If so, don’t be scared: tell SC to go away and come up with another suggestion. And then ponder that one too.
The important thing is that you must be excited about your opening scene.
After all, if you’re not, why should your readers be?
Once you’re very comfortable and enthusiastic about whatever beginning you’ve settled on, then start to play with the idea.
Imagine your first words.
Start to imagine what those first paragraphs will look like on the pages of the book.
See the pages with your own eyes.
Imagine touching the pages with your fingers.
Consider what it would be like to hold your first book when it’s finished.
Now, everything I just said about the beginning of the book… do the same for the ending too.
Regardless of whether you are going to be an Indie Author or published via traditional channels, it’s important to consider how the reader will feel once they finish the book.
Ideally, you want the reader to be exhausted from not sleeping for the past few days because he/she hasn’t been able to put down the book since picking it up… and when they get to the final few pages of the book, and finally devour those last few words, the first thing you want them to say is … “Wow!” (or something to that effect.)
In other words, you want the end of the book to deliver on the promise that has been built up during the course of the book.
The last thing a reader wants is an ending that does not deliver.
Unless that is… you want the book to lead into a sequel which the reader then feels absolutely compelled to purchase!
So, focus on the ending. Make sure you are happy with it and that it excites you just as much as the beginning does. And then go with it!
(Just remember… you CAN change the ending, if you feel you must, right up to the moment you are about to write it!)
There is one further point we need to consider about the shape of the book.
It’s called ‘The Middle’.
In the Irvine Method, there are three basic navigation points for each novel you write.
You start with a beginning. You end on the ending.
And somewhere in between, about half-way through, you establish the middle.
Now… this is actually quite important. For the following reason…
Not only does The Middle act as a wonderful guide to keep the story on track, but it also helps regulate how many words you are going to write.
Remember my own personal disaster which turned into 300,000 words? One reason this happened was because as I cruised my way through the book, I didn’t know where the middle should be. I didn’t have a ‘target’ which pinpointed the middle of the book, and consequently I had nothing to caution me when I steamed towards the theoretical number of words where ‘The Middle’ should have occurred. I just kept writing.
So, I suggest this: having established an opening scene, and a closing scene, you next ask SC to conjure up the scene that appears in the middle of the book.
Once you have accepted a scene that SC suggests, when you then write the book, you need to continuously be aware that any action which should take place as you move towards the middle of the book, does indeed take place before the middle.
As the middle of the book comes thundering towards you, you should allow small, tiny, alarm bells to start ringing in your head.
If SC doesn’t pay attention to them and start delivering up the correct content for the chapters you write as get you closer and closer, then you go for a walk and have some serious words with SC!
(Note: By this point I am not encouraging any of you to develop schizophrenic tendencies… SC is actually you… so don’t start imagining another you, if that makes sense!)
The bottom line is this: don’t overshoot the middle with any action that should take place before the middle, and try as best you can to hit the middle of the book with the target scene that you think should occur there.
Again, this is not a firm rule. As the story develops and evolves, the exact position of a middle scene may vary, but what is very, very important, is that at all times you are aware of just how much you have written, and where what you have written is, in relation to the potential middle and ending of that story.
The good news is that having established a beginning, an end, and then now also a middle, SC will, unbeknownst to Conscious You (CY from now on!), now start to develop the plots that take you to the middle of that first half of the book – i.e. a quarter of the way through the book - and likewise, the middle of the latter half of the book. Etc.
Although you may not have realised it yet, by doing the above, CY and SC have now started to ‘frame’ the story.
You begin to develop a sense of what needs to happen within the story, and by when, and in the back of your mind, and arguably at the forefront of SC’s, a time-line of events begins to appear.
As the story begins to unfold as you write it, you will picture and develop a feeling for when different parts of the emerging plot should happen, and how those happenings, then affect other events in the book.
Slowly, the book will develop structure.
And the plot will, quite literally, thicken.
By now I hope you are starting to feel a little excited about what you are going to do. And achieve.
You ARE going to write a book.
It will be amazing!
In the next chapter, we’re going to put this all on auto-pilot.
We’re going to learn an incredibly powerful visualisation technique that will quite literally turbo charge your desire to write a book, and give you the confidence and willpower to do it.
If you follow the guidance provided in the coming pages and practice everything as suggested, then you will emerge from the next chapter as an author or writer who is determined to produce your book, and who is committed and motivated to make it happen!
Warning: Don’t read the next chapter if you don’t want to write or be an author! Once you have read it, there’s no going back!
