Why writing it yourself often takes longer than you think.

By- Michael McKown

Most people underestimate how long it takes to write a book. It sounds simple: “I’ll write a little each day.” Then reality smacks you across the mouth. Months turn into years. Often, the book project gets abandoned.

It’s not about effort. It’s about what the process actually requires.

Writing isn’t the hard part

The book dominates your thinking.

The ideas swirl. You clear your desk, pull up a comfortable chair, sit down and turn on your computer. Then you’re facing that intimidating blank page. Whether on a computer, a typewriter, a sheet of paper or even parchment, an empty page is the go signal.

Now what?

Most people who aren’t writers think writing is just typing words. But if you’re like most people when facing that blank page, you’ll wonder: how do I start this? The best way for a non-writer to begin is to organize ideas, then decide what to include, which also means what to leave out.

Structuring chapters comes next. A chapter is a structural, self-contained unit. Think of a chapter as a kind of mini-book within the overall book. A chapter provides a natural pause for the reader.

In fiction, a chapter advances the plot, reveals character development, builds tension, and provides a means to shift perspective, time or location. In non-fiction, each chapter focuses on one main idea, argument or theme. It is topic driven.

When the chapter is written, is it finished? No. For whatever reason, you’ll be rewriting. And rewriting again.

Decision fatigue slows everything down

Every page requires decisions.
Questions will flood your mind. A professional writer can sit down and begin writing immediately. It could be about some incident in his or her life, a fictional story, a thought that occurred during a newscast, really…anything. Random writing can morph into coherent thoughts and an article, or a book chapter. Then that pro writer will slice off what doesn’t fit the story produced, such as the first paragraphs.

Those who didn’t grow up writing and loving it will likely struggle with organizational aspects. What should be included? What should be avoided or overlooked? How should the story be told? What should be the tone?

Those decisions must also be made across chapters and revisions. This effort requires disciplined consideration, writing, refinement, and rewriting. It is a slow process and second-guessing is constant, and it’s exhausting.

Life interrupts consistency

The writing environment.
A professional writer will budget their time and arrange the circumstances to write. After all, writing is their livelihood. A quiet environment. Without interruption.

Does that describe your life at home or at work? You will certainly need to focus upon your writing, organizing and the through line of your story. You will not be able to fulfill social obligations, such as dinner with friends. That work you bring home from your job will need to be completed at your job. Family time will be minimal, and the apologies to your wife (or husband) and kids for missing family time will be numerous.

Your dog will miss time with you. Your tropical fish and cat? Probably not.

It’s unlikely you’ll be able to arrange uninterrupted time. The result will be a loss of concentration. Your thoughts will vanish when there’s knocking on the door. Your writing becomes irregular and fragmented. When you return to writing, you discover that you’ve lost your place and your pace. You need to get back into the project, and that’s not easy.

Revision takes longer than writing

The first draft is only the beginning.
Your excitement builds! You’ve outlined your chapters, and you’ve begun writing the final one. Finally, it’s time to write the closing sentence. Then: Done with your draft! You lean back in your chair, with a weary smile on your face. It’s time to reacquaint yourself with your spouse and your kids.

It’s time to play with your dog. Or your tropical fish. Or your cat, if it’s awake.

When you’ve recovered from your break, it’s time to read your draft. There will be things to add. You will need to rephrase often. You’ll find things that don’t belong in the chapter you’re reading, then you’ll need to figure out where and how to relocate them. Make the changes, then move on to the next chapter. One after another until you’ve tweaked each one.

Are you finished? No. Take a break, then do it again. You’ll find elements that are not well-enough described, or are incomplete. You’ll find paragraphs that don’t flow smoothly from the preceding one, and/or into the following one. Take breaks so you can tackle the next chapter with a fresh perspective. Breaks are important. Without taking time to refresh, you won’t see the work as a first-time reader would.

Rewriting and refining could well take longer than writing the first draft.

Keep refining the work until it’s as good as you can make it. Once you think you’re done, it would be a good idea to have an editor review it. You can easily find editorial consultants online. Editors bring value to your manuscript. An editor will make your work readable and clear.

In the event you’re shaking your head in disbelief about the complexity, effort and time involved, perhaps you should consider hiring a professional writer. If you want the final work to show you as the author, what you need is a ghostwriter, and choosing the right ghostwriter matters. And then there is the matter of how to write a book with the help of a ghostwriter.

I seldom read fiction, but I do read a lot of biographies, business books, memoirs and more. Most of them were commercially published. I have bought some self-published books that ended up in the recycle bin because I found them to be unreadable. An editor will improve the chances of your book being picked up by a publisher.

And if you self-publish? You will demonstrate that you know how to tell a story without making literary mistakes. Word nerds like me appreciate good writing.

Lack of structure causes delays

Without structure, progress slows to a crawl.
Writing a book is a journey, not unlike a road trip. You get in your car. You have a destination in mind, as well as a route. You leave. You make steady progress. You arrive at the destination. You followed a structure. What happens if you don’t use structure? You wander aimlessly. You waste time. You get frustrated then finally conclude that you have better things to do.

In the interest of saving time and wasted effort, structure is mandatory. Structure provides clear direction and keeps you focused.

Movement without progress is another way to slow progress. Specifically, instead of moving onto the next chapter, you refocus on an earlier chapter. It doesn’t read well at all, you decide, so you rewrite it. This is not progress because you literally don’t yet know what the book is. That may sound strange, but it isn’t.

As you write, your understanding of the story improves. Clarifies. Earlier sections start to feel wrong. You’re tempted to rewrite, but that is a mistake. Your understanding of the story will continue to evolve until it’s completed. At that point, you can clearly perceive the throughline. Rewriting and polishing are then to conform to the throughline.

If you’re considering working with a professional writer or exploring ghostwriting services, understanding the process matters.

Why some projects stall completely

Why many writing projects never finish.

• You get distracted.
• You realize you’re out of your depth and conclude you will never finish it right.
• You have competing priorities.
• You become frustrated.
• Your family life is suffering.
• You’ve got an employment crisis.

Writing a book yourself isn’t impossible. But it usually takes longer than expected, and often much longer than planned.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. It means you should understand what’s involved before you start.