10 Steps to Bookdom

Every book starts as an idea. A lot of factors come into play when determining how long it will take (if ever) that idea will take to manifest itself into a published book - but they all start the same. While the path each book takes is unique, they usually follow the 10 steps below on their process to bookdom:

1. The Idea - Before you can even start writing a book, you have to have an idea to write about.
2. The Goal - Once you have an idea, you really need a point. What is your point in writing this book? What do you hope to achieve through it?
3. The Proposal - Once you have your idea and your goal, you will want to put together a proposal. Depending on your chosen publishing method this will come in various shapes and sizes, but at the very least, you will want to have something to run by others to see if there is an audience for your book, and just to let others know what you are doing.
4. The Outline - Every book has some sort of outline. Whether you have a detailed list of chapters and points you want to cover in those chapters, or just a starting and ending point, this is where your idea takes on more shape.
5. The Writing - After all of the above is done, you should have a solid starting point for writing your masterpiece. 
6. The Proofreading/Editing - Once your book is written, you are still only half way there. Proofreading and editing is a huge part of taking your writing and turning it into a real book. 
7. The Formatting - In order to distribute your work, it has to be formatted for distribution. Whether you want an eBook or a print book, they both have to be formatted.
8. The Re-Proofreading - Did I mention that editing and proofreading are a huge part of turning your writing into a book? It's best to do so more than once, and preferably by more than one person.
9. The Publishing - Finally! It's time to actually publish your book.What a great feeling!
10. Commence Book Marketing - The work you have put into your book will never be finished. At least not as long as you have dreams of selling it. Book Marketing is yet another important part of being an author. After your book is published, you have to let people know about it.

I have been through this entire process three times now, and am part of the way through the steps with some other books (yes I am a multitasking author), and I'm fairly confident that even if we claim to have skipped a step, it's still there somewhere. 

On a side note, I'm just starting this process with a new book, and I wanted to take you all along with me on the journey. Stay tuned for more information. :)