Is writ ing a book on your bucket list ?
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t’s said to be one of the most
common items on a bucket list
– I want to write a book! Men,
women, young and old, from all
different backgrounds, this is one thing
we seem drawn to do. Writing a book
gives us the opportunity to leave a legacy
of knowledge, inspiration, or call for
change in the world.
Once upon a time, the only people who
could read and write were the monks who
officiated as scribes. It was a good way to
ensure that God’s Word was kept sacred
and only shared by those considered holy
enough to do so properly. Therefore,
keeping the recording of knowledge and
thoughts was left to only the highest
officials in the land, and their scribes.
This was an accepted part of life, and
women were sadly under-educated
throughout the ages.
However, storytelling throughout history
has always been a powerful way to ensure
traditions, history, and ideas were woven
into our lifestyles. Indigenous cultures
have used storytelling to pass on their
culture for tens of thousands of years.
Slowly over time, things have changed,
and owning a book – let alone knowing
what to do with one – is no longer a
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Women’s Network Magazine
sign of wealth or privilege. We
are currently enjoying a digital
age where it is now easier than
ever for someone to write and
publish a book. And women are
stepping up in droves to share
wisdom, experience, and ideas.
However, we are still radically
under-represented in terms of
world literary lists. Take for example
the 2017 VIDA – Women in Literary
Arts list that shows an average
dropping to below 40% of rated
books were by women that year. worth busting about writing a book,
that might surprise you. For one thing,
you don’t have to be a ‘good writer’. In
fact, many authors are not even writers
at all. It’s now possible to dictate your
book and have it transcribed – which is
a good option for some, as long as you
work with a very good editing team to
ensure your words translate well
into reader-friendly text. A common
mistake many first-time writers fall
into the trap of, is not understanding
the role of the editor in developing a
strong manuscript.
What holds us back? Another common misconception is
about the size of a book and therefore
how long it will take to write one. For
example, a non-fiction book is ideally
around 30,000 words – give or take
5,000 – spread over eight–fifteen
chapters. Let’s break that down into
bite sized chunks:
Some would argue we are busier
than ever, or that there’s too much
information already out there so why
bother adding to the ever-increasing
pile of it online. One thing that
frequently gets mentioned by people
who want to write, is that they really
don’t know where to start, or how to
do it well. Perfectionism is after all a
killer of creativity. Another reason is
many feel they are not good enough
writers, but have lots of good ideas,
and so for many women the option
to speak is of greater appeal.
Here are a few common myths
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Fifteen chapters at 2000 words
Two–four hours writing per
chapter per week (depending
on your style and speed)
One chapter per week
Fifteen weeks of writing (four
months first draft completed)