Goal Setting and Process

Jaysea Lynn's Writing Essentials

Jaysea Lynn — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 16:47:15 GMT

Current Revision posted to Goal Setting and Process by Jaysea Lynn on 3/30/2026 4:47:15 PM

Jaysea Lynn, bestselling author of For Whom the Belle Tolls, shares her writing process and writing must-haves to keep her motivated. For more on this author visit https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Jaysea-Lynn/238493208.

www.youtube.com/watch

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, video

Give the First Project a Chance

Cameron Crowe — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 16:37:36 GMT

Current Revision posted to Goal Setting and Process by Cameron Crowe on 3/16/2026 4:37:36 PM

If your first project isn't working, don't give up on it! Cameron Crowe, journalist, director, and author of the memoir, The Uncool, explains why giving the first project a chance will allow for you to get where you want to go.

For more on this award-winning director, journalist, and author visit: https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Cameron-Crowe/81024354.

www.youtube.com/watch

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, video

Author Allie Pleiter on The Chunky Method of Writing

Allie Pleiter — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 17:27:39 GMT

Current Revision posted to Goal Setting and Process by Allie Pleiter on 2/26/2026 5:27:39 PM

Bestselling author Allie Pleiter has published over 70 books, both fiction and nonfiction, and has sold over 1.9 million books worldwide. As an extremely productive and successful writer, Allie wanted to help other writers that were struggling to reach their goals, so she created The Chunky Method of writing productivity. The Chunky Method, per Allie, is a way to give your muse marching orders. Your "chunk" is the amount of writing that you can get done before you run out of creative juice. Writers can build a plan based on their individual process and word count goals. The "plug-n-play" schedule can even be used to challenge you and improve your productivity. With this method, Allie has helped thousands of writers and entrepreneurs discover their unique path to completion. For more on The Chunky Method, watch Allie's recorded webinar.
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../TheChunkyMethodofWriting.mp4

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, video

6 Steps for Achieving Success and Finding Fulfillment in the New Year

Sheri Fink — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 21:59:27 GMT

Current Revision posted to Goal Setting and Process by Sheri Fink on 2/4/2026 9:59:27 PM

Being a successful author these days requires more than just writing & selling books. In this session, best-selling children’s author Sheri Fink shares the top six steps for achieving goals and finding success as an author. Learn strategies to increase your courage, creativity, and passion while building a mindset for innovation, hard work, and persistence that will enable your author dreams to come true. These practices will help you be successful not only in the book world, but also in life.

Here is the handout referenced in the session:
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../4760.ALC-Handout-_2D00_-6-Steps-for-Success_5F00_Fink.pdf
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../6StepsforAchievingSuccessandFindingFulfillmentintheNewYear26.mp4

About the Presenter:
Sheri is an inspirational speaker, #1 best-selling author, and president of Whimsical World, an empowering brand created by Sheri and Derek Taylor Kent with a mission is to inspire, delight, and educate children of all ages while planting seeds of self-esteem and high achievement. She loves to write – nineteen books so far spanning 3 genres, including her beloved “The Little Series” children's books and “InstaGrateful: Finding Your Bliss in a Social Media World”. Sheri's newest book, “Beyond Words,” is an uplifting children's picture book that teaches kids ways to express empathy and was written in collaboration with Aflac. Sheri travels the world inspiring audiences of all ages to believe in themselves, dream bigger dreams, and take action to live their best lives. CBS Los Angeles selected her as one of the top 3 authors in her local area, a distinction she shares with Dean Koontz, and her books have been honored with over 40 awards, including 13 gold medals in international book awards. Sheri is also a recipient of the prestigious Gold Mom’s Choice Award, honoring the best in family-friendly entertainment.

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, Recorded Webinar

6 Steps for Achieving Success and Finding Fulfillment in the New Year

Author Learning Center — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 21:57:46 GMT

Revision 4 posted to Goal Setting and Process by Author Learning Center on 2/4/2026 9:57:46 PM

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, Recorded Webinar

How to Write a Book in 2026: A 10-Step Guide

Author Learning Center — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 15:25:31 GMT

Current Revision posted to Goal Setting and Process by Author Learning Center on 12/31/2025 3:25:31 PM

Getting Started as a Writer

If you’re reading this, you probably have an idea for a book you’ve been dying to write. That’s great! At the core of every successful book is a unique idea that inspired an author to take the initiative and write it into existence.

