How to Start Writing Your Book

Let’s Write a Book. Are you ready?

There are a lot of people who want to write a book. I hear it all the time when I’m in random social situations where the main question is what do you do for a living. When I say I write fiction probably 80% of those people say I’ve got a great idea for a novel.

Most of them are just talking. Like when I say I’d like to run a marathon. Oh, wait I’d NEVER say that.

My point is their comment is a casual aside. But for those of you who truly have a burning desire to write a book, it’s a scary proposition.

To sit down and take all those ideas floating around in your head and putting them on paper. Not to mention if you want to self-publish and then people actually read your book. It’s terrifying!

I’ve been there. Spending years (and years) wanting to be an author, dreaming of writing a book, but every day talking myself out of it.

When I finally took the plunge, it was so satisfying to achieve something I’d wanted to do for so long. It was worth any of the hardships and frustration.

How to Start Writing a Book?

If your goal is to write a book from start to finish, but you’re not sure how to get started I’ve got a tip for you.

Put your butt in seat (BIS) and WRITE.

Ok, I realize that isn’t an amazing, profound insight but the only way to write a book is to actually sit down and write the book. You can outsource editing (and you should) cover art, formatting, marketing but you can’t outsource the writing part.

Here are 5 more tips I have for you on how to start writing your book.

1. Schedule your writing time. If you make it last on your daily agenda, it will have a greater chance of not getting done then getting done.

2. Make writing a habit. Even with the desire to write doesn’t mean its always going to be easy. But writers write. If you stop or don’t write at all when it gets hard, then you probably won’t ever finish. I know I sound mean, but I’m honest.

3. Have a distraction-free writing space. Now I can’t write in total silence. I do better with background noise but not with my kids interrupt me every 5 minutes. Find where you feel the most creative and comfortable. It will make it that much easier to develop that habit.

4. Set a writing goal. Now don’t go crazy and set some huge I’m going to write 5000 words a day goal. The key to goals is realistic. I would even like to say that don’t set a word count goal at all. Set a time goal. That way you can celebrate every day you write 30 minutes or whatever the time is that you were successful. I recently read an article by James Clear about Schulz over goals, and it made so much sense. Since then I’ve been trying to work that way, and I feel so good. I recommend you take a moment and read the article here.

5. Don’t strive for perfection as you’re writing the first draft. Another obstacle to actually finishing it. If you try to make each sentence perfect before doing on you’ll never make it past the first 3 sentences. Your goal for your first draft is FINISHED. Then the hard work will start as you edit.

You’re excited and ready to start writing your book now, right?

Then the first thing you need to do is like the Writing Warriors Collective Facebook community. For motivation and support throughout your journey.

Then open up that Word Doc or pull out that notebook and a colored sharpie and WRITE!

You can do it!

There’s no time like right now to start.

I’d love to know what your biggest obstacle is. Please comment or feel free to send me an email at [email protected]