Writing a book feels exciting… until it gets overwhelming.
Being a published author is an appealing idea. An oft-cited survey done a few years ago claimed that 81% of Americans think they “have a book in them.”
Whether or not that’s true, as a ghostwriter and book coach, it feels true. I meet lots of people who are more than “just curious” about what it takes to publish a book. There’s usually some level of excitement to it, too, with comments like:
- “I know exactly what I want to title my book.”
- “I’ve had this idea for a long time.” Or, alternatively, “I’ve been working on this for years.”
- Or one I hear a lot in the Bible Belt where I live: “God told me to write this book.”
I 100% understand all these sentiments. I’ve felt them. But numbers don’t lie: only a small percentage of people who want to write ever start, and even fewer finish a manuscript. Out of 1000 aspiring authors, maybe 6 will publish.
Why the discrepancy?
For one, the many hoops to jump through on the journey from idea to book launch can make the process daunting. But there are also many mistakes aspiring authors make that can trip them up and keep a book from either getting finished or connecting with readers once it is.
What are these mistakes? Here are 5 common ones to avoid, and why having a book coach by your side can make all the difference.
1. Skipping Research
Different authors may resist this crucial activity for different reasons:
- Nonfiction authors are writing from their own expertise or experience and
- Fiction (especially fantasy) authors are “making it all up” anyway.
But whether you’re writing from your own expertise, experience, or creativity, you still need to do research.
Are you a subject-matter expert? Great! But there are probably things you’ve forgotten, new research you haven’t seen yet, and specifics of your experience you should verify. Memoir authors may need to check names, dates, and the details of events.
As for fiction authors, no matter how fantastic your world, on some level (injuries, plant/animal life, etc.) you must include some relatable elements to keep your readers engaged. Elements that are from the real world must be accurate, and those that aren’t must have an internal logic. This is one of the biggest mistakes aspiring authors make.
I love helping my authors with this, whether doing research for them or directing them to resources. Recently, I found old medieval town maps online for a fantasy author I’m coaching, because even though her world is imaginary, her placement of the town in it wasn’t logical. She was delighted with the assistance!
2. Not Looking at Comparable Titles
This is important no matter what genre you’re writing.
For years, I avoided reading fantasy because, as an aspiring fantasy novelist, I was afraid of being accused of borrowing too heavily from someone else’s work.
The problem with that thinking is that you lose touch with what people expect in your genre. Here’s why you should check out comparable titles:
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- Prescriptive nonfiction (self-help, business, leadership, etc.). Know where your idea fits in the existing literature. What’s not covered that you can write about? What’s your unique angle? How do existing thoughts need to be updated or refreshed?
- Fiction. Understand your genre conventions and audience expectations (even if, or perhaps especially if) you plan to subvert them. It’s also helpful to know where your story would sit on a shelf.
- Memoir. All of the above.
These are important facts to know whether you’re querying a literary agent or publishing house, working with a marketing team, or doing everything yourself. The sooner you know these things, the more guidance you’ll have as you write or revise.
That’s why I encourage my authors to find at least 2-3 books not just in their genre, but in their niche, that were published in the last three years.
3. Trying to Stuff Everything into One Book
Another big mistake aspiring authors make, and it’s a trap for both fiction and nonfiction.
- Prescriptive nonfiction writers may give too many details or go off on tangents that relate to the section they’re writing but don’t serve the overall goals of the book.
- Fiction authors can be guilty of backstory overload – pages of world-building or character history that bog down the plot.
- Memoir authors can struggle to leave out events or people who were important to them but may not fit in with the theme or direction they’re writing.
This is where, as a writing coach or ghostwriter, I’ll encourage my clients to use that material for things like appendices, blog posts promoting their books, even second books or novellas.
4. Over-planning Without Ever Starting (or Finishing)
This might be on the opposite end of the spectrum, and it’s one I’m guilty of. Outlines. Notes in different notebooks, half-finished chapter drafts. World-building, daydreaming, research.
In fact, it’s one reason I became a ghostwriter. If I can help other people finish their books, maybe that will motivate me to finish mine. (It’s working – a draft of my self-help book is now 75% complete!)
Hiring a professional like a ghostwriter or writing coach can help get you out of the dream phase and into the reality. I’ve helped multiple clients – some with extensive notes, others with only a big idea – complete their manuscript.
It’s such a great feeling!
5. Assuming Your Message is Unique
Two of my favorite authors, J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, had this idea of “subcreation.” That is, humans are not creators. We cannot make something out of nothing or bring something totally new into existence.
As they would say, only the Creator can do that. Humans can only take what it is and “subcreate,” or in my words, “repackage it.”
Whether you believe in a Creator, creatives in any industry agree with the premise: there’s nothing new under the sun.
What can be new, however, is your voice. Your spin. Your perspective. That’s why it’s so important to identify your distinctive hook and (to bring this full circle) know what else is being published in your genre and niche.
Having a professional to help you brainstorm or guide you in this can help, especially in a market that’s becoming ever more crowded.
Don’t Let These Mistakes Make Your Job Even Harder
Falling into any of these traps can stop a book before it gets started – or keep it from gaining traction once it’s published. Yet if you catch them early, they’re not fatal.
One of the best things you can do to avoid or correct them is to get feedback, accountability, and, occasionally, a reality check. That’s why it’s best not to have just family and friends read your work-in-progress, but people who know writing, know the book industry, and know your genre.
There are several ways to get that kind of helpful critique; a writing coach is one.
Are you ready to get unstuck on that book idea or draft?
Want to know more about how I can help you? Schedule a free 30-minute call, and let’s talk about how to turn your idea into a book readers will love.