Shortly about How to Write and Publish a Book
Writing is frequently challenging, but this is also your opportunity to explore yourself. It is a way to tell your future readers about some important considerations you have or experience you want to share with. Only these things, as a rule, make a book interesting for others.
However, between the start of your writing and its result, there are a lot of things to consider. But any imagined difficulties should not prevent you from your writing. They can turn to be unworthy, as the modern world presents numerous opportunities to publish your book for free. Some of them you will find here.
How to Prepare Yourself
Studies and researches
Don’t miss the opportunities to get acquainted with people who write better, either personally or through their writing works. These people have the experience you may absorb and apply in the course of your writing. And many of them, even recognized, are willing to share this experience and communicate via social networks or personally. You may avoid various mistakes, get insights, and have enjoyable conversations. And don’t be afraid of asking them for help.
Any will be useless if you stop your studies. Find as many courses on writing as you can, select the best one from them, and grasp their essence. Apart from writing courses, it is also worth to find courses on personal development, any hobby you can enjoy. They will expand your mindset and help to create the positive emotional states you can enter into easily in the course of any activity, including your writing.
Planning
Evaluating your time objectively will prevent you from extra anxiety. Planning is essential in the course of any creative activity.
Write down your plans or feel free to use various applications to record your plans and make the reminders, if necessary. Planning is especially important in the course of research. It is easy to lose yourself among dozens of resources and distract from the main goal.
Mindset and motivation
Respect for yourself as a writer and to your work should be present between the lines of your book. This addition is very important along with your high-quality content, of course.
The growth mindset will help you to overcome any obstacles and refresh motivation. Moreover, people are usually more interested in various inspirational things, especially books. At the same time, even very wise content can remain unnoticed because of an upset manner in which it is prepared.
Such destructive behavior can be determined by your fears. It is normal to have them, but not normal to accept them as your determinations. So, keep your mind positive, dream big, and don’t forget about the incentives for yourself after doing a good job.
This can help you to stay motivated while walking this long distance. If you lack motivation, try to find it on your own. Look for various interesting books, especially of those people whose writing you admire. Watch any interesting films and videos. All creators of this content managed to pursue their goals successfully. So, you can also do it. In any case, your motivation is the result of mental efforts mainly.
Obstructions and other things to get rid of
Well, procrastination is the most severe enemy of any creative activity. Don’t set aside your work for the next Monday or tomorrow. Start it instantly.
Focusing on the negative consequences of failing to complete this book will more likely make you frustrated or block your writing process. So, it is better to consider and keep in mind all the possible benefits you may receive.
Your procrastination usually serves to your fears. They are just taking away your energy without any positive feedback. So, it is better to get rid of them if you truly want to make things done.
Identifying them is the first step to discard your fears. Their purpose is likely to save you from something. However, practically they “save” you only from your productive work, pleasure, money, and other benefits. Now, when you see their true nature, maybe it is better to write them down, leave on a paper, and continue your work. Don’t make any excuses and allow yourself to express your thoughts and considerations freely.
At this point, you may face another enemy of any creative activity. Your negative view about yourself and your skills can prevent you even from less significant things than writing. So, it is better to stop thinking that you are not worthy, not able, don’t deserve, etc. Instead, write 100 positive facts about yourself. And read this list each time you face these past mental obstacles.
Of course, objectively writing a book requires a lot of resources, time, and energy. However, from the other side, you may focus on ways rather than on means. This will help you to find solutions avoiding any obstacles at the same time.
Limiting social networks can also save you time and attention. Instead, try to find your balance between your work and rest.
Identifying your target audience
You should think carefully about your target audience, preferences, and tastes. In any case, you write this book for other people. So, take care of their informational needs.
Knowing your audience will help you to build your writing work effectively. If you have your blog or post other writing works in social networks, then you can approximately identify your audience. If you don’t have such experience, identify for what kind of people you are going to write, find successful writers for this niche, and try to find some general approach they all follow. During your first writing, this is important. You can decrease the impact of uncertainty by following such tested approaches.
Setting your goals
If you want to write a book, probably, something has already pushed you to this intention. Take a deep look at this. Explore its importance for you. What reflections do you have in this regard? Where are you in this book?
