making the most of your weekend - write with donnawritewithdonna.com/wabguide2.pdf ·...

The Official Guide to

Making the Most ofYour Weekend»» Get Connected»» Schedule of Events»» Your Writing Plan

Donna KozikCreator & Leader

“Write a Book in a Weekend®”

Write a bookin a weekend ®

Part 2

Write a Book in a Weekend® is a virtual event from Kozik Rocha, Inc. All rights reserved.

Contents

Who is Donna Kozik? ...............................................................1

Welcome Aboard! ..................................................................2

Connect & Support Each Other ............................................3

Guideline of Events .................................................................5

Tuesday Activity: Your Writing Plan ........................................6

Wednesday Activity: “Title Idol” Prep ...................................9

Thursday Activity: Prep Your Mind and Heart ....................14

Saturday & Sunday Calls ......................................................15

Writing Savvy ..........................................................................16

Publish to Profit .......................................................................17

Testify & Stay in Touch ...........................................................18

Write a Book in a Weekend® is a virtual event from Kozik Rocha, Inc. All rights reserved.

Write a Book in a Weekend® is a virtual event from Kozik Rocha, Inc. All rights reserved. 1

Who is Donna Kozik andWhy Should You Listen to Her Anyway?

Donna Kozik grew up on a 200-acre dairy farm in northwestern Pennsylvania and now lives near the freeways and beaches of San Diego, where she shows coaches, entrepreneurs

and others how to write their books the “fast and easy way.” She is on a mission to turn business owners, entrepreneurs, coaches and others into published authors to boost their credibility and their bottom line. Donna’s live and virtual Write a Book in a Weekend® events, featuring her “fill-in-the-pages” book template plus live audio and recorded video messages motivate and inspire soon-to-authors to complete their books in 2 days. If authors wish, they can continue through to the finish line with the companion branch, Done For You™ Publishing. (Find out more at http://DoneForYouPublishing.com) Donna is a former newspaper editor and senior communications specialist, a two-time award winning book author who has been featured in Woman’s Day and Women’s World magazines, The LA Times and The Baltimore Sun newspapers, NPR’s “Marketplace” news magazine and the NBC Nightly News. She’s also been a paid national media spokesperson for Sprint PCS and has been featured in several other books including ones by Bob Bly and MarketingProfs, along with Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff--and It’s All Small Stuff Stories and The Vision Board: The Secret to an Extraordinary Life published by Harper Collins.Donna and The Gratitude Book Project® Team coordinated the Amazon best-selling book The Gratitude Book Project: Celebrating 365 Days of Gratitude bringing together more than 300 co-authors to say “thank you.” Other editions of The Gratitude Book Project include Celebrating Moms and Motherhood, Best of Pets, My Favorite Christmas Memory and others. Find out more at http://TheGratitudeBookProject.com.If you’re ready to go from would-be-writer to published author you’ve come to the “write” place!

http://DoneForYouPublishing.com

http://TheGratitudeBookProject.com


Welcome to Write a Book in a Weekend®

Dear Soon-To-Be-Author,

This weekend’s event is designed to make writing your book as easy and as fun as possible while guiding you to produce a professional result you can be proud of.

Whether you are writing a book to build your credibility, expand your market reach, boost your bottom line or share an important personal message with the world, the Write a Book in a Weekend® event can help you do it.

Throughout the weekend we will engage in live coaching, question and answer sessions and a little game playing too—we’re all about minimizing the stress and maximizing the fun around here!

And yet, you should be aware that sometimes this experience can be an emotional event. Your dream of writing a book is big—and hunkering down to do it can be scary, relieving, cathartic, exciting and anything in between. Be okay with that. I’m here to support you and your fellow soon-to-be authors can also be a great source of comfort and encouragement.

By taking advantage of all the resources and support available you can make your weekend a success.

I look forward to getting to know you and adding your book to the Shelf of Fame at Kozik Rocha, Inc.

See you in the bookstore!

My best,

Donna KozikCreator & Leader, Write a Book in a Weekend®

Say It Loud

When it’s time to edit,

print and read your

manuscript out loud. Errors

you missed on the screen

will jump out at you.


