Dr. Stan and spread it throughout the land, because he took time to write the vision and to publish it.
If that one reason is not enough, let me offer you one other….
A book is today’s business card. It opens doors of opportunity. It establishes you as an authority giving credibility to your work. It is one thing to say you can teach on a subject, but as many will tell you, talk is cheap. If you have written a book on the subject, people will sit up and take notice. Your book is your business card and it will open doors of opportunity for you to share and expand your sphere of influence. If you want to enlarge your tent and expand your territory (or your sphere of influence) then try writing a book.
Dr. Kathy J. Smith
Director Vision Publishing
