You’ve Just Finished a Writing Workshop – Now What?!

That book you’ve been secretly writing in your head is finally about to escape on the pages before you. You took copious notes at a seminar on How to Write a Book and poured out your outline based on the advice of the instructor.

Now, back home, you begin to drown in the daily routines of your life and wonder how to reignite that spark.

Photo courtesy of Ghaith Harstany via Unsplash.com

Do you need a ghost writer?

Maybe just a writing helper?

How do you get a book published?

Those are the just the first questions that hit you as you think through all the steps ahead. Sure, the instructor laid them all out for you but each one seems so daunting now.

Don’t get overwhelmed. You just have to be systematic in your next steps.

Take it one chapter at a time

If you have an outline, then set aside some time to get that first chapter out. Who says you have to start with the first one on the list? Instead,choose the easiest one or the ending you’ve already imagined so you don't lose the vibrant details that dance in your brain.

Sit down and write a piece of your book. You may only get a few pages down, but it’s progress.

Pick a time when you’re not likely to be interrupted, preferably earlier in the day when your brain feels still fresh. Write down some prompts so you follow an outline and pace the storyline.

Try out different writing styles in the early drafts to see what feels right. You may have thought a first-person voice would work but you may want to shift gears and see what an omniscient narrator brings to the story.

No one knows how to write a book until they actually do it. Learn what rhythm works for you and keeps the words flowing.

If you get stuck

Sometimes, you hit a wall and simply cannot find the energy or words to focus you anew. Take a day or two off and talk with a writing peer to see if they have had a similar experience.

Try to get back into your groove by returning to what worked initially. You might have to retreat to a cottage or a location where you can imagine your characters interacting. Let their voices speak to you then write them down.

If you are writing a non-fiction book, do a little research to fire up your brain again. Those fresh facts could be just what you need to get your confidence back again. Imagine your ultimate reader marveling at those new insights and how they will benefit from that knowledge.

Most of all, believe in yourself. Even professional writers lose their way sometimes and have to put a book aside for while until the right thoughts come together.

If you have a strong outline and feel you’ve written all you can, but still want to fulfill your dream of publishing, when it’s time to call for help. You’ve still provided the brilliance behind the idea so don’t sweat it if life won’t allow you to take it over the finish line on your own.

After getting the writing done, you still need to add images and footnotes. The pages need to be designed, peppered with images and folios and proofread. Next, you have to stop for a publisher…it’s quite a process.

Take that first step and get rolling. You can do it!

(If you feel you've hit a wall, give me a call. I can help walk you through next steps after publishing two books in recent years. It may feel impossible, but it's really not!)