Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : Hello. Welcome to the replay. If YOU are interesting in writing a book, and you want to know, step-by-step, how to actually DO that, you’re in the right place. Stick around, and if you’re on the replay you can ALSO tap hearts. So that would be awesome. I always check and see who’s on the replay, and I really love it when I see some hearts coming in too.
Joann Krall ( https://twitter.com/JoannKrall ) : Morning!
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : Hey Joann… Welcome as yáll are joining. Pop in. Say “Hi.”If you’re new, let me know that you’re new, so I can say “Hi.” to you. The Periscope rundown basics are [that] if you like what we’re talking about you tap for hearts. That lets me know what you’re engaged… Thank you for inviting followers, Joann.
Silent Moon ( https://twitter.com/silentmoonindra ) : Hi morgan
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : … Hi Indra…. If you love to talk about WRITING, that’s what I talk about [laughter]. So if we’re not already connected, go ahead and hit the “Peri Buddy” down here [to] change that [“plus” to a “check”] so you’ll be following me, and it will let you know when I’m on live. I’m usually on live about at LEAST five times a week. I’m trying to up that a little bit, but we’re [going] one step at a time. If you think this [Scope] is going to be valuable to anyone you know, go ahead and share [it] out. Swipe and share to Periscope, Twitter, or Facebook. I would really appreciate it, because I KNOW that I have a super important resource for you guys.
Jessica Russell (https://twitter.com/Jess_JRussell ) : Hi. I'm new. Jessica.
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : Hey Jessica! Where are you from? Welcome…. This is really important. If you know anyone who wants to write a book, I’m giving you step-by-step stuff that I give to my PRIVATE clients. So I’m like [just] GIVING it to you.
Jessica Russell (https://twitter.com/Jess_JRussell ) : Nashville [Tennessee]
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : …Nashville! I went to Vanderbilt for my graduate studies. [I] LOVE Nashville. It’s [an] awesome, great town. We’re in Houston currently, but I still feel some days like, “I, kind of, want to go back to Nashville.” It’s so pretty there.
Jessica Russell (https://twitter.com/Jess_JRussell ) : Love Vandy!
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : … “Love Vandy.”… Yeah. It’s a great school…. So guys. Who am I? I am Morgan Gist MacDonald. I’m a writing coach, an editor, and author. I work one-on-one with authors to write their BOOK. We start with vague idea. We write chapter-by-chapter all the way through first draft. Then we revise until the manuscript is totally done, finished, and publishable, and you’re ready to launch your book into the world.
Tracy Borgmeyer ( https://twitter.com/tracyborgmeyer ) : Hi!
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : … I saw Tracy just join the room. Welcome Tracy… And my most amazingly fun thing [I love] to do [is] to help people write books, NOT just because books are FUN – I love reading books – but because I see what it does for the author’s LIFE.
Okay? When you feel like you’re CALLED to write a book, and you sit on it for years and years and years, and you just don’t WRITE it, that has this weightiness, this HEAVINESS, that just like SITS on your soul. You’re like, “I WANT to write a book, but I just CAN’T.” I see that totally LIFT when people start to actually write their book.
Joann Krall ( https://twitter.com/JoannKrall ) : For sure!!!
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : … Joann knows what I’m talking about. Joann’s working on HER memoir right now… When you actually COMMIT and start writing it, you FEEL like a different PERSON. I think you BECOME a different person. So this is why I love to help people write books, because you start to LIVE into the potential that you are as a person, an author; whoever it is you are becoming.
MIguel Rubbio ( https://twitter.com/MiguelangRubio ) : Wow [you;re] early. lol
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : … I AM early, Miguel [laughter]. I have, kind of, a busy day, and I was like, “If I don’t Scope in the morning I’m probably going to put it off, and I won’t do it.”
Valerie Larsen ( https://twitter.com/valpix ) : I have a crazy story that I NEED to share.
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : …[Valerie Larsen], you have a crazy story that you NEED to share.”… What’s your story? Let me know.
Silent Moon ( https://twitter.com/silentmoonindra ) : I need to skype you at some point.
