Panic! At the White House
Read the original viral sensation: Writing a book is so easy
The somewhat sensational sequel: Writing a book is so easy - the Sequel
Now, prepare for the third volume, the most in-depth behind-the-scenes of writing books yet…
Every book that you read has a story to tell. Not just the one in the pages, but so too the behind-the-scenes hell.
I documented what writing a book looks like from Day 1 to Release Day. The work never ends. You write wherever and whenever you can.
And when I say write, I mean, you have to WRITE
Like….DON’T STOP.
Here’s a secret: the more you write, the longer the book gets!
Sometimes you’re gonna be absolutely STUMPED. Like the entire universe is just being petty and conspiring against you.
When all else fails, drink coffee. Worship coffee. Sacrifice your first-born child to coffee.
Sometimes you’ll show up at your regular writing spot AND SOMEONE WILL HAVE STOLEN YOUR SEAT, THE STUPID, FAT HOBBITSEES
So you’re forced to write out of your element, totally distracted as you figure out ways to make it look like an accident…
And remember how your teachers always said you’d need to use math everywhere in life? Well, they weren’t wrong…
Every day, you persist. Inching closer. And closer. Every word pushing the story toward its close.
It might take a week, or a month or two or three, but every time you add another 10k, you can’t help but feel a swell of pride.
There will always be the days you miss writing, but that’s absolutely okay! Don’t beat yourself up! You can make time for it. Writing is art, and art takes time, and shouldn’t be rushed.
And one day you’ll sit down and stare at your screen and realize….the end is near. You can feel you’re closing in on those final words, those last sentences with the characters you’ve spent the past year with.
When you write those last words, a wave of relief will slam into you. You might shed some tears, because writing a book is difficult, and finishing the first draft is an incredible feat to achieve. Treat yo self. You deserve it.
Then…..take a break. Take as long a break as you need. Some people might need a month, some a year. Whatever your rhythm is, find it, stick to it, and never give it up.
No matter if you edit by hand or by computer, print out that first draft. Hold it in your hands, feel the weight of the words you wrote. The words that were stuck in your head for months, even years. Flip through those pages and look at what YOU created.
Then, when the time is right, edit that book.
Maybe you’ll finish editing a chapter in a day. Maybe it’ll take a week. For me, it’s usually an hour per page! Edit at your own pace. It’s not a race!
And then…..voila. You’ve edited the first draft!…….
If you have other books out, don’t let them fall to the wayside! Keep marketing, keep telling people about them (and showing them your work on the newest one!!), and get book signings and events whenever you can! Bookstores are ALWAYS looking for authors to feature. Just ask!
And of course, make it fun for yourself, too! Book flare and merchandise? Um, YES PLEASE.
Aaaaaaaaaaand now you need to focus again, and, you know, actually put all those edits in. Which usually turns into an entirely new round of editing in-and-of itself.
Keep putting those edits in….
And more, and more, and more edits…
Did I mention sometimes you’ll need to go to extreme lengths to fit in writing days?
Although art itself is so, so, so rewarding, we’re all still human. Some days will be more difficult than others. Some days, your mind will weigh you down. These can be the hardest days, but push through. Find an anchor and hold tight and take care of yourself.
Other times, you’ll be traveling! Take your writing with you. I find that when I’m on vacation, I’m a much more productive writer! The atmosphere is usually more relaxed. You’re not in a familiar place, so it gets your creative juices flowing stronger!
When you’ve edited your book a few times, FIND BETA READERS. These can be friends, followers on social media, or someone random you meet in your coffee/tea shop! Get fresh sets of eyes looking at your work! They will make suggestions, edits, and faun over your book.
Sometimes they’ll make corny jokes.
You will get a TON of feedback, and you will have to compile them all together, chapter by chapter, reading and considering every single comment and comma.
Your beta readers will love you forever when they finish reading your book. Guaranteed. Always. So in love. Yes.
Eventually, your beta readers will finish, and the countdown to publication will begin…
As you near the end, the Universe might have some surprises in store for you. Me? It took me back to the exact seat and window where I wrote the entire first draft of the first book in the series….a very poetic twist of fate.
Finally, the day will come when every major edit is done. When you’ve skimmed and scanned and combed and proofed. When you have a cover design and formatted all the pages to books, it’s time to order those first copies.
And then….the day comes….when your book finally arrives. You see the mail truck pull up and you see the boxes, and you just KNOW it’s for you.
And then you open them and look inside….
And you get to hold it in your hands for the first time ever…..
And you get to put it next to the other books that come before it….
And then you get to ship some of them out to ARC readers who will be reviewing your book before it’s released!!!!
And then you get order an entire shipment for upcoming book signings, and copies to send out to people who pre-ordered, and seeing them all stacked together will ALWAYS be a beautiful sight. Cherish it. Take a picture to show off to potential readers, that image of YOUR books all stacked together.
This is what writing is like. This is what goes into all those thousands of hours of sitting behind a computer. This is how books come into existence. It’s not the same steps for everyone, but the process for all of us is similar. It’s not easy. You won’t see a dime for your work for years, unless you already have books being sold.
But it’s worth it. Pouring your soul into writing a book, or making music, or graphic art… This is the beauty, the struggle, the dedication, the pain, the hours of lost sleep, the gallons of caffeine, the barista friends you make along the way….
Even though they might catch you in your candid element…..
But you will form a bond with them. They will learn your favorite order, have it ready the moment you walk in the door. And if you ever leave, it will be a heart-wrenching day…
They might give you a keepsake, too, to remember them by….
Stay humble, and remember every moment. Every experience. Appreciate everyone who helped you along the way, from giving you free drinks and food, to all the support and encouragement, to the avid fans who rave about your books. They’re all here for you, following your journey as you write.
For this particular book, the journey was 23 months, from December 2015 to October 2017. It takes a long time, even when you work every single day, and stick to a strict schedule. Some days you won’t want to write at all. Some days you won’t want to stop. That’s okay. Just hold true to your passion, and celebrate your accomplishments.
Don’t let anyone tell you not to write. Don’t let anyone tell you you’re doing it wrong. We all live through the same process, from the great artists to the starving artists. If you want to write a book, this is what it looks like. Though writing a book isn’t easy, the reward of holding it in your hands is worth the days, the months, the years. You will have created something beautiful. You will have created art.
