First Steps - How I Will Try and Do This

Primary Planning

Target market - Pretty obvious. You guys, my fellow bronies/pegasisters. More so for the ones of you who enjoy action, and adventure.

The purpose for your book - To provide an entertaining rollercoaster, depicting betrayal, mistrust, stressed alliances, love, hard choices, and the right to live.

and the subject matter - To paint a very gray, grim-dark (possibly) image of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna's methods of keeping everlasting peace on a global scale, while maintaining prosperity for

General Outline / Writing Project Plan

1. Take the outline you created in the planning phase, and divide each chapter into a "conversation" you'll have with one or more people (no more than two at a time, please).

2. Sit down with your friends, colleagues, or intelligent child, and "talk" about the chapter. What are the most important points you want to make in the chapter? What stories do you remember or would like to tell? And, most importantly, what are the biggest emotional needs of your target market that can be addressed in this chapter? Record your entire conversation, and make notes as you go along. You won't remember what was said - trust me.

3. Have the call transcribed, then simply construct a detailed outline from what was said. You may have to rearrange a few things, but all the main points will be there.

First Draft

You've got a detailed outline. Now is the time to start filling in the pieces. Go through each item on your outline list and determine whether or not you need additional information or data. You might need to find a story or gather research data to back up your main point. Go get the information and insert it into the right place on the outline. This is the ultimate version of plug and play. As you review the outline you'll naturally see things you want to add, change, remove, or move. Go ahead - this is the perfect time to do a little cleaning and organizing.

Writing the first draft

Now comes the easy part. You'll sit down with your recorder (or with a friend/colleague if you're better with people), your detailed outline, any additional notes or information, and a fresh mind. You know your material inside and out, so this won't be hard. Talk through each item on your outline. That's it. No writing is required.

Have your recording transcribed and put into a word processing document (and printed).

Editing First Draft

Congratulations. You already have a first draft of your new book. Read through the entire book, chapter by chapter. Does it flow? Are your points clear? Is it interesting to read? Read it as if you are your target market. How does it feel?

Make notes, and either talk through the changes, or write them down. You can have someone else make the changes to the document; or, you can make the changes yourself. At this point, do what is most effective and that will ensure PROMT completion of the second draft.

Let Go

Send your second draft to a professional editor; or, if you're really strapped for cash (im broke and you guys are awesome so ill try to join a group), a friend with an editor's eye who might trade you for a yummy dinner or massage. You MUST have someone else read the book for consistency, flow, and for general editing. We all leave out words, sentences, and even complete paragraphs because we "see" it in our minds, even when it's not there. Your editor will see your minor omissions as blaring errors.

final review

Now all you have to do is a final review of your book. Read it through again, even though by this time you're sick and tired of the thing an probably don't like a word you've written. Not to worry - this is common. Few authors actually like what they've written when it's done. There can always be improvements. So what? You're done now!

Anything that says review the book, will probably be done on a chapter by chapter basis.