by Jenna Kalinsky.
28-minute read
This long-form article on the 4 essential elements you need to write a book includes insights, pro tips, and tons of excellent resources. Grab a coffee, a pen and paper to take notes, and get prepped for one of the most exciting things you will ever do. It’s time for you to write a book!
It’s common for many people who want to write a book to begin with an unrealistic expectation of what it will be like.
Perhaps their ideas come from movies depicting writers in a frenzy of inspiration, typing “as fast as a court reporter.”
Or from TV programs like The Morning Show when Jennifer Aniston’s character, wearing cabin-chic clothes, a full face of make-up, and a fluffy dog at her feet, ends her memoir with a few pithy sentences before walking to her window, a still-steaming(!) mug of tea in hand, to reflect on a job well done.
In reality, while such moments exist in small doses, writing a book is a long and sweaty effort that requires emotional, intellectual, and physical dedication, stamina, and resilience.
Here is a striking statistic: in a study done by an independent publisher in the early 2000s, 81% of people in the U.S. said they wanted to write a book, but only 1% of them actually went through with it. (1) Further, based on the most recent data from 2013, only 0.1% of the total populations of the U.S. and Canada went on to publish their books.
As you can see, many people dive in with gusto but drop out along the way because they lack an understanding of the 4 elements that are critical for a writer to successfully write a book.
If you want to write a book because you have important things to say, want to serve your community, have a great story to tell, or yearn to understand your life experiences, then you must learn and apply the 4 elements that help you write a book before you start.
The only way around is through. These 4 essential elements will ensure you have all you need to become one of the elite 1% who write a book (and then go on to publish).
Leaping in without an awareness of what happens when you write a book is a surefire way to get overwhelmed and quite probably abandon the project. Taking some time before you begin writing to understand the 4 essential elements you need to write a book and having them by your side as you write for reference will ensure you stay afloat and see your project to the end:
It would be unheard of for a person to drive out to a mountain and with no gear or experience climb it. Or for an untrained runner to show up on race day and sail across the finish line in first place. Or for someone who decided to write a book to sit down and pound out a draft that has the potential to become anything more than a cat box liner without doing some planning first.
The problem with writing a book is that it’s so darn accessible. After all, you only need to plunk down and do it!
However, this is the fantasy of the uninitiated. People who plunge in without a plan more often than not end up like this character from Susan Orlean’s Adaptation:
(It’s funny but also very true!)
Before you write the first word, you need to build a foundation for the project. This will give you clear directives on what to do and how to do it, ensuring you will have a much more successful time developing your project and emerging with a draft.
First, you need to get to know your writing process or how you would be most comfortable writing your book.
Plotter: Would you thrive from having your pitch, outline, chapter breakdowns, and research done ahead of time, making the writing mostly about filling in details between A and B?
Pantser: Do you prefer to begin from an engaging idea, a feeling, or a great first line? Then through the process of writing, let your unconscious mind show you what it wants to say and allow for creative exploration?
If you’re not sure which you are, consider your last vacation:
⇒ Did you create a daily itinerary including when and where you’d have meals, what sites you would see, and how you’d get around? (You’re a plotter.)
⇒ Did you leave your hotel/friend’s house/yurt with only a vague idea of what you might do and go with the flow for the day? (Pantser!)
You may also be a third type, the Hybrid Pantsplotter: These writers start out as pantsers, but when they get stuck somewhere around the messy middle, they pause to reverse engineer an outline. This helps them plot from the middle to the end.
Famous “plotters” (writers who meticulously plan their stories) include J.K. Rowling, film maker Stanley Kubrick, and John Grisham.
Famous “pantsers” (writers who allow the exploration to define the story parameters) include Stephen King, Margaret Atwood, and Mark Twain.
Nonfiction writers working on ideas-based books (including journalistic nonfiction, self-help or self-development) will most commonly be plotters, not necessarily because that’s their natural tendency, but because the book’s purpose and how it is structured are inextricably linked. A nonfiction book’s organic exploration will typically then happen inside of each chapter as the writer seeks to explore specific themes or arguments.
