There is little magic about writing a book
While writing my second book, I felt more confident about the process than ever before. I kept a document with all my thoughts, tips, and frustrations. This is part one.
After my first book, I said I wouldn't write any more for a while. Less than a year later, I started to get the itch, because I enjoyed the process and now know better how (not) to do it. There's nothing magical about writing.
If you want to write a book, you have to write
Talking about wanting to write a book, thinking about it, making plans, having coffee with people who have written books—it's all not writing. It feels like you're doing something, but as long as you don't write, that book won't happen.
Why are you doing it?
Writing a book is like running a marathon, something some people want to check off a list. Ask yourself why you want to do it. For yourself? To address a topic? Because you enjoy it? That last one is a fantastic reason, by the way.
Writing is deleting
Sometimes, when I'd written a beautiful sentence, I'd laugh with joy. I'd also have days where I'd write for hours and then hit the delete button the next day because everything I'd written was rubbish. It's part of it.
What are you throwing away?
Adding another project means pausing another. You can't do everything.
Writing a book is a relatively big project in your life. To make room for it, something has to go. I sold my marathon entry and chose to focus entirely on " How Do You Feel ?"
I continued exercising, but less intensively. I continued working full-time for the newspaper, but took on fewer presentation jobs. I continued seeing my family and friends, of course, but I stopped popping in for a quick coffee as often.
Google Docs is enough
I bought the fancy writing program Scrivener for €69.99. I ended up writing my entire book in Google Docs. You don't need much.
Writing can be done anywhere
I wrote in the Netherlands, Vietnam, Morocco, Spain, Germany, Italy; in coffee shops behind my laptop, at my desk on my iMac, on the train, at the airport, from my bed...
There is always a reason not to write, and there is often also a way to do it.
Romanticize the writing, don't exaggerate
I sometimes lit candles when I worked from home. I made coffee in my favorite mug, and on Friday afternoons I poured myself sparkling water in a wine glass and grabbed a nice bowl for my chips. It made me feel like Carrie Bradshaw.
But it's good to know that you don't need alcohol to write. No cigarettes either. Actually, no chips either.
Make it easy to get into the flow.
I made a playlist for myself. I used it every time I worked on "How Do You Feel?" so I could get into the flow right away.
Create your own online writing space
I created a new account on Google Chrome for my bookwriting sessions. Only my research document, manuscript, and drafts, along with Pinterest, were in my toolbar. This way, I wasn't distracted by email, news, or social media.
Pinterest for conscious distraction
Sometimes I struggle to focus. If I get really stuck, I'll read or watch something that keeps me focused on my writing topic. I have a folder with links and videos so I can easily find something without losing my flow.
Or I'd scroll through the Pinterest board I created. Everything that inspires me, helps me write, and quotes about feeling, I've saved to a board.
In short:
There is little magic about writing a book.
It's sit, stay seated and write.
Sometimes with ease. More often with resistance.
But if you continue, you will create something that is not fleeting and completely yours ❤.
How Do You Feel?, my second book , is about finding your feelings in the competitive society we live in. It's a confronting yet hopeful book about perhaps our most human ability: feeling. It's published on November 25th and can be pre-ordered now .