How to Write a Book

I think it was David Eddings whose advice to aspiring authors [heavily and badly summarized] as 'write a million words and then burn them, you can now get started'.

I think the part about giving the book idea a month before actually pursuing it can also be translated to the way any business idea should be approached. If after a month of thinking about the idea, the idea still looks good, then it's a good idea to pursue.

This recipe applies to software as well.<p>Thinking about the idea with simple notes at first. Paper prototyping (defining and preparing chapters). Writing and re-writing the first version until you get it right. User testing (copy editing).

If you are self-publishing you also have a point 7 which is selling and marketing!