However, learning how to write a book is no easy feat for a first-time author. It takes a lot more than just a good idea to bring a story to life. You need to have dedication, support from others, the power to push through the inevitable writing blocks, and of course, plenty of time to write. A lot of time.

Writing a book can be incredibly overwhelming, but it’s mostly a rewarding experience. Every famous author you can name was once doing this for the first time, just like you. By breaking down the whole process into smaller steps, learning how to write a book becomes way more manageable and quite possible. Follow these 10 steps and you’ll be well on your way to becoming the author you want to be.

BEFORE YOU START WRITING…

Step 1: Set SMART Goals

Before you start writing your book, you need to set a solid foundation of goals to abide by. The goals you set will give you something to strive for and help you form constructive working habits to keep you on track to finish your book.

Obviously, your main goal is to finish writing your book, and that’s awesome. But it’s also super overwhelming. How would you feel if you worked day after day for something and never got any reward? If you never felt any sense of accomplishment? You’d probably give up, right? This is where smaller, SMART goals come into play.

SMART goals will help you break down the monstrous goal of “writing a book” into smaller objectives that are easier to accomplish. They’ll also fuel the fire that keeps you working toward that larger end goal of finally finishing a book.

So how do you start setting SMART goals? Let’s break it down. “SMART” is an acronym for five things that EVERY goal you make for your book should be:

Specific- “Finishing your book” is not specific. "Writing 300 words per day for 12 months in order to write a 70,000-word novel" is specific.

Measurable- While you won’t be able to measure the quality of your writing, there are a number of factors you can keep track of to make sure you’re making progress, such as word count, pages or chapters written, time spent per day writing, etc.

Achievable- Is your current knowledge of the subject and type of book you want to write (biography, thriller, sci-fi novel, etc.) deep enough to be useful? If not, you might want to do a little research on your topic and style of writing you’re trying to focus on. For example, if you’re going to write a suspenseful sci-fi book, make sure your goals include all of the research you’ll need to do to make it scientifically accurate and suspenseful.

Realistic- Make sure you take into account potential obstacles such as jobs, family matters, health, and other priorities. For example, your goal to write 10,000 words per month may be hard to hit if you struggle to type more than 200 words per day.

Time-based- Don't make a goal like “write a bestselling novel” without giving yourself a deadline to work toward. Instead, give yourself a goal of writing five pages per day or 5,000 words in a week.

Step 2: Warm Up Your Writing Muscle

Learning how to write a book is not a quick, one-and-done lesson. It’s a skill that requires constant practice and tedious discipline to develop. Think of it like lifting weights; you wouldn’t lift 200 pounds on your first rep without warming up first. That’s just asking for trouble.

Likewise, focusing solely on writing your book can actually stifle progress and creativity. Instead of spending hours upon hours researching details for your story, try spending a few minutes writing something completely off-topic using a writing prompt.

The idea is to stimulate creativity by allowing your ideas to flow without overthinking it. If you spend all your focus on learning how to write a book, you’ll never let yourself get creative and actually write the book.

“You don't have to be a professional writer to take advantage of the extremely effective writing tool known as the writing prompt. Understanding how to use this tool can spur creativity while helping you work past blocks.”

Step 3: Outline Your Book

As you’re learning how to write a book, you’re also going to have to learn what kind of writer you are.

Are you the kind of writer who plans all the details in advance? Or are you the type of writer who flies by the seat of your pants and writes in the moment?

Why is this important to know? Consistency and structure. Again, this is all about learning how to write and finish a book.

Great story ideas can still turn into not-so-great books. A weak structure can make finishing your book more difficult, putting you in a precarious position where you’re trying to patch up plot holes with uncreative solutions. Then, you start to become disheartened in your own abilities.

An outline diminishes the chances of this happening by giving you a clean, streamlined version of your story to follow and makes it much easier to get to “The End”.

Step 4: Do Your Research

This step is fairly self-explanatory, mainly because you’re doing it already by reading this article.

To put it simply, a huge part of writing a book is knowing how to write a book. You can learn a lot just by researching and reading works by similar authors or books in the same genre you hope to write in.

As you read, pay attention to how the author writes. How did he or she portray the main character? What themes are most prominent? Study what these authors did well (and what they didn’t) and learn how to apply it to your story.

