Want to Be a Published Author? Do These 4 Things.

Do you think you have a book idea and want to be a published author? You aren’t alone!

Authorship has become the new standard for expert thought leadership. Whether you want to take your business to the next level, build your personal brand, or kickstart the next phase of your career journey, writing a book will propel you toward your goals faster.

But how do you get started?

That’s exactly what I wondered 12 years ago when my CEO got a book deal and I volunteered to ghostwrite his manuscript. I stumbled through the writing process and was shocked when the book became a New York Times bestseller.

Fast forward more than a decade and I have my own thriving business that helps people write, publish, and market their books. I’ve ghostwritten 15 non-fiction titles and helped with many others through book coaching and editing.

Over the years, I’ve spoken with hundreds of aspiring authors, and found that most of them struggle with the same types of challenges: they’re intimidated by the size of the project; they’ve been doing more thinking than writing and therefore haven’t made a ton of progress; and deep down, they worry whether their book will be good enough.

I get it! I’ve felt that way many times too. On my journey writing books and coaching many aspiring authors, I identified four key strategies for overcoming these challenges and persevering to cross the finish line.

Here are my top four tips for writing a book:

1. Get into a positive headspace

Writing a book is fun! Yes, it’s a big project, but it’s totally doable! Millions of people around the world have written books, and you can do it too. If you’re having any kind of anxiety about stepping into the author role, do your best to adopt a positive mindset. This is extremely important because it sets the tone for how you will approach the project. Think about it—when you’re asking your team to start a new initiative, you know how important it is to inspire them, keep their spirits high, and help them picture a successful outcome. Do the same for yourself!

2. Block time for the project

When you don’t have a hard deadline – or your deadline is months down the road – it’s easy to push your book to the backburner. In fact, it might be the first thing you put off whenever something comes up in your business or your personal life. Don’t let this happen. By blocking time on your calendar each week to work on the project, it goes a long way in actually getting the work done. I recommend at least two consecutive hours per week that you won’t be tempted to schedule over. You can supplement this time with half days or full days as needed.

3. Don’t lose momentum

If you go long periods of time without working on your book, it will start to feel like it’s looming over your head. It’s easy to get down on yourself for not making the progress you wanted, which jeopardizes your positive headspace. On top of that, when you finally come back to work on your book, you can’t remember exactly where you left off, and it takes extra time to get back into the groove. Even if your schedule is packed, don’t go too long without working on your book.

4. Find your village

The old saying “it takes a village” doesn’t just apply to raising children. When it comes to bringing a book into the world, you don’t want to do it alone. The book writing process will go much smoother if you can get access to experts in the industry to give you one-on-one support when you need it. This is especially important in the beginning steps of your journey so you can get on the right path and not waste time. It’s also helpful to connect with other aspiring authors who understand what you’re going through. This is a point in your life when a little community goes a long way.

Now you might be thinking that all of these strategies sound great in theory but putting them all together could be harder than it seems.

Enter the Authors’ Club.

After years of coaching aspiring authors, I designed a club that encompasses all of the best practices for book writing, and helps people avoid the hidden pitfalls that derail progress and damage confidence.

Here’s what’s included in the Authors’ Club:

• Biweekly livestream writing sessions: Kickstart your productivity by writing alongside other aspiring authors! It’s a fun and social way to time block, get words on paper, and build momentum.
• Biweekly “Ask Me Anything” group coaching sessions: Get access to book writing and marketing experts who will answer your questions and provide valuable insight on writing, publishing, and book marketing.
• Community: Connect with peers who understand what you’re going through! Build a powerful support network of people who cheer you on and want to help you promote your book when it comes out.

At $19/month, this club will pay for itself in the time it saves you, and you’ll see meaningful progress and results faster than writing by yourself. Sign up for the annual membership and get the mini course, “So you want to write a book?” for free

What our members are saying:

“It’s nice to know if you have a question someone is out there to help you. You feel like you’re not alone.”

“Being part of The Author’s Club has been a game changer for me and my book. The group holds me accountable to making time for writing and marketing, and the mind share of information, tips and advice are priceless! I look forward to this group meeting and the dedicated time to write. I am looking forward to publishing my book and sharing it with the Club.”

“The Authors’ Club teaches me about writing and publishing while inspiring me through the community of writers who meet to discuss our obstacles and success. My writing skills and optimism increase every time we meet.”

I started this club because there are so many people out there who want to write a book, and they just need a little support to make their dream a reality. If this resonates with you, I hope you’ll join us! We have a great little group of members.