July 30, 2010 139 Comments

How Not to Write a Book

Into the Promised Land, Joshua 18, Abandoned Bible, White Oak Bayou, Houston, Texas 0420091320BW People want to know how to write a book. It’s a valid question. Learning how to write a book can be very useful. Books are the new bands. We’re all writing books, just like we all used to be in a band. But people never ask how NOT to write a book. I want to offer that one for you.

How NOT to Write a Book

  1. Worry about the title.
  2. Think about finding a publisher.
  3. Ask your friends who’ve written books about their agents/publishers.
  4. Research topics endlessly.
  5. Tweet.
  6. Update Facebook.
  7. Talk about the book you’ll write.
  8. Buy a new Moleskine just for the book.
  9. Research writing software, in case you’re faster on the keyboard.
  10. Decide how big the book should be.

If you just did those 10 steps, in any order, to be honest, you’ll definitely not have a book any day now. Just keep at it. You’ll be amazingly well-prepared to not have a book.

How to Write a Book

  1. Write until you’re done.
  2. Edit a bit.
  3. Find a buyer.
  4. Sell it.
  5. Sell it more.

It’s 1/2 as many steps to write a book than it is to not write one. Are you lazy? Then write a book. It takes half the effort of not writing a book.

Questions?
Photo credit accent on eclectic

Related posts:

  1. Please Write This Book Robert
  2. An Interesting Book Promo Offer
  3. Promoting Your Book Online
  4. How I Use Mindmapping to Write
  5. Write Your LinkedIn Profile for Your Future

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  • ghdpick
  • http://www.christopheradams.com/blog Christopher Adams

    I love the simplicity of these tips. I also like the idea that it takes 1/2 the effort to write a book than to not. Great blog post. Thanks for all the great content you put out.

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  • http://livesimp.ly Chris Stroud

    I am guilty of all the reasons of How Not to write a book! Thanks for posting.

  • http://twitter.com/campcreek Lori Pickert

    It takes an awful long time to not write a book. – Douglas Adams

  • http://www.thesacredseduction.com Rumio

    Here's how I wrote my book:

    I started it in around March 2009. After around 6 months of intense work published it on clickbank. I kept on improving it (almost full time) and now in Aug 2010, almost 1.5 years and 54 major revisions later, I at least get pleasure in reading my own work.

    Here are some of my tried and tested tips:

    Most of the work gets done not on my laptop but while I'm on a walk outside my home. Morning walk works the best for me. It comes as inspiration.

    All the answers are within us. Once we take up a challenge relevant things are automatically revealed to us. Chris is very right in saying “Never research endlessly.” It's more of a sub-conscious thing.

    Don't be afraid to share you work with your friends. To be true I got all negative feedback. 1 of my best friends said you should not publish it, it's disgusting. I said in my heart you may be right but I'm going to prove you Wrong if not today may be tomorrow or the next week or the next year, I won't give up. I never give up so should you…

    If you get negative feedback look what's wrong with it with a big magnifying glass – each and every single word. Improve it till you love it. Once you proclaim your book as your baby and be proud of it; it sells and sells more… It's not an easy challenge but it's worth it, I assure you.

  • George Arthur Burks

    I love the last lines – It’s 1/2 as many steps to write a book than it is to not write one. Are you lazy? Then write a book. It takes half the effort of not writing a book. I think I'll tweet that.

  • http://mysubstitutesandysknittingblog.wordpress.com/ Sandy

    Hey Chris. Are you writing a book? I remember you from Writercise (remember that??) and I always enjoyed your fiction. (thinking I should be writing more…)
    Sandy

  • http://twitter.com/brendanjack Brendan Jack

    I follow one rule: Hire a ghostwriter. Enjoy a long lunch.
    Unless that's two rules.

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    good good study day day up.

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  • http://www.victorcheng.com Victor Cheng, CEO Coach

    I've written 4 non-fiction business books and wrote all of them in 17 – 25 days each. Once you know what you want to say, the trick is to spend your time ACTUALLY writing.

    Most people type at a rate of at least 20 words per minute (most pro-writers type at 60 words per minute). Over 60 minutes, that's 1200 words. Or roughly 1,000 words an hour. If you write for 6 hours a day, that's 6,000 words (I usually average 4,000 – 8,000 words in a day).

    A medium size, 180-page business paperback book will run around 36,000 words or so. That's 6 days of writing at 6,000 words per day. That's a first draft done in a week. Yes, I've actually done this several times.

