by Michelle Russell (used with permission)

Think it’s impossible to write with a knife?

Not at all. You might even say it’s essential.

Well, to be more precise, no one actually writes with a knife. But good writers do edit with one.

For them, writing involves two separate but closely intertwined mindsets: crafting their message and then cutting away everything that’s not their message.

Yesterday, Jon Morrow talked about why you need to tighten up your writing. Today we’re going to talk about how.

Write for yourself, edit for your readers

Really good writing always begins with the desire for self-expression. Let your mind and heart say what they want without restriction. You’re rough-hewing the shape of your thoughts.

But once the broad contours have emerged in your first draft, you take your knife and carve off all the extra bits. Sculpt your article until the important details are clear, not hidden by chunks of irrelevant or uninteresting verbiage.

It isn’t easy. As writers, we all have a tendency to fall in love with our words. So here are seven tips to help you cut to the chase.

1. Find the spine of your content and stick to it

A blog post is a focused piece of writing — it shouldn’t aim to address more than one tightly focused topic.

Yes, that story about your telecommuting co-worker and her embarrassing webcam moment is pretty darn funny. But if you can’t make it 100% relevant to the point you’re trying to make, don’t use it.

You can’t make your audience chuckle if they’ve clicked away.

2. Cut the first paragraph

This advice is often given to novelists, who are counseled to write a rough draft and then ditch their entire first chapter (ouch!).

The reason? We often need to crank out a paragraph or two before we truly get a grip on the piece and where it’s going. Those first words are really just preparation for the good stuff.

Try cutting the first paragraph or two from your post and see what happens. You may find a much more powerful opening.

3. Don’t over-spice your words

Many writers liberally pepper their sentences with adjectives and adverbs, and it ends up like over-spiced chili. They think this intensifies their writing, but really, it just numbs the reader’s palate.

(Side note: Take a look at the paragraph above this one. Did you catch where it was over-spiced? I didn’t need the word “liberally.” The verb “pepper” and the simile “like over-spiced chili” were more than enough to get the idea across.)

Remember that just like chili, a little seasoning will add yummy zing to your writing. Too much will make it unpalatable.

4. Watch out for “creep-in” words

These are the unnecessary words you use without even realizing it. Two of mine are “just” and “actually.” And yes, it’s actually true that when I read through my first draft of this post, I just went back in and removed several of each.

Getting rid of creep-ins is a painless way to cut the fat out of your copy, and no one will ever miss them.

What are your own personal creep-ins? If you don’t know, ask a professional editor to clean up one of your posts and pay attention to what they take out.

5. Cut exaggerations

Were you so angry that you “literally had smoke coming out of your ears?” Was the sunset “heart-stoppingly beautiful?”

No, not really. Your readers will see these phrases for what they truly are: lazy exaggerations. Cut them from your writing, and use more precise words (see #6) instead.

6. Find a more precise word

Sometimes, we use a lot of weak words when one or two of the right words will do much better.

If you’re publishing a review of your local taquería and you write that “their burritos are really very good,” reach a little deeper into your vocabulary. Are they authentic? Zesty? Flavorful?

Picking the right word won’t just make your writing shorter. It’ll give your readers deeper insight into what you mean.

7. Reuse the leftovers

Ever notice how the best cooks don’t seem to waste anything?

Professional writers work the same way. When they edit, they don’t delete their writing forever. They put it aside and often use it as inspiration for something else.

I’d recommend starting a “Leftovers” document where you paste in your cuts. Whenever you’re searching for an idea, you can poke through it, and something will probably grab you. Use it to start a new post.

You can do it!

I know it’s hard to cut words. We’re all afraid of running out of something to say. But in my experience, that never happens.

Trust me when I say that there will always be more words where those came from, and you will find them when you need them. Just remember to carry your knife with you.

You’ll need it.

About the Author: Michelle Russell blogs about the perils of perfectionism — with and without knives — at Practice Makes Imperfect. You can also follow her on Twitter, where the 140-character limit forces her to keep her knife sharp whether she wants to or not.

HUNT’S HEADLINES comes from my buddy Todd Hunt who’s dedicated to wrapping communication lessons in laughter. He’s a guy who notices the humor in the little things, then sends his commentary out into the world (or at least to his subscriber list). (Sign up at http://www.toddhuntspeaker.com)

This recent entry tickled my funny bone:

I’ve been on a word kick, I know…but wrong is wrong.

