works, it saves time, and it even generally makes for better writing. It is how many of history’s most important figures recorded their wisdom for posterity. In summary, the reasons you might want to use this method: 1. Much easier: it gets you a very rough draft to edit in about 30 percent of the time it will take you to write a first draft. 2. Much faster: saves you the time and anxiety of contending with a blank page. 3. Makes a better book: it forces you to teach your knowledge in a way that is reader centric. WHO SHOULD NOT USE THE SCRIBE METHOD? Here are the main reasons not to use the Scribe Method: 1. You’re used to writing: You’re used to writing—i.e., “thinking through your fingers”—and learning a new method would be counterproductive at this point. A number of professional writ- ers are like this (myself included). 2. You don’t know the topic well: You don’t actually know your topic well enough to teach it out loud yet. In essence, you have to figure out your book as you write it. This is also common for writers, but less common for the authors we work with. 3. You’re afraid of a new method: There is nothing wrong with being uncertain about a “new” method. If you feel more confi- dent with the methods you know better, then use them. Again, there is no “right” or “wrong” way to write a book. The right way is the way that works for you and that ultimately results in a published book. HOW TO USE THE SCRIBE METHOD The Scribe process is very simple: instead of writing down the first hOW TO WriTE yOUr firST DrAfT (ThE SCriBE METhOD) · 153