This does not mean you copy their original ideas. Instead, emulate their approach while retaining your own unique style. Learn how they wrote their book rather than what they wrote.

Another method of research you should consider (depending on your book’s topic) is factual research. If you’re writing a crime thriller, for example, you’ll need to know the basic facts of the criminal justice system, how detectives work, and how psychopaths think.

Factual research will also be incredibly important if you’re writing nonfiction. As an author, you need to be a reliable expert. Don’t rely exclusively on your own knowledge—make sure you’re getting the facts straight.

You will also need to spend time thinking about who your readers will be. In other words, who is your target audience? Knowing who your book is for can help you better communicate in your writing.

AS YOU’RE WRITING…

Step 5: Track Your Progress and Stay Organized

One important component of learning how to write a book is learning how to finish it.

A great way to do this is by keeping track of the progress you make, whether it be the number of words or pages you write or the number of smaller SMART goals you complete.

Log your stats in a personal journal or document that you can revisit often. Keep it close by so you can always see how far you’ve come and visualize where you need to go.

Because keeping track of your progress is so important to writing a book, we created a tool to help authors do exactly that. The Book Launch Tool helps you set SMART goals, track your progress, stay organized, and offers relevant resources to help you complete tasks as you work on your book.

Want to try it out? Start your free trial of the Author Learning Center right now.

“When you write a story, make sure you know what is going on. It’s up to you, the author, to get the readers where they need to be, and to make sure that they know what’s happening as they are getting there.”

Step 6: Get “Techy” with Your Approach

You can never go wrong with the basic pen and paper approach. But when writing an entire book, you might want to consider using a few extra tools to help you out.

Thanks to technology, there are several tools you can use to boost your productivity and quality of writing. For example, Scrivener is software that takes on the dual role of word processor and a project management tool. This software comes with a long list of tools to help you transform your fledgling ideas into full-bodied final drafts. Grammarly is another useful writing tool to help keep your grammar and spelling in check.

There are many different types of tools and software, so make sure you do your research and find the ones that make the most sense for you before you make the investment.

Step 7: Experiment with Your Style

Once you have a firm grasp on how to write a book, you can start experimenting. This is where the true fun of writing begins. Like an artist testing different color palettes, you should test various forms and styles of writing to find the best method for you.

Try taking a scene from your book and rewriting it from a different perspective, with a different tone, or with different descriptions. Take the time to focus on elements that you didn’t pay so much attention to before.

When you’re done, compare this scene with your original and sort through the pros and cons of both. You might discover something new to add to your story, a more unique tone for a character’s voice, or a better way of describing a scene that you didn’t think of the first time around.

“Writing style develops with time as a writer evolves, experiments, and takes on new projects. Great writers become aware of their natural style and use it often, but they also intentionally practice writing in other styles to become more versatile.”

Step 8: Train Your Brain to Overcome Writing Anxieties

The number one complaint we hear from authors struggling to figure out how to write their books is a lack of time. Time constraints such as full-time jobs, families, various daily priorities, and unexpected life events can require most of a person’s available time and energy, and leave very little left to focus on writing.

Because of our busy lives, writing can become a hassle. The activity itself becomes stressful. Eventually, we start to equate these unpleasant feelings with writing, thus creating a negative, subconscious behavior where we avoid writing altogether.

But there’s good news. Just as your brain has learned to equate writing a book with stressful emotions, you can teach it to do the opposite. The secret lies within the Pavlovian theory. Essentially, you can teach yourself to anticipate a positive feeling when you write.

To do this, set up a system to reward yourself when you accomplish a task. When you accomplish your goal to write for 10 minutes on a busy day, reward yourself with an enjoyable snack or a walk outside. When you finish a large task, like completing an entire chapter, maybe treat yourself to something more extravagant.

This reward system will act as your encouragement during stressful times. Slowly but surely, you’ll be re-training your subconscious to remember how to write a book and enjoy it.

Step 9: Push Through Writer’s Block

As you’re doing research and learning all the tips and tricks for how to write a book, you’ve probably stumbled on the phrase “writer’s block” once or twice. Writers use this term to describe the experience of a creative drought where they’re struggling to figure out where to take the story next.

The important thing to remember with writer’s block is that it’s inevitable. Every writer will experience it at one point or another. The only thing you can do is to keep moving forward.