 The latest offender?

 Way. As a replacement for “much.”

 You hear it in casual conversation…“He’s way heavier since he got divorced.”

 That’s not correct, of course. It should be “much heavier.”

 Now we’re seeing it in respected national publications, such as this front-page article in an advertising trade journal:

 “Pampers’ breakthrough new Dry Max is 20% thinner and way more absorbent that its predecessor.”

 Can’t we say “much more?” Or “far more?” Or even just “more?” It’s way cooler.

 Did Todd get your attention? Please share your thoughts below.

by Karen Saunders (used with permission)

A book media kit can be a paper folder or a page on your website with the essential information and marketing materials about your book. The media kit should provide the media with all the information they need to write a story, or do an audio or video interview with the author.

For a hard copy media kit you can gather the following items and arrange them in a classy folder (a solid color in gloss is good). Paste a color postcard of your book cover on the front of the folder.

For an online media kit, add a page on your website called “For the Media” or “Media Kit” and upload the following items. You can upload pdf files, MS Word files, jpg photos, and mp3 audios and video clips.

Your media kit may include all or some of the following items:

Fact Sheet/Book One-sheet
Book Summary
Book Excerpt
Copies of Published Articles
Book Reviews
Praise and Endorsements
Story Ideas and Backgrounders
Your Biography/Author Information
Your Photo: Black and White and Color
Frequently Asked Questions
Interview Questions and Answers
Interview Topics
Testimonials
Cover Letter
News Angles
Interview Topics
Brochures
Tour Schedule/Calendar of Author Events
Media Clippings
Publisher and Purchasing Information
Press Releases
Success Stories/Case Studies
CD, DVD with Audio and Video Clips
Additional Resources
Color Postcards of the Book Cover—————————-

What if YOU could know more secrets from an award-winning graphic designer that would help you create amazing marketing materials in a few hours, would you want to know how? Find out now at http://www.macgraphics.net/book-cover-design.php

Karen Saunders is the author of Turn Eye Appeal into Buy Appeal: How to easily transform your marketing pieces into dazzling, persuasive sales tools! Hundreds of business owners have used her simple do-it-yourself design system to create stunning marketing materials that really SELL their products and services!

by Susan Kendrick (used with permission)

I had an interesting conversation with a self publishing author whose back cover copy we just finalized. This author has good marketing sense, a great book, his gorgeous new front cover, and an innovative way of looking at things. So, we were both surprised when I suggested that he use his front cover on one side of his new business card for his medical practice, and he said he had never thought of that. He said this was the solution to the question that’s been running through his mind–how to mention his book on his card.

But why just mention your book when you can show it?

As he gets the rest of his book publishing and book marketing efforts going, here are the places he can use his book cover to get the most visibility on a daily basis. Whether you have a new book on the way or have already published a book, consider using these ideas, too.

 10 Places to Use Your Book Front Cover:

Susan Kendrick, Write to Your Market, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.writetoyourmarket.com or 1-888-634-4120.

by Karen Saunders, MacGraphics Services (used by permission)

Once you’ve done all the hard work of writing your book manuscript, you’ll need expert assistance in getting the right cover designed, and then, making sure the design of the pages inside the book marries well with the book’s purpose. I am a book lover in my heart and I have been since I was just learning how to read. I love to go into a book store. I love the first smell of the paper and glue that fills their air space. I love to see the variations of design on the sales tables, and then I love to go into my special places where the things I’m most interested in live and see all the new and wonderful inside pages designs that have been published since my last trip. I am continuously delighted with the cleverness used in book design, an area where you might think there’s not a lot of room for innovation.

Feelings

The artwork on the cover should induce a particular feeling that will match the message of the book. You wouldn’t use intense jewel tones, for example, on the cover of a book about meditation. You’d use subtle coloring. Once the cover is completed, you need to ask yourself what feeling you want to sustain on the inner pages as well. If your self-published book is more of a classical masterpiece around some deeply spiritual ideas, the inside pages might have higher quality paper stock.

It would be wise to go to a bookstore in the category your book will eventually appear and look at your competition solely for the purpose of how the book makes you feel. Hold it in your hands. See what kind of paper evokes the feeling you want your book to have. When you’ve chosen a printer, he/she can provide samples of the papers available.

