Do you love the written word? Have an affinity for sharing your thoughts, ideas, inspirations, and knowledge via writing? Have you always aspired to become an author but the idea of writing a book just seems too overwhelming? If so, then you’ve come to the right place!
For some, writing a book comes naturally and they exhibit no difficulties whatsoever; however, for even more, the process is a daunting one that can be wrought with aggravation, a lot of questions, and some pretty intense headaches. To help simplify the process, we’ve compiled a list of handy tips that you can use to make writing a book an easier, more enjoyable, and more successful experience.
Set Clear and Attainable Goals
Whether you plan on creating an outline before you write your book or you’ll be skipping the outline process and will be jumping right in, whichever way you go, make sure you start by setting clear and attainable goals. Examples of goals that you might include in a simple, yet effective action plan include specific, attainable, measurable, relevant, and timely goals. To further explain, here’s a breakdown of what each of these goals might look like:
- Specific – Write a draft of the first page of your book, or self-publish a children’s book
- Attainable – Dedicate time to writing before retiring for the night
- Measurable – Draft at least 700 words
- Relevant – Complete the first chapter of the book
- Timely – Write for at least 1 hour at least 4 days this week
Develop a Solid Plan of Action
There are endless sayings about making plans, and many of them are super-clever; examples include “Failing to plan is planning to fail”, said by Alan Lakein and “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail”, uttered by none other than Benjamin Franklin.
There’s a good reason why there are so many sayings about plans: It’s because it’s true! If you have a goal in mind, in order to achieve that goal, you really need to make a plan. In the case of writing a book, developing a plan of action is a must, otherwise it could end up in draft form forever. So, how do you create a solid plan of action? Well, we suggest starting out by deciding when you’d like to have your manuscript finished and ready to be sent out to publishers. Of course, the date may be subject to change as you never know when writer’s block could set in or if an emergency may arise that could set you behind schedule; however, starting out by establishing a rough estimate for completion will serve as inspiration to keep you on-track. Once you’ve decided when you’d like to have your book completed by, break things down into smaller chunks.
Develop Your Voice
In writing, the term “voice” refers to the style and tone of the writing that conveys the subject matter and the intended goals of the books. How do you develop your voice? Before you start writing, consider how you’d like your intended readers to describe your writing style. Do you want readers to associate the voice of your writing with warmth, comfort, and wisdom? Would you like to be viewed as witty, cheeky, and lighthearted? Are you hoping to convey inspiration, encouragement, and creativity?
By being aware of what message and/or feelings your voice is conveying, you’ll be able to highlight and enhance your strengths, and put your own unique stamp on your writing.
Summing It Up
By keeping the above-mentioned tips in mind, you will be able to keep yourself inspired and achieve your goal of writing a book and becoming an adding your voice to the literary world.