I met Sharon at a Broxtowe Women’s Event recently and was inspired by her commitment and dedication to her writing. As I’ve said in my blog many times, you won’t write a book a you don’t write and just starting is the most important step. It doesn’t matter if you have to change everything you write later; what’s important is that you get into the habit of writing on a regular basis. Fifteen minutes a day is better than an hour every three months.
I appreciate Sharon taking the time to share her tips with us and they’re all very practical and useful.
5 Tips for Writing Your Book Fast
One: Plan before you start
Planning and preparation is key to any success and this goes without saying with writing my book “
Mother of Invention”.
My intention at first was to have ten chapters, but as I planned the contents this soon sketched out into eighteen. You can only be guided initially for the start middle and end; this will grow quite quickly but make sure you are happy with the chapter headings before starting to write your book.
Break each chapter into sections with a clear idea what it will entail, making reference to every element, date, and points you wish to make. I split my chapters into start middle and end, like a mini book in itself, as there has to be a purpose to each individual chapter. I used all my notes as a tick list to make sure each chapter flowed perfectly into the next.
Two: How you write every chapter
For me I chose to write each chapter in no particular order. I wasn’t structured into writing from the start of the book to the finish. I wrote with the emotion I was feeling on the day. If I was feeling sad and lonely I would milk these feelings in my mind to describe exactly what I was trying to deliver. I needed to put myself in that moment, so the reader was in my headspace and could feel every emotion I was trying to create. Writing with emotion keeps them captivated and is a real page turner.
Three: Enjoy your writing
You need to enjoy your writing, to really submerge yourself like a therapeutic trance where the outside world cannot disturb you. If necessary take yourself away, unapproachable from life. I decided the only way to do this was to take myself to a retreat, where nobody knew me, no phones, no conversation nothing, just complete isolation. This may not always be possible I appreciate due to family commitments, but you need to make quiet time available.
Four: Be structured in your writing
Be both structured and realistic with your timescale and don’t feel under pressure to finish. It will come naturally from within when you’re really in the moment. Writing each chapter was both rewarding as well as draining, but the satisfaction when I finished was exhilarating. I had a plan to write a chapter a day and stuck to this religiously. Some chapters took longer than others but I didn’t rush, it was so important I was completely happy. I couldn’t write everyday, some days it just wasn’t happening so leave it and walk away. Don’t leave your book for weeks and weeks, get on with it and get it done. My book took me 4 weeks from start to finish.
Five: Create the right environment for you
You need to create the right environment. As silly as it seems I wore my comfort clothes, I had my comfort food and didn’t need to be disturbed. Everything I required was at my reach. The last thing you need is to break away from your trance. You will know when your writing is good, you won’t question the flow, you will just feel completely happy with your achievement and be excited to start the next chapter.
And an extra million dollar tip
Don’t assume people understand your description; give attention to detail; imagine you’re describing to someone who is blind. Attention to detail is key and places the reader in your story.
Good luck with your own writing.
Sharon Wright
Thanks for those tips Sharon and to check out more about Sharon and her book
Mother of Invention go to
http://www.motherofinventionbook.co.uk/
