A first-time nonfiction author with a sizable platform recently sold his book to a publisher at auction. I’m connected to this author online and saw his sale on Publishers Marketplace, so I congratulated him on his well-earned achievement.

Then he asked, “Any tips for a first-time author/writing the first draft?”

This was my answer. I hope you find some inspiration or encouragement in it as well.

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Try to nail your outline and structure before you dive into the writing. The Hungry Authors book should be helpful with that, as well as your proposal, of course. But once you start writing, keep an open hand.

If you're like most authors I've worked with, you may get frustrated or confused or burnt out once you get to the middle of the book. That's common. Don't let it rattle you. Just keep working through the issues—and maybe reach out to someone like me for help. That's not necessarily a plug; it's just truth. Sometimes you need an outside, experienced voice to talk to just to make sense of what you're too close to see.

And write your first chapter last. Feel free to draft it, but don't hone it until you've written the bulk of your manuscript. That first chapter has to do so much work, and you want to ensure that it sets the reader up for what they're about to read.

Above all, just be consistent in getting words on the page and keeping your reader top of mind. You've already proven to yourself that you can do that with how consistent you've been with producing your content.

So now just write a book along with keeping up your content. : )

***

I also shared two invaluable resources, and he shared another that’s been on my to-read list, but I have yet to get to:

• ​Hungry Authors by Liz Morrow and Ariel Curry​
• ​Write Useful Books by Rob Fitzpatrick​
• ​Write a Must-Read by AJ Harper​

P.S. The Hungry Authors authors had me on their podcast last year to talk about editing and writing, as well as working with James Clear and Jefferson Fisher.

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You subscribed to Every Word Tell by nonfiction ghostwriter, editor, and book coach Blake Atwood.

Every Tuesday, you'll receive 300 words or so about writing, reading, editing, or publishing.

Always feel free to reply. Ask a question you'd like to see answered here. Reach out for help with your next nonfiction project. Or just reply to let me know, Yeah, me too.