Book Size

Sometimes a mighty message is contained in a very small, tastefully printed book. James Allen’s As a Man Thinketh and Don Miguel Ruiz’ The Four Agreements are two examples. These books have fairly wide margins; an extra blank page preceding each chapter and plenty of white space. Their fonts say “classical elegance” and their message is a classically spiritual message. Both books are in the general 5 x 7 size category.

You would be well served to think through the main impact you want to have on your readership. All of the key elements – cover, inside, color, paper, font, size – should portray that main message to your readers.

Readability

Who will be reading your self-published book? Choosing the right font style for your target audience is important for appearance, readability and for the requirements of your printer. Certain ages may have different requirements. If your book will appeal mainly to senior citizens, a larger font would be advisable. If it’s a children’s book, Oldstyle fonts are generally used. A slab serif font has very clean, easy to read lines and can help the eye move along the line easily. Again, a trip to your local bookstore to assess the competition for the ease of readability will help you make the right choice.

Consider a second font for your headers and book chapter titles. It should compliment the main font. Your graphic designer can assist you with these choices, but it’s always wise to have some idea in mind before engaging her.

Your self-published masterpiece deserves to have all the key elements lined up appropriately as do the books published by the big publishing houses so that your message comes across. The appropriate inside page design is one of the elements toward that end. Although you may never have considered it before you wrote your book, the design inside the book is equally as important as its cover.

______
Karen Saunders is the author of Turn Eye Appeal into Buy Appeal: How to easily transform your marketing pieces into dazzling, persuasive sales tools! Hundreds of business owners have used her simple do-it-yourself design system to create stunning marketing materials that really SELL their products and services! To learn about this indispensable book, click here.

by Mark Sanborn, CSP, CPAE (used with permission)

I’ve always believed that books could save me. No matter what problem or difficulty I faced, no matter what I wanted to learn, somewhere there was a book that could provide me with the help I needed. Of course, that isn’t exactly true. Ultimately, it’s what you and I do with the ideas that saves us.

This eternal optimism of mine about books may explain my love of loitering in bookstores. Sometimes I think I spend more time searching for books to read than I do reading them. This isn’t all bad, as it saves me from wasting time on books that aren’t worthy of it. Think of the exchange of life that is made to read a book. Consider the hours spent, and ask yourself after you finish a book if the exchange has been satisfying. I’ve quit reading a book after a hundred pages because it turned implausible, or lost credibility, or because it became clear that it was poorly written. Why would I want to waste any more of my life on it than I already had? (My friend Jimmy and I jointly formulated the 80-page theory, which assumes that since most people don’t read much further, authors and publishers put the most interesting material in the first 80 pages and often fill the balance of the book with pabulum. Test the theory for yourself on the next book you read.)

Another thing happens when you spend time browsing in a bookstore: you are reminded of things you need to know about. An unexpected book you encounter can expose you to knowledge that you didn’t even know existed. Once acquainted, this new knowledge often creates a desire to learn more. That is why I don’t just frequent my favorite sections, those being business, philosophy, religion and self-help. When time allows, I cover the entire store.

I do like spending time in public libraries, but not as much as bookstores. That’s because I can’t just read a book, I must own it. As someone once said, if a book is worth reading, it’s worth owning. I like marking my books up with a highlighter. Librarians frown upon this practice. Owning the book means I can refer to it at any time without making a trip back to the library and hoping against odds that it will still be there.

I have many friends who live in palatial homes that I would enjoy living in too, but I have never felt the pure unadulterated envy for another’s home as I have for my friend Don’s library. His house is wonderful, but it is his library that I lust for: dark paneling all the way up to the high ceilings, with yards and yards of shelves covered with contemporary as well as rare and out of print books. I get a reader’s rush every time I walk in. Public libraries just don’t have the same effect on me.

I’m tactile and visual, and how a book looks and feels is important to me. Bookbinding has historically produced some lovely volumes, but the competitiveness of the business in recent years has, in my opinion, resulted in the proliferation of “ugly” books. While books were once elegant, more often they are now gaudy. (While they may catch the reader’s attention with bright colors and bold typeface, to me they seem lacking in elegance and richness.)

While the outside of books have suffered, a renaissance has occurred on the inside. Typography is more interesting and formats have been vastly improved. (Magazines, on the other hand, seem to have gone the opposite direction. You can now gauge the hipness of a magazine by how difficult it is to read.) The aesthetics of a book make reading it either more or less pleasurable, and I think there have been advances made in this area.

