Top Writing Tips for First Time Authors

Writing a book is a time-consuming process. Most authors underestimate the time it takes to research and write a book, even if they have most of the materials, or are experts in the subject matter. The following tips will help you in the book writing process:

Give yourself plenty of time to write the manuscript. Even if you’ve blocked out several months to work on the project, you’ll probably find the project will take more time than you anticipated. Most authors do not have the luxury of concentrated blocks of time, so be realistic in your estimate.

In fact, if this is your first book, it is a good idea to estimate 16 to 19 months for all the activities associated with writing and publishing a book. Generally, authors can finish their manuscript in 6 to 8 months. If you finish sooner, you can surprise yourself and the acquisitions editor with this accomplishment and perhaps get your book published earlier in the schedule.

Give yourself plenty of time to prepare the manuscript for delivery to ASTD. Most publishers have specific rules for manuscript submissions. ASTD’s manuscript submission guidelines describe how to name your chapter and figure files; what formats, style, and tone of writing you should use, and what types of files ASTD can use in the production process. Preparing your manuscript for submission takes time, so build manuscript preparation time into your master plan.

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