Have you ever wanted to write a book? if so, this episode is for you!
Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to author 14 books (still kind of crazy to think about, honestly!) and learned quite a few lessons along the way.
There is rarely a week that goes by where I don’t get an email that says, “Help! I want to write a book but I don’t know how to get started.” I usually send a couple of suggestions their way, but today we are going to cover this question in a more robust way that just isn’t possible over email.
In this episode, we’re talking all about how to know if you’re ready to write a book, how to define your why, what it looks like to go the traditional and self-publishing route, why having a platform before you write a book is crucial, and so much more!
If you have been wondering how to write a book or how to get a book published, then this episode is for you! If you’ve never thought about writing a book, maybe this is an episode you could send to a hopeful author you know! Or maybe this will just be a helpful tool to learn all about what goes into becoming a published author.
This is such an exciting topic, but there are a lot of facets to consider. So excited to share this with you and hear what stands out most to you!
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Hope Writers (opens Sept 20-24–get on the wait list now!)
- Masterclass: Platform Coaching from Jill
- Platform Coaching with Jill
- SpeakUp Conference Writer’s Track
- Jill’s editor recommendations– Pam Pugh pjpugh334 (at) gmail (dot) com and Lorraine Pintus
- Amazon KDP (in the middle of traditional and self-publishing)
- Compel Writer’s Training
- Are we connected on Instagram and Facebook?
- As a thank you for listening, get your 3 free eBooks!
My Key Takeaways:
1) Know why you want to write. Writing a book is hard work! If you wrote 1,000 words per day, it would still take at least 55 days to write an average size book. You have to know WHY you are writing to help get you through the hard days and persevere to the end. In addition to helping you remember why you are writing, it’s important to have realistic expectations if you are writing for an income. The majority of writers don’t make a living on their books alone. If you want to write for of income, you’ll need to take some time to research what other income streams associated with writing might make that possible.
2) Make a habit of writing and stay consistent! This can be any kind of writing: blogs, social media, articles for local media, or even utilizing writing prompts. It’s so important to practice regularly to develop and hone your skills. As an added bonus, practicing your writing through social media, blogging, etc, is one of the best ways to build an audience and grow your platform. When you do finish your book, you will have a group of followers that want to hear what you have to say!
3) Start by making an outline of your book. It can be tempting to get right into the first chapter, but you first need to make a map of what you want to include in your book. This takes some planning in the beginning, but it is well worth it when you finally start writing. If you are writing a nonfiction book, you can start with the table of contents. If you are writing a fiction book, start with a general outline of the story. The next step is to set a daily writing goal and get to it!
