The challenge isn’t coming up with a great idea—it’s turning that idea into a finished manuscript.
“Vision without execution is hallucination.” — Thomas Edison
One thing I love about being a ghostwriter and writing coach is people’s reaction when they hear what I do. “That’s so cool!” is a comment I get a lot. Then, they often follow up their compliment with something like, “Oooooooh—I want to talk to you. I have this idea for a book.”
So we schedule a time and talk for 30-60 minutes. I give them lots of good information and advice on how to proceed with their idea, but often, little seems to come of it.
To be clear, I don’t just mean I don’t get work from it—I mean I rarely see signs they follow through to develop their ideas. (In fact, because those conversations take so much out of me — even though I enjoy them — I now charge people to book time with me to discuss their book idea.)
This lack of follow-through is perhaps the most important takeaway for anyone who has aspirations of becoming a “real” writer: ideas mean nothing; it’s the finished product that actually matters.
Why?
Everybody Has a Book Idea
You may have heard this said before, but it really is true – the numbers back this up. Surveys show that 50-80% of Americans want to write a book, yet for every 1000 people who have this desire, only 30 will start. Of those, only six will complete a manuscript.
Why so few manuscripts from so many ideas?
Part of this is a phenomenon that’s not unique to book writing. Humans are creative beings, and ideas are fun. They’re exciting. Getting a flash of inspiration is dessert with all your favorite toppings for your mind. It’s a dopamine hit. It feels empowering.
Problem is, an idea on its own is just that – an idea.
“I Have This Idea for a Book . . .”
A lot of authors ask me if their idea is any good.
Honestly? I’ve yet to hear a bad idea.
True, some ideas are better than others. Others need more development. And I’ve heard few — whether a leadership book based on an HR consultant’s years of experience or a teenager’s sci-fi dream — that didn’t sound like they had a lot of potential to me.
But they weren’t bad.
The thing about ideas, though, is that they don’t really matter. You’ve probably heard the business maxim, “Ideas are cheap; execution is everything.” Well, the same principle applies to books.
Because unless you decide to put in the hard work on a regular basis, spend far longer on it than you expect, open yourself to constructive criticism, and almost certainly invest some money into transforming that idea into a book… it will forever remain a possibility, but nothing more.
Get Your Book Out
A good idea is a starting point for your writing journey, not the journey itself. To make measurable progress, you’ll need to plan, refine, and structure your idea. You’ll need to get clear on your audience, which genre your book fits in, and what it will cover. Once you have that, it’s critical to plan a consistent writing schedule, whether that means shorter time daily or longer blocks once or twice a week.
Then you have to be willing to review your work, rewrite, and revise — ruthlessly if need be.
And that’s where the enthusiasm dies. That’s where momentum drags. Because busy weeks, bad days, dissatisfaction with your writing, and uncertainty about direction can quickly compound.
The next thing you know, you’re avoiding that notebook or document altogether.
If You Want a Finished Manuscript…
Still, lots of people seem driven to create their book idea. So why do so many fail to do it?
It’s not because their ideas are bad. It’s because the tedium and frustration of working through structural problems, the lack of accountability and deadlines, and the absence of consistent feedback loops can feel insurmountable.
That’s why I do what I do. Because aspiring authors don’t need more confidence in their ideas; they need a system that forces that idea out of their head and onto the page.
Looking for a way to jumpstart that process? Guess what – I’m holding my second annual writers’ retreat at Camp Buckner this fall.
If you’re ready to stop brainstorming book ideas and start really writing, it’s the perfect place to get traction.
Ready to get off ground zero with your book idea? Attend my upcoming writing retreat October 9-11 at Camp Buckner. See the link for details and registration.