Alhamdulillah, syukur Allah.
If you read this article, means that I fulfill my responsibility to write minimum 2 articles a month in this MomBloggersPlanet- blog that most people love. This January, I am too busy. I am currently writing a book with Kak ‘M’ (sorry, I do not have permission to write her name here). Kak ‘M’ is a former magazine journalist. Also, in this January 2010, my first novel project just start. Hopefully I succeed, I pray so, Amin Ya Rabb Al-Alamin. Both of this writing project, we work under the supervision of one of Malaysia famous novelist and editor, Sri Diah (Sri Diah Shaharuddin).
In this article, I just want to share with you some initial steps that you need to do, if you plan to write a book. There are four initial steps that need to be done, if we have decided to write a book:
1. Look over four non-fiction books
2. Idea Generator
3. Create a computer folder to hold your working files
4. Create a Work Log
Step One: Look over at least 10 books
First, you should know, what are you plan to write, are you plan to write non-fiction or fiction book. Take your notebook (writing pad) and visit a bookstore and library. Search for books of the kind which you plan to write.
- Check the number of pages, the table of contents, and chapter length.
- How are these books written?
- Write down each book’s title, author, publisher and year of publication.
- Also write down anything you find interesting about the book.
- Read the acknowledgements page to see whether the author thanks her editor and her agent. Make a note of their names if he does. (These people may be interested in your proposal if it covers a similar subject area.)
Step Two: Idea Generator
“Morning is a great time to generate ideas. Wake up early, then sit up in bed and jot down ideas.”
There’s nothing mysterious about coming up with ideas. Within a page or two, you’ll have more ideas than you know what to do with. Your ideas start with YOU. When you think about what you enjoy, about your past experiences and your knowledge, you’re guaranteed a regular fountain of ideas. Let’s turn on the fountain.
As you got the idea(s), work through them quickly. Don’t allow yourself to bog down. Do them as quickly as you can, and then go and do something else for a few hours, to let the ideas gestate and bubble in your subconscious mind.
When you come back, read through the ideas you generated, and add to them as you read through your lists. Please don’t discard any ideas at this stage. This is because the way to a brilliant, fantastic idea is by twisting an idea slightly, reversing it, or by combining several ideas into a new one.
Searching for ideas alerts your subconscious mind that ideas are important to you. Over the next few days, you may get a nudge from an idea which says: “Write me down”. Do that right away, even if you’re in the middle of a shower or you’re driving along the freeway. (If you’re driving, pull over.) Write that idea down, because even if you’re one hundred per cent certain that you will never in this lifetime forget that amazing idea you just had, believe me, you will forget it. Write it down, always.
When you stay alert to the idea hovering at the corners of your consciousness you will never be without a book bubbling away. This is how you turn your first book into a long series of books.
Step Three: Create a computer folder to hold your working files
Create a folder on your computer to hold all the files for your book. As you work, you’ll generate many files. Create sub-folders as you need them.
This is the same as your office or work space. The desktop is not compiled will only make you confused and hinder your work. So, make sure the folder and your computer also arranged in neat.
Step Four: Create a Work Log
Create a file on your computer as a diary for your writing project. Paste all the information you gather while searching the Internet and while communicating with others in this log. Date each entry. If you need to leave your project for a few days, you can read your log to get back into the groove of your project.
That’s what I do. Alhamduillah, Allah meet me with people who help. I have just stepped into the field of writing books, just writing my first book, but, I believe, there is no wrong to share my information with you. Hopefully there are benefits to us.
Until we meet again. May Allah always love you and your family, amin.
PS: This month, as usual, I have bought books and novels. One of the novel that I find very interesting and I want to share it with you is novel entittled ‘WO AI NI Allah’ written by Indonesian young writer, Vanny Chrisma W. You can CLICK HERE to read the review of ‘Wo Ai Ni ALLAH’ that I wrote on my blog.
