Book Writing Mind Map

You may have heard me teach about the steps to developing your manuscript for your book before. You may have even downloaded my free Writing Points Blueprint.

Perhaps you are still stuck in the book writing maze and not sure what you should write about or include in your book.

Many authors, especially first timers and those who have not published have this dilemma. Additionally, creatives like yourself who possess a wealth of knowledge and experience may have a hard time figuring out where to begin.

There is a wonderful strategy often used by the business industry to sort out ideas called a MIND MAP.

A mind map is a diagram used to visually organize information.

Here is how it would work as it relates to you writing your book and deciding what to include:

1. Get a blank sheet of paper and think about the subject of your book.
2. Write the subject in the middle of the page and box it off.
3. Now write ideas in short phrases (like 2 – 5 words) of everything you know about that topic. Put those ideas all around the paper.
4. Do a full dump. Write everything and anything that comes to mind as it relates to the subject you have. (Stories, examples, lessons learned, books read, dreams, knowledge acquired, occupational experience, hobby, etc.)
5. Now, go back and circle each one of those short phrases so that they can have their own group.
6. Examine the circles of ideas you have created and notice those which have a common theme.
7. Finally, take different colored highlighters or markers and group the ideas in categories by marking those that have similar themes with the same color. The categories that are the most prevalent will identify what you should include in your book.
8. Write those categories you have created down. This will be what you will use to make up your chapters which will be the meat of your book. Remember, the contents of these chapters should always point back to your subject and the reason why you are writing the book.

This Book Writing Mind Mapping Strategy cannot only be used for deciding what should go in the book but it can be utilized if you’re Trying to Figure Out What Your Book Subject Should Be.

In that case, just follow these steps:
1. Write down this in the middle of your page: Possible Book Topics
2. Then from there jot down and circle everything you are passionate about or have knowledge and experience in.
3. Identify all the circles that relate by using colored highlighters.
4. Categorize the different circles of ideas.
5. Determine which category of topics stand out the most to you, bring up the most emotions and/or you are most knowledgeable about.
6. Decide on that topic and let that be the subject (thesis) of your book.

It should not take you more than 30 minutes to complete this strategy. If you find yourself taking longer you are procrastinating. Make a decision and just go from there.

Remember, your first book will more than likely not be your last book. And when it comes to writing your book, you will write and rewrite until your manuscript evolves into the valuable resource it was meant to be.

I hope this was a tremendous benefit to you.

Blessings in abundance,
~ Kisia

P.S. If you are in need of some Spiritual Empowerment listen to this week’s Audio Blog from our Prayer Archives: “Agreeing with the Word of GOD”.

CLICK on the media player below and be Blessed, Inspired and most of all Impacted by it!