Carolyn Vines is an award winning blogger and the author of Black and Abroad. In this second interview Jo Parfitt talks to Carolyn about the decision making processs she went through when choosing the right route to getting her book published. You can find out more about the book at www.blackandabroad.com

Carolyn Vines is an award winning blogger and the author of Black and Abroad. In this first interview Jo Parfitt talks to Carolyn about the writing process, author confidence and what the writing journey involves for someone writing about their own real-life experiences. You can find out more about the book at www.blackandabroad.com

Use this comprehensive checklist to ensure you’re ready to write your book.

Are you clear about your motivation for writing a book? Money, fame, reputation, legacy, sharing what you know?

• My motivation is:

Do you know who your competition is? Have you read those books, decided what works and what doesn’t and checked out their Amazon rating?

• Competitor A is:
• And I like:
• And I dislike:

• Competitor B is:
• And I like:
• And I dislike:

• Competitor C is:
• And I like:
• And I dislike:

• Competitor D is:
• And I like:
• And I dislike:

Does your book idea have a wow factor, something different, a Unique Selling Proposition?

• My USP is:

Do you already have some fans, a following and a Google-rating? A blog, a website and a direct route to market?

• My fans find me here:
• My route to market is here:

Do you have a support group, mentor, coach, writing buddies and trusted readers who can give you feedback every step of the way?

• My supporters are:

Are you prepared to write in your natural voice, simply, easily, accessibly and aim for a Shitty First Draft?

• Yes
• No
• Yes, but I need to practise and get feedback first

Have you chosen the ingredients for your book and decided on your recipe?

• Personal anecdote
• Case study
• Illustrations
• Tips
• Tasks
• Summaries
• Expert opinions
• Quotations
• Resources
• Bulleted lists, like this one
• Subheads

Have you mind-mapped your book?

See this article for more on how to use Mind Maps

Have you mind-mapped a chapter?

See this article for more on how to use Mind Maps

Have you written a contents list, complete with foreword, acknowledgements, title page, resource section and so on and received feedback on it?

Have you written a sample chapter, using your mind-map, ingredients and recipe and received feedback on it?

Have you explored the options available for publication?

• agent
• publisher
• paid-for-publishing aka vanity presses
• self publishing your own book
• ebook publishing

If you’re a non-fiction author you’re in a brilliant position to drive your business success or create an entirely new book-based business from scratch. Let Simon Hazeldine, bestselling author of Bare Knuckle Selling and Bare Knuckle Negotiating tell you how…