How to Write a Book

Embracing Your New Identity as a Writer

January 17, 2019 by Lisa Tener

“I’ve made some progress with my outline until about two weeks ago and I’ve read hundreds of articles on writing in the past two months.”

“Hundreds?”

“Yes. Hundreds.”

As an attorney who fights for environmental justice against the biggest polluters (you can probably guess some of the names of these companies), Janna was winding down her casework and planning to turn full time to writing books about her dramatic battles with some of our country’s most powerful companies against the backdrop of a court system consistently manipulated by corporate interests.

While she found herself still wrapping up cases, she felt frustrated by her own tendency to read rather than write. What was going on with her?

A Novice Author and a New Identity

As Janna recounted all the court work that took her away from writing, I felt frustrated with how much time she spent talking about court.

What was wrong with this picture?

“Janna, you keep talking about court. Let’s talk about your book! It’s like you’re still caught up in your identity as a lawyer. You’re taking on a new identity as a writer and author now. That’s not easy. You’ve been an attorney at the top of her game. It’s hard to go back to square one.”

“You’re right. I climbed up the ladder of competence to the top and now I’m on a new ladder at the bottom.”

Wait. I didn’t say that! I took a step back to help her see she wasn’t quite starting at the bottom as a writer.

To me, it seemed her article reading stemmed from a lack of confidence, the discomfort of creating a new writer identity and her attorney’s training to prepare impeccably. The only problem with such extensive preparation? You never reach the stage of actually writing! This wouldn’t do for a writer. We had to get her out of preparation phase.

To address the issue of confidence and taking on a new identity, I suggested Janna create a short statement to embody her new identity, something like:

‘I am a student of writing with several amazing books in me.’

I wanted her to get more comfortable with this new writer identity and see it as a learning phase rather than starting at the bottom.

[bctt tweet=”The Skills for Being a Successful Author” username=”LisaTener”]

I suggested rather than look at it as starting over, she list the skills that she needs in the preparation and writing phases of becoming a writer of books:

Getting clarity
Getting organized
Creating a habit
Committing

To that I added:

Conversational writer
Researcher
Writer of influence

It seemed to me that her background as an attorney gave her all the skills except perhaps writing conversationally. Wow! She wasn’t starting at the bottom at all!

[bctt tweet=”How Boundaries Liberate You as a Writer” username=”LisaTener”]

Next, we addressed boundaries. Where was she giving away time ineffectively or sacrificing her book for other people or projects?

I see this all the time when people finally commit to putting their book first and becoming a writer.

Everybody suddenly wants your time for other things, from a ride to the airport to a new work responsibility to a volunteer activity. It’s good to help others but if you say yes to all the requests you will NEVER get your book written.

We decided she’d recommit to working on the book first thing in the morning and that working on the book meant outlining or writing, not reading articles or responding to emails or preparing casework. Research, such as reading court transcripts, could only be done on days designated for research. At least half of her time needs to be spent outlining or writing, not research.

I also suggested she consider the preparation phase complete and congratulate herself on all the reading she’d done. No regrets. No beating herself up. Any continued outlining could be considered part of the writing phase. This could help her leave the article reading behind and help her develop the detailed outline she needed, as well as actually write.

Once we left lawyering behind, Janna found a few other bright shiny objects to distract her: funnels, goal setting calendars, product development, other courses she’d taken in the past.

She laughed when I pointed out her tendency to jump to other topics. “My candy bars” she called them.

Now, there are times I suggest a budding author schedule some time for writing and some for platform building, to gain the momentum needed for a book deal. In Janna’s case, however, my instinct was that such a strategy would backfire. I told her to worry about platform later. And the program she envisioned creating could come out of the book, once written. Just write the book.

“Once you write chapter one you can treat yourself to an article about writing or funnels. Right now, it’s write, write, write.”

Your Turn

What writing challenges come up for you when you commit to writing a book?

Are you intimidated by the identify of budding author or writer? What are you doing to embrace it?

How are you staying on track?

Share your challenges and strategies as a comment below.

Let’s Get Your Book Off to a Powerful Start!

I’d love to help you get your book written.

Join me and Samantha Bennett for a free seminar:

BRING YOUR BOOK

TO LIFE® IN 2019

Wednesday, January 30
8:30 pm ET, 5:30 pm PT

And if you are considering my Bring Your Book to Life® Program, which I offer just once a year, I am offering significant savings for those who register early. Feel free to schedule a time here if you wish to explore (or email me to suggest other times).

Why You Haven’t Written Your Book Yet: 5 Tips to Start Writing (+Finish!)

