Book Writing Myths
Hi Reader, Iâve written and published nearly a dozen books over the years. Itâs always exciting to send the final version to my editor, upload it to Amazon, and press publish. The months (or even years) of hard work are over⌠unless I factor in book marketing! But what if youâre still working on your book? Here are 4 common myths aspiring authors face when struggling to finish their manuscript. These are the myths about writing that hoodwinked me before I published my first book. 1. I Will Finish My Book if I Work Harder Hereâs why: Telling yourself to work harder might get your ass in the chair on day one, but if you miss a few days, it turns into a guilty project. Then, your book becomes this BIG THING youâve got to do. Like any hard task, youâll procrastinate, put it off, and forget about it. Yes, writing a first draft is tough, but donât make it harder than necessary. Once I discovered telling myself to âwork harderâ wasnât helping me write and would never help me write, I found a solution that helped me get better results. 2. I Should Write Different Things at Once Blog post. Essays. Articles. Newsletters. There are so many exciting creative writing ideas to explore. Often, new writers work on different writing projects and struggle to organize their ideas. Thatâs fine if youâre Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, Neil Gaiman, or a pro author who has been at this for over 10 years, but itâs a mistake when youâre starting. Hereâs why: When you switch from one project to the next, it takes between 20% and 40% of your creative energy to associate yourself with your new creative project. It gets worse đ Because youâre getting distracted and working on multiple projects, youâll delay finishing your book. Youâll postpone the feeling of accomplishment that comes when you publish your first book. This feeling is an essential reward if youâre finding it challenging to create a writing routine that lasts. 3. Good Writers Work Only When Inspired A novice athlete who wants to run 26.2 miles for the first time canât turn up on a marathon day and expect to finish the race. They have to train when they donât want to, practice when they are tired, and squeeze their sessions into their otherwise busy weeks. They have to practice like a professional. When you turn up before a blank page, it takes precious creative time to warm up and figure out what youâre trying to say. And if you havenât practiced writing in days or weeks, itâll take even longer. Look, inspiration is nice. Thereâs nothing better than sitting in front of a blank page with a hot idea and an urge to write your book. But if you wait all day for an idea and inspiration to strike, what will you do if nothing comes? Will you wait till tomorrow, next week, or next month for inspiration to tap you on the shoulder and say, âHey, itâs time to write?â Because thatâs a sure-fire way never to finish your book. Believe me, Iâve been there. 4. I Can Write A Book at the Weekends Sure, thereâll be the inevitable Saturday morning when Iâd write for two or even three hours, produce 1000 great words, and say, âThat was a morning well spent.â But more often than not, I was putting 7, 14, or even 21 days between good writing sessions. I donât know about you, but I canât wait that long to finish what I started, so I changed how and when I write. Good writing demands consistency. Instead, I tried writing a little EVERY DAY to get into the rhythm and momentum of writing a book. If you need the support of other writers, reply to this email, and Iâll tell you about an affordable community Iâm launching this month. Write on, Bryan Collins |