The Book You Were Born to Write: Everything You Need to (Finally) Get Your Wisdom onto the Page and into the World

by Kelly Notaras

Overview

A guide to writing a full-length transformational nonfiction book, from an editor with two decades' experience working in publishing.

"I know I have a book in me." "I've always wanted to be an author." "People always ask me when I'm going to write my book." "I have a story to tell, but I never seem to make time to write."

Are you a thought leader, healer, or change-agent stuck at the starting line of book publication? Life coach and publishing industry insider Kelly Notaras offers a clear, step-by-step path for turning your transformational idea or story into a finished book as quickly as possible. With humor, encouragement, and common sense, she demystifies the publishing process so you can get started, keep writing, and successfully get your wisdom out into the world.

Notaras guides you through:

Getting clear on your motivation for writing a book,

Crafting a powerful, compelling hook and strong internal book structure,

Overcoming resistance and writer's block, and

Getting your finished manuscript onto the printed page, whether through traditional publishing or self-publishing.

Publishing a book has never been as simple, accessible, and affordable as it is today, and in our tumultuous world, readers need your healing voice. Be brave, be bold, and take the steps you need to share your message with those who need to hear it most.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781401955625
Publisher:	Hay House Inc.
Publication date:	09/15/2020
Pages:	296
Sales rank:	203,645
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Kelly Notaras is the founder of kn literary arts, an editorial studio that has helped over 500 authors write, edit, and market their work since opening its doors in 2013. Kelly started her career working in the editorial divisions at HarperCollins, Penguin, and Hyperion Books. She was later V.P., Associate Publisher at Sounds True, a multimedia spirituality publishing company in Boulder, Colorado. Since starting kn literary arts, she has been honored to edit a wide variety of transformational nonfiction books including New York Times bestsellers The Tapping Solution by Nick Ortner and Pussy: A Reclamation by Regena Thomashauer. She lives and works from the mountains of Colorado.

Table of Contents

Foreword Reid Tracy xi

Introduction: Welcome to Your Book Journey xv

Part I Before You Start Writing

Chapter 1 Understand What You're Getting Yourself Into 3

Chapter 2 Get Clear on Your Motivation 23

Chapter 3 Craft Your Hook 43

Chapter 4 Build Your Outline 67

Part II The Writing Process

Chapter 5 Just Start Writing 83

Chapter 6 Handle Your Resistance 99

Chapter 7 Work with an Editor 117

Part III The Path to Publication

Chapter 8 Build Your Platform 143

Chapter 9 Find an Agent and Write a Proposal 165

Chapter 10 Publish Traditionally 189

Chapter 11 Publish Yourself 203

Epilogue: Your Book Will Change the World 225

Appendix A Sample Book Outline 227

Appendix B Outline Templates for Teaching Memoir and Narrative Memoir 231

Resources 239

Index 243

Acknowledgments 255

About the Author 259

The Prisoners Literature Project 261

About kn literary arts 263

Interviews

Boulder, CO

Editorial Reviews

One of the best ways to help people wake up is by writing a book. In The Book You Were Born to Write, Kelly Notaras has written the exact guide you need to get your message onto the page—so it can start changing lives. From organizing your topic to finding the right coach to writing a rocking proposal, you’re getting expert advice from someone who feels like your funny, wise best friend. If you want to become a published transformational author, look no further.”
— Gabrielle Bernstein, #1 New York Times best-selling author of The Universe Has Your Back

“If you have a book in your heart to write, you could not have a better guide than Kelly Notaras. Notaras helps you navigate the daunting and strange world of writing and publishing with the deep knowledge of an industry insider, the warmth of a dear friend, and the grace and humor of a gifted writer. If your dream is to become a published writer, then don’t walk, run, to the store or your computer to get this book. Notaras gives your dream wings.”
— Doug Abrams, founder and president, Idea Architects Agency; former senior editor, HarperCollins Publishers; and co-author of The Book of Joy

“I love this book. It is jam-packed with true insider advice for would-be and already writers that you won’t find anywhere else. Happy warning: The Book You Were Born to Write won’t just show you how to write the book of your dreams, it will inspire you to get cracking.”
— Will Schwalbe, New York Times best-selling author of The End of Your Life Book Club and Books for Living

​“As a publisher of many years, it’s very easy to see when aspiring authors have done their research about how the book business works—and when they haven't. Reading this informative and inspiring book will offer an invaluable edge, no matter where you are in the publishing process.”
— Robert S. Miller, president and publisher, Flatiron Books/Macmillan USA

“Kelly offers a blueprint of the writing and publishing process that is clear, actionable, and bound to generate results. Her step-by-step guidance befriends and inspires. I have never encountered such a comprehensive, readable, and heartfelt guide to writing and publishing a transformational book.”
— Tami Simon, CEO and founder of Sounds True

“Every author or author-to-be has a deep need: that best friend, that cheerleader, that space holder, that wordsmith, that editor, who jumps inside our vision and helps us set our most longed-for book on its feet. Kelly Notaras has written the most approachable, demystifying, and downright accessible book about writing that has ever been written, and, yes, your book will finally get written after you read hers. Case in point: she paved the way for me to write a New York Times bestseller!”
— Regena Thomashauer, New York Times best-selling author of Pussy: A Reclamation

“In these pages, publishing veteran Kelly Notaras leads you through every step of the creation process, from building a rock-solid narrative structure and crafting a strong hook to pushing through writer’s block and eventually partnering with a literary agent. The Book You Were Born to Write is the consummate guidebook to getting yourself unstuck and, at last, sharing your masterpiece with the world.”
— Michelle Burford, #1 New York Times best-selling collaborative writer

​“Funny, wise, and spilling over with practical advice for bringing your book baby from conception through college, The Book You Were Born to Write is by far the best book I have encountered on the craft of writing and the mystery of publishing. It is also seeded with profound truths about the life of the soul.”
— Mirabai Starr, author of God of Love and Caravan of No Despair

“I wouldn’t dream of writing a book without Kelly Notaras—and now, quite fortunately, you don’t have to either! The Book You Were Born to Write is a comprehensive and easy-to-follow guide for all things book-writing, publishing, and platform building so you can confidently and skillfully share your message with the world. If you’ve got a book brewing within you, let Kelly demystify the process with a proven plan of action for creation and success.”
— Nancy Levin, author of The New Relationship Blueprint

“The two best ways to change the world are to have a child and write a book. I can’t help you with the former, but if you want to do the latter, you should start by reading master editor Kelly Notaras’s amazing work, The Book You Were Born to Write. It’s the ultimate resource for everyone who wants to share their wisdom with the world in a profound and lasting way.”
— Scott Hoffman, founding partner, Folio Literary Management, LLC, and agent for multiple #1 New York Times best-selling authors

“Every writer walks into a labyrinth between the first and the last sentence, and most of us get dead lost. The Book You Were Born to Write was my red thread. I had a sweaty grip on each of these chapters as I made my way through the maze of what I had to say in the book that I was born to write. The gratitude I have is ineffable. This is the book that Kelly Notaras was born to write. And every writer will cling to it like a sacred scripture.”
— Meggan Watterson, author of Reveal

“As an acquiring book editor, there’s nothing I want more than to fall in love with a great manuscript or proposal. But not all aspiring authors have the information they need to set themselves up for that kind of success. The Book You Were Born to Write walks would be writers through each stage of the book-creation process with expert advice and step-by-step instruction. Read this book and editors everywhere will rejoice!”
— Jennifer Hershey, SVP Editor-in-chief, Ballantine Bantam Dell

From the Publisher