January 8, 2019 by Lisa Tener

The two biggest challenges of writing a book are to start writing and to finish your book.

The other day I heard from someone who’d been working on her book for 15 years.

15 years!

Have you been struggling to start writing your book or finish it?

Here are the 5 main reasons I see people get stuck, along with tips to get unstuck and start writing:

“I don’t know where to start.” Hard to start writing if you don’t know where you’re going. A road map will help. Sit tight. It’s coming.
“Who am I to write a book?” Ah, self doubt. Who can escape it? Those nasty comments inside our heads telling us we don’t have the credentials, or the talent, or the know how. Rubbish. I’ve coached people who got C’s in writing as children who learned a few rules of good writing and went on to write award winning books. Thank the critic for its opinion and move on. Get feedback from readers in your target market and hire an editor with a strong reputation in your genre (I’m happy to make suggestions). You don’t have to do this project all on your own! Gather a stellar team instead.
“What will people think of me and my book?” We’re all afraid of failure and of putting ourselves out there. Most authors worry about how their books will be received. Yet, how will you feel if you never take a chance? Let go of what others will think and listen to your heart. One way to turn this on its head is to let go of the ego that worries about how you’ll be seen and focus on the service oriented aspects of writing your book. Think of all the people you’ll help. You know in your heart that you’re writing your book for them, not for your ego. So, when ego whispers in your ear, think of your commitment to readers instead.
“What if my book is successful? Then what? Will I lose all my privacy?” This sabotaging voice is a bit more subtle but dangerous all the same. It’s good to think about your future with a successful book—both the pros and cons—and then plan for what will make the journey most enjoyable. How can you design success in a way that uplifts you? Put this fear to work and turn it into an ally! It will make success all the sweeter—and on your terms.
“I just can’t seem to consistently make the time.” Is there one activity or commitment you can release? Perhaps let go of a volunteer activity for a few months in order to focus on your book. You can return to it when your finish your book. Or perhaps just reduce your time spent on less productive activities such as surfing the internet or watching a favorite Netflix series. Turn those activities into a reward for after you complete the writing. Put your book first by scheduling the time right into your calendar or phone. Once you schedule specific days and times in your calendar, keep them sacred, whenever possible.

[bctt tweet=”How to Start Writing a Nonfiction Book” username=”LisaTener”]

Okay, I promised a road map to address how and where to start writing a nonfiction book. Here are three options that all provide a solid road map:

If you’re writing a how-to, self-help or business book, check out the self-study program, Quick Start to Kick Start Your Book. I’m offering it at a 20% discount for the month of January, or only $77.60 (the discount will show up in the cart at the end, not on the product page). Quick Start will help you clarify your book concept and structure BEFORE you start writing your book.
I’ll be holding a free training with the support of my pal Samantha Bennett on January 30 to teach you exactly how to start writing your book, and to make it a compelling book. We’ll cover all the common challenges and answer your questions. Sign up here!
If your book feels urgent, you don’t have to wait until January 30. Schedule an exploratory call and we can determine the best way for you to get started now.

How To Write a Book after Signing a Contract with a Publisher

November 14, 2018 by Lisa Tener

When I emailed, “What do you want to discuss on our call?” all my client wrote was, “How to write a book.”

Dr. James Zender had just signed a book contract with a publisher and, not surprisingly, self doubt reared its ugly head. Can I really write a book?

Step 1: Address self-doubt.

Perhaps you’ve experienced similar doubts:

“Can I write a good enough book?”
“Will I be able to write a book within the schedule that I just agreed to?”
“Will anyone want to read it?”
“How can I do it right?”

Before we could move on to other steps, we needed to address the negative thoughts and feelings that naturally arise and get in the way. And we did.

I didn’t need to say much. Dr. Zender started by sharing his experiences at a conference he’d just attended, where the testimony of several of his peers underscored how under-served his target audience was. We were both a bit stunned by the silence around the subject of his book, and he felt even more determined that people needed his message. All this serves to motivate him to write the book.

I reminded Dr. Zender that he’d already written one chapter and an excellent proposal, as well as spent several years developing his platform. Much of the hardest work was done!

Not only that but he’d proven to himself and others that he could write a compelling chapter, and an equally compelling proposal. Obviously, he has the ability to write a book–and a good one.

In addition, his book proposal now serves as the blueprint for the book. By signing the publishing contract, he’s already agreed to write the chapters in the outline he presented. The path to take is clearly marked–by him!

Step 2: Break it down. Make a plan.

I asked him the number of words he’s committed to and to remind me the number of chapters he needs to write:

55,000 words
14 chapters left to write (out of 15).

