It is said that writing is 10 percent inspiration and 90 percent perspiration. I absolutely agree, and I’m sure most successful writers would echo my sentiments: Inspiration is the easy part.

Over the years I have spoken with and taught beginning writers from all around the world, in all sorts of settings. I have helped them review, edit, and rewrite their work, and have found one common thread among those would-be writers who eventually become published authors: They are willing to devote themselves to the not-so-easy part of writing–the 90 percent perspiration.

As I worked with these many writers I discovered what I consider to be the simplest and most practical writing method available–the train-of-thought method. This excellent, well known writing method did not originate with me, but it seems no one had ever taken the time to put the method in book form; I therefore decided to do so myself.

This not a book about proper grammar or punctuation, or how best to choose the voice or set the scene for your great American novel. There are already countless books covering those subjects, if that’s what you’re looking for. But if you want to know how best to take your thoughts and dreams and put them into a clear, compelling, readable manuscript, then this is the book for you. Having personally seen the train-of-thought writing method help so many new writers learn to organize, write, and polish their ideas into successful manuscripts, I offer this book to those who would do the same. May it direct and encourage you as you enter into the 90 percent perspiration phase of your writing career–the serious phase through which true writers are formed.