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30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
Business Communications Writing a Book

Start Your Book Today

Navigate Your Way to a First Draft
Rating: 0.0 out of 50.0 (0 ratings)
6 students
Created by Amy Stewart
Last updated 11/2020
English
English [Auto]
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

What you'll learn

  • Approaches for getting ideas down on paper for the first time
  • Story structure methods for fiction and nonfiction
  • Techniques for building a successful writing practice

Requirements

  • A writing project you'd like to explore

Description

As the author of over a dozen books, I know how daunting the blank page can be. When I'm on book tour, the question I hear most often from aspiring writers is: "I have an idea for a book, but where do I begin?"

I get it! Starting a new book is a huge challenge, no matter how many times you've done it. In this class, I'm going to walk you through the steps I take to start a first draft. I promise it'll be easy, fun, and low-pressure.

In the first section, we’ll gather our ideas.

You'll get to hang out at your favorite bookstore or library. You'll get to tear open a fresh new package of index cards. Best of all, you'll start filling a notebook (or a computer screen!) with pages.

In the second section, we’ll work on shaping those ideas into a story.

How do you organize your ideas into a coherent book? I’ll teach you the storytelling methods that I rely on for every book I write, and I'll use real-world examples from well-known books, as well as from students in my own workshops. And it doesn’t matter whether you’re writing fiction, nonfiction, or memoir—there are ideas here for all kinds of book projects.

Finally, I’ll share some approaches for building a successful writing practice.

It's one thing to start a book, but it's another thing to keep going, day after day! If you struggle to find the time, the patience, and the focus you need to get your writing project done, this section is for you. And you’re not alone--every writer deals with distractions, dead ends, and those days when nothing works.

I’m going to give you my twenty best ideas for building a successful writing practice. I’ve used all of these at one time or another, and it’s how I’ve kept writing—and supported myself as a full-time author—for two decades.

Are you ready?

Whether you’re embarking on your first writing project, or trying to get your tenth book finished, this class is designed to get you on the road. Let’s go!

Who this course is for:

  • Beginning and intermediate writers

Course content

5 sections • 23 lectures • 1h 26m total length

  • Preview03:10

  • Preview04:38
  • Preview04:29
  • Getting Unstuck
    03:29
  • Just One Page
    07:19

  • Shape Your Story Overview
    03:03
  • Storytelling for Nonfiction
    04:28
  • But My Story Doesn't Fit the Mold!
    03:23
  • Charting Your Character's Journey
    04:05
  • 81 Index Cards
    03:25
  • Opening & Closing Images
    03:54
  • Six Things to Fix
    02:27
  • Fun & Games
    02:11
  • But/Therefore
    02:36
  • Inspiration from Hamilton
    02:36

  • Build Great Writing Habits
    04:17
  • How, When, Where
    05:01
  • Big Picture Priorities
    04:07
  • Pick Up a Habit
    02:32
  • Find Cues That Work for You
    04:41
  • Maintain Your Brain
    04:44
  • Getting Unstuck
    02:38

  • Wrapping Up
    02:59

Instructor

Amy Stewart
New York Times Bestselling Author & Artist
Amy Stewart
  • 4.7 Instructor Rating
  • 16 Reviews
  • 95 Students
  • 13 Courses

I'm the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen books, including The Drunken Botanist, Wicked Plants, and Girl Waits with Gun. I've been a full-time author for twenty years, and in that time my books have sold over a million copies worldwide and been translated into 17 languages.

I love talking to writers and artists, and bonding over the creative process. I started teaching so that I can inspire others to take the leap.

I believe that writing, drawing, and painting are all teachable skills. Forget about talent--it doesn't exist, and you don't need it. With some quality instruction and lots of practice, any of us can make meaningful, honest, and unique art and literature.

When I'm not writing or traveling on book tour, I'm painting and drawing in ink, watercolor, gouache, and oil. Come find me on my website or on Instagram to stay connected.

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