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How to Write a Book
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snookca
June 19, 2013
Technology
4
400
How to Write a Book
The journey of technical writing from blogger to author.
snookca
June 19, 2013
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Transcript
HOW TO WRITE A BOOK THE JOURNEY OF TECHNICAL WRITING
FROM BLOGGER TO AUTHOR
1. WRITE FOR YOURSELF 2. WRITE FOR OTHERS 3. WRITE
LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT
WRITE FOR YOURSELF In the beginning...
Oct 31, 2001 FIRST
BLOGGING Pick a topic.
BLOGGING You will become known for what you write about.
BLOGGING You can change your topic at any time.
BLOGGING Be first. Or second. Or third.
BLOGGING It doesn’t matter if someone else has done it
before.
You’re going to suck
July 1, 2003 SUCK
BLOGGING An opportunity to practice writing.
BLOGGING An opportunity to validate an idea.
BLOGGING An opportunity to explore a concept.
BLOGGING Chunk your writing. Use headings. Use bullet points. Use
pictures. Use code examples.
BLOGGING Don’t expect overnight success.
Apr 25, 2005 SUCCESS
PROMOTION Tweet Facebook Google+
“I wrote something that might interest you.”
PROMOTION Don’t harrass others for promotion.
PROMOTION Put it out there and let people share it
for you.
PROMOTION Establish your personal brand and own it.
WRITE FOR OTHERS Expand your visibility.
WRITE FOR OTHERS Expand your visibility.
None
None
None
ONLINE MAGAZINES Like blogging Low barrier to entry Some sites
even pay Establish links back to your site
ONLINE MAGAZINES Sitepoint A List Apart Smashing Magazine Tuts+
PRINT MAGAZINES .net magazine
WRITE LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT “I’m an author.”
None
None
None
WRITING IS HARD You’ll severely underestimate the amount of research
required.
WRITING IS HARD Expect a year.
PRINT Get a publisher. Self-publish.
PRINT Sitepoint
PRINT Apress
PUBLISHER BENEFITS Distribution Advance royalties Credibility Shelf space in bookstores
PUBLISHER BENEFITS Editors Tech reviewers Handle printing Handle book layout
SELF-PUBLISH Snook Printing Co.
SELF-PUBLISH BENEFITS Money. Money. Money. Take a Chance on Me
Fernando Dancing Queen
None
WRITING THE BOOK Word (to your mother) DocBook Latex HTML
WHAT I DID PDF ePub mobi Web
HTML PDF ePub mobi Web
BUT? PDF ePub mobi Web
None
None
None
PRINCE XML Command line interface Converts HTML and CSS Supports
Paged Media Supports font-face embedding
PRINCE XML Expensive. $495.
HTML-BASED PDF ePub mobi Web
DISTRIBUTION Amazon iBookstore Barnes & Noble PragProg LeanPub O’Reilly
OPEN A STORE ON SHOPIFY!
OPEN A STORE ON SHOPIFY!
THANK YOU. Twitter: @snookca Web: snook.ca