November 6, 2023
Should you try one week book writing? Is it possible to write a book in one week? Some people have done it, and they’ve even lived to tell the tale. Maybe you’re fed up with your procrastination, or a tantalizing opportunity to get away for a week has come up. Whatever your reasons for one week book writing, you can do it, too. It will take drive, determination, and total focus, but at the end, you’ll have a finished book.
Have you ever stayed up all night to finish a school paper or work project? If you’re familiar with an all-nighter, you know what to expect from a one week book writing project. Plan to spend the day after your one-week crash course resting. You will need it.
Most people start off their projects with big ambitions and big plans. They begin with a burst of creative energy that they expect to power them through the long days and week ahead. Unfortunately, our best intentions often get bogged down by the demands of daily life, including family, work, and other obligations.
The same is true when you set off to write a book. Even with the best intentions and a solid schedule of writing times, you find yourself constantly putting off your writing. In this case, setting aside a week of time and forcing yourself to meet that tight deadline will force you to keep your commitment. For some people, that one-week burst of concentration is enough to get them to the finish line.
Do you normally plan a staycation? Instead of spending your vacation days loafing around the house, put them to productive use, and write a book. You’ll emerge from your vacation with a renewed confidence and sense of purpose.
Did you get an offer to take a week at a friend’s home or a vacation spot? Did you arrange house-sitting for a week somewhere? Did you win a vacation as a prize? If you’ve snagged an unexpected stretch of time where you don’t have to worry about your own home and life for a week, why not use the opportunity to write a book? It’s a once in a lifetime chance to get this done.
Your book is just one of many projects on your ever-growing to-do list. With one week book writing, you’ll clear the way to go on to the next one. Experts have found that—contrary to our modern belief in “multi-tasking”—the best way to deal with multiple projects is to tackle them one at a time. Get it done, and free your time to work on other things.
Did you promise yourself that you would finish your book by the end of the year, your next birthday, or by the summer? The deadline is looming, and your book isn’t finished yet. Take control of the situation by fulfilling the promise you made to yourself.
Now that you’ve determined to write that book in the quickest time possible, it’s time to prepare yourself mentally. Get your desk space, writing pads, and word processor ready to go. Clear your mind of all distractions, and get started.
Your first step in writing is to create an outline. This is always helpful when you write, but it’s essential when you write under a tight deadline. You do not have time to wonder, “What was I going to do here? What part of the book comes next? Where’s my reference material for this?” You must stay focused and keep writing. An outline will make sure you do that.
The key to one week book writing is to make sure you have a clear schedule for the next seven days. Make sure your friends and family members know what you’re doing. Tell them you plan to write a book in a week as a personal challenge.
Ideally, you should go out of town for all seven days. If you can afford it, go stay in a hotel. If you can’t, do the next best thing by clearing everything off your schedule for a week.
Do you have things you have to get done every week, like grocery shopping, cleaning, or watering the lawn? Ask someone else to do these tasks, or hire a professional.
Some things must be done daily, like eating, grooming, and taking care of your pets and children. If you’re staying home to write the book, you’ll have to fit time to do these around your writing schedule. Don’t neglect important people or pets while you work on your book.
This one week book writing schedule assumes you’ll have 7 full days and 8 full hours each day to write.
Decide which hours work best for you. For most writers, an early morning routine is best. This gets you up and at it during the hours when most people are not around. It’s quiet, and there are few distractions.
This also means you can knock off while it’s still early in the afternoon rather than late in the evening. You’ll still feel like you have half the day to do other things. Working until the evening hours can make you feel more tired.
Some suggested daily schedules for daylight birds:
Do you work best starting in the morning? That seems to be a “sweet spot” time for many writers. However, you will have to work until the evening, and that can leave you little time for anything else. Consider these schedules:
What if you’re a dedicated night owl? You may be at an advantage because you can write during the late night hours when most of the world is asleep. You are less likely to be interrupted. However, you’ll have to clear your schedule with other people in the house who may be affected by it.
Here are some schedules a night owl would love:
To your chosen schedule, you must add these.
Set a daily target of words.
How many words do you need? The length of an average book is 250 to 375 pages, which equates to 80,000 to 100,00 words.
10 pages of a double-spaced book equates to about 2,500 words. If you type 40 words per minute, you can complete 2,500 words in one hour.
Getting 2,500 words an hour means you’ll produce 17,500 pages an hour if you type steadily for 7 hours.
People with experience in word processing, like copywriters, secretaries, and word processing professionals, can hit typing speeds of 80 wpm or more. If that’s you, you may be astonished at how quickly you can write a book.
Writing your book in a hurry should not mean sacrificing quality. Although you won’t have time to polish it in-depth, you should set aside time for a final revision. Editing and proofreading are always important. Whether you write a book quickly or slowly, you are bound to make mistakes.
A one week book writing project is all about getting words on paper and pumping out the pages. You can always edit your book once it’s finished.
Did this guide help you write your book in a flash? If so, talk to Publishing Xpress about getting it published.
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