Writing a book is like building a house.

You’re not interested in building a run-of-the-mill prefab house or writing a generic self-help book (zzzzzzzzz). You’re here to design a custom, one-of-a-kind creation that’s true to your vision, gifts, and style.

When you commit to a long-term project like building a house, you know you're in for a journey. It’s a multi-year marathon with a crew of teammates, lots of moving parts, and shifting timelines, even if the plans are executed seamlessly in every phase.

Birthing a book is a similar long-term creation that requires a solid foundation, though many first-timers don’t realize that at the outset.

Would you begin building your house by gathering raw materials and a few power tools and constructing pop-up structures without architectural plans, permits, or contractors?

Would your first step be hiring an interior designer before there were walls or rooms to decorate, or planting trees where you might later put the kitchen?

Would you start by dabbling and experimenting with different parts of the build and then head back to the drawing board to deconstruct things and see what’s next?

These examples seem absurd in the context of building a house, but many people approach their books this way.

There is much more to “writing” a book than just dumping words into a Word doc.

You need different skills and support in each phase, and there’s a sequence to the process because each phase builds on the next.

• Phase 1: Outline + Mapping <— you are here!

• Phase 2: Writing + Editing

• Phase 3: Publication + Launch

Many people attempt to start their book journey in Phase 2 by writing their book with no plan, structure, or direction, which can last for years.

Some people fast-forward to Phase 3 and begin by researching their publishing options, writing a book proposal, or trying to find an agent, which ends up being a waste of time, energy, and resources without the foundational elements in place first.

Others bounce around and try a little bit of everything across all three phases at once, which only creates confusion and overwhelm.

There’s a reason Phase 1 comes first!

Story Map is your guide for the first phase of your book's development.

It will help you clarify these questions (and more):

• What kind of book are you writing? Identifying your genre isn’t just about the Amazon category or where your book will land in the bookstore; it’s a foundational choice that will affect your outline, POV, story selection, market research, and voice.

• What is your main idea? What is the lesson or argument you’re conveying in your book? What are you fighting for (personally)? Why does it matter (universally)? Developing your premise and clarifying your core message may sound simple, but this distillation can be one of the most challenging parts of your outline.

• Who is your reader? Yes, there is ONE. In writing, and in most things, one size does NOT fit all. What do you know about the person you’re writing to? What are their challenges, fears, desires, and dreams? What are they unaware of? What do they already know about your topic? Are you writing for yourself or the reader (or a little bit of both)?

• What is the narrative arc and structure of your book? What theme is driving your transformational story? What’s the internal and external state change that occurs throughout the book? How will the protagonist get from Point A to Point B? Are you clear on your timeline and how you’re moving between past and present? What unique structure can hold it all together?

When you start with this intentional design and focus on the core elements of your story first, you’ll set the foundation for the next two phases of your book journey. From here, writing your book is a natural progression, and you have the main story elements clarified to consider your publishing options.

The Story Map process sets you up to build your book from the ground up with intention, clarity, and focus.