Dear Busy Writer, If you picked up this guide, you have a dream: You want to write a novel, or possibly a memoir. It might be your first book or your tenth, but you need some help. Most books on writing give you a ton of useful information and inspiration, but no progressive steps to help you actually sit down and write a novel from the beginning to the end. You close the book, and you''re fired up, but you still don''t know where to start. This guide breaks down planning and writing your book into small, daily steps that will get you to the finish line. Since I developed this system, I''ve helped thousands of people of all ages and skill levels write and finish their novels, and I can help you too. How will you complete this creative marathon? It''s simple: Take it one step at a time, following the guide, and write for at least fifteen minutes a day. I designed this program while teaching a group of busy working parents who were overwhelmed with jobs and kids but still wanted to pursue their dream of writing a novel.
I was in the same boat, trying to write my next book while raising two daughters, running a growing teaching business, moving our family across the country multiple times, and completing my MFA. In the midst of all that craziness, I wrote and published two acclaimed novels. The hardest part was activating my creativity and diving into my imagination for short stints, despite stress and tight schedules. To do that, I needed a plan, and so did the busy people I was teaching. This guide lays out a daily plan for making your dream a reality. I firmly believe that anyone can write a book. Author Flannery O''Connor once said, "Anybody who has survived his childhood has enough information about life to last him the rest of his days."1 You don''t need to be a literary genius or have an MFA or even a high school diploma.
If you can tell a good story about your uptight boss and make your family laugh, or if your friend leans toward you in horror while you tell her about the crazy dude who smelled your hair in the cheese aisle, you''re going to have no problem writing this book. Often, the challenge is believing in yourself. As a kid, I had a big imagination, but I never imagined myself as a writer. I wandered the woods, dreaming up stories, and sometimes I even wrote them down, but I never thought anyone would want to read them. I spent hours reading in the public library, but I never thought that my books could sit on those shelves. (Now they do.) It took me a while to go for this dream, and maybe you''re the same. Or maybe you''ve already published a book but now you''re overwhelmed with life, and you need a system to get the next one down.
This guide is also for you. I''ve been there, and I understand. I wrote the guide I needed to exist in the world . so now you can write the novel you need to exist in the world. After ten years of writing every day while teaching and raising our kids, I got my first New York literary agent. Our daughters were one and four. Four years later, my first novel landed on bookstore shelves. Becoming a published novelist has been a dream come true, but the best part has had nothing to do with publishing.
Seeing my books on best-of lists, getting starred trade reviews, and hearing from readers have, of course, brought me a lot of joy. However, the simple, consistent act of writing has made me a happier human. It''s allowed me to embrace my own weird imagination and connect with the humanity in others. We are all such wonderful, unique, creative souls. Writing has also cleared away stress and trauma. Storytelling is therapy, and it''s a heck of a lot cheaper than actual therapy, so if anyone complains when you write, just tell them: You''re welcome. One of my favorite parts of teaching novel writing is seeing the change that comes over people as they transport themselves into a story. After writing, their shoulders drop, their eyes soften, they sag into their chairs, and they smile.
Quite simply, storytelling feels good. This creative marathon will transform you. Writing a book is hard work, but it''s the very best kind of hard work, like chopping wood for a cozy fire or cooking a delicious dinner. If you''re still not quite sure if you can do this, that''s normal. Maybe you''re thinking you can''t possibly write a novel when you have looming deadlines at work and a million unread emails. Or you''re a parent, and they grow up only once, right? Instead of thinking of your job or your kids as a reason not to write, make them your reason to write. Writing will make you a better coworker, friend, and parent. Our daughters have been a huge motivator for me.
When they were young, I took them to coffee shops with me; they wrote their stories while I wrote mine. When they painted at the kitchen table, I painted or sketched settings and characters, showing them that I could pursue my dreams while supporting theirs. Then I sold my first book. At readings, seeing their proud faces in the audience was everything. Let the people you love be your reason for pursuing your dreams. This guide will show you how. You can do this. (You really can.
) Happy writing, Kim.