    BTW this assumes you write about something you know (and excludes any time you might spend on research)

    It helps to drink enormous amounts of sugar and caffeine… and to chain yourself to your desk and force yourself to write 1,000 words before you allow yourself to go to the restroom (hey, it's all about motivation right?)

    The other tips I found helpful are:

    1) create a high level outline before you start (so when you write you don't have to think about organization, you only have to think about getting your ideas down on paper… this is KEY… no thinking during writing time, only writing)

    2) write like how you talk (kind of like blogging) – it's more conversational (which reads better) and its much easier to write than adopting some stiff formal tone people think they're supposed to adopt

    3) write what pops into your head (just like you say what you think during a verbal conversation)

    4) do NOT edit anything while your write (editing is a logical activity, writing is a creative one… very hard to do both simultaneously without losing a ton of productivity in the process)

    5) once you're done with your first draft, then go back and logically edit everything to have it make sense (if it takes me a week to write a 1st draft, it takes me a week to edit that draft into something that makes sense)

    I've had 2 or 3 of my clients who've seen me do this repeatedly and wrote their own books in under 3 weeks. It's very do-able.

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  • David

    Mind map all the derivatives.
    Construct flow charts for each.
    Build spreadsheets for anticipated revenue streams.
    But, don't write.

  • Spencer McDonald

    Thank you much Chris. This is an useful and awesome article and it stings to the bone because of the brutal true in the message and words. I will do better. I will write more. I will be engaged in real change in my personal life and writing. You are an inspiration.

  • Anderson_alonia

    I write almost all the time. Currently, I am working on my PhD in Organization and Management and conduct research all the time. I like doing it. Also, I have a serious Website with some hot topics. You can find me on Facebook, Twirtter, Linkin and Google. Check me out at: http://www/foreignpolicyandmore.com

  • Anderson_alonia

    I write almost all the time. Currently, I am working on my PhD in Organization and Management and conduct research all the time. I like doing it. Also, I have a serious Website with some hot topics. You can find me on Facebook, Twirtter, Linkin and Google. Check me out at: http://www/foreignpolicyandmore.com

  • http://twitter.com/andsalonia Alonia Anderson

    I write almost all the time. Currently, I am pursuing a PhD in Organization and Management and conducting research is a basic part of the territory. However, I write 5 to 6 hours a day on my Blog.Website:foreignpolicyandmore.com writing about serious issues and hot topics that we are concern about. I find that writing gives me a voice to reach out to others to help bring solutions and to support and inspire others.

  • http://twitter.com/andsalonia Alonia Anderson

    I write almost all the time. Currently, I am pursuing a PhD in Organization and Management and conducting research is a basic part of the territory. However, I write 5 to 6 hours a day on my Blog.Website:foreignpolicyandmore.com writing about serious issues and hot topics that we are concern about. I find that writing gives me a voice to reach out to others to help bring solutions and to support and inspire others.

  • Tony Sakalauskas

    How do you find a buyer?

  • http://www.catsitterinthecity.com Catsitterinthecity

    Simple but great advice!

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  • http://www.gucci1923.com/gucci-large-collapsible-carryon-duffel-146310-f4f5r-9791-p-364.html yah0

    Agreed BUT when writing books on time-sensitive topics (for example, computer how-to), it’s better to find a publisher FIRST. (I know. I’ve done it 70+ times.)

    And this should NOT be confused with THINKING about finding a publisher. Just do it.

    As for social networking, it’s KILLING my productivity.

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  • http://www.lambcreek.com Peter Lamb

    Chris- I still trying to figure out what the main focus and niche of this site is. Take this quick snapshot on how to not write a book. Good true stuff. Not super deep. But true. But your following is huge. Now that is incredible. You may not be a veteran author on the NY Times top selling list, but you certainly are a blogging guru. I’m becoming convinced you have figured something out.

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    Thanks for posting.

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    How NOT to Write a Book!! Says it all!!

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    Simplicity really is the best.

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    Simplicity really is the best.

  • Sssss

    brilliant

  • Sssss

    brilliant

  • Sss

    this is a really witty article and it’s really helpful.
    Thanks a lot for posting it. I’m going to write, right now

  • Sss

    this is a really witty article and it’s really helpful.
    Thanks a lot for posting it. I’m going to write, right now

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  • judy weiss

    sounds like a plan!  thanks!

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