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : … Indra, yes, we can Skype… So I feel like there is SO MUCH need and desire to write a book in the world, but there is NOT that much great information, which is where I really want to come in an be of service.
There [are] a lot of people talking about the MOTIVATION around writing books, or MARKETING books, but what about the MIDDLE? [That is,] like you’re MOTIVATED to write a book, but you don’t HAVE it yet so you can’t market it. Like, WHERE’S the book [laughter]? THAT’S where I really like to step in and help with the step-by-step stuff.
You know, when you sit down at the computer screen, and you’re like, “Okay. I’m going to write a book, [but] what next?” [laughter]. Like, start with “word one”, but what does the process look like?
So, I have an awesome resource. Are you guys ready for this resource? Type “yes”. Type “yes” if you’re ready for this resource that is going to help you write your book step-by-step. TWELVE steps.
Joann Krall ( https://twitter.com/JoannKrall ) : Yes
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : … Joann says “Yes.”… Anybody else?
Silent Moon ( https://twitter.com/silentmoonindra ) : Yes.
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : … Indra says, “Yes.”… Okay. Alright. I’m going to show you how to find, and walk you through WHY it’s awesome.
Jenn Vasquez ( https://twitter.com/jennvazquezfit ) : So ready.
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : … Jenn. Thank… Okay. I have a special page for you guys http://www.paperravenbooks.com/12steps , and THERE you can get this amazingly beautiful quick-start guide that I put together. I’m going to walk you through what’s in it. So it’s 12 steps. I TRIED to get it fewer than 12, but I was just like, “Dang it! It’s writing a book [laughter]. I just can’t get it down any further than 12.” So it is like a little ebook, basically, and I have seriously condensed all of my best writing advice down into this 12 steps.
We start with good writing habits. What does it look like on a daily basis? In fact, I break it down to THREE of the most important DAILY writing habits that you need in order to make progress, and stay motivated through your writing. We [also] talk about “free writing”. So you’ve heard me mention this on the Scope before, but WHAT IS free writing EXACTLY, and how can you use it in the BOOK process? So not just in general [as in], “I love free writing for EVERYTHING.” But how can you use free writing to really nail down the TOPIC of your book into a really specific [subject] that you can write on, and really remain clear about.
Then we go through how to create an organization. Okay, so you have a bunch of IDEAS for the book. but how do you ORGANIZE them? How do you get them into a structure that makes SENSE beforehand? You know I don’t like outlines, and I don’t like mind maps. What I like is a ROUGH organization that is FLEXIBLE and leaves you open to creativity, but also helps you stay SANE through the writing process. So I call it a “rough organization”.
Silent Moon ( https://twitter.com/silentmoonindra ) : Totally thats my issue.
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : … Exactly Indra! I mean staying organized… Because your book topic can get SO overwhelming, so FAST. So how can you keep it CONTAINED? Usually that means you need to write MORE than one book in your life. The how do you write the first draft?
Valerie Larsen ( https://twitter.com/valpix ) : Adoption. Lived in 2 countries. Birth parents had 2 full siblings I met at 17. Just survivor cancer.
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : … [Valerie], Adoption. You’ve lived in two countries, birth parents had full siblings that you met at 17, AND a survivor of cancer… Wow! Yes. That is an AMAZING story. I totally agree [that] you have a book inside of you [laughter]… I really hope that these 12 steps can help you sit down and look at the big picture of what’s involved in the writing.
So then when you’re writing the first draft, WHAT are [the] six best practices? You know? So I give you some really great, practical tips for when you’re writing that will prepare [and] help you write the first draft that will be easy to EDIT. Because sometimes we write a first draft, and it’s like full of all of these bullet points, and we’re missing holes, and we have like half-written thoughts, and then it’s REALLY painful to go back and revise.So how do we WRITE the first draft in a way that is much EASIER to revise later? Most people don’t THINK about that, but it’s really important.
Okay. So once we have the first draft, when we go back and read it, sometimes it doesn’t really make sense. We’re like. “Oh my gosh! I’m jumping around! I’ve missed this whole part of the story! How am I ever going to REARRANGE this so that it makes sense for my reader?” Well, I walk you THROUGH that. It’s NOT that difficult. It takes a little bit of time, but it’s a BOOK, [so] OF COURSE it’s going to take time. So I walk you through how to rearrange the structure so that it’s totally compelling, and logical, and brings your reader from the intro into the conclusion [so that] your reader is transformed through the process. So that’s all in the STRUCTURE.
