What most first-time authors don’t consider when they plan their book

Feb 8, 2023 | Writing A Book

Luanne was like many first-time authors who contact me. She wanted an accountability partner who could provide occasional advice on writing and the publication process. Karl was also like many first-time authors who contact me. He wanted someone to help him structure his book and his chapters and provide editorial help as he worked through the manuscript. Both Luanne and Karl were like many first-time authors in another way. They had considered just about everything except how they would actually get their book done.

That’s a common blind spot for most of the first-time authors I talk to. Most of them haven’t considered the reality of their situation.

Reality check

If you’re going to write a great book, it’s going to take a year or more of steady work. Since you probably already have a life full of activities and obligations, writing a great book is going to disrupt your life. Inspiration and motivation drain away quickly. You need to plan how you’re going to get your book done without going crazy and without shredding important relationships.

Keep your support system robust.

You’ll need all the support you can get while you write your book. The best place to get it is from your close friends and the people who love you. Those people will be very tolerant of you and understanding of your challenges, at least in the beginning. Over time, though they may get weary of it, and when they do the support you need starts to evaporate.

Sure, you’re going to have to forego some events and cut back on the time you spend with friends and loved ones. But to keep that support system robust, you need to give it attention and time.

You probably already have a full schedule.

The time you’ll use to write and research your book has to come from somewhere. That won’t happen by accident. You’ll cut back on some recreational activities, but you may have to cut back on the time you devote to work. Many of my clients are independent experts of one kind or another. They often cut back on their revenue-producing work to get time to devote to the book.

Get enough sleep.

If we believe the statistics, you’re probably already short on sleep. Don’t take the advice to cut back even more by getting up an hour earlier or staying up an hour later. That will only take away important mental energy you need to write well. Make sure you get enough good sleep.

Take time for recreation and recovery.

You’ll probably cut back on social events, family time, and the time you devote to hobbies. In addition to the time you need to maintain important relationships, you need time for recreation and recovery. You probably also need some time alone for reflection. One client of mine thought he would get time for the book by not going to church until the book was done. In his case, that was a bad choice. He found that the time at Sunday worship helped him maintain balance and deal with stress.

Decide where you will write.

As far as possible, write in the same space every time. It won’t take long before your brain gets the message that when you’re there, it’s time for work. You should write in a place where you can minimize distractions and interruptions and where you can keep everything related to your book project.

Decide when you will write.

Establish a regular writing rhythm. There’s no rule about the best time to write. You must work it out for yourself based on your preferences and your situation. Whatever you decide, establish a consistent rhythm.

Decide how long you will write.

If you’re going to plan your work, you need some idea about how long you should write. Most of my clients find that they’re most productive when they write for around 50 minutes to an hour and then take a break. Some clients use the Pomodoro method. They write for about 20 minutes and then take a short break.

My experience and research tell me that you will only get a maximum of three to four hours of productive writing in per day. If you’ve scheduled a full day to work on your book, plan to devote other time to non-writing activities that help you make progress.

Takeaways

Writing a great book will take a year or more of steady work.

Keep your support system robust.

You probably already have a full schedule.

Get enough sleep.

Take time for recreation and recovery.

Decide where you will write.

Decide when you will write.

Decide how long you will write.

Click here to get my handout, “The Sacred Seven Productivity Principles: How to write a book you’re proud of without going crazy.