I recently received a message from a fan asking about my writing process, so I decided to divulge a closely kept secret and reveal the truth behind how I write a book.

Fine, it’s not really a secret, but it sounds cooler that way, right?

Getting started: When I started writing my first novel six years ago, my only goal was to finish a book. I’d been trying to write a book for years, but always got stuck halfway through and gave up. I knew a detailed outline was important–and probably crucial–if I actually wanted to finish the book. So I sat down and typed an 11 page outline. I knew what was going to happen from beginning to end. And guess what? That was the first book I actually finished.

Unfortunately, I  learned there is way more to writing a book than finishing it, and so began my journey to becoming a better writer. I read tons of books on writing that were tremendously helpful. I’ll talk about those in a later post. The best help I received came when I attended a five day seminar taught by author William Bernhardt.

The best advice I can give to newbie writers is this: A detailed, concise, well-plotted outline is the key to a great book. And now, here’s a sneak peek into the process I use to outline a book…