After I had developed my mind map (link) and then built my outline (link) I then started thinking about how to take the outline and turn it into chapters of my book.
It occurred to me that I needed to do some more brainstorming and so I took the basic ideas for each chapter and repeated the process of the mind map for each of the chapters.
This is when it started to come together for me. I could start seeing a natural flow of thought starting to form. I was breaking down each thought into clear bullet style points on index cards and then I arranged them in an organic flow and that is the point where I started to create the chapters.
At first I was just staring at a blank page trying to figure out what to write and then it hit me. Why would I simply type out what I was trying to say? Why not just say it? So I used the speak to text option and the words just started to flow onto each page.
Before I knew it I had made it through the first chapter. This felt like a pretty big milestone. I had heard someone say that you shouldn’t do any editing until after you are done with your entire book.
So I resisted the urge to go back and read and correct what I had written. This was really hard, the improvement side of my brain was hard at work trying to convince me to do it. But I was successful in not succumbing.
I used the Pomodoro Technique to keep myself on track and on task and started treating the book like I do a project. Chapter after chapter flowed onto the page and before I knew it I had 10 chapters written out over about a week and a half.
This surprised me greatly, because when I first thought about writing a book I thought it would likely take me months and months just to get a rough draft done. There was a sense of flow that I found myself in and just an overall sense of peace.
This process helped me realize that I have learned a lot more over the years than I thought. It also helped me realize that I have a lot to say about my journey and the stories that make me who I am today.
Once again I was reminded that we are the sum of all of the experiences that we have been through, both the good and the bad. When we learn how to blend those experiences together we are able to find the harmony that we are seeking.
After I completed the rough draft I decided to take a break and didn’t look at it for a day or so. Next time I will talk about the process of self-editing, which was both enlightening and disheartening at the same time.
Until next time…
#myfirstbook #selfpublishing #innerharmony #harmony
Steve Beauchamp 