WRITE THAT BOOK ALREADY!

         If you need some more inspiration or some tough love, see Barry and Goldmark (2010), Write That Book Already! After giving a list of reasons NOT to become a writer, including desiring: financial security, limelight, structure in your life, free time, not offending your intimates, serving the world, and “hanging around trendy well-dressed people”…none of which you are likely to achieve…they give some advice on getting started: “Start writing and the muse will come. Not every time, but keep at it….Writing is a discipline, and you have to stay at it,” like getting in shape by exercising regularly, and, like exercising, it gets easier the more you do.

To get the book written, they suggest, and I quote:

·   Concentrate on results.

·   Make a to-do list.

·   Write down goals.

·   Establish a schedule.

·   Reward yourself.

·   Have someone you trust check your progress.

·   Ask for help.

·   For inspiration, go to a literary event….

·   Break the writing into smaller, more manageable sections.

·   Write a chapter outline and then commit yourself to completing each small section.

·   Write the book out of order.

·   Figure out what works for you.

·   If you get stuck, take a walk.

Much of the rest of their book is dedicated to telling would-be authors how to navigate the path to being published by a conventional publisher, although alternatives are discussed. I assume most of my readers are not going this traditional route, as I chose not to.

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