| p>Writing a book is a joyous time filled with | | | | can keep us from getting our book done. The |
| satisfaction and of course a lot of hard work. As | | | | good news is that the solution is simple. You know |
| an author, there are many traps you can fall into | | | | how you clean the kitchen every day because it |
| that will not only affect your profits, they will | | | | needs to be done, you feed the dog, you do your |
| affect your productivity - you want to get your | | | | laundry etc... All of these things you do not |
| book completed as soon as possible right? Since | | | | because you enjoy them but because they need |
| finishing your book, and making as much money | | | | to be done. I am assuming you enjoy writing |
| as possible from sales are two common goals, let | | | | much more than you enjoy cleaning your kitchen, |
| us take a look at four traps you must avoid - and | | | | right? Set aside time to write every day. In fact, |
| how to avoid them. | | | | forget the kitchen - your writing is much more |
| | | | important. |
| 1. Perfectionist trap. This trap catches every new | | | | 3. Publication Trap. Your book is done so now |
| author, and many who have been writing for a | | | | what? This trap catches and holds too many |
| long time. Let me just get this out of the way - | | | | writers in its grasp. Traditional publication has a |
| perfection does not exist. There, I said it. Now | | | | long history and the gatekeepers - those |
| you can let it go. Perfectionism slows you down. | | | | wonderful people that take 6 months to tell you |
| It causes you to spend an hour mulling over a | | | | 'no' they are not interested in publishing your book |
| paragraph. It makes you edit as you write - a | | | | - are standing arm in arm across the threshold of |
| major mistake because it blocks the flow of | | | | publication. Do you continue running into that brick |
| words onto paper and it drastically slows down | | | | wall or do you find another way? A better way? I |
| your productivity. So how do you escape this | | | | would like to tell you that many amazing writers, |
| trap? Set writing goals every day and meet them. | | | | well known writers, have chosen a different |
| Look at your schedule. How much time can you | | | | method of publication. John Grisham, Deepak |
| commit every day to writing? 10 minutes? 20 | | | | Chopra, Mark Twain, James Joyce, Virginia Wolff, |
| minutes? More? Grab a pen and paper, or your | | | | e.e. Cummings, William Blake, Edgar Allen Poe, and |
| computer. Grab the next area of your book you | | | | Henry David Thoreau just to name a few. |
| are comfortable and ready to write. Set the timer | | | | 4. Passive marketing trap. Do not fall into this trap! |
| and write. Just write. Everything that enters your | | | | You wrote the book, published the book and now |
| head lands on the page. Do not stop. Do not edit | | | | you are going to let it collect dust on the shelves? |
| yourself. Do not delete anything - just write. | | | | No matter how you publish your book, you must |
| When the timer beeps and your time is up, finish | | | | market your book. Marketing begins with a |
| your thought and put your writing away. Editing is | | | | website but it does not end there. If you want to |
| what you do when you are done getting you | | | | sell books, you have to tell people about it. Press |
| book on paper. | | | | releases, book signings, interviews and yes a |
| 2. Procrastinator's trap. Oddly enough the more | | | | marketing strategy to get your book on |
| you want to write a book, the harder it can be to | | | | Amazon's bestsellers list. It can be done but only |
| actually do it. I think the biggest reason for this is | | | | if you are proactive. |
| fear. Fear of failure and even fear of success, | | | | |