by Nicola Humber
I know that many of my fellow witches are feeling the call to share their magic with the world by writing a book. But how do you bring this calling out of the ether and make it a reality?
Since the publication of my latest book, UNBOUND, I’ve had lots of people asking about the writing process. And the truth is there’s no one right way to get your book written.
But in this article I’m sharing nine not-so-obvious pointers to get you started right now.
1) DECIDE
Okay, so this might seem obvious, but I meet SO many women who are wanting to write a book and ‘wanting’ is very different to ‘doing’.
I was in the ‘thinking about’ stage of writing my first book, Heal Your Inner Good Girl, for years before I actually made the decision to do it. I would write a few pages and then drift off towards something else.
And the fact is that until you make a clear declaration to yourself and the Universe that, ‘Yes, I AM writing a book’, any attempts you make are likely to be pretty darn flaccid. (Believe me, I know).
As soon as you make a decision, you create a powerful and magical container within which your book will start to take form, which leads me onto the next vital step.
2) TRUST
Once you’ve made your decision you need to trust that everything that comes through when you’re writing is coming for a reason.
Even if it feels nonsensical or unrelated to what you thought you were writing about, just allow the words to come.
This first part of the book-writing process demands that you give yourself permission to simply write. So do that. Without editing or censoring yourself. (Because your muse does not appreciate being edited).
You will gain clarity through your writing. Trust that.
3) NON-LINEAR
So I appreciate the irony of having ‘non-linear’ in a list of what could be called steps to writing a book, but humour me with this one, okay?
As the magical and unbound being you are, don’t expect your book to fall onto the page chapter by chapter in a neat and linear way.
You could force it to come out that way, but it would be distinctly NON-magical (and most likely draining for you).
The creative process is gloriously messy and non-linear.
Giving yourself permission to write in a non-linear way is immensely freeing.
As I said in the last point, allow what’s coming through you to come and trust that you’ll be able to pull it together to create a coherent and compelling whole when the time is right.
4) ATTENTION
Once you’ve started to write your book, know that everything you experience is inspiration and material for your writing.
When I was writing UNBOUND, a number of challenging life events occurred and rather than trying to keep them separate from my writing, I asked what inspiration they could provide to my reader.
Even when it came to closing the book and I wasn’t sure how to end it, I had an encounter with a friend which provided the perfect story for the afterword.
Pay attention. Because the Universe is sending you inspiration continually.
5) YOU
Some of the most common questions I get asked are, ‘How do you write? Do you use a pen or type into a laptop? How long do you write for each day? What time of day do you write?’
And my answer is always to write in a way that feels good for you.
For me, that looks like writing as a stream of consciousness, by hand into a notebook (my handwriting is TRULY unbound!).
I write in short bursts of no longer than 30-45 minutes and generally in the late morning or afternoon.
I also usually go for a walk before writing to free up my muse.
This feels good for me. But you may prefer to so something completely different.
So, experiment. And notice what feels best for you. But….
6) DISCIPLINE
Although in the last point I was talking about doing what feels good, writing a book is a challenge and, spoiler alert, it’s not going to write itself. So it helps to invoke the power of discipline.
Now I know that discipline most likely seems like a dirty word that feels heavy and rigid. You’re an unbound woman and freedom is vital to you.
I recommend using the idea of Divine Discipline – seeing discipline as a way of serving something greater.
This reframes the way you view discipline and makes it way easier to create structure for yourself in your writing process.
Divine Discipline is one of the High Potency Practices I talk about in UNBOUND and it’s a way of harnessing the power of discipline to access your fullest, most magical potential.
7) SHARE
Writing can be a solitary pursuit; just you, the page and your thoughts. Sometimes (if not often), you can question whether what you’re producing is actually any good.
That’s why I recommend sharing pieces of your work as you go.
This might look like adapting part of a chapter into a blog, sharing a quote on social media or creating a short workshop or webinar from your writing.
Doing this allows the whole process to feel more dynamic, you receive feedback and inspiration AND you start to build an audience for your book. Win-win-win!
8) TEAM
As I said in the last point, writing can be a lonely ol’ business and this can lead to a drop-off in momentum. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Allow yourself to be supported.
For my first book, Heal Your Inner Good Girl, I found an accountability partner who was also writing a book. We would Skype once a week to check-in, share our progress and our challenges and to set intentions.
When I was writing UNBOUND, I worked with a transformational mentor, who helped me to access deeper levels of insight to bring to my writing and I chose a publisher who completely got me and my work and provided a family of other authors I could connect with.
Actively seek out support.
Get a writing buddy, join a mastermind, hire a book coach. Know that you don’t have to do this alone and building your team helps you to practice the elegant art of receiving.
9) BEYOND
When you’re writing a book it’s easy to get hung-up on actually getting the book ‘out there’ and forget that this is only the beginning of the journey.
When I first spoke to my publisher, he advised me to see my book as something that would be my calling card for the next two years.
Your book will have a life of its own and you want it to be a long and vibrant one.
Think about how you can share your book and the content you’ve created long beyond the publication date.
Your book can inspire talks, programs, articles, retreats, workshops, blog series, podcasts and more.
Allow yourself to feel excited by the possibilities.
So, there you have it: nine not-so-obvious pointers to writing your own magical book.
What’s stopping you?
The world is waiting for your words unbound one, so get to it!
IN CONCLUSION
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About the Author:
Nicola Humber is a Soul Mentor to and Leader of unbound women. She activates recovering good girls to shake off the tyranny of ‘shoulds’ and embrace their so-called imperfections, so they can be their fullest, freest, most magnificent selves. Nicola is the author of UNBOUND and Heal Your Inner Good Girl. Download her free Meeting Your Unbound Self Visualisation here.
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