Читать книгу How To Write A Book ASAP - Garrett MDiv Pierson - Страница 4

The Word document cursor was flashing and seemed as though it would never stop. I knew that writing my first book would be difficult. But, I was ready to face the challenge. As I sat there looking at the blank canvas, I got a little nervous. “Can I do this?” I thought to myself.

My mind went back to high school and college thinking of what my English teachers would say if I told them I was writing a book. I know what they would say. Better yet, I know what they would do - LAUGH.

You see, I was a great student. In most of my classes I got good grades and was involved in school activities. But when it came to English, I got C’s and D’s. I can’t really put my finger on why, other than I just couldn’t quite seem to get the concept of grammar. Oh, and I wasn’t particularly fond of reading either.

The ironic thing is that although my teachers would probably laugh at the concept of me, Garrett Pierson, writing a book, I guarantee that most of them had never written a book and they taught writing! I wasn’t going to let my English grades stop my desire to write.

After thinking about how my teachers might react, my thoughts went to my friends, family, and others who would read my book. “What if they didn’t like it?” I thought to myself. “What if someone notices a spelling or grammatical error? If someone calls me out on something in my book, then what?” I was pretty much just being a baby. That’s what it really came down to. Sometimes we think that if we could make everyone happy then the world would be a much better place. But the truth is that if we try to please everyone, our chances for success are pretty slim. I couldn’t let what others thought or think stop me and neither can you.

The next roadblock I had to overcome when writing my first book was the inner monologue going on in my head. Doubt, anxiety, and the sheer lack of knowledge were intimidating. I didn’t know how to write a book, nor did I possess the skills to do so. But the underlying truth was that I wasn’t going to let my limitations and fears stop me.

Here’s why: I made a commitment to write a book and therefore I wasn’t going to give up. I have a saying that I have kept with me ever since I was a teenager. “Never Give Up.” The truth is, I was scared. But nothing was going to get in my way.

We have discussed some initial challenges to writing your first book, namely concerns about what others think about us and our own self-doubts.

Here is what I have learned when it comes to other people’s opinions; they’re just that, their opinions or perspectives. If someone doesn’t like my book then that is his or her right to have that opinion. But it doesn’t mean that my book doesn’t have value and won’t help someone. The way I look at it is like this: when someone talks bad about my book then I have succeeded in creating a topic that somebody feels is worth discussing.

Here is a quick example illustrating what I mean. Howard Stern has millions of listeners. Guess who makes up the majority of his following? It’s the critics that hate him. They want to hear what he has to say next. They’re anxiously waiting for the opportunity to debate their point of view against his. Sometimes, I think he says things just to get a response out of people. Those who aren’t critics who listen to him enjoy the differences of opinion, no matter which side they agree with on a particular topic.

We’re about to change any negative thoughts, roadblocks or challenges into opportunities for success. Sound good?

Are you still staring at the blinking cursor on your screen? Have you written 100 words yet? Are you stuck and can’t seem to move forward? It’s OK. I’m here to help you get through any obstruction that might be in your way. In my opinion, the key to writing a book is quickly finishing it. If you don’t finish the book what’s the point? Your voice can’t be heard and you can’t help or entertain others if you don’t yield a complete work.

It’s no secret now that I am not a great writer. My English grades in high school and college were horrific. That seemingly important detail didn’t thwart my ambitions, rather it made the end result sweeter; like an underdog transforming into a champion. Don’t allow past negative experiences imprison your future opportunities.

I’m aware that past run-ins with the writing process aren’t the only webs of regression. Everyday you have social and family activities, as well as jobs, church assignments, community projects and school. And although these provide balance and are positive experiences for the most part, they can act as deterrents in completing your book. If you wish to accomplish anything in your life, including getting your book published, you must make time in your hectic schedule to do it. None of the events or excuses above has the power to stop you from writing because you have the authority to choose what to do with your time.

