A lack of ideas or stories will never be the problem for a book. This may be hard to believe as an aspiring author. I know from experience, though, that once authors get going, it’s like a faucet of ideas, teachings, and stories turns on.
While we use the outline as a guidepost, the conversations often end up on other related topics and tangents. We allow those to happen and flow because the outline doesn’t hold all the answers. Frequently, important wisdom, lessons, and stories come out during these times.
But what do we do with all these new ideas?
Some will have an obvious place in the books. Others belong but their place may not be clear during the first draft, and others may not belong in the book at all. While the stories or ideas may not be used immediately, it’s important to keep track of these for both the author’s and ghostwriter’s sake. I’ve found that creating a separate document holding these ideas and stories and where to find them in the transcripts is key. Here’s why it’s so important.
Keep the Flow
It’s not always immediately clear where or if these extra nuggets fit into the book. By placing these thoughts and ideas on a separate document, we’re able to continue our book progress without having to rework the outline or force the content someplace it doesn’t go.
This system prevents us from having to make a decision in real-time if content should be included in the book or removed. This allows us to stay in the creative flow of our regular conversations. It also gives the author peace of mind that they can come back to these ideas at any time without using the mental capacity to hold onto them.
Furthermore, the flow of the book ultimately benefits. At the end of the first draft, it becomes more clear on what should be included and what should be excluded from the book.
Keep the Focus
Tabling certain topics and stories for later use not only helps keep the process focused but also helps keep the book focused. It allows for the first draft to be totally dedicated to many of the original key ideas that the author had in mind as they started the book writing journey.
As the author goes through a second draft it becomes clear which extra content should be included in the book to amplify and clarify the intention of the book. The other content that does not align with the theme and goals of the book can then be set aside for other uses.
If we attempt to work every thought and story into the first draft as we think of it, we risk the book becoming hard to follow. Tabling thoughts that are important but don’t have a clear home yet helps to work the relevant thoughts into the book in places that make the book clear and easy to follow.
Extra Content
You may be asking, “How can you exclude certain ideas or stories from the book? Those are important too.”
You are correct that those are indeed important. It doesn’t mean that those thoughts and stories need to make it into the book in progress though. They can be used in a future book, in appendices, or they can even be used in other content (social posts, blogs, poems, etc.). Just because a spark of inspiration doesn’t align with the book in progress doesn’t mean it should be forgotten.
In fact, quite the opposite is true. If an inspiring idea or story comes to the author, it should most definitely work its way into the world. It’s just important to be intentional about how that content is brought into the world so it can have the maximum impact on its audience.
Keeping a separate document of stories, musings, and inspirations helps the author to know their inspirations are in safe keeping without needing to carry the mental load of immediately knowing how those make their way into the world.
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Disclaimer: This blog should not be construed as providing, or intending to provide professional financial, legal, psychological, or other professional advice. It is simply meant to share my experiences with those who may find them relatable and helpful.