Memoir Timeline - Four Steps to Figure Out How Long Will it Take You to Write Your Story
Have you ever wondered how long it will (or should!) take you to write your autobiography? Here is a way of estimating a timeline that is realistic for any writer who wishes to write a personal or family story that doesn't get stuck in endless rewriting.
There is no reason a memoir project ought to be endless.
With dedication on the part of the writer and help from a coach, editor, or co-author, your memoir project can move right along.
Realistically, how much time ought you budget from idea conception to independent publication? Well, to be honest, it's a good chunk, but anything that is worth doing requires sacrifice.
So, expect the writing to take a while.
Here are four steps for coming up with your own writing timeline.
1.
Create a weekly writing schedule and stick to it for one month.
At the end of the month...
2.
Take the number of pages you have written and divide the total number that you project the book will have by that number.
That figure will give you a ROUGH idea of the number of months you need to devote to writing.
3.
This will not be the total time needed to reach the end product.
You will need to foresee time spent away from the project such vacations and obligations.
Add to this, add the amount of time you need to undertake additional research.
4.
Add at least 10% more time for contingencies.
You never know what will get in the way of writing.
This method of tabulation is not rocket science, but it produces a working timetable.
People who do not estimate their time and stick to a schedule that will assure completion in that time end up more often than not writing for years and year.
This produces a mentality that is dedicated to completion by a certain date in the same way that a person who wants "to loose some weight" is not as likely to succeed as a person who has the clear goal "to lose 20 pounds.
" Given that you are a memoir writer who is serious about producing a book for his/her family, my guess is that you can create a schedule that will complete your book in two years.
(If your tabulation is too lengthy, add a few more hours of writing each week.
) Imagine, two years may be all you need to leave a written legacy for your family.
Here's the choice: two years are going to go by and you can have a published memoir in your hands at that time or you can be moaning about how long it takes to write a memoir and in two years have no memoir in hand.
The choice is yours: in two years, a book, or in two years, no book!
There is no reason a memoir project ought to be endless.
With dedication on the part of the writer and help from a coach, editor, or co-author, your memoir project can move right along.
Realistically, how much time ought you budget from idea conception to independent publication? Well, to be honest, it's a good chunk, but anything that is worth doing requires sacrifice.
So, expect the writing to take a while.
Here are four steps for coming up with your own writing timeline.
1.
Create a weekly writing schedule and stick to it for one month.
At the end of the month...
2.
Take the number of pages you have written and divide the total number that you project the book will have by that number.
That figure will give you a ROUGH idea of the number of months you need to devote to writing.
3.
This will not be the total time needed to reach the end product.
You will need to foresee time spent away from the project such vacations and obligations.
Add to this, add the amount of time you need to undertake additional research.
4.
Add at least 10% more time for contingencies.
You never know what will get in the way of writing.
This method of tabulation is not rocket science, but it produces a working timetable.
People who do not estimate their time and stick to a schedule that will assure completion in that time end up more often than not writing for years and year.
This produces a mentality that is dedicated to completion by a certain date in the same way that a person who wants "to loose some weight" is not as likely to succeed as a person who has the clear goal "to lose 20 pounds.
" Given that you are a memoir writer who is serious about producing a book for his/her family, my guess is that you can create a schedule that will complete your book in two years.
(If your tabulation is too lengthy, add a few more hours of writing each week.
) Imagine, two years may be all you need to leave a written legacy for your family.
Here's the choice: two years are going to go by and you can have a published memoir in your hands at that time or you can be moaning about how long it takes to write a memoir and in two years have no memoir in hand.
The choice is yours: in two years, a book, or in two years, no book!
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