Have you got a great book idea, but don’t know how to start? Have you started writing several manuscripts, but haven’t completed any?
If you answered yes to either of these questions, then step into the light, my friend…
Let me share with you a few strategies that most published authors follow:
Focus on ONE project. Decide which of the several manuscripts sitting in your drawer (or on your computer) you feel most passionate about, and forget about the rest for now. If ideas come up for the others as you work on this one, jot those ideas down, but do not spend your writing time fleshing them out. Dedicate any writing time you have to the one project you chose.
Do some amount of planning before you jump in. For some, this will be a full outline. For others, it will simply be a set (or sets) of ideas regarding what the story is about and it’s general trajectory. If you’re writing fiction, determine your main plot points and spend time developing your characters. If you’re writing fantasy, spend some time world building. For non-fiction, sketch out the main points you will discuss, and any related subpoints. Putting in the time now, before you begin the project, will help you keep the details of your manuscript straight so you don’t get confused or distracted later on.
Write down your intention for this specific project. Why are you writing it? Who will benefit from it? Keep this, your “why,” printed in front of you, so you can easily refer to it as you write. This will help you stay focussed when, as so often happens in writing, you find yourself veering off the path.
Know that to be a writer, you must write EVEN when you are not inspired. Louis L’Amour is quoted to have said, “Start writing no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” This is one of my favorite writing quotes, because it captures the writer’s journey so perfectly. Who doesn’t want to feel inspired? We all do! But what distinguishes someone who will finish from someone will just continue to dream—what distinguishes a professional from an amateur—is that the first will remain committed to writing regularly, while the second will wait for inspiration... which may never strike. Commit to writing daily. This may be a minimum number of words, or a certain amount of “butt in chair” time. In either case, decide which, and stick with it!
Don’t censor or edit as your write. If you do so, you run the risk of never finishing. Remember that this is just your first draft; it doesn’t have to be perfect right at the start. Actually, it doesn’t even have to be good; it just has to be written! You can work with a first draft. You can revise and rewrite it later on. You can’t, however, do anything with a blank page. So for now, focus on just getting this story written, getting it out of your mind and onto the page, even if you know it still needs work.
Finishing your first draft is completely possible with some time and commitment. If it has always been your dream to write a book, follow the strategies above, and you WILL get there!
If you’d like further guidance on your project, or you still feel overwhelmed by the process, contact me for a complimentary writing-coaching session so we can get you back on track.