If any journey starts with a first step, finishing the journey means taking the last step. How many people have a great idea for a book, start it with great enthusiasm only to see it fade away? Why does this happen?
- The WHY is not big enough. Just like any project that starts in the garage or in the sewing room and is soon abandoned, it’s purpose is not big enough. The reason you started the book doesn’t have urgency or isn’t that important, so it gets left behind.
- You attempt to do it alone. The idea of writing a book is a grand concept. So grand, in fact, that we often don’t tell our friends and family. So if it slides, no one knows. Bring your idea out in the sunlight and tell trusted allies so they can provide encouragement – and yes, accountability.
- You are writing without a coach. When you’re writing your book, it’s easy to go off in a tangent and get lost in the weeds. A good writing coach will help you stay on the central message and keep the momentum going.
- You are writing without a community. Other writers will encourage and stretch you. If you’re not in a writing class learning how to make your writing better, consider it. If you’re not in a writing group where you are sharing your work and encouraging others, consider it. Learn from others who are doing what you’re doing.
- You have no sense of urgency. Open-ended deadlines and unstructured times are fatal to your book. Get your calendar out and set goals on when you will finish a chapter and what time of day you will commit to writing.
- Listening to the wrong people. The most expensive thing you’ll ever pay for is attention to the wrong people. If they convince you it won’t work, it won’t. Avoid them and move on.
- Believing that you or your story is not good enough. Has anyone ever asked you, “Who do you think you are?” Let them know that you are a strong, unique, interesting person by having confidence in your self-worth and your story. Just by writing your story, you inspire others.
- You’re a perfectionist. Perfectionists are never done. They’re always picking apart details, adding little tidbits, or looking for errors. Strive for excellence, not perfection.
- You compare yourself to others. Wow! When does this end? We tell our children not to do this, but we do it ourselves. Stop the comparisons. Encourage others and by all means, believe in your own abilities.
- You’re forgetting about your audience. Tell your story in a way that is meaningful to your audience. What do you want them to do? Remember historical events? Learn a lesson? Experience a breathtaking moment? Consider who you are writing for, and they will give you a much-needed dimension to your writing.
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