The Art Of Writing | Free Guide

I designed this book entirely for my own use. I was invited to give a talk about one of my books, and I made notes – as I always do – on a tiny booklet.

The booklet comprised just one sheet of paper, folded to create several different “pages”.

After delivering that talk, about The Art Of Writing, it occurred to me that I could have made copies of my booklet, to hand out to my audience.

Not just for the insights written on it but as a prototype for a one-page booklet that they – or you – can make any time.

Your Download: The Art Of Writing

You should have it by now. (If you don’t, there’s a link at the bottom of the page.) Print both sides, if you can, onto a single sheet of paper.

I made this video to show how you fold it up. In the video, I call it a “Ben’s Book” to distinguish it from other one-page booklets I make.

Over the years, I’ve made hundreds of these little books. Some got lost, but others developed into “real”, “proper” books.

I mean, they quite literally got stitched into great big bundles of related material and became the first version of books that were subsequently put into bookshops by publishers.

Simplicity I Love

Obviously, the guidance on a single sheet of paper, even when it’s folded cleverly, is relatively simple. I sincerely hope you don’t feel short-changed. Because it’s the simplicity that I love. (Writing is never fun if it’s too complicated.)

I strongly encourage you to make your own booklet using a single sheet of paper like this one.

Write or draw on the cover. Write some notes on the inside pages, and then the pages after that. Fold it up. Pop it in your pocket. Take a look at it every now and then – and ask yourself if you could do even more with those two most useful things: narrative momentum and verbal fireworks.

To create momentum, hint at something that is coming later.

To create verbal fireworks, come up with a single sentence or idea that is central to the whole thing – and rephrase that one sentence to make it stand out.

If you’re thinking, yeah, but how do it do that? – well, please bear with me. I hope to provide more of that kind of thing in the emails you have signed up to.

Anyway: thank you for being here. I look forward to getting to know you better.

JPF

PS. In case you somehow didn’t receive the download when you signed up for my emails, you can Download It Here.