How to Write Your Book: Step 2
Step 2 is really multiple steps that happen over and over again, in no particular order. They are: Write, Edit, Rewrite, Get Feedback, Rewrite, Edit, Get Feedback, and Write Some More. This process continues until you have a full manuscript draft ready to send to a copy editor or publisher.
Books are not written in a day. Not even with AI and Kindle Publishing and whoever you can hire online to whip up a snazzy cover. The book itself still needs to have substance and give readers something they didn’t have before they started reading. And that takes time.
You could say writing an article is like writing a song, and writing a book is like writing a whole album. It’s a process, and it’s gonna take a while.
The Process
How long does it take to write a really good book? There’s no timeline because every book and every author is different. Some famous books were written in only days or weeks while others took more than a decade. I would plan a year or more for writing, and another year or so for publishing… and that’s if you don’t get interrupted. And you might. Life happens. Don’t give up!
Creating and editing your book’s outline is part of this. An outline will help you determine what your chapters should be, what order they should go in, and even how each chapter should be broken up. The reason writing an outline is not its own step is because it evolves just as your book does. An outline is just a guide. It shouldn’t be set in stone.
AJ Harper asks, “Does your book speak to your Ideal Reader? Can they see themselves on its pages? Does your book help them on their journey through your content… [and] deliver on its Promise?” (Write a Must-Read, p. 34). At first, you wrote what you wanted—what you needed—to say. In Step 2 your focus shifts to your reader. Are they able to understand and apply what you’ve said? If not, that’s where editing or rewriting is needed.
Readers read to get something they didn’t have before. For fiction, that may be an escape from reality, or a new way to see reality. In nonfiction it might be hope and inspiration, or something more specific like how to be a better manager or parent.
As you think about your readers and edit your draft, you can go back to Step 1 (writing without judgment) to write chunks of your manuscript, then produce those chunks (however big or small) for others to read and critique and/or for you to edit and rewrite a bit later with fresh eyes. Or you can write a whole book draft at once before doing any serious editing. It’s totally up to you. Just beware that at some point, you’re going to have to edit and rewrite passages and polish up the Frankendraft™ (as ghostwriter Derek Lewis calls it), and reader feedback helps ensure you do that well. Your book is for them, after all.
If this all seems like a bit much, keep in mind it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t be afraid to reach out to other writers, editors, book coaches, or ghostwriters to help you. That’s what we’re here for!
How to Get and Use Feedback
Aside from a lack of marketing, most books don’t sell because they don’t really speak to the reader. Often that’s because the book’s order of information is confusing, or the book is missing info readers need, goes too in-depth on what readers already know, or doesn’t adequately answer their questions or solve their issues. The only way to avoid this is to have others read what you wrote before you publish it.
Yet getting constructive, helpful feedback—and knowing what to do with it—is much more difficult. Here are some ways to ensure you don’t get discouraged or confused.
1. Ask for feedback from other writers and readers in your genre.
Our friends and family are not always the best judges of our “book baby.” Instead, search for other writers who know the art of writing what you’re writing. Writing groups, either online or in person, are great ways to talk to other writers and get advice and encouragement. (A writer friend of mine looked at this booklet before I finished it, and I’m glad he did!)
Avid readers can also be good judges of drafts. Contact people in book clubs or online communities who like to read what you’re writing, and see if it’s possible to send them short segments of your book draft for review. These reviewers are often called “beta readers.” Many authors post paragraphs or draft chapters of their upcoming book on social media and let their ideal readers give feedback. This is also a great way to start marketing your book, because you can never start too early.
Keep in mind, this feedback shouldn’t be about grammar and punctuation—it’s about content and substance, not minor details. If the feedback isn’t useful, don’t be afraid to ask questions like: Why did you feel that way? What didn’t you understand? What do you think would make it better? You may not agree with their feelings or reactions, but that probably means you didn’t express your feelings well enough for them to get it. They’re not inside of your head, which is why you need them.
2. Hire a professional book editor or coach.
Hiring an editor is also recommended, especially for longer full-length books.
Developmental Editors: Developmental editors, book doctors, and writing coaches help authors create a good first draft. As Claudia Suzanne explains in This Business of Books, “they provide a sounding board for fundamental ideas, guide authors through expounding on those concepts, and advise about necessary rewrites” (p. 25). Developmental Editors generally don’t do the rewriting for you, but they guide you on what needs to be rewritten, added or deleted, and how to further develop your ideas for your target audience.
Structural Editors: Content, substantive, or structural editors all basically do the same thing: Give feedback and suggestions on how to fix your book’s basic structure and content so it better aligns with your target audience—after the first draft is complete. As Suzanne describes, “the structural edit, which by its very nature includes a draft rewrite, bridges your initial-draft creativity to the craft that will transform your art into a marketable product,” (p. 25). As I mentioned, writing a book will require lots of rewriting. Some of these editors may do the edits for you if desired, though expect to pay more.
The cost and time for hiring an editor depends on how long your draft is and how much work it needs. Do your research, and don’t be surprised if it takes longer and costs more than expected. (I offer editing services and detailed constructive feedback on almost any book idea or draft.)
3. Don’t let others’ feedback get in the way of your voice.
Receiving criticism is hard, especially when it means you must go back and rewrite what you’ve already spent days, weeks, months, or years working on. Don’t take negative feedback to heart, especially if one comment seems out of place. Get feedback from multiple people and sources. Even editors aren’t perfect. You get to decide which comments are helpful and which aren’t.
Be sure to ask for positive feedback as well. Feedback can illuminate gaps and flaws but also validate your mission. If you don’t get any positive feedback, perhaps you’re not asking the right people (your target audience). Remember that most of your fellow readers and writers are equally sensitive to negativity about their own works, so they shouldn’t be too harsh. Though some may have strong opinions, either because they don’t know they sound harsh or because they just love debating literature. Again, don’t take it personally.
Finally, it’s important to remember how you felt in Step 1. Don’t lose sight of your book’s purpose. Don’t forget that only you can write what you have to say in just the way you say it. Keep going and bring your Frankendraft™ to life!
If you liked this, subscribe to my blog and download my free e-booklet How to Write Your Book: Everything You Need for Your Legacy on my website https://andreakuhlman.com.