A few weeks ago I was reading a book in the bathtub. This isn’t a new occurrence. Reading in the bathtub is one of my favorite luxuries. What happened during that particular bath, though, was kind of a big deal. I’ve been ruminating for a while on different projects I could start – because writing a book, raising a spirited toddler, doing a popular history podcast, doing it with a broken shoulder – they aren’t enough. Nope, since I don’t have a full time job right now, I needed to figure out something else to do with my time.
So I had this thought. Lots of people have books in them. Or they even do National Novel Writing Month each year. So they know enough about how to get the book down on paper, or into their computer. After that, though, it becomes a bit murky. I know this myself from my own experiences. For so long I had something like 8 drafts picking up dust in my Google Docs account. Previous NaNoWriMo drafts, other ideas for books, etc. But the process seemed so intimidating. How do I choose a cover? What about formatting? Isn’t it all really complicated? Who has time when you have a kid, job, house, etc.
I know how to do this, I thought. I’ve done it several times, in several variations. I know how to take writing from the My Documents folder to the Amazon shelf. I know the steps, and I know how to get it done.
So, enter Draft to Shelf. It’s the course I’ve put together that takes your writing from draft format to actually available for sale on Amazon in six weeks. Basically, I’m imagining all these sweet drafts that are itching to be turned into actual real life books for the rest of the world to read and enjoy.
Leonie Dawson has a blog about productivity where she talks about “riding the wild donkey” and I love this. The gist is that when you get a big idea, and you’re inspired, you need to take action right then, and see the idea out because if you try to do it in chunks you might lose the inspiration, and then it just gets lost.
So I rode the wild donkey for the past two weeks.
Here’s what I created in two weeks:
- A website (http://www.drafttoshelf.com) with a membership plugin
- A podcast, which has been accepted on iTunes and has three episodes up
- A course including workbook and worksheets for 6 weeks
- People beta testing the course, with a secret Facebook group and group calls scheduled
- 2 weeks worth of videos recorded, as well as an introduction video
- A book, which is now on Amazon, just to show that it could be done
Not bad for two weeks, eh?
So here’s the deal. You bring the draft. I bring the tools to turn the draft into a book. We sweat it out and work our butts off, and your book gets on Amazon. Draft to Shelf. Six weeks.
If you want to know more about the course, email me. I’m exploring the idea of offering it to libraries to offer their patrons, since I know so many want to support self publishing in their community. If you want to read the book, check it out on Amazon. If you want to do the course, sign up! The next course is opening in April. And the best part of the deal is that when you sign up, you get access to the materials for-evah. As I develop more courses, and add to them, you will have continual access. If I wind up raising the prices because I’ve added more courses, you’ll get lifetime access.
So if you have a draft in you, I encourage you to check it out and register for April’s course. By June you’ll have a book available for sale.