Bookstores serve another, more subtle purpose: they tell us what our fellow human beings are currently interested in or concerned about. Bookstores are a billboard of our preoccupations. Consequently, I make it a point to read the bestsellers lists to identify the zeitgeist of our times. And it is often alarming to consider what people are spending their time reading about.

Bestselling books seldom make it to my personal reading list. Sometimes they do, but not often. The reason for this is rooted in a theory I formulated early in life: if you do what everybody else is doing, you’ll end up like everyone else, and that is, by definition, “average.” Much of what ends up on the bestseller list is popular but not profound, given that so many people appear to not welcome intellectual challenge and the need to think about what they read. Reading at the lowest level can be done very passively, and that is the preferred manner of our time.

Amazon.com, the latest reincarnation of the bookstore, has a nifty software program that directs you to books similar to the ones you’ve shown interest in. The “what other people who have bought this book are buying” feature directs you to similar and/or complementary works. The software also tracks your purchases and tailors future recommendations to your preferences.

Long before the advent of such software, I used a similar but superior technique. I asked the people I knew and admired what books they had read and recommended. The best reads of my life have often come from these folks. That is how I became interested in Wallace Stegner and his book Crossing to Safety, one of my all-time favorite novels.

So yes, I do also hang out in online bookstores. I feel a little guilty about it sometimes. I prefer to support my local bookseller, especially the Tattered Cover (in Denver) which holds a special place in my heart as the ideal of what a perfect bookstore should be. I’ve spent more money at the Tattered Cover than any other retailer of any kind and never regretted it for a moment. That’s why it presents a bit of a moral dilemma to me to shop online. I don’t get the tactile pleasure of book browsing online, but the convenience and additional information gleaned from virtual browsing somewhat compensates. I now spend my money in both physical and virtual bookstores.

And what of those evil chains as demonized by Meg Ryan in the movie “You’ve Got Mail”? I believe that organizations are rarely evil unless the people who run them are. An evil organization is generally the result of an evil individual or group. Which is to say book chains are no more evil than fast food chains. The chains have a lot to teach the independent bookseller and the independents have already taught the chains much. The challenge, should you choose your livelihood selling books, is to find a business model that works. Nobody has a right to be a bookseller any more than someone has a right to be a farmer or a brain surgeon. You earn the opportunity through study, hard work and meeting the challenges of a competitive marketplace.

What may be bad news for traditional booksellers is good news for readers. For readers, choice proliferates. There are more ways to peruse and purchase books than ever before. I would hope that technological advances like online shopping encourage more people to read.

I believe that the cumulative IQ of our society will increase as more people exercise their right to read. Reading is central to self-education and lifelong learning and if books have the power to save an individual, maybe they have the power to save a society as well.

Mark Sanborn is a leadership expert and past president of National Speakers Association. www.MarkSanborn.com

Copyediting and proofreading are terms used to describe the process of examining written work for errors. While professional editors recognize some differences between the two activities, this article focuses on their similarities. To make the process accessible to beginners, the activities involved in proofreading and correcting basic errors are referred to as “copyediting.” After reading this, you have the information you need to perform basic copyediting tasks, which benefits writes at all stages. For complex writing projects, you may find it helpful to work with a professional editor.

Steps

1. Read through the text without changing anything. This will give you an idea of what the author is trying to say, which will be helpful when you begin editing.
2. Return to the beginning of the piece and examine the first sentence for errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and logical flow. If you discover any problems, fix them.
   • Example: “i like when the sun is shning to walk my dog in central park!!!!” should be changed to: “When the sun is shining, I like to walk my dog in Central Park.”
3. Move on to the next sentence and repeat step 2.
4. Do a final read-through. When all the sentences have been edited, return to the beginning of the text and give it a final reading. Double-check your work, correcting any errors you may have missed the first time.
5. Submit, post, or publish the edited text.

