Writing a book is not a cakewalk

I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to quit. But something magical happened: I actually finished writing my book, Burnt Around the Edges!! And while it may have taken me longer than expected (2+ years) and cost me more money than planned, it was worth every dollar, sleepless night, and frustration.

You can't do it all by yourself.

Writing a book is not a cakewalk. It is a long and arduous process, with many hurdles in your way that will make you want to quit. You need to know when to stop, take a break, and give yourself time off. This is my first of many books, and I am just a novice author, but here are some things that helped me succeed.

You can't do it alone:

• Have a support system: Find friends who will listen without judgment. These people won't tell you how they would have done things differently but instead celebrate with you, no matter what your project's outcome or what happens during its production.
• Get someone else's input: Find willing (and able) mentors to help guide your career toward success—someone who has been there before and knows the ropes. You may not always agree with them, but their advice should be helpful nonetheless! Make sure they're not just telling you what you want to hear (all positive).

You may struggle to find the time.

Carving out time for writing is a challenge for all authors. Like most people, you probably have a full-time job and many other responsibilities daily. You may not even know where to start carving out time for writing, as it isn't exactly an urgent task on your list of priorities.

But if you want to write a book, it will require your full attention at some point in the process—and that means finding the right tools and techniques that work best for YOU! So here are some tips:

• Make writing one of your top priorities.
• Try using software like Trello to schedule your writing sessions, so they're not wasted or forgotten about later on when life gets busy. For the past two years, I blocked out 2 hours daily in my calendar dedicated to writing.
• Finally, I needed to book myself into a hotel for three days to finish the final edit and writing. Without this retreat, I would have struggled to get it done. I left my room only a few times to eat during those three days, but the productivity was amazing!!

You will quit, but you'll need to return to it.

Writing a book is not easy. It takes time, energy and dedication to see it through to completion. You'll need to ensure that your goals align with what's required of you as an author.

If you do find that this is something you're interested in pursuing, then there will be some things you need to do to ensure success:

• I started with a journal that, once filled, morphed into my book's main contents.
• Read other books that pertain to your topic, take notes, and use them when writing your book(s). *Remember to cite your references for later*
• Join a community where people can offer feedback on what works for them as writers and how they've overcome challenges that arise from their work process/methodology (i.e., Writers' groups).

Self-doubt will creep in.

Self-doubt is an inevitable part of the journey. You may wonder what you're doing, why you're doing it and if anyone will care about the book when it's done. It can be hard to stay motivated when you feel like a fraud who has no business writing a book in the first place.

But don't worry—you are not alone! Even bestselling authors with decades of experience under their belts experience self-doubt. There was even one point when I doubted my ability to finish my first book before I started writing it!

When these doubts creep up on you—and they will—it helps to have a few coping strategies ready so that they don't get under your skin too much or keep you from working on your project altogether. There were plenty of times I said, who on earth is going to want to read this book, but time and time again, I got great feedback and support to keep me going.

You'll need a community.

I can't stress this enough, especially if you're new to the book-writing process. You are not alone in your journey; hundreds—maybe thousands—of other writers are going through the same thing. Find them! Find other authors on Twitter or Facebook, and build relationships with them. Readers are also fantastic resources; they know what works and doesn't because they've read so many books themselves! Editors are another excellent resource for advice—they see everything that goes into the making of your book from concept to final draft, so their opinions will always be insightful. Last but certainly not least: beta readers! These folks are usually friends or family members who have volunteered to read over parts of your manuscript before sending it off to an agent/publisher, etcetera; trust me when I say that their feedback is invaluable because these people care about YOU and only want what is best for YOU.

Writer's block is real.

You might have heard the term writer's block before. It seems like a metaphor for when you can't seem to finish your book, but writer's block is real. It's not just an excuse for why you haven't written in a few days—it's a form of anxiety that affects writers worldwide. A lack of motivation or inspiration can cause writer's block. What worked for me??

1.?????Escape and reduce all distractions (Change your environment)

2.?????Read a motivational book that inspires you to write

3.?????Take a break, nothing wrong with taking a break from it all

4.?????Knowing that this too shall pass and it is only temporary

You may experience impostor syndrome.

Writing a book is hard. It's an overwhelming task, and as such, you may feel like an impostor—like you don't belong in this elite club. You'll start to doubt yourself and your ability to complete your book because you're not someone who writes many books, or at least that's what it feels like to write a book for the first time.

In addition to the impostor syndrome (which is real for so many people), the thought of failing can also plague us when we think about writing our manuscript: "What if I fail?" "What if no one likes my book?" These thoughts can be somewhat defeating when we're trying our best but still feel like we are failing as writers or human beings with ideas worth sharing with others in their world.

Forget about perfectionism.

Perfectionism is a myth. It's not real and doesn't exist in any meaningful way. Perfectionists are not perfect; they think they are (my old self). They live in fear of failure. They fear criticism and judgment from others because it might reveal their "imperfections" to others—an idea that makes no sense. After all, we all have flaws. This was a big learning moment, as I can guarantee my book is not perfect and that is OK.

Writing a book is hard but worth it!?

Writing a book is hard work. It takes a lot of time and dedication to write a book, let alone complete one. However, the rewards of writing a book can be so fulfilling that it's worth all the hard work that comes with it. Writing a book can allow you to share your stories and knowledge with others, which will help them learn about something new and potentially change their lives for the better!

As a debut Authorpreneur, I would be happy to connect and share my experience writing my first non-fiction book.?And if you are considering writing your first book, just do it!!

If you are interested in getting a copy of Burnt Around the Edges, visit www.burntaroundtheedges.com

Arjuna George CEC

Author, Coach and Consultant

Silver Arrow Coaching and Consulting

www.silverarrowco.com