[As a writer] you have to have the three D’s: drive, discipline, and desire. If you’re missing any one of those three, you can have all the talent in the world, but it’s going to be really hard to get anything done
Nora Roberts
You have to follow your own voice. You have to be yourself when you write. In effect, you have to announce, ‘This is me, this is what I stand for, this is what you get when you read me. I’m doing the best I can—buy me or not—but this is who I am as a writer.
David Morrell
Armed with your book mind map and outline, you have an opportunity to start your writing journey today. Whether you complete the chapter in one seating is not the issue, it is the discipline that matters. Keep writing.
You’ve come this far and probably already have your book outline in place.Congratulations! Now all you need to do is start writing chapter one. Once you get this chapter done, you’ll easily write the rest. The good news is that you already know how to do this the right way.
Refer to your book mind map and outline. Refresh your mind on the ideas you were to tackle in chapter 1. You may want to zoom in on the chapter and create a specific mind map for it. From the ideas in the book mind map, develop the content of your chapter. Include all the relevant research you have gathered on the content.
Arrange the ideas in a logically coherent way. Ensure the ideas are flowing smoothly. Then you can set out to flesh out your chapter. There are several ways to do this:
Writing
The most obvious way to do this is by using your chosen writing tool. Go to your writing space, switch on your laptop or tablet and begin writing. You’ll refer to the chapter mind map severally as you write it out. Remember to stick to the time you blocked out for writing. Avoid all distractions and write away.
Speaking
Another way to develop your first chapter is to record yourself as you speak on the ideas you have outlined. This works for certain people who just love the idea of hearing their thoughts out loud. Feel free to record your thoughts in whatever way you want. Just be sure you name the recording appropriately.
Afterwards, write down whatever you recorded. You’ll make faster progress with an audio recording than having to write without one. In fact, if your outline is ready and has all the details you want to include in your book, there’s a possibility of speaking your entire book within 3 hours! This is likely to motivate you to finish your book even faster since you already have the content in audio form.
The best part of this method is that if you notice any problems with the flow of the story while writing, you can correct as you go, thus eliminating major errors as you continue writing. However, this doesn’t guarantee you an error-free manuscript. It will still need to go through the editing and proofreading process so that it is ready for publication.
Even so, speaking your book content first before writing it is bound to shorten your writing time. You’ll have your entire chapter and book ready by your deadline date.
It’s time to reflect!
- How can you ensure you meet your daily writing targets?
- Do you think speaking your book will work better for you, or do you prefer writing it out? Give reasons for your choice.
- Would you rather write out your spoken content or have someone else do it for you? Why?
It’s time to act!
Share your reflections with a partner or a writer’s group.
Remember to celebrate this milestone!
Writing Checklist
Did I…
- Read Day 21 Insights
- Write my reflection from today’s reading
- Write my action plan
- Share my action plan for accountability with a partner or a writer’s group