I know writers who’ve worked on books in chunks for years—pick them up, put them down.
Those who wrote them in a long weekend sprint each month and finished in a few months.
Those who wrote slowly over years, then took a sabbatical to finish (right here).
One writer I know drafted her book in her head on her long commute, then wrote it in six weeks.
A busy mom and business owner I’m currently working with drafted a chapter each week and finished her first draft in 8 weeks (deadlines will do that).
Our lives don’t always allow us to devote time to our projects each day. But doing the work creates a self-fulfilling loop. By committing to your project, whether that’s every week or once a month, and making space to think about it, you increase your chances of strengthening and finishing it.
New ideas come to you in the shower, chance connections in the store lead to interviews, your daily journal yields new possibilities for the work. The work begins to support itself, giving you power to continue. As American photographer Matt Black says, “You feel this thing building. That’s the mental food that keeps you going… Over time I put my faith in that process.”
That’s why I structured my new program over 10 weekly sessions. I have edited hundreds of writers, and I have seen it time and time again: those who commit to a weekly session with an editor are able to immerse themselves in the book, finish, and feel proud of the result.
The early bird has passed, but you can still sign up for the program that starts in January 2023.
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