Make a Personalized Book Writing Plan to Get Your Book Done This Year (or Sooner)

Award-winning writer Kathy Widenhouse has helped hundreds of nonprofits and writers produce successful content and has gained 600K+ views for her writing tutorials. She is the author of 9 books. See more of Kathy’s content here.

Updated 11.19.24

“I want to write a book.” You’ve said that more than once. In fact, your book idea has been floating around in your head for some time.

You may have jotted down some notes or you’ve got a file folder with clippings and facts and anecdotes. Maybe you even have an outline. But an actual manuscript? You haven’t made much headway on that, if any.

What you need is a book writing plan — a plan that is simple enough to adjust as needed and specific enough to jumpstart your writing. A book writing plan helps break down the complex process of writing a book into manageable steps.

Please note that I’m specifically referring to writing a nonfiction book, since that’s my area of experience. But these principles for creating a book writing plan can apply to fiction, too.

If you create your own book writing plan and then work your plan consistently, then in 12 months you will have a book manuscript. Plus, when you spread out the steps over a year, then completing your book is not nearly as overwhelming a project.

Let’s look at the process for making your own personalized plan – a month-by-month blueprint you can follow so that in one year, you will hold your manuscript in your hands.

Your 1-year book writing plan

Month 1: Define your book’s purpose

Your goal: Summarize your book.

Is it counterintuitive to summarize your book before you write it? Not at all.

I’d argue that it’s essential to complete a summary statement for your book before you write one word of the manuscript. When you know your book’s purpose, you will be able to stay on track as you write it.

You need three elements your reader’s main problem, how your book will solve that problem, and what special niche your book fills.

Steps to take

• Identify the problem your book will solve and how it will solve it. Ask yourself if your topic presents helpful information. Does it have potential to positively affect people’s lives? Is it entertaining or humorous? Will the content answer questions or impart a deeper understanding about people or the world? Will it address a topic that is relevant? Does the book tell a story that has yet to be told?
• Identify your ideal reader and their needs. Who will read your book? Create a reader profile that defines the ideal person who needs the answers you’ll provide in your book. Consider gender, age, worldview, experience, hobbies, interests, income, social position, purpose, and any other details that may be relevant. The more specific you can be, the better.
• Identify what makes your book unique. Your book must fill an unmet need or niche in order to be competitive in the marketplace. Use Amazon to compare your book idea to others that address the same topic and are already on the market. Identify how yours is different in readership, format, genre, or the content itself.

Define your book’s purpose when you complete this summary sentence. Then you’ll be ready to move on to researching your book.

My book will be the only one on the market that _____________________________
(Step #3: your unique niche or approach)
for __________________________ readers
(Step #2: target audience)
who want to know more about ___________________.
(Step #1: problem)

Month 2: Research your book

Your goal: Gather information to prepare your book outline.

Steps to take

• Brainstorm a list of key points you already know you want to cover in your book – steps that present the problem and how to solve it. Then look for blanks in the list. What needs to be covered that you haven’t already listed?
• Research your topic thoroughly (using books, articles, interviews, and experts) to gather information to support the points you already have and uncover additional points you want to make.
• Organize your list of ideas into “buckets” that fit together. You may wish to use file folders, index cards, or even an accordion folder. For a non-fiction book, aim for 10-12 buckets. (Tip: these “buckets” will become your book chapters.)

Month 3: Outline your book

Your goal: Create an outline for your book.

A book is divided into chapters. Each chapter has one main idea that contributes to the overall theme of the book. If you plan your chapters, you plan your book.

Steps to take

• Study the list of “buckets” you’ve created. Summarize each with a heading. Ask, “What is the main idea of this topic?” as you read through the content. Your list of topic headings will become your book’s chapter titles.
• Ask, “What’s missing?” Flesh out your list of “buckets.” Add ideas related to your topic that are not addressed by one of your buckets – particularly those that help drive home the main point of your book.
• Organize your “idea buckets” and look for patterns. Can your notes be organized chronologically or in a specific order (Sequence Structure)? Perhaps your points can be organized topically and listed in points (Section Structure) or to make a point (Importance Structure). On the other hand, your ideas may lend themselves to being compared and contrasted with each other (Comparison Structure) or as connecting with one another (Cause and Effect.)
• Choose the best pattern for your content. For example, if your book will be structured sequentially, you can list topic headings that follow Point A, then Point B, Point C, and so on.
• You now have a draft of your book outline. Good job!

Months 4-9: Draft your manuscript

Your goal: Write the chapters of your book.

Now that you know what your book will be about and how you will structure it, all you need to do is write it. And you’ve already accomplished much of the heavy lifting by narrowing down your book’s main point, its subpoints into chapters, and organizing them into a logical order.

So before you get frustrated or impatient or hit the panic button – or all three – let’s look at basic numbers. A standard nonfiction book is 12 chapters long. Of course, your book may be longer or shorter than that, depending on the number of “buckets” you’ve assembled.

For now, let’s assume your book will be 12 chapters long. If you write two chapters a month, you can complete a rough draft in six months.

How many words do you need to write to accomplish that task? The average nonfiction chapter length is 2,000 – 3,000 words (about 8 – 12 pages, double spaced.) That is the equivalent of writing two or three average-length blog posts over the course of two weeks. You can do that … especially If you are a blogger. You likely already write that much anyway.

