Getting your first book published doesn’t require you to wait for your years. If you have a knack for writing, you can publish your book within twelve months by following the fifteen simple tips mentioned below – keep reading!
Table of Contents
1. Get Help from Professionals
You don’t necessarily need to do everything from editing to designing yourself. As a writer, a simple way you can save a lot of your time is by getting help from professionals. Working with skilled professionals can allow you to focus on your writing goals and also get guidance that will help you in the long run.
You can easily find local professionals online who can help you in your writing journey. For example, if you live in the UK, you can check the list of freelance book cover designers in the UK to find a professional who can design a great book cover.
2. Identify Your Target Readership
You won’t be able to write better and faster if you don’t know about the preferences of your readers. Instead of rushing through the writing process, you need to identify the elements that your readers will love to read.
Start by interacting with the posts of your potential readers on social media. The good thing about social channels is that they can help you make a great estimate of the likes and dislikes of people who are going to read your book.
3. Develop Your Writing Routine
Writing without a proper plan will result in a waste of your time. If you want to write faster, you will have to follow a writing routine. Adopting a routine will allow you to plan the time you spend in your day according to your preferences and ensure that you write better.
You should allocate the time of the day for writing when you feel the most active. Make sure you stick with your writing routine for some months and only make changes to your routine if there’s room for improvement.
4. Get Rid of Distractions
Not being able to focus during your writing schedule will make it difficult for you to achieve the writing goals you set for yourself. It’s better to write with great concentration during your writing routine to ensure that you get more done in a short time. Here are some tips to help you avoid distractions:
- Avoid writing in a loud, busy place.
- Turn your phone off when you start writing.
- Remove your headphones if the music isn’t helping you focus.
5. Develop a Rough Outline
Writing with a simple outline can make it a lot easier for you to write according to a plan. An outline also allows you to identify the topics you are going to discuss in your book, so you avoid writing about stuff that’s irrelevant to your readers.
Your first outline doesn’t need to include all elements of your story. You should leave room for “improvement” in your outline so you can make changes when needed.
6. Finish Your First Draft
Following an outline will make it easier for you to finish your first draft faster. Avoid making changes to your outline when writing your first draft. Follow the plan you set for yourself so you can complete the first draft without wasting your time and effort.
Once done with your draft, you should review the draft and outline to identify any changes that need to be made.
7. Use Proper Tools
It won’t be easy for you to write faster if you only rely on your “pen and paper. There are a plethora of writing tools that can help you achieve your writing goals faster. For example, you can use a word processor like Google Docs to write better and format your work easily.
Set some time aside to compare different writing tools online to choose the ones which suit your specific needs.
8. Keep a Thesaurus Handy
Using the most technical terms in your writing will not help you write faster. When using technical terms, most of your time will be spent on checking if a specific phrase can be used in your writing or not. It’s better to refer to an online thesaurus to find alternatives to jargon easily.
9. Set Achievable Writing Goals
You don’t have to be harsh on yourself when setting your writing goals. Instead of forcing yourself to write faster, you should consider setting goals you can achieve easily. Show your writing goals to a fellow writer to get advice about how you should tweak your goals.
10. Boost Your Typing Speed
Struggling to put your thoughts in words will make it difficult for you to achieve your writing goals. It’s important for you to improve your typing speed so you can write faster whether you are using a desktop or a laptop computer.
11. Avoid Perfectionism
Overthinking every single sentence you write will not help you achieve the writing goals you set for yourself. Instead of letting your inner “perfectionist” influence your writing decisions, you should be ready to accept your writing mistakes and try letting your thoughts flow in your words.
12. Practice Mindfulness
Meditation can help you be “present” at the moment you write. You should allocate some time for yoga or any other meditation practice in your daily routine to ensure that you can put your mind at ease and let your creativity shine.
13. Follow the Deadlines
The only way you can achieve the writing goals you set for yourself is by following deadlines. There’s no denying that you don’t have to force yourself to write faster, but you shouldn’t let sluggishness overcome you either. Stick to the deadlines you set to finish your book faster.
14. Get Proper Advice
You will face several problems and challenges when writing your first book. Instead of following your “gut feeling” to make decisions, you should consider asking for advice from professional writers. Doing so will ensure that you don’t make any mistakes that decrease the effectiveness of your writing.
15. Don’t Ignore Your Health
Thinking about writing all the time can even damage your health in the long run. Instead of decreasing the quality of your life by developing health problems, it’s better to allocate some time in your day to focus on your health goals.