How I Wrote a Book

I was writing a blurb for my friend, Anese Cavanaugh’s, upcoming second book, Contagious You. For the record, it is a MUST read for all and particularly for everyone who interacts with other humans on a semi-regular basis. It comes out this Fall. 

Anyway, so I was writing the blurb after imbibing a pre-release copy of her book, and started thinking back to when I signed the contract to write my first book way back in 2017. I wanted to hit the Spring book release season, so it also meant I had about 90 days to write a 360-page book -- Company Culture for Dummies.

I also work with a ton of public speakers who want to write a book, or business leaders who want to write a book, or my mom who wants to write a book -- so I started thinking about what I did to get my book done and shipped in 90 days. It also ended up in a few “best of” lists too -- so not too shabby. 

This is what worked for me. I have no clue what worked for anyone else, or how much of this works for you. But I wrote a book, so it works. 

Here is the Mike Ganino version of “how to write a book:”

Dear Reader

Start with a really clear idea of who this book is for before you get started. Think about what their daily life is like. What kinds of things challenge them? What kinds of things do they want? What do they write about in their journal? What do they NOT write in their journal because they are worried someone else might read it? 

I started my book with a really clear character in mind. I actually did a whole character backstory for her as well. I knew where she worked, where she lived, what she dreamed out, and what drove her crazy.  

This way in the middle of the writing, I could ask myself one simple question: “What can I do to help Kristine in this situation?” 

Thick and Juicy ToC

One of the things my publisher required at the very beginning was a Table of Contents. I thought easy enough, I will just make up 22 random chapter titles and then figure it out later. She knew better. She knew if I did that, I would get stuck and lost and not keep writing. So she asked for a more developed ToC. 

I had to not only name all 22 chapters, but also had to map out the major sections and subsections as well. This was a gift. I never had to spend time thinking “what to write next” because I essentially had a roadmap of the book. 

I was able to just keep writing the next thing. I’d never do a book again without mapping out a thick and juicy ToC to keep me motivated and focused. 

Words Count

The For Dummies series of books have standardized fonts and layouts, so I knew going in how many pages I needed to write, what the margins would be, and big the fonts would be. So when I started with my Thick and Juicy ToC, I knew how many pages I needed to write on each chapter. 

I used a tracker to keep track of how many pages I wrote, how many more I had to write, and where I was for the total. I also tracked how many chapters were done and when they were due. 

I’ll admit for the first 175 pages or so, it was brutal. Every time I added some new writing and looked at the updated count and realized I wasn’t even 50% of the way I gasped a bit. But once I hit the halfway mark, it kind of pushed me to keep chugging along. 

So I didn’t have to keep track of words per say. But if I didn’t have that specific chapter goal, then I would have used my promised word count as a way to track daily progress. 

I’m not ashamed to admit that at one point, I hung my tracker on the fridge so that my husband could also help with accountability. 

Done Draft

DO NOT REREAD YOUR WRITING UNTIL YOU HAVE FINISHED YOUR FIRST DRAFT.

Should I repeat that or was the caps lock yelling effective enough? 

Your initial goal as an author (that is still really cool to say) is to get to a “done draft.” There is nothing to edit, there is no book, and there is nothing anyone can do to help you until you have a “done draft.”

So keep writing. 

Your only goal is to have a “done draft.”

Celebrate

There is still a long way to go, so go grab some wine and celebrate your submission of your done draft. 

Get a real editor

Or get three. I had four. Three from my publisher, Wiley, and one that we hired as a technical editor. For my book, I just picked the smartest person I knew who was also willing to be radically honest with me. She didn’t get paid very well -- so it was definitely a labor of love. Thanks, Laura Gassner Otting. s

Oh by the way, she wrote a book that literally changes lives. You should read it. Twice. It's called: Limitless: How to Ignore Everybody, Carve your Own Path, and Live Your Best Life

My editors read through the book, curated their notes, and then gave them back to me to make changes. Some were gentle suggestions. Others were “ummm. This is not your best work. You are better than this. Try again.” Thanks, Laura! 

I may or may not have had some more wine during this section. 

Writer’s Block Sounds Made Up

It’s not writer’s block. 

It’s your ego. 

It’s your fear that you aren’t good enough. 

It’s that little brat from 3rd grade who made fun of you. 

It’s your Mom worried your will get hurt. 

But it’s not writer’s block. 

Tell them all to shut up, and then keep writing. 

Go on a walk. Change your environment. But keep writing. 

Write the Acknowledgements First

As a first-time author, I knew that the dedication and acknowledgements were going to mean a lot to me. So I wrote them first, printed three copies (one for my office wall, one for my laptop bag, and one for my car), and then I read it every single day for three months as I wrote the book. 

Here’s the thing. Only you can write the book that you can write. No one else can do it for you. You will think you suck. You will think the idea sucks. You will cry. You will think about the time I said that writer’s block sounds made up and hate me. You will think you can’t do it. 

But you can.

I promise that they day you hold the thing in your hand and realize that no one can take it away from you will go down as one of your best. It’s a thing you did. And now you are an author. 

 Keep writing. You’re the only you who can.