Tuesday’s writing tips for authors

Experienced authors appreciate the many ways that they can leverage software productivity tools like Mindjet’s MindManager to plan their book’s contents before they begin writing. Writing goes smoothly when authors have previously organized their ideas into the proper hierarchy and sequence.

Writing also goes faster, and with less stress, when big projects, like books, can be broken down into a series of relatively simple small tasks. When you’ve come to the point where you can see your book displayed as 10 chapters, each containing 10 ideas, your book is well on its way to success!

Here are some of the ways that my coaching clients and I use MindManager to save time while analyzing existing books, planning a book’s table of contents, and creating a book marketing plan.

1. Right-clicking topics and backgrounds. One of the best ways to save time working with MindManager 8 for Windows is to right-click topics to reveal a context-specific menu containing all of the currently available commands. It’s usually far more efficient to access a command by right-clicking a topic than it is to select the topic and choose a desired command from the menus at the top of the screen.
2. None does not mean white. When applying a fill, or background, to topics, it’s important to remember the difference between “none” and “white.” None will allow any background graphics to show through the topic; white will hide background colors or graphics.
3. Numbering. MindManager can automatically number, and update, topics and subtopics. To number subtopics, select the topic one level up, and select Format>Numbering. A variety of numbering options are available. Numbering is a great feature for authors, keeping chapter numbers up to date when adding and removing chapters.
4. Sorting. MindManager’s sorting command is located in the Format menu. Use the sorting command to alphabeticize lists or sort topics on the basis of their percentage of completion.
   
5. Find and Replace. For a long time, I didn’t realize that MindManager’s Find and Replace commands are located at the upper right of the Home  menu.
6. Dragging selects multiple topics. Although you can hold down the CTRL key and select topics and subtopics for copying and pasting, or reformatting, there’s an easier way. Hold down the CTRL key and hold down the left mouse button while dragging the mouse to create a marquee box that extends over several topics or subtopics. When you release the mouse button, you can reposition or reformat the topics.
7. Format Painter Shortcut. The Format Painter, located in the Home menu, can be used to copy the formatting of one topic, or subtopic, to another. To copy formatting from one topic to another, (1) Select the topic, (2) while holding down the CTRL and SHIFT keys, press the Space Bar (3) Select another topic. The new topic will be formatted like the original. Note: if you hold down the CTRL key while selecting additional topics, the Format Painter will remain active while formatting multiple topics.
8. Hiding or Revealing the Task Pane. To regain working space after working with one of MindManager’s Task Paine, hold down the CTRL and SHIFT keys while pressing the F1 function key. This toggles between showing and hiding the Task Pane.
9. Adding Task Icons without using the mouse. One of MindManager’s most useful keyboard shortcuts is the ability to add Priority task icons by using CTRL+SHIFT+1 to add the Priority 1 icon, CTRL+SHIFT+2 to add a Priority 2 icon, CTRL+SHIFT+3 to add a Priority 3 icon.
10. OK versus Apply. Many of MindManager’s dialog boxes offer both an OK and an Apply options.What’s the difference? Select OK if you want to acceps the formatting change you have just made and close the formatting dialog box. Select Apply, however, if you want to accept the formatting change, but leave the dialog box open so you can make further changes.

If you’re not already a Mindjet user, visit Published & Profitable’s Sample Content area and download my free special report,  MindMapping for Writers and Marketers.