As for memoir, the writer may only need the framework: a time in the writer’s life of immense growth as a result of their experiences sparked by an inciting incident. From there, they may let their memories and their relationship to them take over, or they may know of a few key moments and write scenes and exposition that links them.
No one method is better than the other; when you write a book, the only approach you need is the one that feels right to you.
Getting a grip on your book’s pitch (or the quick few sentences that encapsulate it for an outsider) is a huge win.
When you’re able to sum up your book’s story or purpose in a few sentences (which is harder than you’d think!), that shows you that you understand your project’s essence. From there, you’ll have a far easier time bringing the pitch to life in the play-by-play of the book.
If you’re a plotter, you may be able to write your pitch before ever laying down a single word. If you’re a pantser, you may need to let the story or work show itself during the act of writing before you can write the pitch.
Here are some examples of successful book pitches and “hooks”:
Fiction
“A passing comet has caused irreversible change to the world. This novel focuses on a broken marriage set against the backdrop of a dangerous, invasive species of alien fungi in the Pacific Northwest that threatens to control the lives of humans and animals alike.”
The Unfamiliar Garden, Benjamin Percy
“When Jamie gets the chance to escape viral infamy and jail time by taking a community service placement at Atlas, a shelter for rescued monkeys in the palmetto woods of Central Florida, it seems like just the fresh start she needs to finally get her life on track—until it’s not. As Jamie ventures deeper into the offbeat world and rituals of Atlas, her summer is soon set to inspire an even stranger Florida headline than she ever could’ve imagined.”
Florida Woman, Deb Rogers
“Two sisters, Anne and Mary, are driven to advance their family’s power by courting the affections of the King of England and a ruthless rivalry develops between them.”
The Other Boleyn Girl, Philippa Gregory
Memoir
“Born in 1960s England, and privately fostered by a white family, a little Black girl finds herself transported to Nigeria with her birth family. Among virtual strangers and driven by an intense desire to return to England, she battles poverty, abuse, and different cultural expectations.”
“A troubled young woman seeks to find herself and overcome her past by hiking the grueling Pacific Crest Trail.”
Wild, Cheryl Strayed
Nonfiction
“One hundred thousand years ago, at least six different species of humans inhabited Earth. Yet today there is only one—homo sapiens. What happened to the others? And what may happen to us?”
Sapiens, Yuval Noah Harari
Self-help or Self-development
“In an era of increasing division and discord, this book offers a guide on how to use conflict as a constructive tool—how to listen empathetically and engage respectfully while upholding your principles.”
The Power of Conflict: Speak Your Mind and Get the Results You Want, Jon Taffer
“The Let Them Theory helps you prioritize what truly matters and put yourself first. Through relatable stories and science-backed strategies, Robbins provides a toolkit to rediscover your inner power, transform your relationships, and find the happiness you deserve.”
The Let Them Theory, Mel Robbins
Your pitch is typically shared to “sell” your book, but having it as you write gives you a North Star when you’re wending your way in the draft, lost in the labyrinth of chapters, subplots, and research.
Plus, you’ll be used to seeing it, hearing it, and saying it, so when it’s time to sell your book, you’ll have your hook well in hand.
For all writers, an outline is an emotional support document. This doesn’t mean you have to create a 30-page tome detailing your protagonist’s every sneeze, but those points you predetermine on the structural arc of your book’s progression or plot will illuminate your path and help you move forward through the draft than by groping in the dark with nothing to light your way.
If you’re a natural plotter, you might be inclined to create a more detailed outline including plot, character development, and themes. You could even go deeper with chapter headers, sub-topics, and scenes, including sub-outlines for characters, settings, and other details.
Pantsers also benefit from having an outline, even a crude one, as it will help you have firm points to guide your pantsing.
*You will also, as one who trusts your creative flow to guide you, know when to stay with your original outline and when your pantsing has brought you into more dynamic territory and to follow it to see where it leads you.
At its most basic, an outline should include:
For nonfiction, your outline might look like a table of contents. Each chapter will focus on a different aspect of your topic and inch your reader toward a greater understanding of the topic or your ultimate point.
