It really is one word at a
time
Writing a book is a huge undertaking! Which doesn't mean it can't be
done. In fact, getting a book written is one of life's truly satisfactory
achievements. Here are some thoughts and tips on how to write a book.
Your Vision for Your Book Come First
The Vision for your book more than the idea. Properly constructed a
vision helps you catch Spirit's (or the Divine, or God or your Higher
Power or...) highest idea for your project. It's a way to hear what you
might miss otherwise. The Vision for your book will inform you in
sometimes startling ways, and act as a guide through the whole project.
Next Comes Your Book's Purpose Statement
Start with a 10-word purpose
statement for
your book. Keep it close at hand as you write. A purpose statement will
help keep you focused and on track, and will also help with the marketing
of your book later on.
A Working Table of Contents
A working table of contents is most likely a simple list of the
major points you want to cover in your book, in the order you want to
present them. These points will make up the chapters in your book. Aim for
10-15. This is not the time to worry about good chapter titles, although
one or two may surface at this point.
Under each heading or title, jot down the major ideas to be included in
the chapter. This may be a single word, or a phrase or even a short
paragraph.
If you love outlines, you can extend this process into a detailed
outline of the book. If you're like me and find outlining gets in your
way, don't even try it. All you really need is a rough indication of what
goes where.
Note that your working table of contents is just that. As you actually
write the book, you'll probably find yourself changing it quite a bit. New
ideas will surface, old ones will get discarded and much reordering will
take place.
Write Your Book on Your Schedule
I get up early in the morning and write for several hours. Others write
their books late at night. My son gets a lot of writing on his first book
done during down times at his work.
Some set x-number of words or pages as a daily or weekly goal; still
others work a specific number of hours each day or week. Most writers
today write their books on a computer, but there are still those using
typewriters and even paper and pencil. And some use all three!
The point is to find a way to get the writing done, however your do it.
A Book Doesn't Always Get Written Front
to Back
My first book was actually a ghostwriting project and I replaced the
original ghost when the book was about 30% drafted. I was so surprised to
discover that the book wasn't being written from page #1 to the end, all
in order! Now I'd be surprised to find a book was written that way.
Usually I find certain chapters are easier to write than others; I tend
to start with what's easy and build from there. I no longer care where
those first chapters fall in the table of contents, because I know it will
all get sorted out in the rewrites.
On the other hand, if you work better writing in order, go for it. Just
be open to other possibilities if you get stuck.
Turn Off Your Editor When First
Drafting Your Book
Keep in mind that what you're doing now is drafting a book. Rough
drafts are part of the book writing process. The only way I know to get a
lot of writing done is to turn off my internal editor.
I actually talk to my internal editor, assuring her she is appreciated
and will get a chance to work with the material I'm creating once the
drafting is done. If that seems to weird, find another way to quiet that
critical voice until you need it.
Exactly when you'll switch from drafting to rewriting and editing is up
to you. Back in the days before computers and word processing, we pretty
much had to draft the whole book before the rewriting and editing started.
Today, it's often hard to tell where one ends and another begins.
Be careful that you don't get so stuck in the editing that you never
finish a chapter or the whole book. If you let yourself be some sort of
perfectionist, you'll never get done.
On the other hand, you do want to do a good job. I tend to at least
start every chapter before I go back and start editing. Sometimes this
means simply putting the chapter number at the top of the page and moving
on; other times I'll actually write several thousand words. I do find,
particularly in the beginning, that starting, for instance, Chapter 5,
often leads to rearranging some of the information in Chapters 3 and 4.
When It's Time To Rewrite and Edit Your
Book
Somewhere along the line it will be time to focus more on the
rewriting and editing than the writing. There are really two goals in the
rewriting and editing. The first is making sure your book flows logically
and completely. It can be terribly difficult for you, the author, to judge
this. Put your manuscript aside for at least a week or two, then begin at
the beginning and read it through.
The second goal is to make your final manuscript as error free as
possible. This means copy editing and it may very well make sense that you
hire someone else to do it, or at least find a friend who knows both
spelling and punctuation.
Writing a book is an organic process and, in many ways, so is the
rewriting. Keep plugging away and eventually you'll be finished.
Write well and often!
