If you've always wanted to write a book, here's how

Identity Shift

Identifying as a writer is a crucial first step in the journey of writing a book. Petra Meijer emphasizes that anyone who writes, whether it's poetry, fan fiction, or even descriptions of everyday events, is a real writer. She encourages embracing this identity to gain confidence and power in writing 1. Overcoming self-doubt is essential, as many people struggle with inner voices that question their legitimacy as writers. Meijer shares her own experiences with these doubts and highlights the importance of silencing them to start writing 2.

If you write, you're a real writer, and I think you need to embrace the terms being a real writer and call yourself a real writer and believe in that, because that will give you power on the page.

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Recognizing oneself as a writer is the foundation for beginning the creative process.

   

Writing Conditions

Creating the right conditions for writing is more about making time than waiting for the perfect moment. Petra Meijer advises against waiting for ideal circumstances, as they rarely occur. Instead, she suggests carving out time from daily "time confetti"—small, unused moments throughout the day—to write 3. Grant Faulkner, from NaNoWriMo, supports this by recommending word sprints, where writers focus on writing without self-editing for short periods, allowing creativity to flow freely 4.

Instead of using these moments to take out your phone and scroll through some headlines that are going to depress you, use that five to 15 minutes to write and you can actually get a lot done.

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By utilizing these brief intervals, writers can make significant progress without needing perfect conditions.