Week 2: build the spine
This week you draft the two pieces that hold a nonfiction book up: the introduction, which makes the promise, and the first chapter, which sets the pattern every other chapter follows. Full days ask for about 500 words. Days 13 and 14 are lighter.
What this week is for
Week 1 told you what the book is. Week 2 tests it on the page. Writing the introduction makes you say, in sentences a reader would read, who the book is for and what they will get. If that is hard to write, you learn it now, while the fix is cheap.
Then you write chapter 1 in three passes: the story that opens it, the case it makes and what the reader should do because of it. That three-part shape (story, point, action) is a pattern you can reuse for most chapters, which makes weeks 3 and 4 much easier to start each day.
What you should have by day 14
- A rough introduction in three parts: an opening scene, why the reader should listen to you, and a map of the book.
- A rough chapter 1 with a story opening, a main point with an example, and concrete actions for the reader.
- The start of chapter 2, opened with the question a reader would ask after chapter 1.
- A list of [CHECK] notes for facts, numbers and details to confirm later.
- Seven more logged days, and a realistic sense of whether your daily target is right.
Common traps this week
Rewriting the first page
The first pages of a book attract perfectionism like nothing else. You will want to reread the opening scene every morning and improve it. Do not. The Scribe Method's chapter on the first draft puts the rule simply: do not edit until the draft is done. Each day starts where yesterday stopped.
Turning "why listen to me" into a resume
Day 9 asks why the reader should trust you. The natural first draft is a list of titles, companies and years. That list is fine as notes, but it rarely persuades. One story that shows you doing the work, and getting a result, does more than a page of credentials.
Stopping to research
On day 12 you will want a statistic or a date you do not have. Looking it up takes five minutes, then twenty, then the session is gone. Write [CHECK] with a short note of what you need, and keep writing. The day 29 reverse outline collects every one of those notes.
Judging the book by the first chapter
Chapter 1 in a first draft usually reads stiffly, because you are still finding your voice for this book. That is normal and says little about the book as a whole. Many authors find the voice somewhere in week 3.
- Day8
Open the introduction with a scene
Write the first scene of your introduction: a specific moment when your reader's problem is happening, told as a story. It can be your moment or a client's. Put the reader in a room, at a time, with a decision in front of them, and stop at the point where the problem is clear.
Why: An introduction that starts with a real moment earns the reader's attention before it asks for their time.
Tip: Start in the middle of the action. If your first paragraph is background, try starting with your second paragraph instead.
Target: about 500 words
- Day9
Introduction: why listen to you
Write the part of the introduction that tells the reader why you are the right guide. Show it through one story of the work you have done, not a list of credentials. Then state the promise of the book plainly, using the sentence you wrote on day 3 as your starting point.
Why: Readers trust a guide who shows the work, and a clear promise tells them what they get for finishing.
Tip: Write the credentials list first if it helps you think, then replace it with the single story that proves the most.
Target: about 500 words
- Day10
Introduction: the map
Write the end of your introduction: who this book is for, who it is not for, and how it is organized. Walk through the chapters in a sentence or two each, using your table of contents. Close with what the reader should do as they read, such as keep a notebook or try one idea a week.
Why: A clear map lets a busy reader trust the book enough to keep going, and it tests whether your structure holds together.
Tip: Saying who the book is not for is a gift to the right reader. Be specific and kind about it.
Target: about 500 words
- Day11
Chapter 1: the hook
Write the opening of your first chapter using the story you assigned to it on day 7. Tell it in full, then add a few sentences that connect the story to the single point of the chapter. Do not reread the introduction first. Keep moving forward.
Why: The first chapter sets the pattern for the rest, and a strong story opening is the easiest pattern to repeat.
Tip: Write the story the way you would tell it to a colleague over lunch. You can tidy the language in a later draft.
Target: about 500 words
- Day12
Chapter 1: make the case
Write the body of chapter 1: state its main point in one sentence, then give the reasons, examples and evidence that support it. Use a real example from your work, with the numbers you actually have. Where you need a fact you do not have yet, write [CHECK] and keep going.
Why: Marking gaps instead of researching mid-sentence keeps the habit going and gives you a ready list for later.
Tip: Use brackets for anything you need to look up, confirm or ask someone about. Search for "[" later to find them all.
Target: about 500 words
- Day13
Chapter 1: what to do now
Write the end of chapter 1: what the reader should do differently on Monday morning because of this chapter. Give one to three concrete actions, with an example of each. Finish with a sentence or two that points ahead to the next chapter.
Why: Professionals buy nonfiction to act on it, so every chapter should leave them with something to do.
Tip: This is a lighter day. If you have extra time, use it to rest, not to reread and fix chapter 1.
Target: about 300 words
- Day14
Start chapter 2 with a question
Open chapter 2 with the question your reader would ask right after finishing chapter 1. Write the question at the top, then answer it in your own voice for 300 words. Before you stop, write a one-line note on what comes next so tomorrow starts easily.
Why: Chapters that answer the reader's next question feel connected, even in a rough first draft.
Tip: End today mid-thought on purpose. Knowing your next sentence makes it easier to start tomorrow.
Target: about 300 words
End of week check
- My introduction exists from start to finish, even if parts are rough.
- The introduction says who the book is for and who it is not for.
- Chapter 1 has a story, a point and something for the reader to do.
- I have not rewritten anything from earlier days.
- My [CHECK] notes are in brackets where I can find them later.
- My daily target matches what I can actually do on a normal weekday. If not, I have changed it.
Common questions
Should I write the introduction first or last?
Both. Write a rough introduction now, because it forces you to state what the book promises and how it is organized. Then expect to rewrite it once the book is done, when you know what the book actually delivers. This week's version is a working draft, not the final one.
How long should a nonfiction introduction be?
There is no fixed rule. This week's three introduction prompts add up to about 1,500 words, which is enough for a scene, your credibility and a map of the book. Write what the introduction needs and stop.
Can I go back and fix chapter 1 before moving on?
Try not to. Rereading and fixing is the most common way a first draft stalls. Mark problems with a bracket note, such as [fix the ending], and keep moving forward. You will revise once there is a whole draft to revise.
What if 500 words a day is too much for me?
Lower it. The 500-word target is a default, not a rule. If your day 1 pace and your available time say 250 words, set 250 in the tracker and keep the streak. A smaller number you hit every day beats a bigger one you dread.
Sources: The Scribe Method, chapter 15 (How to Write Your First Draft: The Vomit Method), free to read at scribemedia.com. Published by Scribe Media.