Are you an aspiring author, looking to write your first book in just 60 days?
Writing a book can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right guidance and dedication, you can easily write a book in just two months.
I. Introduction
In this article, we’ll discuss the steps you need to take to make your dream of becoming an author a reality. We’ll cover everything from outlining your story to finding the motivation to keep going.
So if you’re ready to start writing your book, let’s get started!
Challenge of writing a book in 60 days
Writing a book in 60 days requires hard work, dedication, and a little bit of luck. If you expect to sit down and write a book without any preparation or planning, then you’re going to end up disappointed.
The challenge is that writing a book requires a lot of effort and time. As most writers also work other jobs, not only do you have to put in a lot of time and effort writing your book, but you also have to find time to write on an aggressive schedule your book while working.
This challenge may sound daunting at first, but don’t worry – we’ll show you how to tackle this challenge in this article.
Benefits of writing a book in 60 days
But why try to write a book in 60 days?
The great benefit of writing a book in a short time is that it can give you momentum and help you stay focused and motivated to complete your book.
If you give yourself a deadline of two months or less, you give yourself a limit that forces you to get writing. You cannot waste time looking out of the window if you are ever going to finish successfully.
Having a time limit also forces you to stay on track and not wander off target with too many side plots or characters you think of while you write.
If you give yourself unlimited time to write your book, you may find yourself going off track with side plots and characters, delaying your completion date. It is particularly easy as a beginner writer to get distracted by something that sounds interesting.
By setting a strict deadline of two months or less you’ll force yourself to stick to the story you outlined. With a clear outline in place, you’ll find it easier to stay focused and motivated to complete your book quickly.
Overview of the 60-day timeline
Writing a book in 60 days is an ambitious goal, but it is achievable if you have a solid plan in place before you begin.
In short, we start by breaking your project into smaller, manageable tasks and setting deadlines for each one. Then, create a timeline that outlines when each task should be completed. Additionally, it is important to make sure to set aside time each day to write and stick to it.
Finally, don’t forget to reward yourself for reaching milestones along the way!
Let’s get started.
II. Preparation
The most important step to success in this is preparation. Without adequate preparation, your book is unlikely to succeed.
In this section, we’ll discuss what you need to do to prepare to write your book in 60 days. We’ll also discuss the importance of sticking to the plan you create.
Setting goals and creating a writing plan
To make full use of the 60 days the number one item is to set goals for yourself. Goals give you something to work towards and help you stay motivated to stay on track.
Start by setting goals. Get as granular as you think you need but it can be high-level if that is enough for you.
Goals could be
- Complete a first draft in 60 days
- Select genre. Brainstorm plot ideas and characters. 3 days
- Create and finalize the plot and characters. 2 days
- Create and complete the writing outline. 3 days
- Write 1400 words per day. 50 days
- Perform the first draft review, rough edit. 2 days
This example will give you a draft manuscript of approx. 70000 words, just at the typical lower-end length for a modern fiction book. They are typically 70,000 – 100,000 words but this varies according to the genre. Adjust your plan accordingly.
Create a writing schedule for yourself. This schedule should outline when you plan on writing every day for the next two weeks and should include breaks and days off in between writing sessions.
This writing schedule and your goals should be followed religiously if you want to finish your book on time. By planning out your writing schedule ahead of time, you ensure that you set aside the time to plan and write your book without getting distracted.
Brainstorming ideas and Choosing a topic
Once you have your outline in place, it is time to pick a genre and then start brainstorming ideas for your book’s plot and characters.
These ideas will help you create an outline for your book and will help you stay on track when writing your first draft.
Pick a genre for your book that you enjoy or have an interest in. This will make the writing process much easier and more enjoyable for you because you’ll be more passionate about the topic you are writing about. Once you’ve decided on what genre you want to write in, it is time to brainstorm ideas for your book’s plot and characters.
