From James Patterson, John Grisham, Joel Osteen, T.D. Jakes and Joyce Meyers to Stephen King, what do they all have in common? They are experts in getting their stories heard. How?

Each of these authors focused on the needs and interests of their readers. The above-mentioned authors have a niche focus - from mystery and suspense and thrillers to spirituality. Have you noticed that some people are great storytellers in such a way that you may hear others say to them, “You should write a book.”

This is where it all begins. This is how they began. What part of your life have you heard people say to you over and over again that you should write about?

Is it about your grandparents? Is it those exotic dishes that you cook? Is it how you inspire and motivate others?

If you have continually heard the same messages that you should write a book, you have a story to be told. Let go of your fears, use that energy that others give you, and tell your story; it needs to be heard. You can begin writing either in pieces or by creating an outline.

Let’s explore Writing 101. In my other article, How to Get Your Story Noticed, you will learn how to market your work. Here you will learn the various aspects of creating your piece.

When writing a book, there is a lot that goes into the finished product. While there are variations in getting your story heard, regardless of the chosen format - from an e-book and an audiobook to a printed book - the beginning process of writing is the same. Here are five easy steps to consider when creating your book.

To illustrate the point, let’s use the genre mystery and suspense. The steps are merely an overview, but once you begin working through the process, you will be able to get creative in how you utilize these best practices. They are as follows:

#1 Determine who is your target audience. This will help you to hone your craft. This process will help to guide your focus on creating a quality product.

#2 Create a synopsis of the book and send it out to about 7-10 people, to get their input. Those friends, social media contacts or book club members that you know have an interest in the subject matter, as in this case, mystery and suspense, and will help you to gauge if you’re on the right track. A synopsis is what you see and read on the back of a book that provides you with an idea as to what the book is about. On some occasions, you may see it along with the author’s bio.

#3 Perform some research by following the work of your favorite author. Do not plagiarize but study their style. What is it that you like about that author? Now create your own style.

#4 Making the book relevant and of quality gives the reader something that interests them. Set the stage, create the environment. As in James Patterson’s Alex Cross series, the stalker resonates throughout each book in an attempt to make Cross’s life miserable at any cost.

#5 Set out to tell a compelling story. It is not the number of pages that counts, but the content within the pages.  Now have fun because you are living a part of your dream.

These quick and easy steps are what I focused on to create my latest book. Utilizing these steps allowed me the ability to obtain turnkey results within just a year, from writing the content to a printed book. Turnkey means to produce and finish for its desired use. While my book was an academic piece, which does take a bit longer to develop, by using these quick steps you should be able to have your story written and heard in less time.