From Bucket List to Book

If “write a book” is on your bucket list, you’re not alone. A ThriftBooks survey found more than half of Americans want to write a book—but only 15 percent actually start, and six percent get halfway through.  

You know why? Writer’s block keeps 33 percent from writing their books, and having no free time is why 26 percent of the 2,000-person survey do not write.  

Or—raise your hand if you’re one of the 16 percent who say perfectionism is what’s keeping you from your book? 

But never fear—turning your goal into reality is totally possible if you have the right tools and structure to guide you.  

I’m an author of two nonfiction books about productivity, and a novel too. I know what it takes to go from brainstorming to publishing. That’s why I’m excited to share these actionable tips and tools to help you finally check “write a book” off your bucket list. 

Before you start outlining chapters or thinking of a title, it’s important to get clear on your motivation. This is your “why”—and it’s going to be important throughout this process. 

Are you writing to establish or boost your authority in your field? To share your life experience so others can learn? To entertain your readers with an engaging story?  

Whether you want to write the next great novel, share your expertise, or use a book to land you speaking engagements and more sales for your business, your “why” is unique to you and your book.  

This might seem simple, but it’s essential to be clear on this because it will guide lots of decisions moving forward, from the genre you write to the kinds of publishers, agents, and editors you seek out. It’s also a key source of motivation for you to return to throughout the process. Publishing typically takes a long time, so it’s important to have a reason to come back to and keep you going.   

At the beginning of the process, it’s important to decide how you want to publish your book. There are two main ways: traditional publishing and self-publishing. Also, there is hybrid publishing, but to be simple here, let’s include that with self-publishing.  

Traditional publishing is the classic way of getting your book out there. This means querying agents and working with a publisher on editorial, design, and marketing. There are some big pros—instant credibility and the ability to work with publishing professionals to get your book out there—but it is highly competitive, and you’ll need to be prepared to deal with rejections along the way. It’s also very time-consuming, from querying to the lead times before publication. The books that you see on shelves right now were written at minimum two or three years ago.  

Self-publishing is a do-it-yourself approach. Many people choose to self-publish because it gives the author full creative control and faster timelines. It also gives you every job in publishing and marketing. Plus, you do need to pay for the production of the book, whereas with traditional publishing, the publisher takes care of that for you. But they also take a bigger cut of your profits for that work.  

Your choice here should be aligned with your goals and your timeline. What you choose will determine your next steps.  

One of the biggest reasons people never finish their book is that they don’t make time for writing. That’s why it’s important to recognize that time won’t magically appear. You need to create it. I wrote my first book, Listful Thinking, when I was working full-time as a TV producer. I grabbed writing time in chunks after work because I was dedicated to making it happen. And I wrote my second book, Listful Living, when I was running my own business. I made Fridays my writing days and stuck to that routine. Carving out time and actually setting it aside is essential. Even if that means just 25 minutes a day! I like using the Pomodoro method, and whether you do one round, two, or three—it adds up. 

Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, you’re always going to start by staring at a blank screen. And that’s where many people give up. But with some intentional planning and prep, you’ll be going in no time at all. Things will vary based on whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction. 

Don’t just jump in and start working on the story itself. Spend some time developing your characters, setting, and plot arcs. This pre-writing work will pay off because you’ll have a structure set up already. One caveat is that some people prefer to write a bit first and then go back and fill out their outline. Either way, your story will probably change as you write, but having a structure from the get-go is helpful for many writers. Ask other authors about their process and develop your own.  

Consider the “takeaway” first. Often, for nonfiction writers, you’re getting your content from your area of expertise, whether that’s your business or your life experience. What is the answer that you’re giving to your readers? What problem can you help them solve? What knowledge or new perspectives are you offering? Within that area, what are the smaller chunks you can divide the knowledge into? Those sub-topics may become your chapters. Again, having an outline is key.  

An important part of becoming an author is entering into a literary community—and that means building your village and being an active citizen. Reading new releases (and reviewing them on Goodreads or StoryGraph), attending book launches and workshops, and sharing resources with your writing community are all ways to build positive connections with other writers.  

Another part of building your literary community is being actively involved in writing groups and having writer friends. I have a writing accountability buddy, and I have for every book I’ve written. It keeps me accountable, and I show up for her to continue her project too. It really helps to have someone rooting for me (and rooting for them in return).  

Plus, when someone has a book launch you want to be the first person in line to buy the book and support them. Once you have a published book you will know how much that support truly means. Being closely tied to other authors will allow you to learn from them not only through their writing but how they market themselves and go through the whole publishing process.  

As a media trainer and coach, I’ve heard more than once from aspiring authors, “I’ll do media when my book comes out.” I always say the same thing: It’s too late. You need to do that work even before you write a word of your manuscript or have a proposal. A platform (yes, even forfiction authors) will help you appeal to agents, publishers, and potential readers.  

Having an online platform to support your visibility as an author is essential. This means social media, newsletters, blogs, and any other way that you connect with readers online. Even better if you can be featured in the news or industry publications. Being able to show publishers that you have a built-in audience is key. A lot of people feel like they need to have a book deal already. But that’s actually too late! Start early with building your networks and sharing your message.  

What you share will vary based on your book and whether you write fiction or nonfiction. For fiction authors, sharing behind-the-scenes writing content, backstories for characters, and discussions of themes or inspiration are all great ways to get readers hooked. For nonfiction authors, consider offering takeaways from your book so people know the value they’ll get by reading.  

There are so many kinds of resources for authors, from working with professional editors to attending conferences. Taking advantage of these resources can be hugely beneficial, wherever you are in your writing journey.  

Lists are key for authors. There are so many kinds of lists that can support your work: 

I use all of these lists to keep track of my goals and jot down ideas. Having a system to organize your lists and track progress is key. Some people use ​Scrivener​, ​Google Docs​, ​Asana​, ​Notion​, or other productivity apps. Any of these is fine, as long as you’re consistent and keep everything in one place where you can find it.  

Once your book is out in the world, your book launch will be the time to capitalize on the audience you’ve already built through your platform. During your book launch, you’ll do speaking engagements, signings, and pitch the media to appear on TV and podcasts. And of course, you’ll continue to do social media and create videos that engage new readers. 

After your book launch wraps, you’ll want to keep the momentum going by reusing content, generating fresh angles on your areas of expertise, and staying engaged with your readers through social media. Be clear, though, on what success looks like for you. I’ve had media-training clients tell me they want to be on the ​New York Times​​ Best Seller List​​,​ and others say they want their book to be on shelves at their public library. Your goal is unique to you and your book, and there’s no right or wrong answer, but make sure you’re clear before you begin.  

Writing a book is a big challenge, but with the right tools and support, you can go from bucket list to bookshelf (and beyond!).