Authorship works the same way. If a book is going to be good, it will take time to craft.
And with some solid positioning, good habits, and a bit of bravery, soon, your book will be written before you know it!
First, let’s talk about positioning. What is it?
Positioning is King
Every book needs readers. Positioning tells readers why they should read your book.
When writing, it is useful to keep three things in mind:
- What does your book offer the audience?
- What is the main idea for your book?
- What message do you want your audience to take away?
These three questions are like the bedrock for any nonfiction book writing project — they provide focus and healthy boundaries for your writing. Frame your writing within these questions and you’ll be a book writing machine in no time.
(Pssst! If you feel lost, don’t worry. We have you covered.
Schedule a free consultation call and we will help you figure it out.)
If you have clear answers to those positioning questions, then great! Continue reading to learn how to write effectively within a 40-hour work week…
Grow Your Seedling
Ideally, you should be writing anywhere from 1-2 hours a day. But if you only have 15 minutes to give, that is okay! New authors have the most trouble with consistency. Here’s the good news: if you can successfully form a writing habit every day, you will finish your book.
A good goal to start with is writing 250-300 words a day.
I know, this sounds easy and it is meant to be. Grow your writing habit like you’re nurturing a baby plant — start small and approachable. Keep feeding it every day. Soon enough your writing habit will begin to feel like a regular part of your day, like brushing your teeth or walking the dog.
If you stay loyal to this modest goal, you will have a 120-page manuscript in four months. Don’t rely on inspiration to spark your creative process. Create a routine and watch it carry toward your rough draft.
Consistent writing ideally happens in a constant environment.
Tend the Garden
The best place to write is somewhere you feel calm and comfortable. Distractions are an easy way to NOT write, so prune them from your writing space whenever possible. Turn off your phone, throw on some ambient music, and become a creative hermit for a little while. The world will miss you, but it’s not going anywhere. Dig in.
As you practice in your writing garden, it will become easier to enter that “flow state” as soon as you sit down. Remember, this is your time to cherish and protect. Let your writing nourish you. Whether it’s a business manual or a memoir, your book is your baby. Give it love and space to grow.
Tip: try hunting around libraries, coffee shops, and sleepy restaurants to find your writing garden!
Overcoming Fears
Some obstacles to writing cannot be fixed with focus or cozy writing nooks. I’m talking about writing anxiety. If you have experienced writing, this is nothing new.
Common fears are:
- “People will think my book is bad and my business will suffer.”
- “My book idea isn’t original.”
First off, anxiety is completely understandable. Everyone feels fear but it is important to know it isn’t the enemy — it’s just energy. So, how will you use that energy?
Here are some ways to deal with author anxiety:
- FEAR: “People will think my book is bad and my business will suffer.”RESPONSE: You want your book to be good and that is natural. An easy solution is to hire an editor to read it over and give you feedback. Content editors are usually veteran writers themselves and know what good writing looks like.
One option is to shop for editors on freelance writer websites like Fiverr or Upwork. This route offers cheap options but often you get what you pay for; lower prices often mean lower quality.
We offer a more reliable option…
Scriptor has a team of professional editors that will work collaboratively with you to polish your book to perfection. You pay more in exchange for quality suggestions and free access to writing professionals. There is no right answer here. Pick what works for you, harness that anxiety, and make your book better.
- FEAR: “My book idea isn’t original.”RESPONSE: This is a common anxiety among authors but it should not keep you from writing. The fact is readers often read most of their books within one category. For example, if they read one book about sexy vampires, they are going to read another.
You have a book in you that other people will love. The trick is putting it onto paper…
Our co-founder, Kelli, is an 8x published author herself and has worked with hundreds of authors to help them overcome these anxieties. Listen to what she thinks about this writing fear:
Moving Forward
Writing a book isn’t easy, but if executed properly, it is worth it. You gain revenue, legitimacy, clout, and many other material benefits. However, there are also subtle upsides like personal satisfaction and a sense of legacy. That said, endeavoring to write a book is a massive undertaking. There is a lot to learn and almost everything you need to know is out there for free. You really can do it yourself.
The catch is it takes time to learn the publication process from scratch — time you could be using to improve your business, to spend with your family, or to write your book!
That’s where we come in. We are industry professionals who have walked the long road to self-publication many times and want to share our hard-won knowledge.
If you are struggling at any part of the authorship process — from brainstorming to final formatting — we can help.
Wherever you are, we have been there plenty of times and are here to guide you from dream…to published.
Chat with us today for free!