Tips

• “Copyediting” differs from so-called “substantive editing” in that the goal of the copy editor is to avoid changing the original text any more than necessary. Copyeditors do not generally make heavy-handed changes to an author’s work. Instead, the goal is to correct the obvious problems, make the text readable, and preserve the author’s “voice” (which is his own unique way of expressing himself).
• Basic proofreading is always a part of the copyediting process, but it can also involve some deeper restructuring. If a sentence just doesn’t flow the way it should, a good copyeditor will improve the sentence by rearranging or rewriting it. See step 2 of this article for an example of this. Rewriting should be done only when necessary, as the goal is to preserve the author’s unique voice as much as possible.
• If you find it difficult to get the hang of copyediting, remember that it is really just a combination of good English skills and simple common sense. Put punctuation where it should go, remove extra punctuation, get rid of extraneous words, be sure that sentences make sense when you read them, and watch out for misspellings and typos. If the text sounds good when you read it out loud, you’re on the right track.
• A helpful way to find mistakes is to read it backwards. If there is a mistake in the writing, your mind may ignore it and assume it says the right thing. This happens a lot. Your brain has to actually understand each word if you read it backwards. Read it out loud, too.
• If you are proofreading your own work, you might find it beneficial to proofread it again the next day. People often read what they thought they wrote, rather than what is actually written.

Warnings

• Copyediting well is not always easy. If you do not have a natural eye for errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and logical flow, you may want to ask someone else to do the copyediting. However, if you do have the ability to copyedit well, you can take pride in providing a valuable service to others. Even valuable work by talented authors will be poorly received if it is full of technical errors.

by Barbara McNichol

Finding the right editor for your manuscript helps you feeling confident you’ve got a good match and comfortable that your editor understands what you want to accomplish.

How do you start this match-making process? By first seeking a reputable editor who understands the type of book you have written. If your book is business or self-help, for example, choose an editor experienced in these genres who has been a pro for a decade or more. Check to see that this editor has worked with both traditional and self-published books over the years. Spending time reading that person’s website should give you clear answers and reveal a high level of professionalism (or not). You want your writing to reflect a professional image that comes from expert editing; an editor’s website is your first clue.

In your match-making search, get ready to answer the following questions an experienced editor will likely ask. Your responses help ensure this editor understands your objectives. More important, they reveal an eagerness to get to know you and set up a conversation that will give you a sense of how you’d work together.

Questions Editors May Ask in the Match-Making Process

How would you answer these questions?

• Who is in your book’s target audience (demographics, age group, position, industry, region, etc.)?
• What genre or market niche does your book fall in? What section would it be found in a bookstore?
• What is your expected editorial timeline (e.g., when did you promise to give it to an agent or designer, or have it ready for a conference, etc.) allowing time for your review, peer reviews, and a professional editor’s review?
• What is the current length of your book before editing? (number of pages and/or number of words in an MS Word document)
• What is the anticipated total length, including front and back matter?
• If you want to have a foreword, have you asked someone to write it and provided a deadline for delivering it?
• How much are you expecting to spend on having your book professionally edited (excluding proofreading after the design)?
• What else do should the editor know about your expectations so he or she can do a really good job for you?

Finally, it’s important to convey how much of your book is written. Have you finished all the content you want? Does that include both front and back matter (e.g., foreword, testimonials, acknowledgments, dedication, footnotes, resource list, glossary, appendix, etc.)?

If your book isn’t 100% complete, determine what’s missing to make it complete from a content perspective. Alternatively, your incomplete manuscript may be a candidate for a manuscript review. This “big-picture” analysis evaluates the ideas and wording already in place, then provides you with direction for making changes before the manuscript is deemed ready for “nitty-gritty” editing.

Three Steps to Selection

Once you’re clear on what you’re looking for in an editor, where do you start to find the right one for your manuscript? Consider these three steps:

1. Ask your author, speaker, and designer friends for recommendations and anecdotes about the editors they’ve worked with.
2. Check their recommendations and/or search for alternatives by reading the Acknowledgments in books similar to yours that are well written. Then using an Internet search, locate these editors.
3. Contact them and request from each a sample edit of your own work (not someone else’s).

The before/after sample edit of your own work reveals how an editor can work magic on your writing without changing your voice. But be sure you like the overall result. If you don’t agree with the approach or the kinds of changes made, discuss them immediately. Chances are, you’ll come to an agreement on how to deal with any “sticky” issues. Getting agreements at the beginning of the process will save lots of time in the long run.

 Reviewing Sample Edits

Here’s a rule of thumb when reviewing the sample edits you receive: If you, the writer, can clearly see an improvement based on the editor’s work—words flow better and your piece has more clarity and pizzazz—you’ve got a good match. If you think the changes are too many or too few, or if you have specific preferences, talk them through. The editor has good reasons for making the changes and is probably willing to explain why.  

Remember, the final judgment belongs to readers in your target audience. Ultimately, you want your editor to be the advocate of those you want to influence. So select a pro who not only “gets” you and your book, but makes it possible for your readers to easily connect with your message.