Gulp.
Now go to the next step.
Chapter 9
Motivate Yourself to Write
(with an incredibly powerful Visualisation Technique!)
WARNING: THIS CHAPTER IS FOR ADULTS ONLY:
IT USES POWERFUL VISUALISATION TECHNIQUES NOT APPROPRIATE FOR MINORS.
Many people have the desire to write a book, and some come up with a good idea, but few people actually do it. Why not? The reason is that most people are not actually motivated enough to put in the time, or they are full of self-doubt and don't believe it is possible for them to actually achieve their dream. They spend so much time busy with their negative thoughts, doubting themselves, worrying about how they can write the book, or doubting that SC will be able to help them write it, that they never ever start the first line.
In this chapter we are going to change all that.
I am going to teach you a mental trick that will generate an incredible source of powerful, internal motivation that will literally have you champing at the bit to go and write the book of your dreams.
You will feel a constant drive and desire to go and write.
To work on your book.
To make your book a reality so that you can feel it in your hands.
To touch it.
Smell it.
Make your book real!
We will take away any self-doubt you may have and we will help you believe that you can and will write the book.
Not only will you believe you can, but you will know that you can.
Because in your mind’s eye you will have seen the finished product and touched it already!
Let me add that this powerful trick, once you learn it, is not only restricted to the creation of books. You can apply it to any goal or task you may have.
For some of you – and this is not a joke – this chapter could change your life.
So how can this be done? An
d how do I know it works? I know it because I use this trick on myself to produce all my books.
Before I tell you how it’s done though, I have to confess that it’s not actually a trick. It’s a real thing, based upon the science of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), and is based upon the NLP techniques developed by the genius Dr. Richard Bandler.
You can go and read about him later on, but for now, I just want you to know that this will work, if you give yourself permission for it to work.
This bit is important. You have to first give yourself permission for it to work, and you have to be twilling to give it a go!
It’s nothing ominous, or strange, but at first it sounds a little daft.
Only when you do it, will you begin to realise that it actually works.
So, are you ready to give it a shot?
Ready to begin?
If you are, do the following. In order.
You will need to read the following several times before you do this, because you can’t read the instructions and perform the actions at the same time. But once you’ve got the picture of what you are going to do, put down the book, and go and do it. Or perhaps you can ask your partner to read the text below to you whilst you are sitting or lying down in your preferred, chosen place of relaxation. If that’s possible, your partner should read it to you slowly, in a relaxed and soothing voice.
PART ONE: Set aside thirty minutes of your time to give to yourself. To treat yourself. To reward yourself. To relax. Unwind. And to see your future.
PART TWO: When you have the time, take yourself to your happy place. Your favourite seat in the house. Your bedroom, Your garden. Somewhere, anywhere, where you know you will be able to relax. In peace. And. Quiet.
PART THREE: When you are there, in your chosen space, allow yourself to sit down or lie down. To relax. To feel good about yourself.
PART FOUR: Once you are seated, or are lying down, close your eyes. Take five deep slow breaths. Breathe in. Breathe out slowly. Relax.
Repeat this last part three times.
PART FIVE: Now, think of the most beautiful or relaxing place you have ever been, or the place you would like to be right now, if you are not already there. Picture it in your mind. Add colour to the picture. Imagine any sounds that you might hear if you were there. Make it more real.
Now imagine a flight of steps, going down from where you are now, to the place you want to be. Leading down to where you are most at peace and relaxed. Your favourite place.
Imagine five steps. In your mind’s eye I want you to imagine you are going to put out a foot, and step down to the next step below. Breathe in. Deeply. Exhale slowly, and now step down, go deeper, from where you are now to the next level below.
With each step down and with each breath in and out, you will feel more relaxed.
Getting ready now, preparing to feel more relaxed, and more content, and more able to learn new things, now step forward and go down, going deeper down to the next level of peace, and contentment.
Good. With each step down, you will feel more relaxed. More content. More peaceful.
Breathe in and feel more relaxed. Relax more with each breath you take.
Now, put out your foot and step down again to the next level of deeper relaxation and feeling good about yourself. Breathe in. Breathe out. You feel more relaxed. More peaceful. Ready to learn how to motivate yourself to achieve your dream of writing your book.
