Writing Coach – Ask Yourself the Question

As a fiction writer I spend a lot of time reading about writing techniques and strategies to improve my craft. Unlike writing blog posts or newsletters, the rules in fiction writing are not as clear. This can be both fun and scary.

Without hard and fast writing rules, how do I know what to write and how do I know if I’ve written it well?

The answer? The New York Times Bestseller list.

While the rules in fiction and the rules in writing for business are not all that similar, today while doing a little reading I read about something that applies to both writing styles. In the article titled “Building a Frame for Your Story House”, author Ann Whitford Paul talks about how children’s authors need to decide on one single-sentence question that asks what the story is about. The writer also needs to answer with a one-sentence answer. Sounds simple, I know, but it is a writing trick not always easy to do.

When you sit down to write an eBook, for example, you need to ask yourself at the very beginning: What is this eBook about? Then, in one single sentence, answer that question. Can you do it? Write both the question and answer down and be sure to refer back to it often.

Sure, there will be other layers of your eBook that require additional questions of their own. There are always layers. But the point is to keep the premise of your writing project at the forefront of your mind. This allows you to stay on track and to only cover subject areas that play into your premise.

Before hiring a freelance writer to work on your writing projects, think about the one-sentence question and the one-sentence answer that describes your project. This will help the writer understand what you want for the final product.

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