Barbara McNichol adds power to your pen with expert editing of articles, book proposals, and non-fiction manuscripts. Request a free “Getting to the Results You Want” questionnaire via email at editor@barbaramcnichol.com or contact Barbara at 887-696-4899 (toll free).

By Peggy Henrikson

Do you like to write in a light-hearted or serious style? Is your writing filled with delightful description or carefully crafted explanations? Do long sentences flow from your fingers as you type, or do you love the dance of dialogue or punchy prose?

When writing a nonfiction book or article, you’re faced with a challenge. How can you express your personal predilections, or your writer’s “voice,” yet still tailor your topic to your targeted readers?

Part of your unique voice arises from your natural tendencies and personality, the rest from skillful art. You can give your readers their due by wisely choosing your topic and then skillfully adjusting your natural writing style.

You may have a lively sense of humor but want to write a book on business building—a subject that doesn’t lend itself to jocularity. So you would include anecdotes, examples, description, or dialogue that have just enough humor to lighten up your subject without making light of it.

It’s wise to start by choosing a topic and market that naturally aligns with your personality and interests. The path of least resistance often proves to be the most successful.

 What Tone Suits Your Personality, Topic, and Market?

Breezy, inspirational, academic, conversational, tongue-in-cheek, motivational? Think of your readers’ demographics. What tone would resonate with them? Does it resonate with you? If not, you might want to reconsider your choices.

Similarly, choose your vocabulary and sentence structure with your prospective readers in mind. If you relish writing complex sentences with multisyllabic words, don’t direct your work toward the general public unless you’re willing to adjust these elements. Instead of using long words and sentences, add vibrant descriptions, stories, examples, and dialogue where possible. All of these enrich your writer’s voice. Just make sure the tone they set is appropriate to the topic.

The trick to tailoring your voice to topic and target? Adjust and enhance your natural tendencies. How? By skillfully using elements that illuminate your topic and captivate the minds of your readers.

It’s a balance worth striving for to achieve a well-written article or book.

Peggy Henrikson is an editorial team member with Barbara McNichol Editorial. She constantly adjusts her editing to reflect the unique voice of each writer with whom she works.

by Lisa Tener

An aspiring author recently called me to explore writing coaching to help him write his book. He wondered about hiring a ghostwriter.

Generally, I’m all about writing your book yourself. I’ve met too many people who’ve hired ghostwriters and been disappointed. And most relatively smart people can develop an engaging (or even compelling) style and find their authentic voice as a writer by learning a few important skills with the help of a writing coach or editor.

The only reasons to hire a ghostwriter is if you’ve gotten solid expert help and you still can’t write or you just don’t have the time. This person didn’t have much time. His question was critical. Could he find the time to write his book? It can take years to write a book and I know people who’ve written books in a manner of weeks.

In my book writing classes, some students have a first draft within eight or ten weeks. Some never finish at all; others can take months to write their book. Writing a book as quickly as eight weeks assumes that either you don’t need to do much research for the book, or you write your first draft without doing much research and then you do the research afterward (or have someone else do some of the research for you). You’ll write faster (and you’ll write a better book) if you spend time before the writing to clarify your goals in writing a book, the audience or market for the book, the book concept, including features, tone, how the book fits in with what’s currently out there, and the outline of your book.

How fast you write a book also depends on how much time you commit per week. However, just because you devote yourself full time to writing doesn’t mean you’ll have your book any sooner than someone who has a full time job. Sometimes the people with demanding jobs are the best at making the most of the 30 or 90 minutes a day they devote to writing a book.

While I can’t tell you how long it will take you to write your book, I do know that those who consistently make writing appointments in their calendars and hold themselves to it (often with the support of a writing buddy, book coach or a book writing class) can often predict, after a few weeks, how soon they’ll have a first draft.

If you’re wondering how long it will take to write a book, I suggest you spend time to clarify the market and book concept, outline the book and then write for two to three weeks. Be consistent about your weekly commitment and see how much you accomplish in that time. At that point you should be able to project how long it will take you to complete writing your book. If, in that time, you get little accomplished, you’ll also realize it’s a good idea to reach out for more help in whatever form works best for you–writing buddy, writing group at a local library, a book writing class, an editor or a writing coach. Just get started and your answer will become clearer. And, at some point, you’ll know exactly how long it takes to write your book–you’ll be holding that book in your hands.