If you think you must wait for years before publishing your first book, you’ve got it wrong. Publishing your first book within twelve months is an achievable goal if you follow the right advice. Keep reading this blog to find twelve actionable tips that can help you get published within a year.
1. Understand the Publication Process
You have to gather as much information as possible about the publication process so you don’t run into problems when you contact publishers.
Make sure you familiarize yourself with the terms that writers and publishers use. For example, a writer sends a query letter to a publisher to enquire if they want to publish their book. Learn terms like these so you can communicate properly with publishers.
You can find many resources online to help you learn the publication process from scratch. However, if you don’t have a lot of time to learn things at your pace, you can connect with a writer to learn about the publication process in detail without wasting your time.
2. Enroll In a Writing Class
You won’t be able to complete your book within a year if you find it hard to write. Enrolling in a class can help you overcome your writing mistakes and get comfortable with writing what comes to your mind.
Many newbie writers avoid joining classes because they think they’ll have to enroll in lengthy classes. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to spend your whole day in a writing class. It’s better to enroll in short online classes that can help you sharpen your writing skills in no time.
3. Follow a Proper Routine
You will find it hard to finish writing your first book if you don’t write according to a routine. Having a proper routine allows you to set the writing goals you set for yourself.
Creating a proper routine is not as difficult as you might think. You don’t necessarily have to spend hours and hours on your writing routine. It’s better to set aside a couple of hours from your daily routine to focus on writing and achieve your writing goals.
4. Set Achievable Writing Goals
Having the goal of writing and publishing your book doesn’t mean you must rush through the writing process. Nobody will love reading your book if you publish “gibberish.”
How can you ensure that you don’t compromise on quality if you have a short time to write?
The key is not setting “unrealistic” goals that are hard to achieve. For example, you should not dream of completing your book within a month. It’s better to set achievable writing goals to write properly and avoid making mistakes.
5. Write According To Your Outline
Following an outline is one of the best practices that can help you write and publish your book within a year. Writing according to an outline allows you to stick to the main topic and avoid writing about things you won’t publish in your book.
Creating an outline is not as difficult as you might think. You can create a basic outline of your book to achieve your writing goals without wasting your time and effort.
6. Overcome Writer’s Block
Many writers hit “writer’s block” when they try to finish their writing goals in a short amount of time. A writer’s block might result from your stress or lack of research. Remember that it’s easier to overcome writer’s block and achieve your writing goals.
You might also face writer’s block if you let perfectionism ruin your creativity. Make sure you follow a proper writing routine and avoid distractions to achieve your goal of publishing a book within a year.
7. Complete Your First Draft
If you write according to your outline, you will be able to finish your first draft in no time. Completing your first draft will boost your confidence and allow you to move on to the second draft.
You might feel a bit disappointed after you review your first draft. Keep in mind that no newbie writer can write an amazing first draft if they have no prior experience. Instead of giving up on the idea of publishing your book in a year, you should accept your mistakes and learn from them.
8. Read More Books
How can you ensure that your book checks all the factors that make it good for your readers? A simple answer to this question is to read more books.
Reading the famous books that have earned the praise of readers allows you to identify the elements that make a book stand out. Make sure you set some time aside from your daily routine to focus on reading.
9. Improve Your Editing Skills
Editing your book is more important than you might think. Remember that you will never be able to write a book free from any mistakes on your first try. Editing allows you to fix mistakes that decrease your book’s readability.
Learning how to edit is not as difficult as you might think. You can join online editing classes if you don’t have time to enroll in an on-site course.
10. Get Proper Feedback
Before you send query letters to publishers, you must make changes to your book according to proper feedback.
You can send your manuscript to your friends and family to get feedback. However, their feedback might not help improve your book. It’s better to send your manuscript to a professional to get actionable feedback and boost the quality of your text.
11. Grow Your Professional Network
Having a bigger professional network can help you get advice that improves your writing skills. Growing your professional network as a writer is not as difficult as you might think. You can join online groups made for writers to link up with writers across the world.
12. Maintain Work-Life Balance
It will be hard to complete your first book if you feel stressed. Spending all your time will never help you achieve your writing goals. Try to enjoy the subtle nuances of life so you don’t get absorbed in your goal of publishing your book within a year.