Then how do you EDIT? How do you go back and actually edit this thing? What are you looking for? People say, “Oh yeah. Just edit.” [But] you’re like, “Well WHAT do I CHANGE?” [laughter] “Okay. Spelling, I can change that. BUt what else? What types of SENTENCES do I need to fix? What types of PARAGRAPHS need to be clarified, or strengthened? What am I LOOKING for in this edit?” So I walk you through five CRITICAL things that you need to be looking for when you edit…. …Thanks for the hearts guys…I hope this is inspiring you. I REALLY want some (or ALL) of you to start writing a book this weekend. That’s what I want you to do [laughter].
Then we talk about sending it to your editor, and [then] once you get it BACK from your editor how you edit THAT. And then, sending it to beta readers. If you have not sent books to beta readers [it’s] SUPER important. You’ve GOT to do that. Then a THIRD edit. So I’m walking you through exactly WHEN you edit, and what the steps are. Like, “Edit HERE, and then send it to your editor. [Then] edit AGAIN…”
Jenn Vasquez ( https://twitter.com/jennvazquezfit ) : Challenge accepted!
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : … [laughter] “”Challenge accepted.”… I like it…So a lot people say, “Okay. Well, I need to edit my book.” [but] it’s NOT just one process. Okay? It is MULTIPLE TIMES.
Valerie Larsen ( https://twitter.com/valpix ) : I really want to and direction is what I need!
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : … You really want to, and direction is what you need… Exactly! So I hope these 12 steps give you the MAP, so you can see the bigger picture and say, “Okay. I wrote my first draft. Now I know that I need to do THIS edit, then send it to the editor. Then do a SECOND edit, and sent it to the beta readers. Then do a THIRD edit…” It’s just ONE STEP at a time, and that’s how you get a book.
[Then there is] my SUPER, secret – it’s not very secret [laughter] – trick for making sure that your book sounds like it’s in YOUR voice, and almost every single little error is caught at the very end, right before you finish – but you’ll have to READ it to find out what it is. Some of your probably know. If you hang around me, you already know.
Okay. So THAT is the WHOLE map. Mostly, my purpose for giving you this is [that] I want you you to feel that this is DOABLE, because writing a book is TOTALLY doable. We have this like HUGE, cultural thing around book writing.
MIguel Rubbio ( https://twitter.com/MiguelangRubio ) : Morgan, I been doing my writing on a notepad because my laptop accidentally got deleted!.
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : … Miguel says, “[I’ve] been doing my writing on a notepad because my laptop accidentally got deleted!”… Oh my gosh, Miguel. That is SO terrible! [laughter] …
Tracy Borgmeyer ( https://twitter.com/tracyborgmeyer ) : I know! I know!
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : … Yes, and Tracy says, “I know…I know”… Tracy knows it’s doable, [as she is] almost done… So Miguel, I’m going to Tweet you a YouTube video that I did [around] a year-and-a-half ago, but it’s still awesome. It shows you how to link up your Evernote, Scrivener, and Dropbox to make sure that your writing is fail-safe, because I’m sorry. That’s really terrible to have your draft deleted. [Also, here’s a] fun fact, for anyone who has not seen that YouTube video, I was six months pregnant when I did that YouTube video, and I don’t even think you can tell [laughter]. “Mom entrepreneur”.
Tracy Borgmeyer ( https://twitter.com/tracyborgmeyer ) : One huge roadblock cleared for me was saving my writing with Dropbox and Scrivener.
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : … Tracy says, “One huge roadblock cleared for me was saving my writing with Dropbox and Scrivener.”… Yeah. Tracy had [a] really similar [experience]… Tracy, I don’t think you actually had LOST your writing, but you [have been] WORRIED about losing your writing, which we ALL are. So Miguel, I’m sorry. Yeah, I don’t blame you for writing on a notepad.
