Writing is, of course, the first word that comes to mind when you are considering a book. Writing is the most time-consuming aspect of any book project because it includes everything - the cover, the chapters, the front matter (preface, introduction, acknowledgments), and the back matter (index, appendices, bibliography).
Writing requires determination, discipline, and a long attention span ... not to mention the ability to string sentences, paragraphs, and pages together. Even if you are a writer, it can be a daunting prospect; if you have never actually written, you may wonder if it is possible.
Anything unfamiliar can seem mysterious and overwhelming before you try it. If you haven't written, you don't know if you're any good at it. This isn't school, so no one is grading your paper. It's just you and the blank computer screen. You have nothing to lose by sitting down and expressing your thoughts. You may like what you've written; you may not. But at least you have begun, and that's the hardest part.
Getting Past Excuses
If you go to any bookstore and look in the writing section, you will probably feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices. There seems to be a book on every genre you might ever have thought of attempting, from romances to mysteries, from poetry to screenplays. At the very least, you can immediately eliminate those four categories, since you are writing a nonfiction book.
But, even at that, your book might be historical, reportorial, self-help, or humorous; or it could be a memoir, personal philosophy, or commentary. Each will require a special technique, and I encourage you to read anything you can find that will help you perfect your personal style. What I want to talk about here is the process of writing - how to get started and how to keep the momentum going once you have gotten your first paragraph on paper.
The good news is that if you have spent time properly planning your book, you have already begun. Your basic outline, including main headings and key points, should be complete. Ideally, you have also written your chapter summaries and sample chapter. If so, you're on your way. If not, you still have a couple of hurdles to overcome. The biggest hurdle is actually believing you can write. It may amaze you that you decided to write a book, worked your way through the proposal process, thought you were ready to get to the really important part, and suddenly found your fingers frozen to the computer keys. What happened?
Here are some of the explanations I've heard from clients and students:
* I'm a speaker, not a writer. This is an entirely different discipline. When I teach it, everyone says I make the subject clear and easy to understand. When I write, unfortunately, it comes out sounding like a law book. * What I've learned from this process is that I don't really want to write a book. * I've been working in this field for years, but when I try to convey what I know, I can't seem to write more than a sentence or two.
Here are some of my observations from teaching and coaching:
* Writing seems so mysterious to many people that they are afraid to try it. * Sometimes, when they do the research for a proposal, potential authors discover there is no market for their books or even enough substance to justify writing them. * When they do get two or three sentences down on paper or the screen, non-writers are often uncertain about grammar and punctuation. * Despite having a solid outline to work from, many first-time authors don't know where to go from there.
Here are some suggestions based on the preceding statements:
If you are more comfortable speaking, teaching, or practicing your craft than writing, and you can't translate what you say into the written word, try recording your presentations or dictating your thoughts into a tape recorder. Then, have them transcribed, and polish the transcriptions. You'll find that your "voice" comes through loud and clear.
If you have discovered through your research process that you don't really have the book you thought you had, there is already something out there that does the same job as well or better, or there simply is no market for your book, you are fortunate. It is better to discover it now than later. That's exactly why planning is so important.
Writing a book is hard work, even for people who have done it before. It takes time and energy and commitment. If you have learned through this process that you really don't want to invest yourself, again, don't do it. Why write a book when you know you have no desire to do it? I can't think of one good reason.
Bobbi Linkemer is a book-writing coach, editor, and ghostwriter. She is the author of 12 books under her own name and has been a professional writer for 40 years, a magazine editor and journalist, and a book-writing teacher. Her clients range from Fortune 100 companies to entrepreneurs who want to write books in order to enhance their credibility and build their businesses. Visit her Website at: http://www.WriteANonfictionBook.com
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