Connect & Support Each Other

A strong and sturdy support system can make a significant difference when trying to achieve a goal. Every one of you who is part of this weekend is on a unique and yet similar journey. Go ahead and connect and support each other—you will be glad you did!

Join our Facebook Page

www.Facebook.com/WriteABookInAWeekend

Drop by and:

»» Introduce yourself

»» Give an update on progress

»» Ask a question

»» Post a favorite quote

»» Share a bit about your book

»» Tell a joke J

Take advantage of this fun and easy way to connect with others who are also on a book writing adventure and who are dedicated to achieving their goals.

Do You Tweet?

If so, touch base with me – I’m @DonnaKozik

You can follow me on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/DonnaKozik

Friend UpTwitter!

Tweeting is a greatway to exercise your editing muscles. Short, sweetand to the point!

http://facebook.com/writeabookinaweekend

http://twitter.com/donnakozik


Get a Book Buddy…If You Want I encourage you to ask your friends and family to help you in any way you feel is beneficial, and I strongly recommend taking advantage of the opportunity to get your very own Book Buddy.

A Book Buddy can help you remain accountable and it never hurts to work with someone who has similar goals to your own. As a bonus, a Book Buddy makes a great cheerleader, and often, Book Buddies develop lasting friendships on the other side of the weekend event.

If you haven’t got yours yet, answer the following questions and email them to me at [email protected] no later than 12 noon PT on Friday before our weekend event with “Book Buddy” in the subject line.

What to include in your Book Buddy email:

1. Name

2. Email Address

3. Time Zone

4. When thinking about your book project, what are some specific ways you think a Book Buddy could help you?

5. What qualities do you bring to the table that you think a Book Buddy would appreciate?

Again, taking advantage of the available resources can be instrumental to your success—so go get your Book Buddy now if you like.

Feel like a Book Buddy won’t serve you? That’s okay. It’s voluntary…

Your Personality Rules

People don’t do business

with businesses—

they do it with people.

Adopt a conversational tone

and “speak” directly

to your reader.

mailto:[email protected]


Guideline of Events

In this section you will find the guideline for your Write a Book in a Weekend®

event. Although it is ideal for you to participate in the live calls, it is not imperative. Not everyone is available every minute of every weekend and

for that reason all the calls are recorded and will be available for replay and download.

You can join in by phone or listen in on the web. You will receive your call-in information by email. If you miss any of the calls or just want to hear them again, watch your email for links to the replays.

NOTE: For those who are at Diamond Level, also known as “Donna’s Diamonds,” your additional materials will arrive in a private email.

The weekend event is a unique experience for every participant. The following guidelines are exactly that—guidelines. In the end you and only you are the best judge of what works best for you.

If you find that something doesn’t resonate with your personality or you have some kind of scheduling conflict—that’s okay. Take advantage of the materials, resources and support in whatever way works best for you.

Next is a day-by-day guide so you can prepare for the weekend.


Tuesday Activity: Create Your Schedule

THE WRITTEN PLAN: Creating Your Writing Schedule

Why do it?»» To set yourself up for success by creating your own writing schedule. (Time

to complete: 20 minutes)

We’ve talked about finding the time to write, being accountable, giving yourself a deadline, stretching yourself to do more—here is a step-by-step method I use and recommend to set yourself up for success in getting your book done this weekend.

STEP 1:

List “to-do” items for your book. (Some you may be able to check off right now, which is way cool.)

Here is an example of what a full “to do” list might look like:

»» Select topic »» Decide on format (quote book, case study book, etc.) »» Create “power outline,” including main topics and subtopics »» Draft “About the Author” paragraphs

These next steps come in no particular order:

»» Draft Chapter One (which may not be chapter one in your book, rather the chapter you look forward most to writing) »» Draft Chapter Two »» Draft Chapter Three »» Draft Chapter Four, etc. »» Draft Front Matter 1»» Draft Front Matter 2»» Compile testimonials»» List acknowledgments»» Write dedication

Show Off Your MuscleUse strong verbs instead ofweak ones that needto lean on adverbs. Ex: “whispered” is betterthan “spoke softly.”


I recommend doing these steps at the end:

»» Decide on final title and subtitle»» Insert subheads»» Do first edit»» Insert images / graphics (fewer is better) »» Insert reader “action” steps (if you have them) »» Draft back cover copy describing what readers will find in the book (Look at

the backs of other books for ideas.)

