While project management and ghostwriting may seem like wildly different careers, they have more in common than meets the eye. One of the most prominent similarities is that of starting at the end.
In a project, you create a project plan by working backward from the deadline or target completion date. When writing a book, you start with the end in mind and work backward. You start by thinking about what you want your reader to do after the turn of the final page, what your goals are for after you publish your book, etc.
It’s important to reflect on these questions and create a strong foundation before getting into the book. After sitting with your intentions for the book, you can move on to the outline, which will help guide your writing process.
It’s common for authors to want to jump into writing their book, but the concept of working backward works wonders in the writing process. In fact, the introduction should be the last piece of the book that is written because of how the writing journey typically unfolds.
Let’s dive into the importance of setting a strong foundation for your book.
Creating a Focus
If you don’t know where you’re going when you start writing, there’s a higher probability that the writing will lack focus. It may have different themes running through it, the intention behind each chapter may vary, and the content may not flow as well as it could.
A lack of focus dilutes the impact of the book and makes the reading experience more difficult for the audience. In non-fiction books, readers picked up the book for a specific reason, and we want to make sure they’re getting the intended impact out of the book. This is why during the planning phase, we also establish a target persona that we can write to.
By setting a strong foundation with a focused intention, target audience, and goal, you’re able to create a deeper resonance with your readers which will encourage them to take action at the end of the book.
Giving Yourself a Roadmap
When an author starts with the end in mind, they are also able to create an outline with more ease. By knowing what they want to accomplish, topics and stories flow more easily and can then be placed into an outline.
Some authors loathe outlines, thinking it stifles creativity and freedom in the writing process. An outline isn’t meant to shackle your creativity and isn’t set in stone once it’s created. In actuality, the outline helps to reduce the mental load during the writing process. By having a plan in mind, the author is able to focus their energy on the creativity of the writing and storytelling, rather than also having to focus on structure and direction.
Just because there is an outline in place doesn’t mean the plan can never change, content can be added or removed, moved around, or written with a different lens. In fact, there’s a high probability that the outline will change, and that’s absolutely fine. But starting with a firm foundation makes a world of difference.
Avoid Re-Work
From a practical perspective, setting strong intentions and making a solid plan helps the author to avoid rework. For example, if the author writes the introduction first, there’s a high probability that they’ll have to go back and totally re-write the introduction of the book to capture what the essence and content of the book truly ended up being after an enlightening writing process.
This isn’t just true of the introduction. Other arts of the book are just as susceptible to significant re-work if the author doesn’t start with the end in mind. The planning process captures themes and intentions that can be written seamlessly into the content when accounted for early on.
Even with planning, an author should still work through at least a second draft of their book. Expecting perfection on the first go of a book, no matter how seasoned the author is, isn’t reasonable. But the amount of editing and re-work will be significantly reduced with a solid planning process.
As a ghostwriter and former project manager, I can help substantially reduce the load of bringing your book to life. If you’d like to learn more about how we can make that happen, book a free strategy session using the button below.
Disclaimer: This blog should not be construed as providing, or intending to provide professional financial, legal, psychological, or other professional advice. It is simply meant to share my experiences with those who may find them relatable and helpful.