Remember: when you’re still figuring out how to write a book in the first place, it’s not about writing the perfect story. It’s about telling yourself the story for the first time and working through the process. You can always fix it later.

Step 10: Connect with Other Writers

The last step to learning how to write a book is to connect and consult with other writers who have been through this process before.

You be might wondering: “Isn’t writing a solitary endeavor? Why do I need others?”

In some ways, writing requires you to work alone. However, the whole book-creation process involves more than locking yourself in a room until you can emerge with a finished copy.

Writers need other writers for inspiration, knowledge of the craft, and most importantly, to grow in their writing abilities.

Many authors form or join writing groups of various sizes, both in-person and online, that meet on a regular basis to talk about their stories with one another. They bounce ideas around and read each other’s writing to provide helpful feedback and constructive criticism.

At the ALC, we believe community is an essential element of completing a book. So much so that we give members a space right on the site to build them, called Author Circles.

Take Your Writing to the Next Level!

Figuring out how to write a book can be overwhelming. However, many now-published authors have done it, so it’s not impossible.

From webinars and interviews with published authors to a vast, online writing community, the Author Learning Center (ALC) equips writers with the tools, knowledge, and skills necessary for them learn how to write, edit, publish, and market their books. There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing our members succeed at finishing their books and becoming published authors.

See how the ALC works, and how we can help you write your book in 2026.

Tags: article, fiction

The most vigorous sport is...writing?

Lawrence Burney — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 14:03:31 GMT

Current Revision posted to Goal Setting and Process by Lawrence Burney on 11/10/2025 2:03:31 PM

Lawrence Burney, author of No Sense in Wishing, makes the case that writing is a more physical activity than a mental one.

For more on this critically acclaimed writer, critic, and founder of True Laurels, an independent magazine covering Baltimore’s music and culture scene, visit https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Lawrence-Burney/214086389.

www.youtube.com/watch

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, video

Wait, so burnout isn't good for writing?

Chloe Gong — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 12:48:25 GMT

Current Revision posted to Goal Setting and Process by Chloe Gong on 9/22/2025 12:48:25 PM

Chloe Gong delivers a new brand of hot take: the hard truth.

Chloe Gong is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the critically acclaimed Secret Shanghai novels, as well as the Flesh and False Gods trilogy. Her books have been published in over twenty countries and have been featured in the New York Times, People, Cosmopolitan, and more. She was named one of Forbes’s 30 Under 30 for 2024.

For more on this author visit: https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Chloe-Gong/163826598.

www.youtube.com/watch

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, video

Wait, so burnout isn't good for writing?

Chloe Gong — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 12:47:56 GMT

Revision 1 posted to Goal Setting and Process by Chloe Gong on 9/22/2025 12:47:56 PM

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, video

How to Utilize Tenacity in Writing

Maggie Smith — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 21:25:46 GMT

Current Revision posted to Goal Setting and Process by Maggie Smith on 7/29/2025 9:25:46 PM

Maggie Smith, poet and author of Dear Writer, shares why tenacity is an essential element in writing, and how you can turn down the voice of your inner critic in order to successfully write.

In her new book, Dear Writer, Smith distills creativity and the craft of writing with a practical guide perfect for fans of Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic and Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird. Drawing from her twenty years of teaching experience and her bestselling Substack newsletter, For Dear Life, Maggie Smith breaks down creativity into ten essential elements: attention, wonder, vision, play, surprise, vulnerability, restlessness, tenacity, connection, and hope.

For more on this bestselling, award-winning author visit https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Maggie-Smith/162798222.

www.youtube.com/watch

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, video

Quiet Workplaces vs. Noisy Workplaces

Freeman Ng — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 14:42:31 GMT

Current Revision posted to Goal Setting and Process by Freeman Ng on 7/14/2025 2:42:31 PM

Freeman Ng's Favorite Writing Location

Bridge Across the Sky is a raw and honest historical novel in verse about a Chinese teen who immigrates to the United States with his family and endures mistreatment at the Angel Island Immigration Station while trying to navigate his own course in a new world. In this video, young adult and children's author Freeman Ng shares his favorite writing space, and how it enhances his writing process. For more on this former software engineer and author, visit https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Freeman-Ng/206497847.

www.youtube.com/watch

Tags: fiction, Teen & Young Adult, video, Historical Fiction, Children's Books

This Is One of the Most Essential Elements of Writing

Maggie Smith — Tue, 13 May 2025 19:25:48 GMT

Current Revision posted to Goal Setting and Process by Maggie Smith on 5/13/2025 7:25:48 PM

Maggie Smith, poet and author of Dear Writer, shares how attention is a form of love and a necessary element to sparking creativity.

