Many people sabotage their book writing success because they can’t psyche themselves out of procrastination. Einstein once said, “My mind is my office.” I’ve found that I need more space than that. And to write a book quickly, I’m guessing you do as well.
An organized process makes for a quicker, … quality book. That is, you need daily writing routines that really work–no matter what.
The most prolific authors–those who make a living and turn out book after book year after year—have specific principles and practices in place. Here a few that I suggest to attendees at my Booher Book Camps.
No matter where you are, grab and record that tidbit to include in your manuscript—an illustration, an acronym, an anecdote. Never trust your memory when an idea pops into your mind.
Whether notes, interview transcripts, or links to illustrations, keep your files organized either in physical or electronic folders. Searching for a tidbit of information, a research study, or current statistics wastes time during the drafting stage and breaks your concentration.
It’s hard to think straight when you have paperwork flung far and wide in front of you. Spying clutter out of the corner of your eye tempts you to wander off target—your book deadline. Disorganization kills productivity.
Writing a book and seeing it successfully published is a big investment of time—and often an investment of promotion dollars as well. To make book writing your career, treat it like a business from the outset.
Note any sources you’ve used and may need to go back to later to grab an idea, verify a statistic, or share with a reader when they ask for other supporting evidence of what you’ve said in your book.
Ask others (family members, friends, colleagues) to hold you accountable. Otherwise, it’s far too easy to put off writing until a deadline looms in your face. And short deadlines lead to inferior work. Accountability quashes procrastination.
It’s more efficient to add content if you need it than to write more than you need and have to delete the extraneous later. Like Goldilocks discovered with visiting the three bears, write “just enough.”
Otherwise, your questioning may be inconsistent from person to person. And you also may miss the opportunity to ask key follow-up questions. Second interviews often drain the interviewee’s patience and delay your process.
That is, write long hours on consecutive days to get the first draft. For those coaching clients who’ve used my 12-step process, they say it has been revolutionary for them to break through and “get it done”! Repeatable systems and processes work.
Whether you’re a new or seasoned author, put these productivity tips to work for you in 2021. Make it your year to win a publishing contract from a major publisher and become a bestselling author!
Join me at the next Booher Book Camp (B-o-o-h-e-r, like my name) for a complete 12-step process for actually getting the draft done quickly in a couple of weeks. Plus, you’ll complete your book proposal and query and get invaluable feedback from me and other attendees. For details, check out BooherBookCamp.com