Pro Tip: Think of your outline as a flexible roadmap. You can always take detours and let the journey show you new terrain, but it’s a comfort to know the general direction in which you’re heading.
Of course, writing a book is a physical act, but how you bring yourself to it (and in what mental state) will largely dictate whether you are successful.
A positive, resilient mindset will help you embrace the challenges, see the work as a growth opportunity, and help you recognize that the ups and downs are part of a normal book-writing ecosystem.
Every author has experienced their share of doubt. Seriously, every author, even the famous ones. But it’s how you respond to it that sets you apart and helps you keep going.
One important neurological feature to keep in mind as you write a book is that your brain cannot tell the difference between fear and excitement.
You may embark on your book feeling a mix of both. While this is healthy and normal, fear is not one of more fun emotions to carry around, so you can manipulate your mind to lean into the excitement rather than the fear.
You do this with Jedi-type mind tricks (watch the video below to see what I mean), viewing the larger task through a narrow lens to control what you focus on, and “faking it ’til you make it” or forcing yourself to own your process and be loud and proud about it with others.
These mindset management tricks will help you overcome your doubts and fears, leaving you feeling much stronger as you write your book.
It’s important that you make peace with the fact that to write a book is a long-haul project.
Even though there are many programs, books, and websites that claim to help people write a book in as little as a month (such as NaNoWriMo, short for National Novel Writer’s Month, which provides a true challenge for anyone game enough (or unemployed enough) to churn out a draft in a single November), most people, namely those with a job, family, or responsibilities, need several months or longer to write a first draft of a book.
[Our One Lit Place book-writing programs take 4 months (with the option to extend) providing a framework that spans the ideal length of time for generating a first draft.]
Even if you have your outline and are feeling super excited, standing at the edge of a months-long project can feel overwhelming. That’s when you, yes, want to wrap your head around this period as a marathon to manage your expectations, but on a day-to-day basis, keep yourself enthusiastic and focused by turning that day’s work into a sprint.
This technique involves creating daily stepping stones, or small tasks that you can achieve each day to feel a sense of accomplishment that when strung together make up a complete book.
When you begin each day’s writing, rather than look ahead and focus on how much of the book you have left to write, which will instantly make you feel overwhelmed, instead, keep your head down and look at only what’s on the agenda for that day.
Runners do this: they don’t think, “Only 32 more kilometers to go!” which would kill anyone’s spirit. Instead, they look at getting to the next water station at their current pace, looking forward to a friend who will be on the sidelines cheering for them in 2 km, or how in 1.6 miles, they will eat an energy bar.
For a novel: focus on one scene, one chapter, or even one paragraph. Perhaps make notes on your character’s arc or inconsistencies you want to discuss with a friend or your writing coach.
For nonfiction: each chapter can be its own mini project—research, draft, revise, repeat. Break the chapter down into short parts and work on them one at a time.
Pro tip: Break down your day’s tasks into several small chunks. Psychologically, it’s a lot easier to feel gusto for doing three short things than for one long one.
✔ Word Count or Page Count
Some writers aim for word counts (e.g., 1,000 words/day), while others focus on pages (e.g. 3 pages/day).
Some days the words will come more easily than others. Literary fiction might progress more slowly as you finesse language or drill down into the human condition, while a thriller or self-help book could move a lot faster.
✔ Hinge Points
Set specific milestones for when you can take a break. For example, finish a pivotal scene or section, do X minutes of research and implement it into your text, or work through a sticky plot point with your writing coach or a friend.
✔ Bribes & Rewards
There is nothing wrong with dangling a carrot in front of you to help you stay focused and get to the end.
When you reach your day’s goal, reward yourself! Have a latte, take a walk, or call a friend. Anything that gives you pleasure.
Of course, while on one hand, “The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more” (Jonas Salk) or “Writing is its own reward.” (Henry James) ~
It’s still nice to know a hot cocoa or walk around the block is waiting for you after you complete one of your day’s stepping stones.
So, go ahead: dangle that carrot- whatever helps you get your writing done!
