Welcome to the month of September. This is also National Preparedness Month. However, I feel anything but prepared, with one child transitioning into Kindergarten and another moving up in Preschool. I feel more discombobulated at this time, but you don’t have to.
I want you to be prepared for whatever writing projects are on your to-do list, be it a writing prompt, competition, editing your novel, or getting it ready for publication.
Therefore I have compiled a list of 5 resources that can help you start and finish your writing project. These resources have helped me write and publish four books, with many more in the works. Here they are, from the learning stage to the publishing stage:
- Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody
The first step to writing anything is to actually start with reading. Sure you can read books in your areas of interests, such as fantasy, romance, thriller, etc., however if you want to dissect each book, in order to understand the importance of each element or plot point of a story, then you need to read some form of self-help, novel writing book. My favorite is “Save the Cat! Writes a Book” by Jessica Brody.
If you need to read something simpler due to time constraints and other life obligations, I recommend you grab a copy of this “Novel Writing Kit”. It’s not only easy to follow along but comes in either a paperback or digital form. This kit also includes examples, space for you to practice, and gives you a headstart in writing your novel.
- Google Docs
You don’t need fancy gadgets or writing softwares to help you write your book. All you need is some form of paper and ink. If you prefer pen and paper, grab that. Myself, I prefer Google docs. It gives me exactly what I need, at the touch of my fingertips, and I can take notes and have everything in one place…. The same goes for you!
Once you have your book written out as a full manuscript, you may want to view it or prepare it for self-publication. Reedsy gives you exactly that. You can copy and paste your book into Reedsy and download it as an ebook. It’s fantastic!
Amazon KDP gives authors the ability to self-publish their works. There is no reaching out to agents, crossing your fingers that publishers will take your work seriously, or needing a big social media following. All you need is your manuscript, which you’ve already made through Reedsy.
I highly recommend Amazon KDP because you, the author, have full autonomy over the creation of your book.
There is a sixth and final resource which I want to include in all of this. If you want to know what it is, be sure to watch the video here:
Good luck with your writing this month!