Allow me to illustrate my point with a parable. There were two wood vendors whose large carts sunk in the mud while trying to reach the market a few hills away. One was a cantankerous, closed-minded old man who sat upon his cart in defeat. The other man, just as old, surveyed the situation, organized himself, and used his wood to form a makeshift ramp then pushed the cart up and out of the mud. Although your proverbial cart might be stuck in sludge, I promise you that the market is only a few hills away. Keep an open mind and an optimistic attitude. Nothing can stop you. Forget what the world thinks – you can do this.

Let me tell you a story about Brad Burton, a man I dearly respect. His experience in writing his first book is another testimonial which illustrates that you can do this.

Brad is now a professional motivational speaker with charismatic magic and an exceptional, “welcome back, best friend” smile. Brad also has dyslexia, which is a learning disability that impairs spelling, sounding out, and recognizing words and letters.

When Brad set out to write his first book, you can imagine the fear and doubt that came to his mind. The task seemed insurmountable. If you were in Brad’s shoes, would you even attempt to write a book if you had trouble handling even the basics of written English?

But with help from his coach and editor he overcame his fears and wrote an amazing book in the process.

His book, “Beyond Illusions” has become one of my favorites. He journeyed through the deep waters where every word was an enemy to the blissful shores of accomplishment by composing 127 pages of valuable, insightful content. He became an author!

If you want to hear more about Brad’s journey in writing his first book go here – http://HowToWriteABookASAP.com/bradbarton.

I have heard of people who have been in the process of writing a book for years who still haven’t finished and probably never will. I am not saying that you have to write your book in any certain amount of time. What I am saying is that if you set a goal and you commit yourself to it, more than likely you will triumph. For example, if you want to write your book in 90 days, set a goal to do so and go do it. If you want to write your book in one year then you need to have a good plan and break up the book into monthly chapters. Let’s say you want to write your book in 3 days – the same process and mindset applies.

I could have started this book out by teaching you how to write and spell, but that would not have benefitted you one bit. How many of us know how to lose weight? I mean really. You take in fewer calories than your body can naturally burn and you exercise, it isn’t rocket science, yet 90% of weight loss is mental not scientific. You won’t lose weight if you don’t choose to. You’re in control!

My point is that you will never finish or even start your book if you don’t have these key ingredients:

-A well devised plan/goal that you are conscious about daily

-100% commitment to that plan/goal

-Consistent desire and follow through of your plan/goal

-MOST IMPORTANT – determined mindset

So what does it take to actually sit down and write your non-fiction book or novel? This is the kind of question that is destined to get a wide range of answers, as it can be seen from numerous different perspectives. However, at the end of the day, there is just no getting around a fundamental and simple fact. In order to finish any large task, whether it’s simple or complex, you have to do it. This, of course, means that if you want to finish writing your book, you have to commit to dedicating the time necessary in order to make sure it happens.

It is an oversimplification to state that in order to finish your book you must write. There is more to it than that. You need to reorient your thinking. In short, you need to set aside the time to write. You absolutely must make writing, researching, organizing and other related issues in the writing of your book a priority in your life.

In chapter 2 we will begin to broaden your mind as to where you should start, for now, you have to start setting goals and come up with a specific plan on how you will obtain those goals.

Here are some simple yet powerful ways that you can set goals. They come from an article that my business partner Scott Brandley wrote for our Outstanding Ventures blog.

Step 1 – What do you really want?

When setting a goal, the very first question you need to ask yourself is “What do I really want?” and really think about it. Don’t just make your goal, “I want to be successful” or “I want to get in shape” because it’s too vague and there’s nothing tangible to reach for or motivate you. You can do better than that. Try to make your goal more specific like, “I want to be earning $8,000 a month by January 1st, 2012” or “I want to run 5 miles without stopping by June 1st”. This kind of goal will be a lot more motivational and give you something to work towards. It also gives you a target date.

Once you’ve decided what you really want, WRITE IT DOWN. It’s one of the best ways to hold yourself accountable.