STEP 2:

Now, next to items on your “to do” list, jot down how long you give yourself to complete that item.

(Remember, this is a sprint. Challenge yourself to do it in less time than you initially think it’ll take you.)

Example:

»» Select topic (Done) »» Decide on format (quote book, case study book, etc.) (Done) »» Create “power outline,” including main topics and subtopics (30 minutes)»» Draft “About the Author” paragraphs (30 minutes) »» Draft “Chapter One” (2 hours)

STEP 3:

List the start and end times you have for writing, putting space underneath where you’ll list the to-do items you’ll get done in that time. (Step 4)

Example:

Saturday 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m


Saturday 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Etc.

STEP 4:

Create your writing schedule by slotting tasks into your schedule.

Example:

Saturday 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

9-9:30: Create Power Outline9:30-10: Draft About the Author10-11:30: Draft three/fourths of Chapter 1

Saturday 2p.m. to 4 p.m.

2-2:30: Draft last quarter of Chapter 12:30-4: Draft three-quarters of Chapter 2

Etc.

This is another “living document” and it can grow and change. However, just the process of creating it will help you chunk up your writing time and tasks and give you visible deadlines. It will also show progress towards your book’s completion. Print it out and put it with your other book’s materials—mark things off as you get them done.

Loosen Up

10 minutes of “free writing”

can loosen up a writing block.

Just write whatever comes to

mind without stopping even

if it’s “blah blah blah I don’t

know what to write.”


Wednesday Activity: “Title Idol” Prep

“Title Idol”—What It Is and How to Play

If you’re like many of the authors I work with, deciding on a title and subtitle for your book is probably one of the most vexing decisions you have to make.

That’s why I created “Title Idol.” It’s the Write a Book in a Weekend® reality game show designed to help you get professional and potential reader feedback on your title ideas. Remember a great book filled with amazing and useful content is less likely to get read if it has a poor title.

If you would like to participate, please follow the directions below precisely.

We’re not drill sergeants around here but we do want to be fair and make sure everyone who wants to has a chance to join in.

Whether you choose to participate in “Title Idol” or not, I urge you to read the article below called How to Create a Winning Title.

If you’re the adventurous or gaming type, I invite you to get in on the action and be a “contestant” in our Write a Book in a Weekend® reality game show “Title Idol” on Saturday.

Here’s how it works:

1. Carefully read the article below about how to create a winning title for your book.

2. If you want to participate in “Title Idol” send between 5 and 10 title and subtitle options for your book to [email protected]. I will start accepting entries 8 a.m. PT Thursday (not before) and no later than 8 a.m. PT Friday. Put “Title Idol” in the subject line.It’s good if you mix up your Main Title and Subtitle. In other words, don’t submit the exact same Main Title with three different Subtitles. Instead, vary both your Main Title and Subtitle entries to give the audience a variety of titles to choose from.

3. During Saturday’s “Title Idol” call, I’ll pick what I feel are your best 3 titles and ask the “studio audience” to rate them from “1 through 10” based on “hotness.” After, I’ll summarize their feedback and give mine as well.

4. We will play “Title Idol” for a maximum of 30 minutes.

5. Participation is voluntary.



As the host and coordinator of the weekend, my decision of which titles are included is final.

When you email your titles to me, you don’t have to give your name and web address if you don’t want to, however you might want to so you get used to promoting yourself as an upcoming author! ;-)

Here’s the article about how to create your title!

(Remember, have fun and take advantage of this!)

“How to Create a Winning Book Title”By Donna KozikCreator, Write a Book in a Weekend®

Aspiring authors know having a winning book title serves on several levels.

A good title can:

» Jumpstart your book’s branding » Create buzz for your book » Hook readers & book buyers

Settling on a title also serves you as you’re completing your book manuscript, as it:

» Brings focus to your efforts » Keeps you on track with content » Gives you something to talk about at cocktail parties!

Plus, if you go with the wrong title, it can spell D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R for any book and its author. There are some proven formulas for creating a winning title, but it’s not an exact science.

