Writing Successful Self-Help and How-To Books

by Jean Marie Stine

Overview

If you follow only a third of Jean's advice, you'll have a successful book. —Jeremy Tarcher, Publisher Jeremy P. Tarcher, Inc.

"After Jean reworked my first draft, paperback rights sold for $137,000." —Timmen Cermak, M.D., author of A Time to Heal: The Road to Recovery for Adult Children of Alcoholics

Mastering the craft and understanding the mechanics of writing self-help and how-to books is the key to getting publishers to take notice of your work. Now, in the first guide to writing self-help and how-to books, Jean Stine offers an insider's view of this growing genre. Her easy-to-follow program takes you step-by-step through the complete writing process. You'll learn the importance of:
* Structure and Style
* Clear, easy-to-understand exercises
* Creating catchy and compelling titles, subtitles, and chapter headings
* Using lists, charts, and graphs to maximum effect
* Checklists and other interactive elements
* Writing a proposal that sells
* Negotiating permissions for quotations, photos, and illustrations
* Preparing your manuscript for presentation to a publisher

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780471037392
Publisher:	TURNER PUB CO
Publication date:	02/01/1997
Series:	Wiley Books for Writers Series
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	681,735
Product dimensions:	6.01(w) x 9.01(h) x 0.59(d)

About the Author

JEAN MARIE STINE has edited over 50 self-help titles, including such bestsellers as Women Who Love Too Much, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, and Chop Wood, Carry Water: A Guide to Finding Spiritual Fulfillment in Everyday Life. She has held numerous editorial positions, most recently Editor in Chief at Jeremy P. Tarcher, Inc.

Table of Contents

Partial table of contents:

WRITING AND SELLING SELF-HELP/HOW-TO BOOKS.

What You Should Know about Writing Self-Help/How-To Books.

Selling Your Self-Help/How-To Book Made Easy.

THE BASICS: TITLE AND OUTLINE.

Finalizing Your Title and Subtitle.

WRITING A SELF-HELP/HOW-TO PROPOSAL.

How to Write a Proposal That Sells.

WRITING THE SAMPLE CHAPTER.

Chapter Writing Step by Step.

Style Made Easy.

Lists Made Easy.

SELF-EDITING SELF-HELP/HOW-TO BOOKS.

Editing Your Manuscripts the Lazy Writer's Way.

Getting Friends to Troubleshoot and Edit Your Manuscript.

SELLING SELF-HELP/HOW-TO BOOKS MADE EASY.

Submitting Your Book for Publication.

SIMPLIFYING PERMISSIONS, CROSS-REFERENCES, ILLUSTRATIONS, CHARTS, TABLES, AND FRONT AND BACK MATTER.

Permissions to Quote and Reprint.

Appendices, Resources, and the Index.