Writing: March 2007 Archives

What's the quickest way to write a book? Interview an expert by phone and have the tapes transcribed. Then edit, run the manuscript by the expert and have them fill in the holes, polish it up and add examples to make it an interesting read.

Start by making a list of 50 - 100 questions to ask your expert. This is what Dean Jackson did when he compiled the Stop Your Divorce ebook which reportedly brings in half a million dollars a year in annual sales.

You can split the revenue or profits with your expert and/or they can benefit by getting new, totally prequalified clients who have already bought the book and now want to work with the expert. Thus, the book works as a paid brochure for the expert.

And if you're an expert yourself - better yet. Just "talk" your book, following these three steps:

Step 1: Make a list of questions.

You can do this by imagining that you are someone who is interested in your topic but knows nothing about it. List the questions this person would ask.

For example, say you are an expert on using shade plants in the landscape. Here are some questions that a novice shade gardener might ask:

1) how do you know if a plant will work in the shade?
2) and where do you buy shade plants?
3) my garden is a mix of sun and shade - can I plant shade plants?
4) do any shade plants have flowers?
5) can I make a shade garden look natural like the forest?
6) I've heard that slugs love shade plants - is this true?

This is just a partial list but you get the idea.

Another great way to make this list is to get someone else to ask you the questions. That way you won't overlook questions that seem obvious to you but would be of interest to your readers.

Step 2: Audio record your answers

There are several ways to audio record your answers. You can use the old-fashioned tape recorder, an MP3 recorder, your computer or a telephone recording service such as AudioAcrobat (this is my preferred way, because it is simple).

Step 3: Contract out the writing and editing

Hire a ghostwriter and editor to complete the project. You end up with a book based on your knowledge and insights, without going through the often-painful process of writing it.

I've had great success hiring freelance writers and editors. Online freelance sites such as Guru.com, Elance.com and GetAFreelancer.com provide a convenient, centralized location for freelancers and buyers to find each other.

Freelance listing sites contain job postings, evaluations and ratings for both freelancers and buyers, some type of escrow or secure payment service and, usually, a private message board where contacts can converse with each other over terms, qualifications, and project details.