Can I really write a book?

Does that thought seem familiar? I can’t even express how many times those words have gone through my head. Whether you’ve known since childhood you were destined to be a writer or you’re just discovering your passion for the craft now, it’s likely you’ve also stopped to consider whether you have the discipline, the drive, the mental, emotional, and physical wherewithal to truly finish a full-length, publish-worthy manuscript. And, I bet if you admitted it, you would say this thought is what has stopped you from seriously attempting it.

The Problem With “Can I?”

I, too, felt that uncertainty. Many times, I pondered my ability to write a novel, but it was not until my early adulthood that I understood the problem with what I was asking myself. At the time, I was making some big transitions and trying to figure out my ultimate path in life. Writing and publishing a novel was right up there on the list of things I knew I was going to do one day. Maybe now was the time.

But can I do it? Do I have what it takes? Will I be able to finish something? Will it be any good? All of these questions have the same basic flaw—the phrasing leaves it open for the answers to be “no.” 

Yet, somehow, the possibility of that being the answer seemed preposterous. How could I not be able to write a novel when it’s been something I’ve wanted to do since forever? And then I realized that I was putting my focus on the wrong word. Instead of questioning my abilities, I needed to concentrate on my want. Up until that point, I had yet to purposefully attempt writing a full-length novel. I had no idea whatsoever what to expect on that front. So why bother wondering about it?

On the other hand, I did absolutely, unequivocally know that writing a novel was something I wanted to do. The certainty I felt in this knowledge created a driving force, a burning desire within me to complete the task. I couldn’t let fear of the unknown stop me from my attempt. So instead of asking “can I?” I began telling myself “I want to.”

The Results of Wanting Something Really, Really Badly

Once my mind made this switch, it was like autopilot took over. My revelation happened to coincide with the start of NaNoWriMo, so I sat down at 11:59 pm on October 31st at my computer with my one-sentence idea written on a post-it note, and I began to type.

And I typed. And I typed. And I slept. And I ate. And I typed. And I drove to another state. And I typed. And I started a new job. And I typed. And I typed. And at the end of a month, I typed the last sentence that would complete my very first novel. I had finally answered my initial question. Can I write a book? Yes. I absolutely could, and I had the manuscript to prove it. 

But when I finally came down from my NaNo finisher cloud, I reflected on what had just happened. How was I able to do that, and why did it seem like it was no trouble at all? I searched my psyche and found that one very important thing had disappeared: I was no longer afraid of the answer being “no.” In fact, I had ignored my nagging doubts and simply forged ahead as if I already knew I could do it. And I did. 

Assume the Answer Is “Yes”

If you’ve been waiting to start a project because you just aren’t sure if you can make it through, then I ask you this—what would you do if you already knew that “yes” is the answer to the question “can I write a book?” Would you leap with joy and then immediately start typing?

Don’t let the fear of “no” hold you back. You can do this. You can finish your novel—and you can do it this year! To help you out, Gabriela has created an awesome new resource for everyone. We’re still putting on the finishing touches, but we wanted you to be the first to know about it. We’ll be emailing more information soon!

In the meantime, the DIYMFA Team has compiled a series of articles from the DIYMFA archives. These articles are designed to highlight the most important craft elements for writing a novel.

Sign up and get access to the depth and breadth of collective knowledge showcased on our website. You’ll also have access to our Roadmap to Novel Success which shows you how to do deep dive on the three key elements of storytelling—character, world building, and structure. These fundamental elements are crucial if you want to craft a compelling narrative.

Jeanette the Writer is an editor, coach, and freelance writer who wants to help others demolish their editing fears and finish their manuscript. As a former scuba instructor turned entrepreneur, Jeanette knows about putting in the hard work to pursue your passions. She has worked with authors, speakers, coaches, and entrepreneurs—empowering them with the right mindset, knowledge, and tools to help them tackle their editing goals. You can learn more about Jeanette by visiting JeanetteTheWriter.com. 

The post What Happens When You Decide the Answer is “Yes”? appeared first on DIY MFA.

In this episode I break down the art of the ask into three simple steps and walk you through how you can artfully ask for things as small as a re-tweet or as large as the favor I asked for when I was in college. Listen in to hear the whole story.

The Art of the Ask in 3 Simple Steps

1) Just ask.

Most of us are so scared of hearing that “no” that we hold off on asking for things that are actually quite feasible. Most people are good and altruistic at heart, and they’ll be happy to offer some help… if they know you need it. But they’re not mind-readers and they won’t know to help you unless you ask. The first step to getting the help you want or need is to swallow your pride and ask for help. What’s the worst thing that could happen?

2) Show what’s in it for them.

Yes, most people are good and altruistic, but it doesn’t hurt to show them that helping you could actually help them too. Lead with service and kindness. Offer to help them first and foremost, before asking for something in return. Don’t make it all about you and what you get out of the equation.

And if you’re asking for help from someone truly amazing (someone you’d never be able to adequately “repay” by offering to help them) then just say something nice. Compliment their work. Tell them you loved the talk they gave at such-and-such conference. Thank them for inspiring you. We’re all human, after all, and we love hearing that our work is valued and appreciated. When asking for help, “please” and “thank you” go a long way.

When you do ask for something, make the request specific and super-easy for the other person to do. Don’t ask someone to “help promote your book,” give them something specific and easy that they can do, like tweet out your latest blog post (in which case, provide the link already formatted as a sample tweet).

TIP: Bloggers and people with huge social media followings are unlikely to promote a paid product, so go for more of a soft sell. Put a link to your book in the footer of your most most content-rich blog posts and ask people to share those posts. Alternatively, you can also offer to write a guest post for bloggers and include a link to your book in the bio.

3) Motivate them to help you. (And to do it now.)

People often procrastinate, so you want to motivate them to want to help you and to do it right away. Part of this is making it super-easy for them to help. If you make it as easy as clicking “publish” on a tweet the likelihood of people procrastinating goes down. But sometimes you need to add a little extra incentive to make people want to get on the bandwagon right now. This is where it’s key to make people feel like whatever you need help with is bigger than just you.

Friends, fans and colleagues all want to feel like they’re part of something that’s bigger than themselves. Think of the ice bucket challenge that went viral this past summer. I’m not here to argue the politics or ethics of the challenge itself; that’s a topic the scope of this podcast. (As with many things that go viral on the internet, many people were pro-challenge, but some were not fans.) What I’d like to underscore is how the challenge made people feel like they belonged to something meaningful and how it motivated people to join the charge because they wanted to be part of this movement. The challenge created a feeling of camaraderie among the participants and it was that sense of unity that made people want to join… and do it right away.

Questions to consider:

How can you ask for help in a way that motivates people to stop procrastinating and help right now? How can you make helping so ridiculously easy that people would be fools to say no? How can you help first, and ask second? That’s what this podcast is about.

Resource Recap:

After recording this episode, I watched this fantastic TED Talk by Amanda Palmer about The Art of Asking. It’s a slightly different take on this concept, but definitely complimentary to what you heard in this episode so check it out. Amanda Palmer’s book (by the same title) is due out in November and I don’t know about you, but I’m counting down the days to when I can get my copy. Check out her website for more info or to pre-order a copy.

Link to Episode 10

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

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Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome.

The post Episode 10: The Art of the Ask – How to Get What You Want appeared first on DIY MFA.