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Thank you so much Ustaz. A very organized & applicable tips laid well here.I did once completed a novel in my teenage years, approached few publisher but failed to make it published.So, novel tu dah terosok dalam almari.
Plan to create e-book this year. It’s all in plan, in my mind, in my mind….
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Hanz Reply:
January 30th, 2010 at 12:10 PM
meant ‘tersorok’..typo-lah..
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isabelle Reply:
January 30th, 2010 at 12:57 PM
k.hanz,
go ahead…have it published. i know u’ll make a good book.
as for my case, my books mostly yg academic lah.
sejak2 uni dah gila nak jadi research uni ni.leceh!
.-= isabelle´s last blog post ..Should there be a second chance? =-.
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yus Reply:
January 30th, 2010 at 3:49 PM
hanz,
cuba risik PTS. Might be they can help you to publish it!!
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juan Reply:
January 30th, 2010 at 6:47 PM
i have a client yang terbitkan buku sendiri. apparently dalam mesia ni, publisher susah nak publish buku sebab kena keluarkan banyak modal and investment sedangkan buku tu entah tentu entah tidak terjual. therefore, kalau ada modal sendiri, cari printer sendiri, keluar duit sendiri and publish sendiri… itu kata dia.
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UstazCahaya Reply:
January 30th, 2010 at 9:01 PM
Thank juan. Saya tambah sikit ya.
Untuk kawan2 yang berminat nak cuba terbit sendiri, setakat ini ada satu panduan di Malaysia yang terbaik pernah saya jumpa dan berani saya rekomen. Iya ditulis oleh ‘orang dalam’ PTS iaitu Nazrul Shamsudin. Boleh tengok di http://www.terbitsendiri.com.
Memang terbit sendiri nampak mudah jika ada wang. Tapi banyak kerja yang perlu kita buat. Lepas tulis buku, kita kena upah orang untuk semak ejaan (pruf reading), kemudian upah editor untuk semak buku kita, kemudian upah artis untuk cover dan rekabentuk, then print.
Dah print,kerja belum habis lagi, kita kena jual pula buku kita itu;-)
.-= UstazCahaya´s last blog post ..Post Khas Menolong Sesama Muslim (Cari Cari Daanya Hana Leonora dan Doakan Untuk Seorang Novelis) =-.
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UstazCahaya Reply:
January 30th, 2010 at 8:49 PM
HANZ:
Salam Hanz, iya saya faham itu tersorok
Wah khazanah berharga tu. Cuba baca balik dan edit, mungkin bulih jadi best seller, Insya Allah..
.-= UstazCahaya´s last blog post ..Post Tanpa Huruf ‘A’ =-.
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UmmiKhayra Reply:
January 31st, 2010 at 7:41 AM
Hanz,
Try la hantar lagi… edit mana-mana perlu. Mana tau sekarang diorang nak terima…
.-= UmmiKhayra´s last blog post ..~ Mom Bloggers Planet 1st Anniversary Gathering 2010 ~ =-.
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UstazCahaya Reply:
January 31st, 2010 at 2:19 PM
Saya sokong Ummi.. buat la balik Hanz itu novel. Tak publish pun, buat je jadi e-novel bersiri kat blog.. Nanti makin banyak yang sokong, makin bersemangat kamu menulis
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Congratulation dah berjaya diterbitkan.
For those who want to write a good novel, this is worth to read.
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UstazCahaya Reply:
January 30th, 2010 at 8:51 PM
Salam Khairi. Panduan yang bagus
.-= UstazCahaya´s last blog post ..Post Tanpa Huruf ‘A’ =-.
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Good Luck Ustaz Cahaya..When it will be published?
.-= eyriqazz´s last blog post ..Why I Like It Longer =-.
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UstazCahaya Reply:
January 30th, 2010 at 8:54 PM
Salam Eyriqazz. Thank bro. Masih dalam proses awal. Saya sendiri tidak pasti, bila akan diterbitkan. Kadang-kadang, ada penulis yang menunggu sehingga 2 tahun untuk melihat buku mereka. Ada juga yang hanya makan masa setengah tahun. Banyak faktor yang menentukan cepat lambatnya. Doakan saya ya
.-= UstazCahaya´s last blog post ..Post Tanpa Huruf ‘A’ =-.