Not only will you want to set up your big goal and a timeline, but you should also create weekly mid-point goals, and daily micro goals (your stepping stones). Then make them real by sharing them with someone.
1. Share your goals with an accountability buddy or writing coach. When someone has their eyes on you, you’ll typically “show up,” even if it means dragging yourself into the chair when you’d rather do anything but.
(Think about a writer whose agent or writing group is waiting for their manuscript vs. the writer who writes a book in secret. Who is more likely to deliver the goods?)
2. Use an accountability tracker or a simple calendar and employ the Jerry Seinfeld method of “Don’t Break the Chain.” It’s motivating to keep up the good work!
We train the people in our lives how to respond to us and treat us. If you talk about your book with conviction and respect, your family, friends, and colleagues will treat it—and you as the writer—in kind.
Think of it this way: if you are shy or brush it off, they will to and refer to it as “your little book” or your “hobby.” That will reinforce for you that it is unimportant and make it possibly feel silly or indulgent.
But if you own it, you will show your friends and family you mean business. They will understand you are an author, and that this book is valuable and meaningful.
Another way to own it is to be forthcoming publicly: post what you’re doing on social media and share updates with friends. Not only does this reinforce that the work you’re doing is serious and important, but it also invites questions—questions you will have to answer, which will help you further gain footing with your project.
Pro tip: No hedging! If you say, “I’m trying to write a book,” your spouse will not hesitate to interrupt your writing to ask where the mayo is, and your friends will not hold any expectations for your success. Their dismissal of your work as important will be psychically dispiriting and invite you to question whether you are in fact up to the task or should be bothering. Own it and show everyone you mean business.
Writing craft is the catch-all term for the art and science that you wield to make your work engaging, dynamic, vivid, and full-voiced.
The individual craft elements are structure and shape, which includes plot and story; character or persona; pacing and flow; setting and attention to detail, and style and narrative voice, among others.
With writing craft comes the magic, that special “something” that turns a book into a unique and memorable piece of literature, capable of affecting people and influencing the way they think long into the future.
Whether you’re writing a fiction or nonfiction book, how you structure the progression of ideas or push the story forward helps the work travel, creates necessary tension, and keeps the reader hooked and leaning in.
For fiction, consider:
In fiction, plot comes from your protagonist seeking to solve a problem. There will typically be an antagonist(s) who seeks to thwart the protagonist’s success and other characters’ journeys to create dynamic narrative tension.
The three-act story structure will bring the characters along a struggle/triumph/failure arc, ever inching forward, culminating in a moment when everything changes, before wrapping up (or not) in resolution.
Genre or commercial/upmarket fiction tends to be more action-focused, the plot pushed forward from external hinge points. The characters may exist more to serve the story, and the pacing will be faster with less lyrical description or setting.
For literary fiction, the characters’ struggle and journey may be more inward or character-focused, which allows for more complex characters and a quieter human condition-driven plot. The action may be more internal and the prose denser or more lyrical.
For nonfiction, think:
Memoirs benefit from a hybrid approach, combining the emotional arc of fiction with the factual backbone of nonfiction.
Structure your story around key turning points in your life during the time frame of the memoir. Or use the framework of your having gone through an experience: those “aha” moments that ultimately helped shaped who you have become.
In fiction, complex dynamic characters make the narrative world of your book much more immersive and engaging.
Creating character breakdowns will give you the opportunity to design each character from the ground up and get to know them. This due diligence will prevent your characters from being stock, “flat,” or stereotypes.
You can also determine what each character wants from the other characters to establish “B-plots” and create further tension.
Pro tip: Use this complete list of character attributes and customize it in a Word doc or your favorite writing app to get to know your characters and make sure they’re complex and interesting!
A nonfiction book, while not having characters, is still dependent on the strength of the persona (the on-page speaker that is you) for the content to land.
What makes one nonfiction book “sticky” and successful over another is the human voice emanating from the pages, the persona’s ability to show their human self in their voice, and a willingness to share with depth and candor. A conversational approach, within the scope of the book’s concept, will typically foster the most intimate relationship with the reader.
