There Are Only Two Hard Rules When Writing A Book
... especially if you want to finish it
The Two Hard Rules
Tell People You Are Writing A Book
Have A Deadline
1. Tell People You Are Writing A Book
Why?
Because it provides a healthy expectation and a little bit of pressure as now others are looking forward to reading your book. They may ask questions about what it’s about. Why you want to write it. What characters you have. If it’s in some way autobiographical.
Basically, they will become curious.
Their wonderful curiosity to ask questions creates space to answer some of their questions and to explore them deeper within. These questions open up the chance to openly say what your book is about, feel the reasons behind why you want to write it and then have more reasons to keep on writing.
If they stay curious throughout the process they will often continue to ask questions for weeks and months to come which can be both exciting to share the unfolding journey and even a little overwhelming as some of their questions will stay unknown.
But one thing for sure is that it will keep you writing.
So, open up, say you have a cool new project you’re working on and enjoy all the ups and downs that the new opening up brings.
Then…
2. Set A Deadline
Why?
Becuase once again it creates healthy expectation. There’s now a date. It turns thought into matter, abstract into reality. It jumps straight out of the mind and finds itself as a day on a calender that says ‘book release’.
If it’s placed in the right place you can see this special reminder everyday.
Inspiration Without Pressure
I use deadlines as a way to stay focused and provide some real guestimation for when I feel like a project can be finished. They are typically light, free and very fluid without ever having pressure to hit them precisely.
More often than not I run over my deadlines but at least with a date being set, it gives me the excitement to see if I can pull it off.
Plus, if a project runs for far too long it becomes a lingering burden, however much excitement and joy it’s brought in the past.
So pick a date that feels reasonable and try to work towards it.
I know some writers that work to deadlines furiously without much change either side. For me, that just doesn’t work and maybe it’s the same for you too.
If it does, great. Use tight deadlines to power through. If it doesn’t, set them anyway but be more easy on yourself if they run over.
I dreamt of being a writer that found inspiration in many ways, would write whenever this inspiration came and could be anywhere in the world when it did, with whomever I wanted to be with. All of this felt very freeing without having a boss to squeeze their needs onto me in any ways, especially time.
Without any structure though I found my work would never quite find completion so I used and still use this simple tool to help me live a very free life with the bare miminal structure that keeps me productive.
After all, who except myself creates this structure anyway?
If it’s not working, change it. If it works, enjoy it. Stay flexible.
Then lastly…
3. Tell People You’re Deadline
Now I hear what you’re thinking — ‘Andy’s miscounted. He said there are only 2 hard rules but now he’s added a 3rd. Why should I listen to someone if they can’t even count to two?’
And you’d have a fair point. But really number 3 ties into number 1 but with one very important addition.
I’ve found it to be a very important factor in completing any of my work so I wanted to add it in under it’s own heading.
Why?
Because then it becomes even more real than simply saying you are writing a book — you have now said you will be finishing a book!
Especially if you tell the people you love most. Their love for you will make them clock that day into their calenders and ask you bright and early (and with lots of excitement!) to share your new book with them when that day comes.
I have found this gives me a well needed boost on the days I don’t quite feel like editing because I’ve edited the same chapter for a week; or when I just can’t arrange the words I have into the right order; or when the inspiration to keep writing dips as it can occasionally.
With the expectations of others though, it can be a great inspiration to make another pot of coffee, to turn off the wifi and continue to write, especially as that magic day gets closer and closer.
Enjoy this wonderful process. Ride the waves and know that any down will inevitably have to rise and any high will inevitably have to dip momentarily.
Then, somewhere at the end of this journey you can say these magical four words:
“I’VE WRITTEN A BOOK!”