Additionally, you should also consider all things that will be interesting and important for your readers in this regard. It is a kind of balance between your readers’ anticipations and the things you want to say. Following this way will likely help you to communicate effectively with your readers by means of words.
Your style
Basically, the best style is neutral. You may also vary it depending on the circumstances. However, keeping your text enthusiastic will attract more readers.
Take also some time to develop your features and approaches. Making accents in your text and adding new details will make your text distinctive.
Process of Creation
If you have gained already your motivation, then it is time to start your work:
- Developing your ideas
Sound ideas can do successful writing. So, you should think thoroughly about the things you want to tell your readers. If necessary, return to the section about setting your goals. These things matter at this point.
You can organize this process effectively by taking a separate blank paper. Write down all ideas that come to your mind and highlight those you enjoy most of all. Setting aside this paper and returning to it afterward will help you see the most important ideas and get rid of the less valuable. Feel free to repeat this brainstorming process a number of times if you need it.
You should pay special attention to your general ides, the main characters of your book, and any valuable senses you want to share with the future readers.
In the end, you should have your final list containing the ideas you want to share with your readers. But make sure you save all your drafts. Who knows, maybe during your writing, you will remember about any unnecessary idea at this point in time. And exactly this idea will inspire yours for further writing endeavors. - Writing and editing
Writing your book can be long-lasting. Taking into account its overall complexity, you should accept that you will need to write at least a couple of drafts. And this activity requires time and discipline.
Your first draft will be raw, and it is actually OK. The best thing at this point is to keep in mind your ides to follow your plan.
After you have completed your first draft, you should look at it impartially. Trying to think as your future reader will help to notice ambiguities and deficiencies of your first draft.
After making your assessment, write down all suggestions, and improve your text. Various applications checking the readability, mistakes, and word count will help you to polish this second draft.
Before starting your editing, set your book aside, at least for a couple of days. Looking at it with your fresh view at least a couple of times will help to polish your book. It is always useful to read your book aloud to fix mistakes and uncertainties. - Sharing for review and feedback
After becoming confident that you have produced the best draft, you can share it with others for review. When you work on your book for a long time, you get used to it.
The outer feedback can provide you suggestions on how to improve your book further. Emphasize, especially the readability and painlessness of your writing.
If necessary, adjust your book taking into account the received feedback and suggestions. - Choosing your format
Choose whether you want to publish a paper book or an ebook, or both. Do you want to choose some small publishers, or would you instead submit your work to Amazon? Making your choice among these options is important.
Various platforms require different manuscripts. If such requirements vary and your time is limited, you should range your priorities.
Look thoroughly at all guidelines your target publishing platform has. Double-check your draft before its submissions. Remember that each publishing platform receives books from many writers. Prevent yourself from being rejected due to formal reasons only. - Making a cover for your book
Making a good cover for your book can facilitate its promotion and distribution. People usually don’t pay too much time to look thoroughly at all books proposed on the websites. So, the catchy and interesting cover can help to discern your book among dozens of others.
Apart from being catchy, your cover should reflect the main idea of your book in a pictorial way. You may also think about how to associate this image with your personality. Photoshop and your inspiration can make your cover truly amazing. - Publishing
At this point, you have many options: Amazon, Kobo, Draft to Digital, and various separate publishers you may contact directly.
Again, each publishing platform has its own tutorial on how to submit your draft. Look through it attentively and form your check-list to make sure you observe all requirements. - Telling me about your book
After you have submitted your book, tell other people about this via social media accounts, blogs, websites, Google, etc. Your endeavors should be noticed.
Write some short and catchy message describing your book. And don’t forget about a hook to interest your readers. - Time for incentives and celebration
Don’t forget to praise and encourage yourself for all endeavors, discipline, and your completed work. This habit is good to motivate yourself for the next projects.
Final Words
If you feel enough inspiration to write your book, follow your dream confidently. All you need is to identify your main ideas, goals, and target audience. Plan your work, start this writing instantly, and polish it up to the best draft you can produce now. You can always find opportunities to publish your book refereeing to various private publishers or platforms, like Amazon, Kobo, Draft to Digital, etc.
And don’t forget to reward yourself for the completed work.
Good luck to you.