Now smile and go down even deeper, stepping down now to the next level. With each breath feel yourself becoming more relaxed. More in tune with yourself. More content. Happier. Relaxed…
With one more step to go, step down now to the next level, going deeper, down into a more comfortable and fulfilling sense of relaxation and contentment. Ready to learn and excited about knowing that your dream of becoming a writer will soon come true.
And now, once you have finally arrived, down at the bottom of your five steps, in the place you feel most at home and most comfortable, RELAX.
Imagine looking around yourself, in the place where you now are. The place you like to be. Where you always feel relaxed. And happy.
Allow yourself to feel good. To feel amazing.
And RELAX.
PART SIX: Empty your mind. There’s no rush. Take your time. Just relax. Enjoy being in your happy place. When you are feeling comfortable, and ready to move on to fill yourself with motivation that will enthuse and drive you forward to write a book, then continue to the next step.
PART SEVEN: Now that you are feeling relaxed and at peace, I would like you to build a mental picture in your mind of what your finished book will look like when it is created and done.
Build the picture.
Imagine your book somewhere in front of you. Picture it. See it.
See the book in your mind's eye, the name of the book on the front cover, in big letters, and your name on the top or bottom of the cover.
Imagine it. See it. Picture it. Your book. Your name. Your title on the book.
Now let me ask you a question: when you do this, is this mental image you have constructed, small or large?
How far away from you is the book?
Do you imagine it far away, or close by, just in front of you?
So far so good. Now, still with your eyes closed, I want you to do the following.
First, if you picture the book in your mind in black and white, I want you to force yourself to add some colour.
In your mind, make the picture on the book cover that you see, brighter, and more vivid.
See the title get larger, your name more prominent.
Next, I want you to imagine the size of the book getting bigger.
In your mind’s eye, see your hands reach out to the edge of the book.
See your fingers touch the edge of the book and bring it closer to you.
Pull the book towards you.
See the image of your book getting larger.
With both hands on the edge of the book, now bring it even closer to you.
Make it larger.
Imagine it now, not far away, but right there, in front of you.
Only just in front of you.
In bright colours. Your name easy to read on the cover. The title you have chosen for the book, bright and distinctive.
The book is now so close that you can reach out and feel it. You can open the book and turn the pages. Whenever you want.
The book is so close that it's real. It's there. You can see it before you. Finished. Complete!
The book that YOU wrote!
Imagine it.
Remember it.
Feel what it is like to be a successful author.
Remember this sensation.
Smile.
Feel good about yourself.
Congratulate yourself.
In your mind’s eye, see yourself reaching out and touching the book which you have written.
Capture that incredible feeling you may have, how happy and content you feel at this time, because you have achieved your goal. You are a writer!
Feel good.
Remember that sensation.
Remember it.
Breathe deeply.
In, out.
And relax.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
PART EIGHT: Now slowly, imagine yourself preparing to walk back up the stairs to where you came from, but this time, keeping the image of the book which you will write, fresh in your mind.
Back up the stairs.
One step at a time.
Now step up to the next level, from five to four, and remember how happy you felt when you could touch your own book. Keep the picture of your book fresh in your mind.
Step up again to the level above. From four to three. Breathing in and out, remembering that your dream of writing a book will now come true.
Step up again to the next level above. From three to two. Think about the image of your book just in front of you. So close. You can almost touc
h it.
Step back up from two to one. Imagine still the title of your book, so bright and vivid.
Now return up that final step, from one to where you started, but now full of enthusiasm and determination to make your dream come true and to write your book. Still able to picture the book in your mind. So real. Just in front of you. Its cover bright, vivid and real.
You are now motivated to write that book. Soon. Very soon. Until it is finished and ready to publish!
Your book. Complete. And finished.
Now, slowly, open your eyes.
And smile.
Feeling good about yourself and what you have seen and learnt.
Breathe deeply.
PART NINE: Take a moment.
Then think of your book.
Once again, think of your book.
Imagine it.
This time, how far away from you is the book in your mind’s eye? Can you touch it? How bright are the colours on the cover?
If you can see the book in full colour, and it’s almost there, just in front of you, so close you can almost touch it, then you are ready to go to the next chapter! Now fully motivated. Determined to make your book happen. Excited and happy about the journey you are just about to begin to become a writer. Very close to realising your dream and making it come true!
If the book you see is not right there just in front of you, not large and in colour, then allow yourself to go back to the beginning of this chapter and repeat it all. Slowly.
There’s no rush.
Each time you do it, the book you imagine will be a little bigger, closer, more vivid.
Get Writing! How ANYONE can write a Novel! Page 4
