6 Tips for (Really) Finishing Your First Book in 2015
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carrie-visintainer/6-tips-for-really-finishi_b_6392358.html
by Carrie Visintainer
It’s that time of year for New Year’s Resolutions. Love ’em or hate ’em, they come up in all kinds of conversations. Maybe one of your big goals is to publish a book. (Possibly, this has been a resolution of yours for several years, and you just keep transferring it forward.) So in 2015, why not commit? Make it a priority and knock out that first novel, memoir, or story collection. Here are six tips for making your book happen this year.
1. Choose a writing space: This doesn’t have to be an entire room of your own, but it does help to have a designated area just for you, just for writing.
2. Carve out time: This is a challenge for pretty much everyone, no matter your life circumstances. … But you can control this, and you can start by setting realistic goals. Maybe you shoot for an hour every day, or ten pages, or 1,000 words. Do this for a month, and you’ll be amazed: The pages will begin to add up.
3. Turn off your inner censor: We all want to write things that sound beautiful and intelligent; rivaling literary greats and authors we admire. … Be easy on yourself (which is very hard). Commit to the task of putting words on a page without judgment. There’s plenty of time to go back and revise later.
4. Stop at an energetic place: During each writing session, it might take you a while to get warmed up, but then words will begin to flow. Keep going with this, and then do something key: Stop writing for the day when you’re still feeling energized.
5. Join a writers’ group: Critique groups are useful for several reasons. Accountability and camaraderie are but two reasons. … If you don’t know of any critique groups in your area, try posting an ad in a coffee shop or café and see who replies.
6. Reward yourself: Because the act of writing isn’t particularly glamorous — it might even be the hardest thing you’ve ever done — it’s important to celebrate.
Rest of the article at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carrie-visintainer/6-tips-for-really-finishi_b_6392358.html
Booker's Blog 