How to Write a Book
I believe everyone has a story to tell.
Have you ever felt inspired to write your memoir, perhaps captured (or to be) in your journal or diary’s reflections? Is there something you feel compelled to share— stories to leave with your family as a legacy or for a reader to benefit from your experience?
There are lots of reasons to want to write a book. For me, it was an outpouring. To transcribe my life’s experiences. To write about the stress as my role as an NICU nurse and then as a mother of a sick child was very cathartic.
““The hospital was a place of great intensity. I can still remember the yelling, ‘start an IV asap and get that drip going now!’ while also knowing I had to hook up another baby’s heart monitor, check a temperature, suction, a list of to-do’s so long that I teetered on the edge of feeling too overwhelmed to begin at all.
Somehow I just got out of my own way, allowed myself to be completely engaged but not panicked — to respond while never stopping to consider that my actions bordered on determining the life or death of this innocent baby.
Some years later our third child was born. Our son developed a challenging and rare skin disorder. Like with the ICU, this difficult situation spontaneously and intuitively forced me to gather up a confidence, a ‘knowingness,’ that things would be OK. This little boy came into the world with many gifts, and one was to teach me.
To explore healing alternatives to care for him while simultaneously I was also learning about the act of self-care. this journey opened a portal for us to climb through and embark on a new healthy and happier way of living. ”
These were my stories to tell. Let me guide you in telling yours. Ask yourself a few questions and write out the answers:
Why do I want to write a book?
Who is my reader?
What section of the bookstore will my book fit in— is it fiction or non-fiction? A true story can be used as a template for fiction too.
How to get started.
I like to suggest writing morning pages. Early, before the house and the outside world wake up always works best for me. Create ‘a space’ to write. Dedicate at least 15 minutes or whatever feels easy and do-able. It’s very much about creating a routine that you can commit to and to show up with consistency. Enjoy a coffee or herbal tea, bring in elements of the ethereal (a candle or incense) and your favorite tool (keyboard or pen) for writing. I feel it’s important to create this sacred space routine each time before you write. It’s like an opening prequel to set the tone as a ritual for honoring what comes next.
Begin by writing down what inspires you to write this morning. A potential prompt, “What is my soul, my divine essence, asking me to write today?” Don’t try too hard. You are allowing an intuitive free flow experience to guide you. Once you’ve transcribed some words on a few pages, read what you’ve written, find a theme and create a ‘title’ for your entry plus the day’s date. Create a folder on your computer or have a journal or notebook ( or perhaps start a blog which you don’t have to publish) that’s used only for your rough draft content. Eventually, you will slot your favorite pieces together, create a framework and begin to build on these authentically beautiful writings. If you do this with consistency and in this way, you may surprise yourself on the direction of your original idea.
How long does it take to write a book?
There is no simple answer to this question. For me, my books are always a story that’s taken years of my life to develop but transcribed in the space of a few months. Often times when I feel the content is flowing, I can’t keep up with my fingers writing as the pages come fast and very clear. Other times when I try too hard it’s as if I can’t get a direct thought onto my page.
Next steps…
Once you have a nice ‘chunk’ of rough draft content, it’s time to find an editor who can help. This ‘editor’ can be a friend, spouse, fellow writer who is willing to read some of your work (sometimes in exchange for your help too).
For me, my first helper was Kevin, a great friend and a banker who lived next door who loved to write too. I wrote about my experiences and he edited for me (conceptional and line), and I submitted this content to a free newsletter. These articles drew some interest and a London yoga magazine published them for 75 pounds sterling each. I was over-the-moon excited. I wrote more content for this magazine and my new magazine editor Jill suggested these articles become a book. She introduced me to a publisher. I still recall sitting in this publisher’s office and being referred to as an author. I looked around the room to see who she was referring to— it was me. :)
More information:
There is much more information to discuss; such as traditional vs. self-publishing (I’ve done both), how to choose a title, how to get an agent, how to market your book, etc. I’ll endeavor to write more about these ideas but in the meantime I encourage you to follow the steps above, see how it goes, and pay attention to how you feel about the idea of writing.
I’d love to help. If you feel called to, book a One-to-One Mentorship. And one of my favorite books on writing, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott.