Every New Year’s, thousands of aspiring business and self-help
authors resolve to make this the year they get their book done.
I’ve heard that 80 percent of people want to write a book-that’s
a lot of people. But even if that figure is wrong, and, say, 40
percent of people have the goal of writing a book, that’s still
millions. However, fewer than 300,000 books are published
every year in the United States (find more numbers on
www.bookstatistics.com). That means there are a lot of aspiring
authors out there who haven’t reached their goal.
So if you’re one of those folks who want to get the book done in
2010, here are a few thoughts to get you going.
It Will Feel Really Great to Get That Book Done
If you’ve been thinking about writing a book for a while, then
just think of how great it will feel to get it done. Imagine holding
a copy in your hand and flipping through the pages. Imagine
marketing your book and seeing the orders come in. Keep those
images in mind when you write, and use them as a way to stay
motivated. And by this time next year, you’ll be able to say, “I’m
an author,” instead of, “I want to write a book.”
Authoring a Book Establishes Expertise
One of the best ways to get motivated is to think of the
benefits. Along with the personal satisfaction of completing your
book, you can leverage it into new and exciting professional
opportunities as well.
When you write a book, your status as an expert is immediately
elevated. Why? Because you wrote the book! This higher level
of expertise makes it easier to get booked for speaking
engagements, opens up new opportunities for consulting, helps
you get more publicity, and as a result of all these, brings in
more income.
Write Often
Most people can’t write a book in a month or less. Even two
months would be really hard. If you can take time away from
work and other activities to write your book really fast, then
that’s great. But most people can’t-they have jobs or clients or
other things that need to get done.
You’ll be more likely to get your book done if you devote an hour
or so a day on most days to writing. See where you can cut
down on other activities, like watching television or checking e-
mail or hanging out on Facebook. Make the commitment to
write, and then do what you can to make steady progress, even
if it’s just a page a day. Once you start writing a little every day
for a week or so, your writing time will become habitual, and
your day won’t feel complete without it.
Get Help and Guidance
Especially if you’ve never written a book before, it will help to
have someone there to help you. Save a little money to work
with a coach, or join a writing group that will help keep you
accountable, motivated, and moving forward. This is a great way
to get feedback and work through challenges that come up as
you write. And everything is more fun when you do it with
someone else.
You Can Write Your Book In 2010!
Not everyone who sets out this New Year to write a book will
actually finish it. But if you really want to make it happen, and
you’re willing to do what it takes to get it done, then I know
you’ll be one of the few who becomes an author this year!
Melinda Copp helps aspiring self-help, business, and nonfiction authors write and publish books that establish expertise, achieve their goals, and share their message in a compelling way. Visit http://www.writerssherpaprograms.com/writeabook.html for a free copy of her Write Your Book Quick-Start Mini E-course. Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/writing-articles/is-your-new-years-resolution-to-write-a-book-1761936.html
