Writing a book is a lot like running an endurance race. In the beginning, there’s a lot of excitement. Friends and family encourage you. They tell you what a great idea you have. They urge you to write the book or run the race.
There’s a lot of excitement at the end, too. People gather round to congratulate you on finishing the race or the book. There’s plenty of back slapping and praise.
The middle is different. It’s sometimes hard to keep going. Motivation vaporizes. You must depend on your discipline and habits to get through. In the middle, it’s hard to remember how exciting the beginning was and the end could be.
That’s why so many people abandon a book they start. If you want to finish a book that can make a difference in your life and in the lives of the people who read it, you must master the mundane, messy middle.
I’ve been a book writing coach for more than 20 years. Dozens of my clients have finished their books. They’ve made it through that mundane, messy middle. Here are some of the things that worked for them.
Make it important. Carve out time from your busy schedule to work on your book. Sacrifice time from other things to work on your book. Hold writing time sacred.
Schedule it when you do your daily and weekly planning. Then keep to the plan. Sometimes life will happen, and you’ll miss a day. Don’t make it two in a row.
Block out significant chunks of time for writing. That’s normally an hour to an hour and a half.
Do something every day to move the project forward. Work on your book project first every day. Otherwise, the whirlwind of the day will claim you for other things.
Keep records of what you do. It’s easy to fool yourself into thinking you accomplished more than you actually did.
Get an accountability partner. Reporting to someone else can help you maintain momentum. Use a friend, or your spouse, or hire someone like me.
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Got a book idea stuck in your head? You know it could grow your business, boost your authority, and bring in more clients. But every time you sit down to start, you freeze. Too many ideas. Not enough time. Should you start writing? Find an agent? Create an outline? What now?
That’s where I come in. I’m Wally Bock. My 4-Stage Model takes you from an idea in your head to a book in your hands without the overwhelm. We’ll cut through the noise, stress-test your idea, map out a plan for success, and get that book done. Contact me and let’s chat.