I don't believe in writer's block. (I can hear the gasps of disbelief already.) Listen: If you hire a plumber to come to your house and fix a problem, do you expect him to say, "Sorry, I can't figure out what your problem is. I think I have plumber's block"? Probably not, and if he did, you'd toss him out and call another guy faster than you can say Drano. Not that plumbing can be compared to writing, but if we follow the proper steps to get the job done, I find that writer's block melts away, the drains are unclogged, and the words start flowing like water from a faucet. But what are these "steps"? Well, a big part of my job as a book marketing specialist is to help people create something they can actually market: a finished book. Many of us have ideas aplenty but not a clue how to get them down on paper.
Unlike other professions, authors operate under a whole different set of rules. We often can't just sit down and pound out a story, and those who do have created their own formula for doing so. We see this huge story with all sorts of directions we want to take it, we see the cover, we see the characters, we see the market potential. Then we see Katie Couric or Oprah smiling and holding up our book for the whole world to see. Then we glance back down at our monitor and see a tormenting blinking cursor and blank screen. And we are again reminded of what a failure we are. We have all these stories and nothing on paper. We are idea generators. We have zillions of them running through our minds, but none of them on paper. Unless you make your money in a think tank, operating this way probably isn't getting you any closer to your goals.
When a project looms before us, it's like this big elephant -- huge, overwhelming and ready to stomp us flat any minute. There's an old saying: "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." The same is true for writing. You finish a book, one step at a time. But to create these steps, you first have to break down your book into manageable, bite-size pieces. This can be accomplished by creating a TOC (table of contents) that can guide you through the book. My reasoning behind this is as follows: You'd never think of driving from California to New York without a map, right? Well, how can you expect to finish your book without one? Your TOC is your roadmap, guiding you through your book. If your chapters don't have individual headings, then write a 2-3 sentence description of what the chapter encompasses. Don't get too elaborate on this. Remember, it's not going in your book; it's just a brief descriptor. Once the TOC is outlined, you'll have a vision of your book from star! t to finish. A few things that creating this TOC will do for you: It will show you any gaps in your story that might need to be fleshed out, and it will give you a sense of completion, of seeing the book or project actually done, and this is a serious psychological turn-on for most authors, because we often live in a world of half-completed projects. Sometimes this step alone can propel an author enough to get their book done, or at the very least give it a darned good kick-start.
Once you've developed your TOC, you'll want to go through it and create a "to do" list. Regardless of what genre your book is, you will always have a to-do list. Whether it's getting endorsements, doing research, or getting approvals for quotes or excerpts for your book, this to-do list will become yet another item that will help propel your book toward completion.
Once the to-do list is done, set it aside. Now you should have your completed TOC with a vision of the entire book and a growing list of items that will need to be handled for the book to get done. Now the real fun begins.
Some books on writing will tell you to set aside a day or two a week, or an evening here and there to get your book completed. I disagree with this theory, and here's why: You need to stay dialed into your topic. When I was working on an upcoming book, I would often put the project aside for days or weeks at a time, promising myself to schedule time "as soon as I could." Well, that rarely happened. What I found is that if I set aside some time every day to do something on the book, I got it completed a lot quicker. The more you keep your hands in your project, the more it will stay at the front of your mind and on your radar screen, and the more energy you will invest to finish it. I won't tell you to set aside hours of your time each day -- in fact, you don't even have to set aside an hour. Take 15 minutes, or even five -- whatever your schedule permits. If this seems like a ridiculously short amount of time, consider this: You now have your to-do list and your outlined TOC! . If you are short on time one day, pick a quickie item from your to-do list and get it done. If you have more time, then pound out a chapter or two. The idea behind creating the to-do lists and a TOC is to not only give your project a structure, but to also eliminate any and all excuses for getting it done. Don't feel like writing today? No problem. There's probably a mountain of research just waiting to be traversed. Get the picture?
But let's say you can't even get through the TOC. "My book has too many layers," you lament. "Too many back stories, tons of stuff going on. I can't possibly be expected to filter it down into a neat little TOC." Yes, you can, and you must. If your book has no focus, your book will have no focus. It's as simple as that. But it doesn't stop there -- if your book is all over the place and you do actually manage to get it done, you'll never be able to keep a reader interested because you will be the only one who will get it, and what's the point of that? What you'll need to do in this case is find the "core" of your book or the focus of your story. Ask yourself this: What's the one thing this book cannot do without? What's the one thing this story circles around? That's your core. If you're still coming up with three or four things that your story circles around, you aren't focused enough and neither is your book. Find that one thing and build your story or book around it.
If you follow these steps, your book will get finished quicker than you could have ever imagined. And the once-dreaded writer's block will go from a stumbling block to a building block.
Through speaking and writing, I have discovered 9 myths that often block others from writing their best book now. I promise. It's not hard once you know exactly what to do.