Whether you like it or not, writing down goals is critical to your success! In fact, in 1979 there was a study done with graduates from Harvard University. They were asked a simple question: “Have you set clear, written goals for your future and made plans to accomplish them?” The interviewers were surprised to find out that:

84% had no specific goals at all

13% had goals but they were not committed to paper

3% had clear, written goals and plans to accomplish them

In 1989, ten years later, the interviewers again interviewed the graduates of that class. The results were shocking:

The 13% of the class who had goals were earning, on average, twice as much as the 84 percent who had no goals at all.

Even more staggering – the three percent who had clear, written goals were earning, on average, ten times as much as the other 97 percent put together. (Source: from the book ‘What They Don’t Teach You in the Harvard Business School’, by Mark McCormack)

Write down your goals!

If you’re saying to yourself that you don’t have time to write down your goals, then how on earth are you going to have time to accomplish anything significant? Write your goals down!

Step 2 – Why do you want it?

Coming up with a compelling reason why you actually want to accomplish your goal is just as important as the goal itself. In most cases this is actually harder to come up with because you have to really think about the true motivation behind your goal.

Your reason ‘why’ is the catalyst that physically moves you towards achieving your goal. It is the power that pushes you to keep going when you don’t think you can. It is what motivated the determined wood vendor to find a way to get to the market.

It’s also a great way to see if you’re setting the right goal. If you can’t come up with a compelling reason to accomplish your goal, then you probably don’t have the right goal.

Once you’ve come up with your reason or reasons why you absolutely must accomplish your goal, write it down directly underneath your goal.

Step 3 – How are you going to do it?

Remember the study that revealed that 3% of the Harvard graduates made 10 times more than all of the other 97% combined? Part of their incredible success was that they wrote down a plan to accomplish their goals.

This is the 3^rd piece of the puzzle. You need to come up with a strategic plan on how you’re going to accomplish your goal. It should include ambitious, but realistic milestones with attainable target dates next to them.

Now, this doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking. It can be three milestones or ten. It can be three sentences or three pages – there’s no right or wrong way to do it. The most important thing is to just write down what comes to you, because in almost every case, your first impressions will be right.

Step 4 – Exponentially increase your chance of success

Now that you’ve got your goal, your motivation, and your plan all written down, you’re way ahead of the game, but you’re still not out of the woods. There are three more things you can do that will exponentially increase the likelihood of you successfully reaching your goal.

Sign and date your goal – By signing and dating your goal you are creating a binding contract with yourself. The second you sign that paper, your mind will automatically start trying to figure out how to honor that agreement. After all, you just put your integrity and trust on the line, and nobody wants to breach a contract, right?

Tell someone about your goal – While it’s very important to write down your goal, telling someone about it will help hold you accountable. It can often become easy to change or remove our goals when the going gets tough. But the odds of you following through increase significantly if you tell someone. And, just a quick side note, the more people you tell, the more likely you’ll stick to it so it’s best to tell several people.

Go for a daily ‘Power Walk’ – Power walks are special. They give you the ability to take a step back from your daily life and see the bigger picture. The best time to go for a power walk is right after you finish going to the gym or exercising. During my power walk I usually start out expressing my gratitude to my Creator for the blessings and opportunities in my life, including the opportunity to accomplish my goals. Then, once my head is clear and I’m focused, I think of a goal and try to visualize accomplishing it, along with at least one way that I can make a small improvement in the next 24 hours in order to get one step closer to my goal.

And there you have it! This is the most effective way to reach any goal you can imagine.