Jenny Hollinger ( https://twitter.com/JennyHollinger1 ) : You're a natural at Periscope.
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : … Oh thanks Jenny [laughter]! We’re getting there. I think I’m right at [around] broadcast number 60. So I’m really glad that most of you have not seen the earlier ones, because there was a little SKETCH in there. Well, not sketch, but I was pretty uncomfortable [laughter].
MIguel Rubbio ( https://twitter.com/MiguelangRubio ) : OK. I never thought using Evernote.
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : … Evernote. Yes Miguel. I use Evernote – and I can do some other Scopes on this later – but I use Evernote just to take notes, ESPECIALLY when I’m out and about, because it’s on my phone AND it’s on my laptop. So when I’m out and about I can take a note on my phone, and then open it up later [on] my laptop, and it’s there. But some people use Evernote to WRITE also. I mean, you TOTALLY could. It’s not great for FORMATTING, but you have to do a lot of the formatting in Word anyway. So, guys, let’s circle back and get serious here.
Darnell Cureton ( https://twitter.com/DarnellCureton ) : I use Google Docs.
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : … Oh, Darnell! Good point. Google Docs… Writing a book is totally DOABLE.
Tracy Borgmeyer ( https://twitter.com/tracyborgmeyer ) : It's amazing the things we use as excuses to not write – there is no excuse!.
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : … Yes. Tracy says [that] we have excuses to not write, and there is no excuse… Okay. Our CULTURE [raises – or enculturates, or whatever kind of word you want to use – ] us to be AFRAID of RISK, and writing a book is a really RISKY proposition. You’re putting yourself out there. You’re investing a lot of time. You don’t know if people are going to like what you have to say. You’re usually – and I’m talking to MYSELF [too], okay? [laughter] – insecure about what we have tp say to the world, and we don’t want to put it out there for fear that someone will say, “You have NO IDEA what you’re talking about!” You know? “You’re not that smart. You don’t know what you’re talking about.” So we just DON’T write the book. [So] we use this EXCUSE that writing a book is too complicated, too overwhelming, too time-consuming.
But “mission critical” for ME, at this phase in my life, is to convey the message to you that writing a book is NOT that time-consuming. It is NOT that difficult, and it is TOTALLY doable, and it can freakin’ change your life! It can change your READER’S life, and it can change YOUR life. So what I want to do today is to help you to move PAST that excuse that writing a book is too difficult, because I know you WANT to make that leap. I know your WANT to embrace writing a book, and I know you want to START. I think these 12 steps can get you there. [They] can get you to SEE the overall map, and say, “Okay. I know what the BEGINNING looks like, and now I know what the END looks like, and I can DO this ”
So that is my HOPE for you this weekend, that you read through this quick-start guide. It is short. It’s like 10 pages. You can totally read this, so don’t go home and say, “Oh yes, I’ll read it later… blah… blah…” [It’s only] 10 pages! You can read that in like 12 minutes. So take 12 minutes today – I’m not doing a lunchtime Scope over your lunch – [to] read this book, and start thinking [and] plugging time into your calendar when you’re going to write.
Silent Moon ( https://twitter.com/silentmoonindra ) : Yay!
Morgan MacDonald ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac) : …. Indra says, “Yay!”… Okay. Let me get that link for you one more time : http://www.paperravenbooks.com/12steps . It’s going to be amazing. It just might change your life. Well actually, writing your BOOK is what’s going to change your life. If I can help you GET to that point where you write your book, I will be happy and excited.
Okay everyone. [I’ve] got a busy day this morning. Thank you for coming to hang out. Tweet me if – no, NOT IF [but] WHEN – you start writing [at]
@morgangmac ( https://twitter.com/morgangmac ) .
I want to know that you are writing your book, because it will make me SO excited for you.
Okay everyone. Have a lovely Friday. Thank you for the hearts. Thank you for the shares. Thank you for the follows. I really appreciate it. I LOVE this community. I love what we are doing. [Also] one quick note [is that] if you are Scoping, and you’re a writer, use our hashtag :
#periscopewriters ( https://twitter.com/search?q=%23periscopewriters&src=typd )
So we can find you. Okay. That’s it. Alrighty, bye everyone.
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