David Finkel
Three suggestions:
1. Read "The War of Art" (Pressfield) and make the decision to "turn pro". This means you write when you've set a time to write -- no matter what. (When i'm working on a new book i set 2 days a week to do 1,500 words each day, no matter what. Then i edit like crazy later.)
2. Don't worry if your first book isn't "perfect"; don't fear what other people will say or how they'll judge... just get that first one done. The rest come much easier when you FINISH that first one. I cringe at times with how poorly written my first book (self published back in 1998) was. But I'm proud that i got myself to do it. Here i am, 11 books later, and i'm getting better and better with each book i write.
3. If you're doing non-fiction, consider working through your ideas through teaching or blogging. I always teach on a subject of a new book for a year or more, write numerous articles on the subject matter, and use that as a starting point for the book. I get to see audience reaction to my ideas and struggle with the language for a bit first to find my final version.
1. Read "The War of Art" (Pressfield) and make the decision to "turn pro". This means you write when you've set a time to write -- no matter what. (When i'm working on a new book i set 2 days a week to do 1,500 words each day, no matter what. Then i edit like crazy later.)
2. Don't worry if your first book isn't "perfect"; don't fear what other people will say or how they'll judge... just get that first one done. The rest come much easier when you FINISH that first one. I cringe at times with how poorly written my first book (self published back in 1998) was. But I'm proud that i got myself to do it. Here i am, 11 books later, and i'm getting better and better with each book i write.
3. If you're doing non-fiction, consider working through your ideas through teaching or blogging. I always teach on a subject of a new book for a year or more, write numerous articles on the subject matter, and use that as a starting point for the book. I get to see audience reaction to my ideas and struggle with the language for a bit first to find my final version.
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