A HARVARD STUDY stated that 85% of Americans say they want to write a book in their lifetime. An agent once told me that 75% of the writers who approach her never send her a single sentence.
If you’re really committed to writing a book, here’s how you do it:
1. Schedule writing time. Nothing happens unless it is on the calendar. Decide how many days a week you’ll write and when you’ll do it. Schedule it just like you’d schedule an appointment with your doctor or lawyer. You don’t need to block out hours and hours. Depending on how fast you write, you can probably get your daily writing done in 2-4 hours. Writers are most efficient when they write for 30-90 minutes, take an energy break, and then do another 30-90 minute writing session. An energy break might include eating a healthy snack or taking a walk.
2. Do the math! Once you have writing time on the schedule, do the math to figure out how many words you have to write each day to finish your project. If you are writing a 50,000-word book and planning to write 6 days a week for a month, you’ll need to write 2083 words a day. If you decide to write every day, you only need to write 1666 words a day. Need a day off? Write ahead by putting down twice as many words one day and take the next day off!
3. Get a buddy. Most of us need some sort of external accountability to get work done. At work we have a boss who gives us a salary for our efforts. At home, our children usually appreciate the healthy meals and clean clothes we provide. But almost no one cares if you write a book. That’s why you need a buddy or a coach to hold you accountable to your writing goal. Make a plan to email each other at the end of each writing session and talk at least once a week.
4. Get rewards! If you’re going to sweat over your computer for a month, you better have a big, juicy reward waiting for you at the end of each day. You’ll work more efficiently if you give yourself a daily reward for finishing your word count. It doesn’t have to be big or expensive—listen to some music, talk to a friend, or watch a favorite television show. I usually save my email, Facebook, and Twitter time until after my daily writing work is done. When you finish the whole project, make sure you celebrate your accomplishment with a bigger reward. Perhaps you’ll get a massage, have a party, or take a weekend getaway.
5. Edit. Once you’ve finished your work, set it aside for a week or two. Then review it and rewrite any sections that don’t make sense or work in the overall flow of the manuscript. Once you are done revising your work, you’ll need to have an objective third party look at it. Ask an editor to look at your work for content, readability, and flow. In addition, you’ll want an editor to check spelling and eliminate grammatical errors. Expect to pay $30-$60 per hour for an editor’s services. If you can’t afford an editor, consider joining a writing group and asking for their help. Of course, you’ll be expected to look at the work of other writers in return. Revising and editing are essential steps in the writing process—making your work shine!
6. Publish! Once you’ve completed the editing process, you’re ready to publish your work. Think about whether you’ll create an ebook or use a self-publishing house like Lulu to create a more traditional book. Some writers set up their own publishing houses to give their book more credibility. However you get it out there, get it out there. Then celebrate. You’ve completed a writing project! Congratulations.