Some best-selling titles just seem to work, such as:

» The Four Hour Work Week: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich (Tim Ferris)

LOL ThemKind and tasteful humorcan lower the reader’sguard and open them upto your ideas.


» Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia (Elizabeth Gilbert)

» Coming Back Stronger: Unleashing the Hidden Power of Adversity (Drew Brees) » Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (David Allen)

If you look closely, though, you’ll see a pattern to their success—a pattern you can copy for yourself.

1. Start with the promise of a benefit.

» Ferris’s book is actually promising more time off, a desire of just about every business owner.

» Eat, Pray, Love is short, elegant and engages the senses—and appeals to a target readership of women.

» Getting Things Done gives hope to those stressed-for-time (nearly every person I know).

2. Be of few words—in your “main” title. These examples are five, three, three and three. Short and punchy.

3. Share a secret or dream with your sub-title.

» Ferris’s is Join the New Rich. (The thought alone makes you want to open the book.)

» Gilbert talks about One Woman’s Search (meaning you know she finds something good).

» Unleashing the Hidden Power of Adversity gives hope to those going through tough times. (Although, if Drew Brees had taken part in “Title Idol”, I’d have recommended he use the stronger “Unleash” vs. “Unleashing.”)

Short and punchy primary titles definitely work, and there are other things you can do to increase the pulling power of your subtitle, including:

1. Call out to your target audience. This is especially important for those looking to write a book to use as a “big business card” or a way to attract clients and grow a business. Let the ideal clients know you have something for them. Great examples from my Write a Book in a Weekend® grads include:

» Green at Birth: Why Smart Moms Create Nature Connections with Infants & Toddlers (Vicki Ehlers)

» Make Your Success Easy: A Practical Guide for the Spiritual Entrepreneur (Pamela Bruner)


» Charge What You Deserve: The Lifestyle Fee-Setting Formula » Revealed: What Every Service Professional Should Know Before Charging

Their Next Client (Tom Buford)These three titles follow the best-seller formula perfectly and, in my estimation, improve on it with the strong subtitles. Note that Tom’s book has more than one subtitle—that is perfectly okay. The more you can do to reach out and grab your ideal reader by the throat and say “read me!” the better!

2. Get creative. This is what makes book-writing fun! Here are some more samples from my Write a Book in a Weekend® grads:

» Rx for Great Sex: Love Prescriptions to Use When the Sizzle Has Fizzled (Darlene Horwath)This became the first of a series of books for Darlene. Her next one is Rx for Success, a business building book.

» I Think Therefore I Doubt: 12 Key Principles to Build Self-Confidence & Self-Trust: for Perfectionists, People- Pleasers, and Heart-Centered Women (Sandy Goodwin)

» Million Dollar Man: How to Manifest the Man of Your Dreams (Lordes Elardo-Gant)

» 52 Ways to Fall in Love: With Your Food, With Your Body, With Your Life! Weekly tips for Creating a Year of Self-Love (Rosie Battista)

3. Keep thinking. You don’t have to truly decide on your title until the very end. So, when you’re starting your journey to being a published author, don’t stop at one, three or even thirty title ideas—keep thinking and adding to your potential list. The winning title might be the next one you come up with!

4. Get a stamp of approval. Sometimes the titles we think are “it” are far from it. (I’m not positive, but I bet more than one person told Wayne Dyer that The Erroneous Zone was a bad title—and they were right. To this day, many think it’s about improving your sex life vs. overcoming negative beliefs. Dyer persevered—and things didn’t turn out too badly for him—but I’m sure more books would have been sold with a better title.) Get the nod from someone in the publishing know before making your final decision.


Again, having a winning book title is vital.But, with a little thought, creativity and an open mind,you too can have one that will serve by inspiring you

and attracting readers!


Thursday Activity: Prep Your Mind and Heart

BEFORE THEY WERE HEROES

A good friend on Facebook posted this and it fits well for the weekend.

If your Inner Critic starts barking or thoughts of “If I don’t do it perfectly, I’m not going to do it” rear their head, then check this out. (In fact, bookmark it!)

READ —> http://bit.ly/9z6KZL

And don’t forget to B-R-E-A-T-H-E!

A “BUDDHA DONNA” MOMENT

Everyone has to start somewhere.

