Day 4... The 3 Minute Rule
One of the major challenges with writing a book isn't really all the steps we've been through, it's how the hell you stay focused for the duration of the project. And there are lots of different techniques, and some work for some people and others, they just don't.
Wayne Dyer used to wake up early in the morning, really more like the middle of the night, and write. He'd set up his desk the day before so all he had to do was sit there and do his thing. That kind of consistency and dedication astounds me, mostly because I don't have that.
So there are a couple of things that really work for me and help me finish that book.
The first is the 3 minute rule...to focus on your book for at least 3 minutes a day. We can all achieve that and it helps us stay connected to the project. At first you'd think 'what can I do in 3 minutes' and you'd be right. Not much. But sometimes, that's all we have the bandwidth for. And sometimes it will turn into 5 hours because the inspiration will hit. The thing is though, that most of us get turned off by the idea of spending lots of dedicated time on writing a book each and every day. 3 minutes helps mentally make it simple to dive in and the more you dive in, the easier it is to stay in flow with its creation.
The second is the sprinter's way of doing it...concentrated days where you do nothing but write, eat and sleep. That's how 'Your Inner Council' finally got completed after months of crippling 'I don't feel like it' excuses. 24 hours from incomplete to in my editor's hands was all it took, eliminating everything else to really make it happen. I love the sprint because I get so immersed in the work it just magically gets done.
Do it the way that feels good for you, but for goodness sake, keep writing. This is the ONLY way you'll be ready to publish your book. Period.
Wayne Dyer used to wake up early in the morning, really more like the middle of the night, and write. He'd set up his desk the day before so all he had to do was sit there and do his thing. That kind of consistency and dedication astounds me, mostly because I don't have that.
So there are a couple of things that really work for me and help me finish that book.
The first is the 3 minute rule...to focus on your book for at least 3 minutes a day. We can all achieve that and it helps us stay connected to the project. At first you'd think 'what can I do in 3 minutes' and you'd be right. Not much. But sometimes, that's all we have the bandwidth for. And sometimes it will turn into 5 hours because the inspiration will hit. The thing is though, that most of us get turned off by the idea of spending lots of dedicated time on writing a book each and every day. 3 minutes helps mentally make it simple to dive in and the more you dive in, the easier it is to stay in flow with its creation.
The second is the sprinter's way of doing it...concentrated days where you do nothing but write, eat and sleep. That's how 'Your Inner Council' finally got completed after months of crippling 'I don't feel like it' excuses. 24 hours from incomplete to in my editor's hands was all it took, eliminating everything else to really make it happen. I love the sprint because I get so immersed in the work it just magically gets done.
Do it the way that feels good for you, but for goodness sake, keep writing. This is the ONLY way you'll be ready to publish your book. Period.