Steps to take

Create a chapter plan as you write each chapter.  First, write a working title. Then, write a chapter summary sentence that explains Chapter 1’s main point. Next in your chapter plan: a list of the primary points you want to make about that topic (Point A, Point B, Point C, more); material that supports each point (quotes, anecdotes, research, statistics, examples, narrative, and for faith-based writers, scripture); a wrap up (summary, solution, challenge, or takeaway); and if needed, a transition to the next chapter.

• Chapter title
• Main point of the chapter
• Point A (subhead; supporting material)
• Point B (subhead; supporting material)
• Point C (subhead; supporting material)
• Wrap up (summary/solution/challenge/takeaway)
• Transition

You’ve got your chapter plan in place. Now write Chapter 1.
Edit Chapter 1 for content and mechanics.
Repeat the process for Chapter 2. And Chapter 3. And so on.

Tips:

• Set a daily or weekly word count goal (e.g., 500 words/day or 1,000-2,000 words/week).
• Dedicate specific time each day for writing.
• Focus on getting words on the page—don’t edit while drafting.
• After your chapter draft is complete, go back and edit the chapter both for content and mechanics. Did you accomplish what your chapter summary promised (content)? Where can you add, tweak, or cut to make your main point and sub-points clearer?

Month 10: Revise and edit your book

Your goal: Polish your manuscript.

No one publishes their first draft (or book proposal.) Every author edits and re-writes. And each of us develops a unique approach to self-editing.

You’ve already done the hard work of clarifying your book’s purpose … creating an outline for each chapter … writing the chapters themselves. And you’ve already made a first pass at editing each chapter as you go. Now is the time to polish your manuscript.

Steps to take

• Keep your book summary sentence and your book chapter summaries at your elbow. Now, review the manuscript, section by section. Does each chapter advance the book’s main point? Does each chapter accomplish what you set out to do? Make structural chances, if necessary, so that your content achieves its goal to solve a specific problem.
• Use editing tools like Grammarly to check your writing mechanics, including grammar, consistent tone, reading level, and style. Run your manuscript through Spell and Grammar checks in your word processing software and make appropriate changes.
• Proofread your manuscript one more time.

Months 11. Engage beta readers.

Your goal: Have others proofread your book.

Steps to take

• Make a list of 2-5 people you trust to read your book.
• Invite these beta readers or a critique group to review your manuscript, make suggestions, and catch any wayward errors. Give them a time frame.
• Make copies of your manuscript and give them to your beta readers.
• Incorporate your beta readers’ suggestions.
• Alternatively, hire a professional editor to assist with content development or copyediting.

Month 12: Publish your book.

Goal: Introduce your book to the world.

Your book manuscript is completed – but your book is not done, particularly if you’re planning to self-publish it.

Steps to take

• Choose your publishing route: traditional, self-publishing, or hybrid.
• If you choose the traditional or hybrid publishing routes, then …Make a list of potential publishers
  Begin to approach them once you have completed Chapter 3.
• If you choose self-publishing, then …
  Hire a designer to create a book cover.
  Add front matter and back matter.
  Format the manuscript for print and digital versions.
  Develop a marketing plan (social media, email list, press releases, book tour, giveaways)
  Build a launch team and set a publication date.
  Distribute ARCs (Advance Reader Copies) to your launch team so they can read your book and write a review as soon as it’s live.
  Publish your book.
• Celebrate!

Put your book writing plan on paper

Put your book writing plan on paper. Use a simple calendar with columns that outline each task you will take in each month.

Then work your book writing plan. Some months you may accomplish more than you thought. Some months it may be less. Maybe it will be rough … or maybe your book will flow through you like honey.

Either way, stick with your project and in a year you’ll have your book idea out of your head and onto paper. Then you can decide the next step, whether it’s a heavy edit or submission to a publishing house or the self-publishing route.

“Time is the coin of your life,” said Pulitzer Prize winning American poet and author Carl Sandburg (1878-1967). “It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.”

Use some of that coin to create a book writing plan. Then put your plan into action one month at a time. Do that and in a year, you’ll hold your manuscript in your hands – and you may even have a book in the hands of readers, too.

---

More Book Writing Tips

1-Year Book Writing Planner (Fillable and Re-Usable) ...

Use this Self-Publishing Checklist for a Winning Amazon Release ...

How To Get Started Writing a Book With a Brain Dump ...

How to Get Book Reviews For Free ...

Tips on Writing a Book (Before You Get Started Writing) ...

Test Your Book Idea with These 4 Questions ...

Top Tip for Selling Your Book ...

Need to Write a Title for Your Book? Try This...

Write a Book Subtitle That Sells Your Book ...

How to Publish a Book for Free...

What Goes on the Back Cover of a Book?

How to Write a Book Summary that Sells Your Book ...

Use a Book Summary Worksheet to Write a Summary that Sells ...

How to Create a Chapter Outline for Writing a Book  ...

5 Places to Find Book Ideas ...

Write an Article or Write a Book? Here’s How to Decide ...

Getting started writing a book ...

See more tips for Writing a Book on my Pinterest board...

Return from Use a Personalized Book Writing Plan to Nonprofit Copywriter home

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Powered by SBI! Learn more here.