When brainstorming ideas for your book’s plot and characters, it is important to focus on themes or ideas that interest you and that you believe you can write about effectively. After brainstorming a good list of ideas, spend some time reviewing them and settle on a few main ideas that you believe you can weave into an absorbing and exciting plot.
You should also consider how many characters you can realistically create and develop in one book, especially if you are an inexperienced writer. Too many characters can make writing your book more difficult as you’ll have to focus too much on developing each character individually instead of focusing on your story as a whole.
Focus on a few characters that you can develop well and make engaging for the reader.
Write out a brief plot idea and basic information about each of your characters. You will use this information when writing your outline and first draft, so make sure it is complete and makes sense.
Creating an outline
Once you have the plot and characters locked down, it is time to start writing the outline.
Your outline document should cover chapters of your book from beginning to end so that you know what to write. Some writers go into a lot of detail about each chapter while others only outline broad ideas.
If you are very new to the writing process it is best to add more detail at this stage and as you mature as a writer you will figure out if a detailed or sparse outline works best for you.
The outline will help you stay on track when writing your book because it will force you to stick to your outline and not stray from the story you intended to write.
You should start by creating a new document in your word processor to save your outline. For each chapter of your book, add a brief sentence or two covering what will occur in that chapter. For the more important chapters covering key plot points, add more such as bullet points for what will be covered. For other chapters, simply write a sentence or two describing the major point that will be covered.
As you write the outline, be sure to leave some flexibility for later additions like subplots or additional chapters. Even the best plans will change as you write and think of better ideas for your book.
Setting up a writing routine / Making a commitment
To finish in 60 days, you must follow a strict writing schedule where you write every day without fail until you reach your word count. This may seem like a lot but it can be done if you commit to it and stick to it every day for the next two months. It is easy to fall behind and never catch up if you miss just a few days so do your best to stay on track.
The writing process can be extremely tiring and time-consuming, so it is best to set aside a block of time each day to write instead of trying to squeeze in an hour here and there throughout your day. If you set aside a two-hour block each day to write, you will have an easier time sticking to your schedule and writing your book on time.
If you are having trouble finding time in your busy schedule to write, try working earlier in the morning or late at night instead of mid-day when distractions are more prevalent. Alternatively, you could write on the weekends if you have time to do so.
Preparing Your Environment for Success
Your environment has a big impact on your performance and productivity so it is important to create a good environment for yourself when you are trying to write your book.
Here are some tips you can use to maximize your productivity when writing a book:
- Choose a location where you can focus and be productive (i.e. a quiet room without distractions).
- Turn off your phone and computer notifications to avoid distractions.
- Find a comfortable seat that allows you to focus on your work.
- Plan ahead and prepare everything you need before starting to write. For example, you could prepare your meals and water before starting to write so that you don’t have to stop in the middle of your writing session to take care of basic needs.
- Try to keep your writing session to one specific location to avoid getting distracted and losing focus.
- When writing, focus on your writing and nothing else. Avoiding activities will help you write faster and better.
- Sometimes it helps to have music playing in the background to help you focus on your writing but be careful not to get distracted by it. Alternatively, you could listen to white noise or nature sounds to help you focus and block out everything else.
- While writing, consider taking short breaks every 30 minutes or so to stretch your legs and get some fresh air.
Staying organized with a tracking system
Keeping track of your progress is very important when writing a fiction book because it will help you keep track of your word count and stay motivated to finish your book on time.
Tracking your progress doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult. You can use a spreadsheet program like Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel to keep track of your progress.
Alternatively, you can use a simple pen and paper system where you keep track of the number of words you write each day and the total word count you have written at the end of each day.
Remember that the purpose of tracking your progress is to monitor your progress and stay motivated to finish your book on time. You do not need to spend a lot of time tracking your progress but simply adding up the total word count each day is enough to keep you motivated to write more and reach your daily goal.
