My mentor and co-author, Dr. Tony Alessandra, taught this sure-fire method to me, and it works like a charm…
Purchase a couple packs of 3” x 5” index cards and a pen or pencil that fits comfortably in a pocket. Keep a handful of cards on you at all times (along with the pen). Every time you get an idea for your book, write that ONE idea on the front of a card and then flip it over and jot down two or three thoughts that support that idea. Those thoughts could be a story, a fact, a source where you learned it, the person who said it, etc…
At the end of each day, put those index cards in a drawer and forget about them. Do this every single day; the more you do it, the faster ideas will pop into your head.
After a couple weeks, you’ll start to run dry on new ideas. When you’re tapped out, pull out all the index cards and spread them out on the floor face up. You should only be reading the sides with the single ideas.
Start arranging them in groups whereby the topics relate. Once that’s completed, align each group into single rows. Then, arrange each card within each row in a logical order (these rows are book chapters, by the way).
Once completed, arrange the rows into the order that makes the most sense to you (you just organized all the chapters). You are now staring at your Table of Contents!
All that’s missing is a “unifying theme” for the book; some analogy or metaphor that ties it all together!
Here’s the good news: each index card represents a full paragraph! The front of the card is your topic sentence and the notes on the reverse provide supporting points. Each chapter needs a thesis statement and each card provides necessary support!
You’ll NEVER have to stare at a blank screen and face writer’s block!
Final tip from the genius that is Doctor Alessandra? Each day, quit writing right in the middle of a hot streak! The next day, you’ll be able to pick up right where you left off and, before you know it, your manuscript is ready to send off to an editor for final polishing.
“Send.”
Ta-Da!