In her new book, Dear Writer, Smith distills creativity and the craft of writing with a practical guide perfect for fans of Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic and Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird. Drawing from her twenty years of teaching experience and her bestselling Substack newsletter, For Dear Life, Maggie Smith breaks down creativity into ten essential elements: attention, wonder, vision, play, surprise, vulnerability, restlessness, tenacity, connection, and hope.

For more on this bestselling, award-winning author visit https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Maggie-Smith/162798222.

www.youtube.com/watch

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, video, Education & Teaching

This Is One of the Most Essential Elements of Writing

Maggie Smith — Tue, 13 May 2025 19:25:15 GMT

Revision 2 posted to Goal Setting and Process by Maggie Smith on 5/13/2025 7:25:15 PM

www.youtube.com/watch

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, video

This Is One of the Most Essential Elements of Writing

Maggie Smith — Tue, 13 May 2025 18:59:25 GMT

Revision 1 posted to Goal Setting and Process by Maggie Smith on 5/13/2025 6:59:25 PM

Maggie Smith, poet and author of Dear Writer, shares how attention is a form of love and a necessary element to sparking creativity.

In her new book, Dear Writer, Smith distills creativity and the craft of writing with a practical guide perfect for fans of Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic and Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird. Drawing from her twenty years of teaching experience and her bestselling Substack newsletter, For Dear Life, Maggie Smith breaks down creativity into ten essential elements: attention, wonder, vision, play, surprise, vulnerability, restlessness, tenacity, connection, and hope.

For more on this bestselling, award-winning author visit https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Maggie-Smith/162798222.

www.youtube.com/watch

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, video

How to WRITE When it All Goes Wrong

Allie Pleiter — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 19:15:04 GMT

Current Revision posted to Goal Setting and Process by Allie Pleiter on 3/27/2025 7:15:04 PM

Is your muse shouting "S.O.S!"?

How do you keep the words pouring onto the page when your real life feels like it’s under attack? Every writer knows how stress and personal crises can strangle your creativity. Help is on the way in this honest and innovative class. Author Allie Pleiter offers advice that:

- Gets you through the thick of your crisis
- Gives you tactics that will energize you to keep writing
- Shows you how to communicate wisely with family, friends, vendors, and colleagues
- Teaches you to use your stress to inspire your writing

This webinar session is a follow-up to her presentation, Finish that Book - Even When Life Gets in the Way.

As the author of over 70 books and the creator of The Chunky Method of time management for writers, Pleiter has met deadlines in the midst of some imposing traumas. With candor, insight, and the wisdom of experience, she shares practical and inventive strategies for how to stay afloat and creative amid life’s stormiest seas.

Here is the handout referenced in the session:
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../5383.How-to-Write-When-it-All-Goes-Wrong_5F00_Handout.pdf
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../HowtoWRITEWhenEverythingGoesWrong25.mp4

About the Presenter:
Award-winning bestselling author Allie Pleiter writes both fiction and non-fiction working on as many as four books at a time. She teaches writers how to achieve the consistent, dependable productivity today’s market requires. The author of over 70 published titles, Allie has spent a decade in the publishing profession with over 1.8 million books sold worldwide. In addition to her own writing career, Allie maintains an active writing productivity coaching practice and speaks regularly on faith, the creative process, women’s issues, and her very favorite topic—The Chunky Method of time management.

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, Recorded Webinar

How to WRITE When it All Goes Wrong

Author Learning Center — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 19:13:42 GMT

Revision 4 posted to Goal Setting and Process by Author Learning Center on 3/27/2025 7:13:42 PM

Is your muse shouting "S.O.S!"?

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, Recorded Webinar

Balancing Your Personal Life and Writing Life

L.E. Perez — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 21:23:46 GMT

Current Revision posted to Goal Setting and Process by L.E. Perez on 2/13/2025 9:23:46 PM

Setting those writing goals for the new year can be daunting if you don’t know how to set yourself up for success. Many writers today still maintain a full time job, so finding time to write can be a challenge at best. It is possible to maintain a healthy balance between your traditional work life and your writing work life.

