Now it’s time to write. Usually by now writers know what they want to write about. Some writers like to do an outline (table of contents), some already want to have the chapters laid out in advance.
I like to get into it and start writing and put them into chapters as I write or I backtrack and look at the chapters later (it depends on the book). Every writer is different. The goal is to get writing. Do not over-think how you want to write your book.
Find out how you want to write it. I have written chapters of my books in my phone, journals, memo pads, on my laptop. Sometimes when I’m in the midst of writing a book I make sure I have a journal on me or in my car at all times because sometimes it just hits you and you have to start writing.
I have a dear friend (Tresniece Perry) who came out with her book recently and she wrote her entire book in her phone. She would write during her lunch breaks, after work, at night, whenever it would hit her she would write. She found it best to write most of her book in her phone since she had it on her most of the time and would pull it out when she felt the urge to write.
Some people need accountability partners or a group to help them along the writing process. It’s important to have accountability when writing your book. (You can refer to my blog post on titled, “Hold Yourself Accountable.” When I lived in Dallas I belonged to The Writer’s Block which is a membership group that meets every month. There is an additional meeting each month if you have a book you want critiqued and you have a partner who will read part of your book and you read part of theirs and you give each other feed back. I went to writers retreats as well which helped me out a lot through this same group.
I remember one great author who presented at the retreat, (Michelle Stimpson) told us if we wrote one page a day, by the end of the year we would have a book and that depends on how long you really want your book. Some people write 5 pages a week, one page a day, Mon-Friday.
I have a friend who once drove a couple hours away from her house where there were no distractions; she got a hotel for a few days somewhere remote and it was just her and her laptop and by the time she left that hotel her book’s first draft was done. In a busy world it is sometimes hard to shut off; but your dreams are waiting for you to go after them. Your book won’t write itself, so let’s get to it! Find out what’s going to work for you and write your book. Stay tuned for the next blog post on writing tip #3: Reading Your Draft and Copyrights!
