If you want to write a book this summer, you’ll need 4-6 hours of weekly, dedicated time.

I’ve tested three strategies to help new authors make time.

Let’s acknowledge that finishing a book is challenging. The New York Times found that less than 2% of people who start a book ever finish it… so it’s actually VERY challenging.

81% of authors in our Manuscripts author community finish a first draft manuscript in 4-6 months.

And the typical author invests four to six hours per week into their manuscript during that time.

The authors themselves write their books.

They don’t use ghostwriters, let ChatGPT write the entire thing, or something else. And this process has produced more than 220 national book award winners and finalists since 2020.

There’s no crazy writing shortcut or hack (I’ve definitely tried to find one).

Instead, it’s based on the power of accountability & constraints.

I teach three strategies to help anyone finish a solid, first-draft manuscript with 4-6 hours of dedicated time over four months, leveraging accountability & constraints.

If you’d like to write, just remember NOT to do it alone.

Join our Modern Author Accelerator program this summer and let everyone read your story.

1. Acknowledge Your Fears & Doubts.

Don’t set out to write a book. Set out to write a first draft manuscript.

And before you set out, list your concerns — uniqueness, will anyone read it, imposter syndrome, structures, etc.

Then share those with someone who has gone through the process of writing a book — another author, an editor, a coach, or a close friend. Verbalizing your concerns, fears, and doubts is hugely beneficial to create the foundation to finish your draft.

2. Make Yourself Accountable to Your Calendar.

You’ll need to make time for your book — but you have to do one step further than that.

Add that time to your calendar and tell those in your life about that time. I write Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. It’s on my calendar, and I tell my wife, work colleagues, and friends. If it’s not scheduled and you’re not committed to it… it usually won’t happen.

3. Create Pacts with Others.

Pacts are a powerful accountability technique built on loose agreements with people who matter to us.

I’ve found them to be critical. Share your action plans with a group of 4-6 individuals: your spouse, your roommate, your business partner, your editors/coaches, and your writing group. It’s not “I’m writing a book,” but it’s “I’m writing M, W, and F from 8-10 am for the next four months. I’d love for you to check on how it’s going.”

For me, summers have been amazing writing periods — it’s when I wrote Pennymores, and I’ll be using it for my new book.

The secret of using a summer period for writing a book is remembering that constraints and accountability are key: talking about your fears, making time, and creating accountability through pacts with those close to you.

Remember, just because it’s challenging doesn’t mean you can’t do it!