Join author and publisher L.E. Perez for some cues, tips, and examples about how to maintain the delicate balance and still maintain your sanity while achieving the goals you set for yourself. Balancing your day and your writing is possible if you know how.

Let L.E. Perez help you make a plan!

Here is the handout referenced in the session:
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../Balance_5F00_ALC_5F00_Perez-2025.pdf
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../BalancingYourPersonalLifeandWritingLife2025.mp4

About the Presenter:
Laura Perez is an author/publisher with Palmas Publishing and Manra Moon Press . She spent fifteen years working in Corrections and Victim Services while privately working on several novels. In 2010, she was given the opportunity to pursue two passions in life, writing and martial arts. She is a 4th-degree black belt who loves to write fight scenes and act them out for realism. She has published ten full-length novels and multiple short stories, has spearheaded several thriller anthologies with a group of Indie Authors called 'The Thrill of the Hunt' and 'The Thrill of the Heart'. In addition, LE is a Freelance Writing/Publishing Consultant for Macmillan and hosts the Legion of Writers Podcast.

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, Recorded Webinar

Pinterest, Playlists, and a Thinking Cap | Samantha Markum's Writing Essentials

Samantha Markum — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 15:20:16 GMT

Current Revision posted to Goal Setting and Process by Samantha Markum on 1/28/2025 3:20:16 PM

The Hating Game meets Alex, Approximately in Love, Off the Record, a smart, chemistry-filled teen rom-com about two rival journalism students competing for the same position on their university newspaper. For more on this USA Today bestselling author of This May End Badly and You Wouldn’t Dare, visit https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Samantha-Markum/213680878.

www.youtube.com/watch

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, video

Pinterest, Playlists, and a Thinking Cap | Samantha Markum's Writing Essentials

Samantha Markum — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 15:18:02 GMT

Revision 1 posted to Goal Setting and Process by Samantha Markum on 1/28/2025 3:18:02 PM

The Hating Game meets Alex, Approximately in this smart, chemistry-filled teen rom-com about two rival journalism students competing for the same position on their university newspaper. For more on this USA Today bestselling author of Love, Off the Record; This May End Badly; and You Wouldn’t Dare, visit https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Samantha-Markum/213680878.

www.youtube.com/watch

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, video

How to Write a Book in 2025: A 10-Step Guide

Author Learning Center — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 14:02:04 GMT

Revision 16 posted to Goal Setting and Process by Author Learning Center on 12/4/2024 2:02:04 PM

Getting Started as a Writer

BEFORE YOU START WRITING…

Step 1: Set SMART Goals

So how do you start setting SMART goals? Let’s break it down. “SMART” is an acronym for five things that EVERY goal you make for your book should be:

Specific- “Finishing your book” is not specific. "Writing 300 words per day for 12 months in order to write a 70,000-word novel" is specific.

Step 2: Warm Up Your Writing Muscle

“You don't have to be a professional writer to take advantage of the extremely effective writing tool known as the writing prompt. Understanding how to use this tool can spur creativity while helping you work past blocks.”

Step 3: Outline Your Book

As you’re learning how to write a book, you’re also going to have to learn what kind of writer you are.

Are you the kind of writer who plans all the details in advance? Or are you the type of writer who flies by the seat of your pants and writes in the moment?

Why is this important to know? Consistency and structure. Again, this is all about learning how to write and finish a book.

An outline diminishes the chances of this happening by giving you a clean, streamlined version of your story to follow and makes it much easier to get to “The End”.

Step 4: Do Your Research

This step is fairly self-explanatory, mainly because you’re doing it already by reading this article.

This does not mean you copy their original ideas. Instead, emulate their approach while retaining your own unique style. Learn how they wrote their book rather than what they wrote.

You will also need to spend time thinking about who your readers will be. In other words, who is your target audience? Knowing who your book is for can help you better communicate in your writing.

AS YOU’RE WRITING…

Step 5: Track Your Progress and Stay Organized

One important component of learning how to write a book is learning how to finish it.

A great way to do this is by keeping track of the progress you make, whether it be the number of words or pages you write or the number of smaller SMART goals you complete.