While pacing and flow are not something you should worry about in your first draft, you may notice at points if you’re spending too much time on something (such as two pages describing the next-door neighbor’s kitchen layout down to the tiles and type of Formica, or a four-page fight scene).
Such “info dumps” or overwrought sections can be fun to write (and help you get to know your setting or characters better) but ultimately slow things down.
(Here is good to remember Elmore Leonard’s rule: “Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.”)
(Check out all of Elmore Leonard’s, “10 Rules for Writers.” They’re sensible ones to live by.)
If you catch yourself riffing on something for too long, you can gently make a note to trim that section and move on. Or perhaps you go on describing that kitchen to your heart’s content, knowing ultimately it will have been a useful exercise in attending to detail.
After all: all writing is good for your development as a writer even if it doesn’t make it into the final product!
Flow is also a “do later” task when you make sure each scene and section transition into the next. The idea is for the reader to smoothly travel through locations and time without ever being broken away from “the dream of the story.”
If you notice you’ve jumped locations or shifted time periods without a transition, it’s all good. Gently make a note to yourself to fix it later.
One of the markers of being human is our need to be situationally planted.
In a novel, a reader is most able to relax and give over to a story when they are provided with a physical environment to step into. This means providing just enough detail to plant the reader and showing them additional details as the story develops to continue painting the setting.
In a memoir, setting is as important as it is in fiction. This means returning to your memories to provide essential sensorial detail and showing the setting, from broad strokes to the minutiae.
A nonfiction book’s strength is in the release of information and not in establishing a narrative environment or “world.” That said, any longer anecdotes or short stories that you use to illustrate a point or support a claim will come alive and be particularly resonant if they include the same elements a fiction writer would use, including setting and other details.
Your style is one area where you can relax: nothing much to do here but be yourself! Your writing style, or approach to language, is singular and yours alone- like your thumbprint. You don’t have to try here, just be, and any refining, leaning out, and honing in on the prose will happen during the editing.
That said, it’s important to embrace that your sole tool—language—is going to be what sets you apart from all other writers, so go for it: use it the way it makes sense to you, whether that’s with Hemingway-esque brevity, Denis Johnson’s lean poetry (Jesus’ Son), or a more lush approach like Delia Owens (Where the Crawdads Sing), Michael Cunningham (The Hours), or Arundhati Roy (The God of Small Things).
The narrative voice you use in the book will bear some similarity to your own voice, but it can differ depending on the character the narrator occupies and its function as narrator.
Using writing craft is like weaving different ribbons throughout your work that together knit a tapestry. Because it’s a lot to mentally juggle, it’s wise to take notes or keep a style sheet.
A style sheet is a catch-all document where you can keep track of plot points, character development hinge points, and character attributes (proper names, appearance, and behaviours).
This document is an essential if you want to streamline your process and avoid having to backpedal later because of inconsistencies.
You can create your own style sheet with categories and topic sections or use our Manuscript Style Sheet, which is comprehensive and can be used over and over for all your projects.
Touching your work daily and keeping a style sheet while writing fiction will help you avoid accidentally changing a character’s eye color mid-way or contradicting yourself in Chapter 10.
For nonfiction, these notes will also ensure your argument builds logically without gaps or inconsistencies.
Pro Tip: Keep a running document by your side, or use our customizable fillable Style Sheet, and note any questions, comments, or little issues that you aren’t sure about to cross-check later. These notes will prevent you from getting mired in the details so you can keep moving ahead.
Warming up before doing your writing is a great way to limber up your hands and begin to allow the thoughts to flow. That 5-10 minutes of free writing is fertile ground for your mind to begin making connections on your book or simply to let out whatever thoughts you have that could get in the way.
After you’re done with your day’s writing, use your journal again to debrief: Note ideas, frustrations, and breakthroughs. Not only is this therapeutic, but it’ll also help you reflect on your progress and maybe even resolve some awkward issues.
In your first draft, you may allow for everything you think to go onto the page to stay in “flow,” knowing you’ll weed out the unnecessary bits later.
