Advice from a Book Coach
This guest post was written by book coach, Yvonne DiVita.
Yes, Virginia, it’s a process.
The Illusion of Someday Writing Your Book
Writing comes easily to some people. For others, it’s a long climb up a rocky mountain in the dead of winter with wind and sleet hitting their face.
Either way, both kinds of people have told me they want to write a book someday.
Someday is an imaginary time of life. It’s when we no longer have all those other commitments—like work, family, school, or visits to the DMV to stand in line forever and ever. All these things make it impossible to write our book.
The problem is most people should be writing their book now. Today. Because by the time someday comes around, someone else will have written the book you always wanted to write.
Create the Process to Get to Success
Writing a book can be as easy as one, two, three, four. Breaking the process down into segments allows the writer a chance to let creativity flow, while still maintaining a focus on the end goal: the completed manuscript.
In my work as a book coach, I teach people that writing a book is like starting a new small business. And because it is, you have to take the right steps forward and create the right process to move toward success every week, if not every day. And yes, you need to ask for help.
For instance, in a business you need a brand (includes design and color), a name for the business, and a way to reach possible customers.
Writing a book requires a brand (your book cover), a title, and a reader or two.
In a business, you need a webpage and a marketing plan. It’s all about having a presence, a place, a location, and inviting people in to buy.
Writing a book requires a webpage and a marketing plan. It’s all about showcasing the story, connecting with readers, and inviting people to buy the book.
The Myth of the Starving Author
Smart new authors, and some existing authors, know it’s smart to have help with their book. In the beginning, that might be a book coach, like me, to keep them focused and on track. I bring 20 years in the business of communication, publishing, blogging, and writing to each project.
A coach keeps the writer accountable. But a developmental editor who is also a coach (like me), reads every word, makes notes and suggestions, and keeps the writer on track with his or her message.
Too many people are afraid to even get started because not only do they not have that process, they’ve also been fooled into thinking a process to writing a book isn’t important.
Instead, they believe the starving artist/author myth that writing a book can only happen if you sit at the computer day after day, typing your fingers to the bone, forgetting to eat, writing by candlelight . . . you get my drift.
It was a myth when it was created, and it’s still a myth now.
Writing a Book IS a Process from Beginning to End
I work with some smart writers. They bring their “big idea” or thread of an idea for a book to me, and we create the process to get the writing done so the book can be born.
In my work, the process mainly revolves around these 5 things:
The marketability of the idea: In other words, will people read your book? And who are they? This also involves engaging readers to offer comments, feedback, and insight as the book is being written.
The length of the book: How long do you think it will be? This often defines how long it may take to write the book.
The time and effort involved: When will you write? How many pages a week?
The success of competing books: There are no new stories in the world. If you think yours is new, you are mistaken. I will show you dozens who are writing on the same topic and telling roughly the same story. What makes my authors’ books better is the time we spend understanding who else is writing for their audience.
The marketing plan: I am not a book marketer, but I know some really good ones.
I do offer guidance, and I help my authors prepare their marketing plan as they go along because you must begin marketing your book the day you start writing. And for those who want to be introduced as “the author of” when they speak, I help with that too.
Many of these tasks happen simultaneously. And each process is fluid because, well, life, you know?
Writing a book in an attic by yourself, as mentioned earlier, is not only a myth but a mistake. Just as in business, you need to work with the right writing professionals to create the success you seek.
If you’re like the people I meet every day—and yes, even now I meet a lot of new people, every day, despite being quarantined—you’re thinking about writing a book. You want to share a story that will help other people over the rough spots of whatever business you’re in. A story that will transform lives: yours and the lives of your book’s readers.
Take the next step. Contact me, and let’s find out what your stumbling block is. This year is the best year ever to write that book.
I love animals. (Ask me about my former life in BlogPaws.)
I love reading. I love hearing stories. What about your story? That's the one I am missing. Are you ever going to tell it?
I've done the reinvention game too many times to count. To me, reinvention is just figuring out what works better today and what might get me where I want to be tomorrow.
I love what I do now, and every reinvention along the way contributed to getting me here with you, to help you write the story we’re all waiting to hear.