Ask the Author: Gerry Baird
Answered Questions (4)
Gerry Baird
Every time an idea comes to me, I jot it down. Then I periodically review my ideas and use the words, "If I were ..." to stimulate thought. For example, I might jot down the idea "write a book about leadership," and then I'll ask myself, "If I were to write a book about leadership, what would the cover look like? What would the title be? What concepts would it contain? What format would I use to present my ideas? What need would it fill? Who would my primary audience be? How would I make my book stand out from the many other books about leadership?" Sometimes an idea never makes it further than the realm of thought, but other times it begins to take on a life of its own. When I find an idea I like, I write down everything I think a reader will want to know about that idea. Those concepts form the basis of my outline, and once I'm happy with my outline I'll begin writing.
Gerry Baird
Write every day. Experiment with different genres and publishing media. Find your voice, find your audience, and never give up on yourself or your dreams.
Gerry Baird
Everyone writes for different reasons. For me, it's a process that helps me make sense of life. My writing is my art, a creative outlet that allows me to be or do anything and live in a world where I get to experience total freedom and control. I write for myself, but it's an added bonus if at least one person reads and enjoys my book.
Gerry Baird
I used to write "off the cuff" and just let the words flow onto the page, but when I started writing longer books this strategy no longer worked for me. Now I spend at least 20-30% of my writing time coming up with a good outline. I write one section at a time, and when I get to a stopping point I look at the title of my next section so my subconscious mind can be working on the content for it before my next writing session.
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