Or you may want to be more strategic and ensure that day’s writing fits into the book’s greater purpose.
For fiction, at the top of each scene or section, ask yourself:
These questions will help you satisfy the all-important über question: why would the reader care?
For nonfiction, ensure every section adds value, is honest, and supports your main idea.
*If you do end up going off-roading while you write your book, later, during revision, you can decide if the new information is significant enough to make room for it in the book, or if it’s better off being saved for another project.
Pro tip: Some writers will write this question at the top of each scene, setting, and/or chapter. Use a different color and font from your regular text.
You’ve planned, brought in the right mindset, and honed your writing craft. Now, let’s look at the last of the 4 elements you need to write a book: the logistics.
From scheduling and managing your time, to clearing away distractions, to putting boundaries around your research, to bursting through moments of block and keeping your stress in check, this essential element to help you write a book ensures you are organized, practical, and remain on top of the “how” to get the writing done.
Time is your most precious resource, and if you’ve got a job, a family, or a life, you won’t have a lot extra. Create a realistic schedule that fits your lifestyle and stick to it.
Waking up early and writing while the world is still quiet and your mind is fresh works great for some; spending an hour or two after everyone else has gone to bed works great for others.
Writing consistently is important, but schedule a down day each week to refuel your creative tank!
At the top of each week, examine your schedule to confirm or make adjustments. For accountability, check in with your writing coach or a friend at the end of each day’s writing to prove you got into the chair. A simple emailed “Done!” does wonders for accountability.
Pro tip: Schedule your writing time in the calendar and show up ready to go.
Distractions are the enemy. Remove everything that would pull your attention away: Turn your phone ringer off and put it in another room. Find a space where you are out of the line of fire (and a sign on the door or your writing corner never hurt either).
Be sure your desk or space is free of clutter, to-do lists, or even photos of loved ones. Put your back to household chores or vestiges of your work-from-home job. Nothing will distract you more than a crumby countertop or a pile of papers your boss needs right away.
As for what you write on or with, if you’re using the same computer you use for work, install the Chrome extension One Tab to suck all of your open tabs out of view, turn off your notifications, and do like Zadie Smith and use an app like Freedom, which disables your ability to use the web for a certain amount of time or use a distraction-free writing app such as Ulysses, iAWriter, or FocusWriter.
If you want to be a total purist, you can use a distraction-free writing device like Alphasmart, BYOK, a good ole’ fashioned typewriter, or as do many prominent writers, go back to the studs with pen and paper.
Many writers enjoy the organizational aspect and ease of a writing app. There are many great writing apps on the market, some free and others paid, that are highly useful for outlining and storyboarding, creating character maps, storing photos and files, and have other handy features.
Scrivener is considered by most writers to be the best, but Evernote is free and highly user-friendly. There is also Miro for world-building, Pacemaker for word-count tracking, and Grammarly for tidying the writing before you hand it to your editor. You can see how all of these apps work in our article, “The 10 Best Apps for Writers“
For accountability tracking that you can share with an accountability partner or your writing coach, you can create a sheet in Google or use apps like Notion or Click-Up.
Research is important, but it can be a sinkhole. Having a plan for how to handle it so it doesn’t take over is key.
For a novel, it’s best to do some foundational research before you begin writing to get to know the narrative world you’re creating.
Then, once you start writing your book, if you need to know how long it takes to cross the Atlantic in 1850 and the conditions on the boat, or a specific boat’s layout, have to check Marie Curie’s age in a certain year, or need to see the topography of a town in Nebraska, you can either:
⇒ Set a timer (max 5 minutes), get the info, then get back to your writing.
⇒ Make a note in the manuscript to INSERT BOAT INFO and keep writing, knowing you can fill in the details later.
A nonfiction book is a little different as the spine of the book is built of your own knowledge and argument or claim. Given this, you can write the first draft in full, knowing after it’s done, you can then bring in outside sources to bolster your claims, anecdotes to illustrate your points, or historical precent or others’ contributions to the field to add greater context or show opposing views.
