Your PLAN is to write and publish your book. Excellent. Now what are the steps you need to get there? They become your stepping stones across the publishing river.
Those stepping stones are essential to identify from the get-go … and know that you will have additional ones pop up as you progress. Your stepping stones should have measurements to them and dates when they will be achieved. Yes, hiccups can come in and bump them—but if you don’t put timelines in play, next week becomes next month, sometimes next year.
When you have others who are contributing (who are they, what are they doing, what are their costs, when will they deliver to you completed what they are doing), they are a stepping stone to your success.
Your goal is to publish a book. The first stepping stone is to write the book.
What are the “stones” you need to write and complete it?
- These could include a place to write;
- Times for writing;
- “Things” you need around you to write;
- Identifying how you are going to write and on what tool;
- Identifying what research needs to be done to support your book;
- Inclusion of possible “rewards” as you finish a chapter (I wrote an entire book with a bag of M&Ms as the reward when the first draft of a chapter was completed—jeeze, I gained 10 pounds writing Stabotage!);
- Or, you may need to declutter—I’m not saying throw things out—I’m referring to removing distractions that will get in your way (it could visuals around you, TV, outside activities, you may need a social media and email diet—limiting yourself to much shorter times searching, playing, responding) … anything that pulls you away from your mission of writing the book. And, there’s nothing wrong with tossing as well.
- What else could be on your stepping stone list to move you and your book forward?
- Another step is to learn about publishing.
- What are the “stones” you need to get educated?
- Another step is to find an editor. What are the “stones” you need to find the right editor?
- You will need a cover designer. What are the “stones” you need to find the one that will best shout out your book in today’s market and for your genre?
- You need an interior book designer. What are the “stones” you need to find—the ones that will best display your book for reading in today’s market and for your genre?
- If you book will need illustrations or any art inclusions, what are the “stones” you need to find the someone(s) who will create the visuals that are the perfect fit?
- Et cetera, et cetera.
For me, ideally, I need sun and water. I need hot cups of tea and in afternoons, lots of peach or mango iced tea. Sometimes I need some of my favorite music in the background. And, I need to be left alone when I’m in the zone—I write “binge” style … not at a set time each day; rather in huge swoops of time—where most other things are blocked away. I write nonfiction—my research is done before I plunge in and I have printed out primary components of it, segregated into piles or files that I can quickly access and then refile when I’m done with them—out of sight.
When I’m in the writing zone and I’m in my inner offices (yes there are water features running at all times) or in my outside on the lower deck where there is sunshine and a koi pond with waterfall—my staff and family knows—leave her alone. They also know I welcome food and drink—but otherwise, leave her alone until she surfaces. Other writing zones include away from home and office. I’ve started and finished books in Kauai and Maui (water and sun) and many a book was seeded and completed on the balcony of a cabin on a cruise (water and sun) as this one was.
How are you going to get to your final goal?
What stepping stones do you need?
When do they need to be completed so you can continue to move forward?
Write them out—they are critical and essential components to your book and author success.
Source: from How to Avoid 101 Book Publishing Blunders, Bloopers and Boo-Boos by Judith Briles. Available in May 2016. Order your copy today on Amazon.
Judith Briles is a book publishing expert and coach. She empowers authors and is the Founder of Author U, a 
membership organization created for the serious author who wants to be seriously successful. She’s been writing about and conducting workshops on publishing since the 80s. Judith is the author of 34 books including Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms (ForeWord IndieFab Book of the Year), Snappy Sassy Salty: Wise Words for Authors and Writers and a speaker at publishing conferences. Book #34 was published this summer: The CrowdFunding Guide for Authors & Writers. Get your copy.
Become part of her inner circle by joining the Author’s Ark and exclusive monthly webinar and coaching event. Each summer, she holds Judith Briles Book Publishing Unplugged, a three day intensive limited to a small group of authors who want to be seriously successful. In 2016, the dates are June 23-25th. Her audio and workbook series, Creating Your Book and Author Platform is now available. Join Judith live on Thursdays at 6 p.m. EST for Author U – Your Guide to Book Publishing on the Toginet Network at bit.ly/PublishingShow .
Follow @AuthorU and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorU and Judith Briles – TheBookShepherd on Facebook. If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact Judith at Judith@Briles.com.
Author U is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to the author who wants to be seriously successful. Monthly education programs delivered face-to-face and online, The Author Resource ezine, BookCamps and the annual Author U Extravaganza are tools designed for authors pre, during and post publishing of their books. Join AuthorU.org today.
If you are looking for FREE author and book coaching … call in to Judith’s Author Monday Mornings at NOON Eastern each Monday. The number is 218-632-9854; Access Code 1239874444 … have your questions ready–there’s a full hour to ask and listen.