Wayne Dyer wasn’t always Wayne Dyer.

Marianne Williamson wasn’t always Marianne Williamson.

Suze Orman wasn’t always Suze Orman.

Jack Canfield wasn’t always Jack Canfield.

Each of those authors and experts had to start somewhere. And those starts probably looked a lot like where you are now. And starts can be messy!

So keep going. Keep thinking, keep acting and, most of all, keep writing.

Know that you are in the right place at the right time. Your personal journey is something to be cherished—not diminished by comparing it to someone else’s.

Keep your eye on YOUR prize and stay committed to YOUR journey.

Lists Rule! Readers love lists.Whether it’s “10 Fatal Small Business Mistakes” or“50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” lists are a hit.

http://bit.ly/9z6KZL


Saturday Calls

Kick Off Call 11 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. PT

Title Idol / Laser Coaching 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT

Sunday Calls

Laser Coaching4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT

Publish to Profit / Next Steps 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT

Remember—You can join in by phone or listen in on the Web.You will receive your call-in information by email.If you miss any of the calls or just want to hear them again,watch your email for links to the replays.

Get Focused

To clarify or shape a

non-fiction book idea,

write the back cover copy first.

Who the book is for,

what readers will gain and

main topics it covers.


Writing Savvy

HE, SHE OR IT? SELECTING THE RIGHT PRONOUN

Been writing along fast and easy and then find yourself stuck on whether to use he, she, s/he, they or it?

Here are some tips.

“Expert” information varies on this subject:

» Some say use “he” as a default. I tend to use “she” if my target audience is mostly female.

» It’s also become more acceptable, though not preferred, to use “they.”

» But the best thing to do is “write around” an initial graph similar to what one soon-to-be author sent me and my revision:

Initial graph:

I like to call this understanding your one ideal reader. Understanding desired reader outcomes is about solutions. These results are based on how your one ideal reader identifies his/her problems; how he/she reacts to the solution you offer; and what action he/she takes after reading your material.

Revised/ “writing around it” graph:

I like to call this understanding your one ideal reader. Understanding desired reader outcomes is about solutions. These results are based on how your one ideal reader identifies problems; reacts to solutions you offer; and what action is taken after reading your material.

Pretty neat, huh? How did I do it? I just deleted all thehe/she’s, plus cleaned up the sentence structure.

Once you do it a few times, it’s easy. And after you revise a few times, you won’t use he/she in the first place. (And you can call yourself writing pro for sure!)


Publish to Profit

Fast & Easy Self-Publishing with Lulu.com

Lulu.com is compatible with the templates provided during the weekend. Once you’re done writing, you can simply go to lulu.com, register for an account and follow directions for uploading your manuscript, designing your own cover and publishing your book for about $5 a copy. (Plus shipping and handling.)

More Nitty Gritty Info About Publishing

You’ll hear me mention how sometimes all the how-to information about publishing can be more than a bit of an overload for my Weekend Writers.

So I’m bringing you the information in the form of a video you can watch anytime you like.

Here’s what I recommend:

1. Continue to focus on writing and content creation.

2. Schedule 40 minutes later this week to watch the video link below.

3. After watching it, bring your unanswered questions regarding publishing your book to the Alumni Call. (If you can’t make the call live, I’ll give you a link where you can leave me questions I’ll answer during the call for you to listen to later.)

Here’s the link to the 40-minute video. It covers all about publishing your book and then some.

www.AudioAcrobat.com/playv/WKSkg8C4

Again, I recommend not taking time to watch it now, but instead focus on the true purpose of the weekend, writing your book!

Lulu.com

Lulu.com

lulu.com

http://www.audioacrobat.com/playv/WKSkg8C4


Testify & Stay in Touch

I hope I succeeded in making you araving fan of my Write a Book in a Weekend® process!

If you wish, you can call (512) 827-0505 ext. 8778and leave a message with your testimonial.

I also welcome written testimonials—please send them to [email protected]

with “Testimonial” in the subject line.

You’ll be receiving your follow up guide about what steps to take after the weekend shortly after it concludes. I hope to hear you on the “Alumni Call” (I’ll give you more details during the weekend) and again, I look forward to adding your book to

our Shelf of Fame!


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