In Their Own Words: Authors Share Lessons Learned
Speaking from experience, writing a book can be a transformative personal journey. There’s certainly a sense of accomplishment and reaffirmation of one’s purpose.
But, during the process of creating a book there are times when the words don't flow. When we want to stop. But, many writers remain driven to the finish line by a belief that the information and words within us has enormous potential to make a difference in the lives of many.
The following individuals stepped into that power, stayed the course, and made the leap to becoming an author. If you’re reading this blog and seeking insights, chances are you’re getting closer to doing the same.
As you’re preparing, below is advice to consider from those that have come before.
Believe in the strength of your story.
Write how it comes. You can read and reword later.
The revisions from the editor is where the real work begins.
Tiffany Holmes, Balancing the Scale: What I Gained While Losing
It’s hard, but you just have to commit to writing.
At the end of the day, I know I poured my heart and soul into this book because I am so super passionate about Black people and our history. So to have people feel that and give it right back is just amazing.
Ronda Racha Penrice, African American History for Dummies
… plan, plan, and plan some more. I had each chapter outlined and planned to the very last word. This made the writing process incredibly painless.
Also, please know you will revise countless times before you get the final version you like. Don't be afraid to start over and over again.
The feedback was helpful because it confirmed that I had indeed conveyed the level emotion I wanted in this publication.
Understand who is the book for. Why are you writing it? Be honest with the answer.
Shift has contributed to changing lives via World Bicycle Relief. All the proceeds are going to them. Yes, a great amount in the first month. It's been awesome and humbling.
Michael O'Brien, Shift: Creating Better Tomorrows
I wish I would have taken time before I started writing to define my targeted reader and make sure to write the book through their personas. I just started writing one hour a day for 8 months. I didn't research the mechanics of writing a book until I had hundreds of pages of content and had to reverse engineer the content into a book.
I was in the habit of writing, which ended up in me starting a blog and a podcast show. I was not actively present on social media before the book. It really forced me to put myself out there.
Christie Lindor, The Mece Muse
Dial-in your true internal motivation and identify the aspiration you seek. Knowing why you're writing, who you're writing for, and the change you seek to facilitate in the reader is essential to maintain an author's energy and sanity!
Scott Perry, The Stoic Creative
Having an outline made a difference. If I ever got stuck on one section, I just skipped to the next and came back to it later. I just didn't stop writing.
Feedback from others before I even finished my book motivated me to see the book through. Well, that and pre-sales added pressure to meet my deadline.
I hadn’t created a strategy for what to do after writing the book. However, writing automatically led to more teaching and speaking opportunities.
Alicia N. Ingram, Market Your Business in 8 Minutes A Day
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Alicia N. Ingram is a ghostwriter and book editor that helps aspiring authors start and finish their books. To receive more free information, inspiration and "The 5 Tips For Finally Getting Your Book Done" checklist, click here to sign up for the mailing list.