Log your stats in a personal journal or document that you can revisit often. Keep it close by so you can always see how far you’ve come and visualize where you need to go.

Want to try it out? Start your free trial of the Author Learning Center right now.

“When you write a story, make sure you know what is going on. It’s up to you, the author, to get the readers where they need to be, and to make sure that they know what’s happening as they are getting there.”

Step 6: Get “Techy” with Your Approach

You can never go wrong with the basic pen and paper approach. But when writing an entire book, you might want to consider using a few extra tools to help you out.

There are many different types of tools and software, so make sure you do your research and find the ones that make the most sense for you before you make the investment.

Step 7: Experiment with Your Style

“Writing style develops with time as a writer evolves, experiments, and takes on new projects. Great writers become aware of their natural style and use it often, but they also intentionally practice writing in other styles to become more versatile.”

Step 8: Train Your Brain to Overcome Writing Anxieties

This reward system will act as your encouragement during stressful times. Slowly but surely, you’ll be re-training your subconscious to remember how to write a book and enjoy it.

Step 9: Push Through Writer’s Block

The important thing to remember with writer’s block is that it’s inevitable. Every writer will experience it at one point or another. The only thing you can do is to keep moving forward.

Step 10: Connect with Other Writers

The last step to learning how to write a book is to connect and consult with other writers who have been through this process before.

You be might wondering: “Isn’t writing a solitary endeavor? Why do I need others?”

In some ways, writing requires you to work alone. However, the whole book-creation process involves more than locking yourself in a room until you can emerge with a finished copy.

Writers need other writers for inspiration, knowledge of the craft, and most importantly, to grow in their writing abilities.

At the ALC, we believe community is an essential element of completing a book. So much so that we give members a space right on the site to build them, called Author Circles.

Take Your Writing to the Next Level!

Figuring out how to write a book can be overwhelming. However, many now-published authors have done it, so it’s not impossible.

See how the ALC works, and how we can help you write your book in 2025.

Tags: article, fiction

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Getting Started as a Writer

BEFORE YOU START WRITING… Step 1: Set SMART Goals

Step 2: Warm Up Your Writing Muscle

“You don't have to be a professional writer to take advantage of the extremely effective writing tool known as the writing prompt. Understanding how to use this tool can spur creativity while helping you work past blocks.”

Step 3: Outline Your Book

Step 4: Do Your Research

AS YOU’RE WRITING…

Step 5: Track Your Progress and Stay Organized

“When you write a story, make sure you know what is going on. It’s up to you, the author, to get the readers where they need to be, and to make sure that they know what’s happening as they are getting there.”

Step 6: Get “Techy” with Your Approach

Step 7: Experiment with Your Style

“Writing style develops with time as a writer evolves, experiments, and takes on new projects. Great writers become aware of their natural style and use it often, but they also intentionally practice writing in other styles to become more versatile.”

Step 8: Train Your Brain to Overcome Writing Anxieties

Step 9: Push Through Writer’s Block

Step 10: Connect with Other Writers

Take Your Writing to the Next Level!

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How to Write a Book in 2025: A 10-Step Guide

Getting Started as a Writer

BEFORE YOU START WRITING… Step 1: Set SMART Goals

Step 2: Warm Up Your Writing Muscle

“You don't have to be a professional writer to take advantage of the extremely effective writing tool known as the writing prompt. Understanding how to use this tool can spur creativity while helping you work past blocks.”

Step 3: Outline Your Book

Step 4: Do Your Research

AS YOU’RE WRITING…

Step 5: Track Your Progress and Stay Organized

“When you write a story, make sure you know what is going on. It’s up to you, the author, to get the readers where they need to be, and to make sure that they know what’s happening as they are getting there.”

Step 6: Get “Techy” with Your Approach

Step 7: Experiment with Your Style

“Writing style develops with time as a writer evolves, experiments, and takes on new projects. Great writers become aware of their natural style and use it often, but they also intentionally practice writing in other styles to become more versatile.”

Step 8: Train Your Brain to Overcome Writing Anxieties

Step 9: Push Through Writer’s Block

Step 10: Connect with Other Writers

Take Your Writing to the Next Level!

BEFORE YOU START WRITING…

Step 1: Set SMART Goals

BEFORE YOU START WRITING…

Step 1: Set SMART Goals