Writing a book is a big deal. It requires dedication, commitment, and persistence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, it doesn\u2019t require you to retreat to a cabin in the wilderness and neglect your life for the foreseeable future (as romantic a notion as that may seem!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I can attest to the fact that it is possible to write a book and maintain your life, because I did it. In 24 days, to be exact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But, before you protest that I must be kidding (I\u2019m not), let me add the disclaimer that I had been planning my book for a number of months, and had written other things (such as blogs) that I was able to repurpose for inclusion in my book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, I wasn\u2019t starting from nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I should also acknowledge that, generally speaking, I would prefer to write something than say it, so I am quite proficient at producing words on a page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Plus, my career in academia provided me with many opportunities to fine-tune my ability to write quickly and efficiently, so that skill also came in handy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even though these factors may have contributed to the speed with which I wrote my book, I don\u2019t believe they were the reason I was able to write my book without neglecting my life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\u2019s how you can write your book without neglecting your life (even if you\u2019ve never done anything like this before:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many writing gurus will tell you that you must write every day. I disagree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For many, writing every day feels impossible, and because they don\u2019t think they can maintain a daily practice, they don\u2019t even bother starting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My suggestion is to create a habit that you can sustain. It may be daily, weekly, or something else. The frequency of your writing habit doesn\u2019t matter: the consistency of it does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you develop a habit of writing regularly (at whatever interval works for you), you are training your brain to produce words on a regular basis. You create a level of automaticity when you form a habit, so the important element is the habit, not the schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Creating a writing ritual will help facilitate the development of your writing habit and assist you to use your allocated writing time more efficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It doesn\u2019t matter what your ritual entails, but the most effective rituals involve more than one type of sensory input.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As with the writing habit \u2013 it doesn\u2019t matter what the rituals are, so long as they feel right to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To ensure your writing ritual is maximally effective, ensure you have elements that help you transition into your writing time, and other elements that transition you out of it. That way, you create a container for your writing time, which helps you to snap back into your life, when your writing time is over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This one may seem counterintuitive, but it is important. Giving yourself permission to write \u201crubbish\u201d is actually giving yourself permission to not expect perfection in the first instance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Writer\u2019s block can occur when we sit and wait for the words to flow effortlessly onto the page. If we are editing and censoring our work before it is even out of our heads, it doesn\u2019t take long to get frustrated at the lack of progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instead, try writing (by hand or typing) whatever comes to mind first. You may experiment with different ideas or directions before you get some momentum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes, I find myself typing the beginnings of sentences, disjointed phrases, or even just playing a bit of a word association game before I get into a rhythm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This \u201crubbish\u201d that often precedes the real content can serve as a bit of a clearing out of ideas and is ultimately helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Usually what appears to be rubbish is actually the beginning of a coherent narrative that can be pulled together in a meaningful way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is a limit to this, though. If you find yourself producing many pages of disjointed ideas, with no clear theme or pattern emerging, you may wish to stop and reset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Take a break and come back to it with fresh eyes and then see if you can find a coherent thread in your writing. If not, it may be worth calling it a day, and coming back fresh another time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The neuroscience of motivation has taught us that our brain\u2019s reward circuits need regular reinforcement in order to operate effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This means it is important to acknowledge and celebrate progressive milestones, rather than focusing exclusively on the end goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you don\u2019t allow yourself to celebrate your progress until you have your book in hand, your neurochemistry is going to go on strike and stop producing those wonderful hormones that keep you motivated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are a number of ways you can celebrate milestones. If you like quantifiable milestones, you may like to focus on wordcount milestones or completion of individual chapters as milestones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other celebration-worthy elements include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The opportunities to celebrate are plentiful and limited only by your imagination. It doesn\u2019t actually matter what you celebrate \u2013 just make sure you do!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the reasons writing a book can take over your life is if you get stuck, either with the writing or the mindset elements of the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When this happens, it is not the time for stoicism or martyrdom. The longer you sit feeling stuck, the more resistance you will build towards moving forwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seeking support from an author coach or mentor, editor, or fellow author, can help you find your groove again and serve as a catalyst for getting your book completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yes, there is scope for solemn contemplation and independent pondering. However, your author journey doesn\u2019t have to be a lonely one. It\u2019s amazing what getting another set of eyes or ears on your situation can do to shift your perspective and identify a path forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you are interested in learning more about how to get your book written without neglecting your life, schedule a free chat with me here: Book a call<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Or, you may be interested in joining my upcoming FREE 3-part masterclass: From Pondering to Published – Charting your Author Journey. You can register here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n