It is national novel writing month and I am inspired to share my own writing journey because, whether it be a book, an article or something else, we may all have the ability to write, but maybe not the desire to do it.
Up until now, the only ‘proper’ writing I had done was at university. We worked in a group and we helped, supported and challenged each other. I missed the group interaction after we graduated and I when I decide to write a book, working by myself is a totally different experience.
I get really good result when working with directors, however, like you, I only have so many hours in a day and reaching the world with my work in its current form is looking unlikely. So many people advise me to write a book and although I wanted to, the big question was, “Did I want to enough?”
At first, my head was so full of exciting business topics I wanted to share, I drew mind map after mind map, adding all sorts of new and remembered information and as it grew and grew, my excitement turned to overwhelm as I realised the massive task I had set myself.
Actually the impossible task I had set myself. My dreams turned to shadows as it looked unlikely that this dream would ever evolve into a book with a cover.
As with many things in life, our goals are much easier when shared with others so I thought about who could help me with my intentions. After talking this through, I was left with many interesting questions, helping me look at the whole project with a different view:
How can you chunk it into more than one book?
What are you hoping to achieve?
Who is it for?
Why are you writing it?
What’s your deadline?
What size do you want it to be?
My passion was resurrected and I was inspired to buy myself a tablet so I could be a travelling author, writing wherever I am around the town, country or even the world.
So now I have an outline of why I want to write a book (I want to share my process so that more people who venture into business will make a success of it) who it’s for (managing directors who want to double their turnover) and how to structure it, I feel I have a solid foundation from where I can grow. After what felt like some time going round in circles, I was amused to realise that the foundation I arrived at is exactly what I provide for my own successful clients, a starting point and a bit of clarity on where they want to go!!
My next dilemma was where to write, I thought about J K Rowling in her small Edinburgh café and my friend Sandy Newbiggin who took himself off to Portugal for a time to be amid the sunshine and the mountains to help his creation. Another friend Michael Cockburn has started a group called Shoal, where people who work alone can discover the increased productivity that comes about by working together.
I have sampled all three methods, in a local café, in a Madrid train station and in a shoal community. What they all provide is an environment free from distraction, making it easy to focus. With focus comes results.
I am truly grateful to the people who have helped, inspired, and encouraged me on my journey so far, if it wasn’t for them I would probably still be going round in circles.
If, like me you are endeavouring to write and are feeling a bit blocked, confused or stuck, then take inspiration from those around you that can help you on your journey too.
My Plotholed Writing Journey
It is national novel writing month and I am inspired to share my own writing journey because, whether it be a book, an article or something else, we may all have the ability to write, but maybe not the desire to do it.
Up until now, the only ‘proper’ writing I had done was at university. We worked in a group and we helped, supported and challenged each other. I missed the group interaction after we graduated and I when I decide to write a book, working by myself is a totally different experience.
I get really good result when working with directors, however, like you, I only have so many hours in a day and reaching the world with my work in its current form is looking unlikely. So many people advise me to write a book and although I wanted to, the big question was, “Did I want to enough?”
At first, my head was so full of exciting business topics I wanted to share, I drew mind map after mind map, adding all sorts of new and remembered information and as it grew and grew, my excitement turned to overwhelm as I realised the massive task I had set myself.
Actually the impossible task I had set myself. My dreams turned to shadows as it looked unlikely that this dream would ever evolve into a book with a cover.
As with many things in life, our goals are much easier when shared with others so I thought about who could help me with my intentions. After talking this through, I was left with many interesting questions, helping me look at the whole project with a different view:
My passion was resurrected and I was inspired to buy myself a tablet so I could be a travelling author, writing wherever I am around the town, country or even the world.
So now I have an outline of why I want to write a book (I want to share my process so that more people who venture into business will make a success of it) who it’s for (managing directors who want to double their turnover) and how to structure it, I feel I have a solid foundation from where I can grow. After what felt like some time going round in circles, I was amused to realise that the foundation I arrived at is exactly what I provide for my own successful clients, a starting point and a bit of clarity on where they want to go!!
My next dilemma was where to write, I thought about J K Rowling in her small Edinburgh café and my friend Sandy Newbiggin who took himself off to Portugal for a time to be amid the sunshine and the mountains to help his creation. Another friend Michael Cockburn has started a group called Shoal, where people who work alone can discover the increased productivity that comes about by working together.
I have sampled all three methods, in a local café, in a Madrid train station and in a shoal community. What they all provide is an environment free from distraction, making it easy to focus. With focus comes results.
I am truly grateful to the people who have helped, inspired, and encouraged me on my journey so far, if it wasn’t for them I would probably still be going round in circles.
If, like me you are endeavouring to write and are feeling a bit blocked, confused or stuck, then take inspiration from those around you that can help you on your journey too.
Categories