Successful writers set up a system of writing. Destroy these myths and setup your system of writing with nine easy solutions.
Myth 1 It's too hard.
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.
Solution: Act now. Select step one of an easy writing program and begin today. Get moving; sign-up for an easy writing course. Action will destroy fear. Each successful step of your system will deal a death blow to fear.
Myth 2 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.
Solution: Avoid marathon writing. 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)
Myth 3 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.
Solution: Set yourself up for success use the tracking approach. 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.
Winner's Note: You may ask how do I get started after interruptions or even in my daily allotted slot so that I don't spend a lot of time re-locating where I stopped? Start your daily writing session by re-reading the last words you wrote the day before.
This will get you back in the flow. The continued cycle of review will create a momentum that will keep you going to completion. Another piece of advice is to create a support system that will help isolate you from telephone calls and interruptions during your daily Tracking Session.
Myth 4 I have to complete each chapter in order.
It's called linear writing when you complete each chapter in order. You don't have to write each chapter one after the other. If you happen to get stuck on chapter two, you could be stuck a very long time. I think this type of thinking comes from grade school where we are ritually taught to do everything in order.
If you have been thinking that way stop right now, no need to raise your hand. You have my permission to work on whatever chapter moves you or you feel passion bubbling for at the moment. Feeling stuck on a chapter, try another. There you have it now go with the flow.
Solution: Don't become chained to writing in order. Jump around and fill in the blanks. Review your chapters and whatever subject or topic you most drawn to, begin there.
Myth 5 I am stuck. I have to stop writing until I feel it again.
Unseasoned writers may play the martyr and push through just to put something on paper or give up and try again another day. We would never get it done like that. When you get stuck simply close that chapter and pull out your chapter outline and choose another chapter. If you have been following this program, you have listed main points for each chapter. Select a topic from that chapter and begin there.
Solution: To maintain your momentum keep your writing commitments. Go around writer's block by working on another chapter. For example, while writing this book in one of my writing sessions, I wanted to finish my fourth chapter on titles but I ran into a writer's block.
Instead of breaking my momentum, I came down to chapter eight about easy writing and began there. I was able to complete my time commitment of one hour and keep my momentum.
Myth 6 I just write whatever comes to my head and there's no need to re-write.
My editor will handle all that. It's o.k. to free write when you are working on your first draft. The idea is go get the thoughts out of your head onto paper. For no one can express it quite like you. Oh sure, there are some better or worse writers but not exactly like you.
I know this may not feel good to some but its smacks of plain ole laziness if you don't work on making your copy the best it can be. Don't leave all the dirty work for your editor unless you really can't do any better.
Solution: Successful authors rewrite and organize their ideas for the most impact. Avoid re-writing during your first draft. Concentrate on finishing each chapter then you're your tracking time to self-edit: Check your ideas for flow, grammar, spelling, and chapter endings. Work on your chapter titles and lead in introductions.
Myth 7 I have to do it all myself.
Do your research and reading time apart from your writing sessions. You may be able to ask your spouse, a teen-aged son or daughter, a friend to help with your research. Know when to let go of your chapters and book. Don't self-edit and pick your book apart word by word. Learn to use your skills at the highest level possible. Some of the mechanical tasks of proofreading ask a family member, part-time employee or again a friend to help.
Solution: After using your skills at the highest level, learn to delegate faster and faster. Do the best job you can with your manuscript, and then don't be afraid to pass it to a professional.
Myth 8 I don't know anything about computers so pecking my book out would probably take forever.
Don't run from technology. At least take the time to learn about the shortcuts in your current software. Welcome to the new millennium! Embrace technology make your software work efficiently for you.
Solution: Value your time. Learn how to do it easier and faster.
Myth 9 Computer crashes, loss of information would never happen to me.
If you have been computing long, you know computer crashes or loss of data can happen to anyone. Don't take the chance of losing your hard work. Print out and back up daily.
Solution: Develop the habit now to save your work and print daily. Save your manuscript to an alternate space. Use a floppy diskette or burn a cd/dvd. Safeguard your time investment backup today and every day.
Writing a book is a journey. Most journeys go so much smoother with a map or in our case a writing plan. Taking the simple steps above will get you started fast and keep you going to completion. Start today then complete and release your significant message in a book to the world.
Both Penny Sansevieri & Earma Brown are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Penny Sansevieri has sinced written about articles on various topics from Build Online Business, Politics and Writing. Penny C. Sansevieri is a who turns authors into success stories. Get her free author marketing newsletter and insider tips at. Penny Sansevieri's top article generates over 90500 views. to your Favourites.
Earma Brown has sinced written about articles on various topics from Writing, Marketing and Writing. Earma Brown, 12 year author and business ownerhelps small business owners and writers who want to write their best book now! Earma mentors other writers and business professionals through her monthly ezine "iScribe." Send any email to. Earma Brown's top article generates over 165000 views. to your Favourites.