For a memoir, you can write the whole way through without stopping. If you have on hand physical items such as old journals, personal effects, or photographs, these will jog your memory and spark your senses while you write the first draft of your book. Then, like with the other genres, once your draft is done, you can bring in further research to fill out the history and scenes in more detail.
Pro tip: When you do your research, particularly for a nonfiction work when you will be quoting or referring to those works in-text, it’s vital you keep track of all source materials to be able to properly cite them later. It is a terrible thing to not know where you found something and have to throw that information out or use it and risk being outed for plagiarism.
When it comes to writer’s block or impostor syndrome, it’s not a question of “if” but “when.” These very normal expressions of fear arise for all writers.
The one difference between writers who quit because they give in to their feelings and writers who keep writing is the ones who continue to write have coping strategies. That’s it!
Knowing what to do when you feel afraid or overwhelmed will help you remain practical and bust through your block in no time.
If you feel blocked—as in the words won’t come, or you are judging the work before it even emerges from you onto the page, which prevents you from writing—use one or two of the strategies below:
Impostor syndrome (or a crisis of confidence) is slightly different, manifesting as dread in your gut or a voice in your head that says mean things to make you lose your nerve. This can be hard on a writer because it feels personal. (Oh, wait: it is personal because you’re the one saying such unfriendly things!).
Here’s where it comes from: Your subconscious mind’s job is to protect you from harm. Since writing and putting yourself out there is vulnerable and often quite difficult, your mind looks for ways to stop you from experiencing those feelings. Thoughtful, right?
The good news is while feelings of impostor syndrome are powerful in the moment, they can be thwacked away with some intentional counter maneuvers:
Going back to the “Turn Your Dread to Enthusiasm” video in to Mindset Management, if you tell yourself you are amazing, strong, and creative; smile to release “happy” endorphins; and use “anxiety reappraisal” language, your mind will come around and believe you!
Many people write a book by using free resources on the web, books, videos, and other writers as support.
But nothing beats having a dedicated writing coach by your side to help guide your experience and make it engaging, productive, and positive.
A writing coach’s expertise in giving you the tools and strategies you need based on your approach, project, and experience fast-tracks you through the work, helps you avoid false turns and dead ends, and ensures you’re aware of your options throughout the entire book-writing experience from the first draft, through revision, and into publication.
When your coach is also an editor, they’re additionally able to help you structure and develop your project from the ground up, serving as a backboard and guide, helping you define the story or idea’s development, and giving you constructive suggestions and feedback.
Writers who use coach-editors (such as our own clients!) find the experience invaluable and credit it for their being able to achieve their goal of writing a book.
Writing a book is one of the hardest, but also most rewarding, things you will ever do. If you have the goal of writing a book burning inside you, by getting to know these 4 essential elements, you can tackle it with confidence and possibly even enjoy the process enough to write a second (and third and … the sky’s the limit!*).
*This is not just hot air. Several of our own One Lit Place writers have written multiple books with their coaches, such as Marianne Scott, who is on her 5th novel; Julie Larade whose third novel will be launched in April 2025 and has also written two children’s books; Phil Eastwood, who is on his third cozy mystery, Carrianne Leung, and many others.
Every bestselling book started as a messy first draft. Each writer on your shelf had to grapple with the 4 essential elements to write a book. But they made it through, and so will you. Now it’s time to grab your pen or keyboard and get started. Becoming part of the 1% will feel amazing- your future readers will thank you.
(1) EXCEL Telephone Omnibus Survey of 1006 Adult Americans Conducted by International Communications Research for Jenkins Group, Inc., August 23-29, 2002 Margin of error +/-3.1%. Data was sourced from Book Industry Study Group, American Book Sellers Institute, and US News and World Report and delivered by Jerrold Jenkins of Independent Publisher Jenkins Group in a presentation to small publishers.
Our 4-month Mentored Book Programs, Online Courses, & Writing Coaching and Editing Hours. From November 21-27, 2023
One Response
We’re a group of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community.
Your web site provided us with valuable info to work on. You’ve done a formidable job and our entire community will be
grateful to you.