What you should have realized by now is that your goals must be specific. Here is an example of what your goals could look like:

-I am writing a book about “Insert what your book is about” (Note this can change as you will find out in Chapter 2)

-I will write at least a 120 page book

-I will find an accountability partner or coach to help me by “specific date”

-I will write/finish writing my book by “specific date here” (ex. September 15^th 20**)

-I will write 10 pages a day or I will write one chapter a week/month

-I will study/research for 30 minutes a day

-I will work on building up the main character of my story by “specific date”

-I will study my daily regimen and carve out the necessary time to write my book and will make my significant other and family aware of my goals by “specific date”

Obviously this is just a simple idea of what your goals and plan should look like. The more detailed you are, the more successful you will be, guaranteed. Make sure you read Chapter 3, where I share with you the exact goals and specific dates I created for writing this book.

Now you have a plan and have set specific goals. What’s next?

To me this next item is the most important thing you will ever do in any aspect of your life. You and I must commit. My verb is “I Commit”. What is your verb?

Every single time I have committed myself to something, I mean truly and honestly committed myself, I have succeeded 100% of the time. Every time that I haven’t fully dedicated even if it was 98%, I have failed. Maybe you can relate.

Before you take any action you have to fully commit yourself to your plan and goals, 100%. If you waiver even a little on your commitment, you are setting yourself up for failure. Along with commitment comes conviction and dedication. Know that you can and will fulfill your goal. You must be a finisher, not only a starter.

At the heart of the issue of finishing your book is time management. Even if the issue that is causing you problems is the dreaded writer's block. You must dedicate time to writing in order to eventually work your way through the block. In many regards, writing is no different than many other endeavors in that it requires a significant amount of personal investment.

No one can expect to become a great piano player, painter, major league baseball player or a great "anything else" without a consistent investment of time. Even those who are gifted in a given area need to invest time in order to truly become great!

Thus time management is critical for your success as a writer, and time management is largely a product of your mindset. It’s so important that I have carved out a whole chapter (Chapter 3) of this book, specifically focusing on this subject of organizing your time. So before you start writing make sure that you are aware of any environment and time constraints that you personally have. You may have to change your mindset regarding how you spend your time and your day.

At first, such a task may seem very foreign to you, especially if you do not like to structure your time. You might feel that such an activity is limiting and unnaturally ‘robotic.’

However, reorganizing the time in your life is ironically liberating, not limiting, and is a key step in acquiring the mindset necessary to write your book!

The second key step is to believe that you can indeed finish! If you feel that finishing is impossible, no matter how hard you try, then you've instantly shifted your reality in that direction. After all, do you know anyone who has finished any major project when they believed all the while in his or her heart that it was impossible?

By reorganizing your time and believing that you can and will finish your book or novel, your chances for success will blossom. You will also discover that as you write more, your writing will become better, more polished and more of what you've always wanted it to be. Many people are intimidated by the act of writing, but if you want to be a writer, you have to overcome your fears!

Writers ‘in embryo’ say to themselves often, "I have written a book. I am an author. I have a voice in the world!" Vision, along with will-power, faith, determination and organization are all key aspects of "making it happen."

Remember that writing is usually a solitary act. While that means that you are the one in control, it also means that you have to motivate yourself. Part of this motivation is, of course, believing in yourself and realizing that with the right mindset, time and dedication you will in fact accomplish your goals! Your attitude truly is the deciding factor of your success. With this in mind, also know that you don’t have to do it alone. In fact, you shouldn’t do it alone. People that succeed have what others and I call an accountability partner. You may think of this accountability partner as a coach, mentor or teacher. The best person for this job is somebody that has finished what you are trying to accomplish.

Let’s go back to the example I gave earlier of someone trying to lose weight. Having someone there who has lost weight cheering you on is going to significantly increase your chances of succeeding. My advice is to find someone who has written a book and then ask him or her to help you. Once you have found someone, make sure that they are committed and consistent in helping you to accomplish your goal. Picking the wrong person could backfire.

Breaking down your book into numerous smaller chunks, such as chapters and sections within chapters, you will start off in the right direction. If you see your book as being a task rather than an opportunity, then you won’t have much fun doing it. Change your thoughts from “I have so many pages to write,” to “I want to write more today, but I hit my goal and I need to do other things.”

