I like pigs.
Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.”
Winston Churchill
No, I’m not calling you a pig. Now that I have your attention,
I want to talk with you about finishing your book fast and getting
it to market faster. Did you start on your book and lose focus?
You would love the rewards of a completed book but wonder where
you could fit writing into your schedule.
Don’t be discouraged; let me share some tips that will
jumpstart your writing again. Trust me, if it feels like you’ve
been stuck in the mud, these tips will pull you out. I call
them the habits of highly effective authors. Successful writers
set up a system of writing using steps that become habits. Practice
the habits below and write your best book now:
1. Do a reality check.
Do you have a plan in place? Don’t set yourself up for
failure by not planning. Even if it’s a simple intention
goal like “I complete my book (title of book) this year
by (date and year.) I educate myself and do what it takes to
complete it.” Set one and write it down so you can hit
the target.
2. Setup a writing schedule.
Keep it simple. How much time can you devote to your book? Schedule
at least 10 hours per week. Snatch an hour here and an hour
there, if you must. When my schedule is tight, I write one hour
in the wee hours of the morning and one hour late at night.
I have to prioritize and so must you if you want to get it done.
I must admit since I am an early bird, my early morning writing
takes less revision than the late night.
3. Act now.
Too many of us for too long have hid behind the words, “It’s
too hard.” Now is the time to take charge of our fears
and conquer them. First things first, to overcome procrastination
-the fear of failure- is to act now. Most times the bottom line
of procrastination is fear of failure.
Setup your writing schedule and begin today. Or choose to sign-up
for an easy 7 lesson ecourse “Jumpstart Writing Your Best
Book Now. “ Send any email to iscribe@writetowin.org Remember,
action will destroy fear. Each successful step of your system
will deal a death blow to fear.
4. Avoid marathon writing.
Have you ever thought, “I have to get away from everything
to write a successful book?” No you don’t. I know
several novelist and non-fiction book writers who had to write
during a long commute to get their best book written and out
to the world. They accomplished it because they systematically
worked on their book until it was done. In the midst of your
busy life, designate your time to write (work on your book)
with a goal to completion. (Reasonable time to completion)
5. Use the tracking approach.
I can’t keep up with where I am after interruptions of
life. It is a common challenge to find your place after being
interrupted with family, work and daily life. After all that’s
why many think you must get away to get it done effectively.
Yet, there’s hope for those who can’t get away or
choose not to. Successful writers all over the world use the
tracking approach. They succeed because they commit to doing
a little each day.
There are 2 methods you could use for your tracking. Time is
the method where you commit to a writing a certain amount of
time each day. With the cumulative factor involved your commitment
doesn’t have to be that much. For example, to accomplish
my book writing goals I commit to writing one hour a day in
my most productive time. For me it is right after my meditation
and reading time. With this method don’t be overly concerned
about how much you write, just keep the time commitment.
The other method is focused on output. Commit to writing a
certain number of words or pages a day, perhaps 750-1,000 words
or approximately three and a half pages double-spaced text.
The key factor is to stick to it until completion.
Even so, nothing can happen until that first draft is completed.
Procrastination is ultimately based on fear of failure. It has
stopped countless of book projects and stolen the vision of
many more. Don’t allow procrastination to become a giant
towering over your book dreams.
Then there are others who are not afraid but simply get bogged
down with lack of focus and a plan. Develop the habits outlined
above and you’ll be surprised at what you accomplish.
Write your best book now and bring it to market faster!
Part II - 3 Little Pigs Went to Market But One Went Faster