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UstazCahaya…
semoga berjaya
Hanz
laa…bawa keluar bawa keluar…
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UstazCahaya Reply:
January 31st, 2010 at 2:22 PM
Thank Puan Rafidah. Amin Ya Rabb Al-Alamin;-)
Sokong-sokong. Puan Hanz, apa kata terbitkan sikit dulu kat blog bagi kitorang baca itu novel
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Hanz Reply:
February 1st, 2010 at 10:15 AM
banyak support ni…nanti me timbang-tara..thanks sokongan itu..
.-= Hanz´s last blog post ..Saya tak pernah sekolah tadika (Bahagian 2) =-.
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UstazCahaya Reply:
February 1st, 2010 at 10:08 PM
Saya memang sokong.. Bagi la kami baca sikit dulu. Hehe, adaptasi cerita betul ke tu Kak Hanz?
.-= UstazCahaya´s last blog post ..Uniknya Bulan Februari (Apakah Yang Sudah Saya Lakukan?) =-.
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most helpful tips, ustaz! rasa bersemangat baca posting ni, felt like if u can do it with these points, many can do it too!
i’ve always wanted to write something worth published. selalu je berangan2 hihi..
ur lucky dpt opportunity, good luck! 
bila dah publish, canang2kan lah… 
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UstazCahaya Reply:
January 31st, 2010 at 2:31 PM
Thank Syigim. Iye bener. Jika tips itu membantu saya, Insya Allah, ia boleh jalan untuk semua orang.
Insya Allah, doa2 kan ya. MBP la tempat terawal saya akan maklumkan nanti, bila ia dah dicetak, Amin;-)
Puan Syigim, saya memang nak contact you, nak bincang pasal projek buku seterusnya, selepas 2 projek saya sekarang. Projek sekarang ni dua2 sehingga April 2010, jadi saya memang nak bincang dengan Syigim, untuk projek selepas April ni. Walaupun agak lama lagi, elok jugak jika kita bincang2 dulu kan..
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syigim Reply:
February 1st, 2010 at 2:56 PM
uish projek pe tu ustaz….if psl nk addkan my MBP article psl blog nasi lemak tu, on my part i ok je…as long as credit to MBP & writer hihi
tp maybe little mama can confirmkan kot2 ade copyright issues on MBP side
papehal my email ade kat blog ye ustaz
.-= syigim´s last blog post ..Sharjah Aquarium & Qanat Al-Qasbah =-.
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UstazCahaya Reply:
February 1st, 2010 at 9:50 PM
Puan Syigim, not only pasal nak ceduk2 your article only.. U got the talent, U see
Insya Allah, nanti saya akan contact Syigim.. (memang dah lama nak contact pon
hehe)
Credit to MBP, memang musti
.-= UstazCahaya´s last blog post ..Uniknya Bulan Februari (Apakah Yang Sudah Saya Lakukan?) =-.
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Thanks ustaz for the tips..
Mana tahu sekalinya nak terbit novel pulak, boleh jadikan tips dari ustaz ni sebagai rujukan.. 
.-= UmmiKhayra´s last blog post ..~ Mom Bloggers Planet 1st Anniversary Gathering 2010 ~ =-.
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UstazCahaya Reply:
January 31st, 2010 at 2:35 PM
Terima kasih kembali Kak Ummi. Oh, Kak Ummi tulis novel juga, Good Luck. Jika kita lihat zaman kegemilangan Islam dulu, umat Islam adalah umat yang rajin menulis dan menghasilkan karya-karya penulisan
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I love writing and reading books. I love the notion that people can make things up in their mind and then make them real on a page, for the pleasure or utility of someone else. One of my favorite mentor on learning how to write a book is Mark Victor Hansen, co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul.
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