From idea to publication Episode 2 - Choosing what and where to write.

From idea to publication – Episode 2 – Choosing what and where to write

In the last blog post, we talked about the most common fears we need to overcome to write. Chances are you will still have some of those fears when you start writing your book, but the eagerness to write will be more prominent. That’s a great sign. It means you want it. Always think about why you want to write a book so much – to inspire people, tell your story, and give something of what you know? Keep that in mind, so you can keep going.

Today, we will talk about what and where to write. There are three types of writers: those with no ideas, those with an idea, and those with lots of ideas. Suppose you have an idea, great! You’re good to start writing. Don’t think of the future, don’t punish yourself with thoughts like “Maybe I won’t have other ideas” – you will. Trust us.

Now, if you have too many ideas, you might be wondering where you should start. In that case, you might ask yourself some questions. Firstly, which idea can you finish faster? Which idea will you probably finish? And which idea you would be happy to finish? Choose one of them, and go for it. Never ever write two, three books at the same time. Chances are you won’t finish any.

Now, if you want to write a book but have no idea to start writing it, we’ve got exercises for you too.

Think about your profession and everything you had to learn the hard way. What did you wish you knew when you started? If you have achieved a point in your career that you are very proud of, then you have something to teach for those starting. The “knowledge gap” between you and your reader can become a very successful book.

Now, maybe you don’t want to talk about your job, but about a personal experience, a bad situation you managed to turn into a learning experience. This can be a great way to start, as well. If you don’t want to write a biography or a self-help book, you can turn your experience into a fictional book – like so many other writers have done in the past and continue doing it.

The next thing you want to do – as soon as you decide what to write – is setting up a writing environment. This is more important than you think. Writing is a skill – it means you get better at it by doing it. Think of cooking, if you want to get better at cooking, you can start by reading recipes, but you will only prove your abilities when you go to the kitchen and do it.

Having a writing environment will help you keep on track. This should be a place where you will not have many distractions. Some writers like to go to a coffee shop just with their laptops and order some tea (like J.K. Rowling did when she wrote Harry Potter). Others, like me, like their balcony. You don’t need much – in fact, the least distractions you have, the better.

Try to stipulate a time for your writing every day. It may be 30 minutes before your kids get up, or 30 minutes before you go to bed. The important thing is to make it part of your routine, like taking a shower and brushing your teeth. Do that, and we’re sure you’ll have a book sooner than you think.

See too: Who can stop a fearless dreamer?