I say, “I'm sorry, I can't figure out what your problem is. I think I have plumber's block”? Probably not, and if he did, you'd fire him and call another guy faster than you can say Drano. Not that plumbing compares to writing, but if we follow the right steps to get the job done, I find that the writer's block melts, the drains are unclogged, and the words start flowing like water from a faucet. But what are these "steps"? Well, a big part of my job as a book marketer is helping people create something they can actually sell: a finished book. Many of us have lots of ideas, but no idea how to get them down on paper.
Unlike other professions, writers operate according to completely different rules. We often don't get to sit down and tell a story, and those who do have developed their own formula for doing so. We see this huge story with all the possible directions we want to go in, we see the packaging, we see the characters, we see the market potential. Then we see Katie Couric or Oprah smiling and holding our book for the whole world to see. Then we look back at the monitor and see an excruciatingly flashing cursor and a blank screen. And we are reminded once again what a failure we are. We have millions running through our minds, but none of them are on paper. Unless you're making money at a think tank, operating this way probably won't get you any closer to your goals.
When a project looms before us, it's like this big elephant—huge, overwhelming, and ready to suffocate us at any moment. An old saying goes, "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." The same goes for writing. You finish the book, one step at a time. But to create those steps, you must first break the book down into manageable chunks. This can be done by creating a table of contents (TOC) that can guide you through the book. My reasoning is this: You would never think of driving from California to New York without a map, would you? How can you expect to finish your book without one? Your TOC is your plan to guide you through your book. If your chapters don't have individual headings, write a 2-3 sentence description of what the chapter is about. Don't go into too much detail. Remember, it's not in your book; it's just a brief description. Once the table of contents is outlined, you'll have a vision for your book from beginning to end.
Creating this TOC will do a few things for you: It will show you any gaps in your story that might need to be fleshed out, and it will give you a sense of completion, of having actually seen the book or project finished, and that's a serious psychological turn for most authors. Because we often live in a world of half-finished projects. Sometimes this step alone can motivate an author enough to finish their book, or at least get it off to a good start.
Once you've created your content, you'll want to go through it and create a to-do list. Regardless of the genre of your book, you'll always have a to-do list. Whether it's getting referrals, doing research, or getting approval for quotes or excerpts for your book, this to-do list will become the next item to help move your book toward completion.
Once the to-do list is complete, set it aside. You should now have a completed TOC with a vision for the entire book and a growing list of items that will need to be mastered to complete the book.
Some writing books will tell you to set aside a day or two a week or an evening here and there to finish the book. I disagree with that theory, and here's why: You need to stay dialed into your subject. When I was working on an upcoming book, I often put the project off for days or weeks, promising myself to schedule the time "as soon as possible." Well, that rarely happened. I found that if I set aside some time each day to do something on the book, I finished it much faster.
The more you have your hands in your project, the more it will stay in the forefront of your mind and on your radar screen, and the more energy you will invest in completing it. I'm not going to tell you to set aside hours of your time every day—in fact, you don't even have to set aside an hour. Take 15 minutes or even five – whatever your schedule allows. If that seems like a ridiculous amount of time, consider this: You now have your to-do list and your outlined TOC! . If you're short on time one day, pick a shortcut from your to-do list and get it done. If you have more time, break up a chapter or two. The idea behind creating task lists and toys is not only to give your project structure, but also to remove all excuses for not doing it. Don't feel like writing today? No problem. There is probably a mountain of research just waiting to be waded through. Get a picture?
But let's say you can't even get past the TOC. “My book has too many layers,” you lament. “Too many backstories, too many things going on. I can't be expected to filter it into a neat little TOC.” Yes, you can do it. It's so simple. But it doesn't stop there - if your book is everywhere, and you really manage it, you'll never be able to keep the reader interested because you'll be the only one who gets it, and what's the point? In this case, you need to find the "heart" of your book or the focus of your story. Ask yourself: What can't you do without this book? What is the one thing this story revolves around? This is your core. If you're still coming up with three or four things that your story revolves around, you're not focused enough, and neither is your book. Build your book or story by finding that thing.
If you follow these steps, your book will be done faster than you ever imagined. And the once dreaded writer's block turns from a stumbling block into a building block.
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