III. Writing Your Book
Writing in Short Bursts of Time
Writing 1400 words or more each day for two months may seem like a daunting task but it is possible to do it if you write for short bursts of time every day. Writing in short bursts will allow you to maximize your productivity and avoid spending too much time on any single section of your book.
Writers typically write in short bursts and then take a brief break to rest and recharge their batteries before writing more. For example, some writers will write for 30 minutes and then take a break for 10 minutes and then write for another 30 minutes and so on until the word count is complete.
Writing for short bursts is the best way to maximize your productivity when writing your book because writing for longer periods can be draining and stressful.
Don’t stop at the word count if you are still feeling good and can carry on. It reduces the stress for other days if you get ahead.
Focus to Maximize Success
To write your book in 60 days, you must focus on your writing and nothing else if you want to finish on time. Avoid distractions like social media, television, and video games to keep yourself focused and avoid procrastination.
Try to avoid doing other things while writing because it is easy to get distracted and waste time on other things instead of writing your book. You will lose your focus and it can take time to get back into the rhythm again.
Using a timer can help you stay focused when writing a book because it will force you to finish your session at the designated time. You can set a timer for 30 minutes and force yourself to focus on writing your book until it is time for your next break.
Taking Breaks to Refresh Yourself Mentally and Physically
Writing your book for long periods can be tiring and stressful so it is important to take short breaks to rest and recharge your batteries to avoid mental fatigue. Taking breaks will also allow you to clear your mind and avoid writer’s block when you return to your writing session.
Taking short breaks every 30 minutes or so will help keep you focused and energized when you return to your writing session. For example, you could take a quick walk around the block or go for a quick run to get some exercise to clear your mind and relax your body before returning to your writing session. Alternatively, you could listen to your favorite music or watch your favorite TV show or movie to get some rest before tackling your next writing session.
Don’t stay away too long and feel free to adjust this process for what works for you. Maybe you are most productive doing a long writing period and then longer breaks.
Go with whatever works for you! Try different ideas to figure it out.
Keeping Track of Your Progress to Stay Motivated
As we mentioned earlier, when writing a book, it is important to keep track of your progress and stay motivated to finish your book on time. Seeing progress toward completing your book on time will motivate you to write more and help motivate you to reach your daily word count goal each day.
Basic is best for this, we do not need in-depth stats. Simply adding up the total word count each day is enough to keep you motivated to write more and reach your daily goal.
Motivation is Key!
Reward Your Efforts
Writing a book in a short amount of time requires a lot of motivation and discipline so you will need to stay motivated and focused to finish your book on time. It can be very challenging to complete your book in a short time so it is important to set small goals for yourself and reward yourself when you reach each goal to help with motivation and focus to finish your book on time.
Set small rewards such as the brief breaks we discussed earlier when you write a certain word count such as 500, no cookies until the daily count is done and so on.
It is good to also add larger rewards such as meeting your full weekly goals and you can reward yourself with a movie ticket or your favorite takeout when you reach that goal.
Setting goals and rewarding yourself when you reach those goals will help you stay motivated and focused to finish your book on time.
Editing and Revising as You Go Along
It is important to edit and revise your book as you go along to improve the book.
Editing and revising your book as you go along will allow you to easily change any parts of your book that you do not like instead of waiting until the end to make changes. It can be a major endeavor to make big changes once you are at or near the end of the first draft. Better to figure out problems or incorporate better ideas earlier on and change them now than wait until the end when it will be more difficult to fix.
V Conclusion
To summarize, writing your book in 60 days is possible! Create a plan and follow it daily. 1400 words a day is not as insurmountable a task as it first feels when you start out.
It will require dedication and discipline but it is possible if you set small goals for yourself and reward yourself when you reach each goal to help stay motivated and focused to finish your book on time.
Make sure to keep yourself focused and during writing time, eliminate distractions like social media, television, and video games to avoid procrastination when writing a book in a short amount of time. Also, make sure to edit and revise your book as you go along to avoid writer’s block when finishing your book on time.
Good luck and let us know how you did!