How NOT To Write A Book

When I decided to write a book in early 2009, I was an excited, bright-eyed, eager woman. Now that the book is done, I am a tired, gray-haired, high calorie carbo-eating author.

My journey began with the excitement that most hopeful authors have.  The promise of a great book.  The promise of some passive income from book sales.  The promise of a boost in credibility.  A funny thing happened on the journey to becoming an author.  Life happened!

I mistakenly thought that my previous life as a professional copywriter would help me crank out a book in mere weeks. I was wrong.  Horribly wrong.  I mistakenly thought I could just block off the time to write and it would be uninterrupted time.  I was wrong.  Horribly wrong.

I mistakenly thought the project would simply fall into place as the book got closer to being done.  Again – I was wrong.  Horribly wrong.

I was fortunate enough to meet a guy, a lawyer, who told me it took him a year to right his first book and only 4 weeks to write his second book.  Alas . . . there’s hope for me.

If you are new to book writing, I’d like to share a few tips with you so that hopefully your book writing journey is a little less bitter and a little more sweet.

Tip #1 – Get a Book Buddy

What ever you do, don’t think you have enough self-discipline to write the book on your own without being accountable. It won’t work, unless you’ve written a book previously – and even then it’s iffy at best.  With the best of intentions, even the most disciplined person can struggle when the SOL (stuff of life) happens.  For me, running a company, having a husband with a non-traditional work schedule and 2 teenagers, (one in college and one in high school) made the demands on my time and energy a constant daily battle.  By the time I could sit down to write a chapter, I would tip over from sheer exhaustion.

2- Create a Book Writing Plan

Whether it’s daily or weekly, establish a “time to write” schedule BEFORE you start typing.  Take it to the next level and actually schedule (in advance) your book writing time on your calendar like an meeting.  Block that time off and defend it to the death.  Short of illness, fire, or acts of God, don’t let anything (or anyone) bump your book writing time.  It’s OK to be selfish sometimes.

3- Tell Everyone Your Book Deadline

For most people, the shame of not meeting the deadline will force you to keep your self-imposed timeline for getting your book written and published.  As the deadline draws near, you’ll be surprised how many people will remind you of your drop dead date.

4- Have a Publish My Book Budget

Yes, the dreaded “b” word.  You can’t write a book for free.  I don’t care how good you are at writing. There are little costs hiding in the background just waiting to eat away at your checkbook.  You’ll have design costs for the book art, editing fees, ISBN and bar code fees.  Oh yeah, than there’s your coffee expense.  Expect to buy 1-2 cups of your choice of premium java for every chapter you write.

5- Handpick Your Editor

Don’t rely solely on the editing services of your book publisher, even if you are paying for editing services as part of a publishing package.  Get referrals from other authors and invest the time it takes to find the ideal editor for your project.  A good editor will understand your project, your goals and the tone of voice (I call it posture) that you want to use throughout your book.  A good editor will also be worth her/his weight in gold because a good editor knows how to make a good book a great book. [Sidebar - I am deeply grateful and blessed that Marla was my 11th hour editing goddess!]

6- Double The Time You Think It Will Take To Write The Book

Do I really have to explain this one?  It’s like the time it takes for most women to get dressed.  We think it’s only an hour, but by the time we go from teeth brushing to car keys in hand, it’s an hour and a half.  Writing your book is no different.  Set realistic goals around how much time it will REALLY take to finish writing a whole chapter.  Pad that time to include your coffee runs, snacking in between, bathroom breaks and the occasional yoga style stretching break.

7- Have Some Fun For Goodness Sakes

Regardless of the topic you are writing, if it’s a project that requires your energy, effort and enthusiasm, by all means have a little fun doing it.  There’s nothing worse than pouring your heart and soul into something that isn’t a lick of fun.

So when you are you writing that book?