By breaking down your book idea into a series of small steps, you will find that not only is the job no longer daunting, but it may even seem quite manageable. Once again, your entire challenge is one of perspective and mindset. With the right mindset, you will be able to welcome the opportunity of writing your book and accomplish the results that might just surprise you and others as well! Now that is something to get excited about!

Take a deep breath and relax! This book contains all of the secret ingredients you will need to succeed. Slow down and focus on your mind and not the book at this point. In fact, you could be in for a surprise when you learn that you shouldn’t actually start writing for a while yet. We have some work to do on your brain first.

Here is what I need you to do: Stop thinking about writing the book and start thinking about finishing the book. That may sound strange, but stay with me here.

You need to trick your brain. It should come as no surprise that most people are more comfortable with talking as opposed to writing. Your brain is wired to allow you to speak in an easy and free flowing way. After all, you have been speaking and expressing your thoughts verbally since you were just a baby. However, when you try to put words on paper, sometimes the brain stutters. As a result, the writing process tends to be nowhere near as fluid as the speaking process.

In order to write without any type of blockage, it is important to switch over your brain’s “wiring.” Try to focus on allowing ideas to flow from your mouth directly to your hand or cursor. Through this process, you will become more and more adept at allowing your hand/fingers to translate your mind’s ideas. It might take practice, but you will find that the more you practice writing, the better you will be at it. Have you ever thought about speaking your book instead of writing it? Think about that. I’ll discuss this option further in another chapter.

You are likely familiar with the data processing associated with the right and left hemispheres of your brain. In general, the right side of your brain tends to be more emotional, intuitive and creative. On the other hand, the left side of your brain deals with logic and order. One issue that keeps many people from writing in a productive manner is that the right and left sides of their brain conflict with each other.

Creating a sense of flow when you are writing is no problem for the right side of your brain. In fact, if it were up to the right side of your brain, you would likely never encounter writer’s block.

However, the left side of your brain is in charge of critical thinking. As such, its job is to edit, scrutinize and criticize your work. Have you ever sat down, attempting to write, but quickly found yourself throwing in the towel? Perhaps you began telling yourself, “This isn’t good enough! I should give up.” If so, these thoughts were stemming from the left side of your brain. Further, the left side of your brain will also start to scrutinize your spelling and grammar. These issues can also shut down the free flow of ideas that are necessary for writing. Later on, we’ll discuss some strategies to help you write faster.

One of the keys to writing your book is to realize that the different hemispheres of your brain are working against one another. Instead of letting your brain “battle it out,” the trick is to start taking advantage of your brain’s potential. Let the right side of your brain win and you will find success in writing a book.

When you allow yourself to break free from your internal critic, you will find that the end result is not only more creativity, but also of a higher level of quality.

Let’s return to my statement, “Stop thinking about writing the book and start thinking about finishing the book” and talk about it for a moment.

Stop – This powerful word means to “abandon a specified practice or habit.” - http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/stop

Thinking about writing the book – right now we are not going to focus on starting the writing process. This will come later.

Start – Dictionary definition: “embark on a continuing action or a new venture.” - http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/start

Thinking about finishing the book – if you create a strong enough image in your mind of the finished product, you will finish it. Essentially your brain will do everything in its power to create what is necessary to finish your book. So bottom line, for the moment, focus on finishing and not on starting.

You might be concerned about other important details such as marketing your book, publishing your book and selling your book. Remove them from your mind at this point. Why worry about marketing and selling a book that doesn’t exist yet? Worrying can move you away from creating a plan and committing yourself to writing the book.

Of course marketing and publishing your book are important, but not until you have the book in your hand. Don’t let worrying about anything delay you in reaching your goal. Move forward. Keep telling yourself: “I will share my complete and finished message (or story) with the world!” If you think it will help, print that statement or one similar to it in big bold letters to remind you of your commitment to finish your book.