Charles Osgood has some intriguing tabletop discussions on his radio show, The Osgood File. One day I was listening to him talk about books which caused my mind to wander. I am a lover of books of all types.

For me, books are on a platform all its own because it takes us to places that we have never been before. Books encourage us to dream and to tap into the essence of the story that we are reading. Books can make us laugh or take us to dark places.

Each one of us has a gift or talent that is continually operating, but many of us do not realize that it exists. If you begin to think about actions that you have been taking subconsciously for at least three years, from caregiving of elders and mentoring businesses to writing or journaling, you may have a gift or talent that you should be considering. Don’t take that gift or talent for granted. 

Don’t think that you do not have what it takes. Like the adage says, someone else’s garbage can be someone else’s treasure. So it is with transferring your gift or talent on paper as an author.

Have you ever considered writing a book? These days a book can take various shapes from an e-book and paperback to an audiobook. When you write a book, you take various steps for a completed product.   

Remember, as you share with your audience you are expressing a message from your heart so your book can cover any subject from poetry, mystery, comedy, or a graphic novel to a children's story. Regardless of the type of book that you decide to write, here are seven key points to consider before you create your masterpiece.

Be ready to take the challenge. Wearing several hats can be challenging from being the author to the publicist. It can take a lot of time and effort, but you must prepare yourself for it.

Create a plan of action to give you an idea of how to complete a finished product.

Research, research, research. It is your job to provide your readers with the best information on the subject.

Make the book relevant, intriguing, and exciting to the reader. 

Don’t focus on quantity, focus on quality. Just because a book is over 300 pages does not translate into a quality product. What counts is the information that is contained within those pages.

You cannot do everything yourself so establish a team to help you turn your plans into action. Consider professional services from an editor to a graphic designer. 

Focus on your target audience and determine the best way to reach out to them.

Now go out and have fun. Look at your journey that you are living as a part of your dream. With these simple steps, you are on your way. These are some of the steps that I used to obtain turnkey results for some of my masterpieces, and I know that they can work for you also.