NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION: I'M GONNA WRITE A BOOK!
We are told that we have to change ourselves to have a better year. We go into it full force, no holding back. We jump into the deep end instead of making plans or taking smaller steps. This sets us up for this supposed failure.
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t set a New Year’s resolution. It means that you have to be smart about it.
Put the project or activity into perspective and have a plan. The plan will also alleviate the lack of time. Will you still be afraid and doubt? Probably, but having a plan makes it easier to proceed.
So, what does this have to do with writing a book. Everything! These last several years have made many people think about taking a leap and writing a book. Some people have been thinking about it even longer. The new year is a great time to write a book, but don’t jump into it feet first expecting to write every day and make major progress every week.
The success of writing a book for most authors (new or seasoned) is making a plan. The plan includes answering some questions, making outlines, creating writing schedule, and setting a due date that is reasonable for you and your life.
Writing Schedule. This is the first thing you need to do. You need to carve out specific days and times you will work on your book. Maybe it is every Tuesday and Thursday from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Maybe it is Saturday mornings from 6:00 am to 12:00 pm. Make this a reasonable schedule that does not interfere with your normal life—kid’s athletics or events, social events, relaxation, etc.—it should be a part of your schedule but not a replacement for other activities.
Questions. This is the task you will complete on your first day of your writing schedule. Before you do anything else, think about who will read your book. You don’t want to write a book for executives that sounds like a child's fairy tale. You have to write for your audience. You also have to know if it is a “how-to” book, an anthology, or a technical manual. No matter what, the topic should be something that you have experience.
Outlines. You can do this the first day or next or maybe next several writing days. The outline is pretty important for any book. Yes, it is just a plan of how you want to organize your book but it can cut hours off your actual writing time. It can be a one-page sketch of a sentence or two for each chapter, or it can be a 40-page detailed outline that gives all the references, quotes and everything. It is up to you and what works for you.
Due Date. This is the last thing you do before writing. I call it a due date because the goal is to be finished the manuscript—not the editing or other parts of publishing—by this date. Some fear the due date, but this one is not set in stone. Some days you will be on task and writing up a fury of words. Other days you may get a bare minimum or less out. However, a due date helps you keep to your schedule and keeps you motivated.
These four tasks can help you navigate the “New Year, I’m gonna write a book” resolution. You will not only finish writing the book but will be on your way to publishing it possibly in 2023.
While many New Year’s resolutions are never finished and some are barely ever started, knowing that you want to write a book and creating a plan to do it will help you fulfill your dream of being an author and fulfill a resolution that may feel impossible.
Good luck, and happy writing!
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Content credit: C. Storm
Image credit: BoliviaInteligente