We did the math. Approximately 3,667 words/chapter.

I suggested that with an early fall deadline, he aim for something like July 1 to have a first or second draft of the whole book. This gives him plenty of wiggle room for edits, changes or unforeseen circumstances.

It will be important to schedule specific times in his calendar and keep them sacred. Otherwise it’s too easy for priorities to shift and find yourself in a pickle near the end of the month.

Now, how to actually write the book? He has the blueprint already. If it works best for him, he can just put more and more detail in the outline, until he knows pretty much everything he wants to put in the book.

On the other hand, he has some fantastic stories. He may just want to choose the stories to tell in each chapter and start by writing that story in all its powerful detail. The writing of the story will naturally inform him of what points he wants to make in the chapter. In addition, the story writing will inspire, get the words flowing and make it much easier to write a book. So, it’s also fine to start writing, with a more modest chapter outline and let the writing flow from there.

There’s no right or wrong way to write a book. Experiment and see what works best for you. You can always change course.

Step 3: Consult your acquisitions editor.

I suggested that he come up with a list of all the questions he has for his editor. Rather than ask her for her vision, he should start with his vision, so that she’s more likely to be on the same page. Some of my suggestions included:

I’m planning on a conversational tone, not particularly academic; is that what you envision as well?
Much of my chapters are based on stories. How much quantitative information was she looking for, vs. qualitative information and anecdotes/stories?
Is she on board with the chapter outline as is or does she have any changes? Is there anything missing?
May I send you the first chapter or two for feedback as I write, to make sure we’re on the same page before I write the whole book?

This last question is important because I have seen what happens when an acquisitions editor suddenly has a completely different vision for a book after the author has spent months writing it! Don’t let that happen to you. Get some feedback from the get go so you know you’re on the same page as your editor.

Step 4: Get Support

writing coach to write a book — A writing coach can support you to write your book, offering guidance, feedback and accountability.

This author is not the kind of person who needs a regularly scheduled coaching call. He’s quite self motivated and committed. So, he emails me when he needs editing or coaching. However, if you know you need more accountability than that, a book writing course, private coaching or a combination of the two might be the best way for you to get the hand-holding you need to write a book and complete it.

If you are interested in a book writing course or a VIP Day (where we can develop a plan for your book, platform building, book proposal or all three), I have my biggest sale of the year coming up right after Thanksgiving. You can save from 30-70% on my programs, including self-study programs, like Quick Start to Kick Start Your Book, my Award-winning Bring Your Book to Life(R) Program, which includes lots of one-on-one with me and more. You can find out more on this Thanksgiving Sale Preview Page. The sales begins November 23, but you may want to check it out and reach out to me to see which program is best for you.

Note, my steps for this author are based upon already having the book proposal done, so he’d already done much of the work of developing a vision and goals, clarifying his audience and getting clear on the book concept and structure. If those are thing you need help with, my self-study program, Quick Start to Kick Start Your book can guide you in more detail through powerful exercises that provide clarity and direction. You can wait until it goes on sale (for $67.90 vs. $97), or, if you want it right away, you can buy it now and I’ll send you a special journal for your writing as a gift.

In addition, feel free to ask your questions on how to write a book (or a book proposal) below as a comment. I always answer!

How to Win Book Awards (and Write an Award Winning Self-Help Book!)

September 17, 2018 by Lisa Tener

Award winning book author Alice McDowell — Alice McDowell with her award-wiinning book, Hidden Treasure

When Alice McDowell wrote to tell me that her book, Hidden Treasure: How to Break Free of 5 Patterns that Hide Your True Self had won a fifth award, I wrote back to suggest I interview her about how to win book awards. Perhaps Alice’s insights (and resources) will help you write an award winning book!

Micaela Karlsen, Bring Your Book to Life® Program graduate and author of A Plant Based Life, first introducted me to Alice McDowell to help her with the book she was writing, a book that distilled almost four decades of work in the realms of personal growth and spirituality. One of the things I loved about working with Alice is that I tried many of the exercises in her book, Hidden Treasure:

How to Find Out About Book Awards

Lisa: How did you find out about the awards/contests?

Alice: My publisher, She Writes Press (SWP), stressed how important it was to have a publicist. I chose Stephanie Barko because she had a similar philosophy to mine and specializes in both non-fiction and fiction. She and SWP suggested I apply for awards and gave me a list of possibilities. I looked at the awarding categories for each organization to see where there would be a good fit. I didn’t apply for any category that was too general such as non-fiction or ones that included books from the major publishing houses. Stephanie suggested that I pick categories I thought would have the fewest entries.

Lisa: Did any require more than just sending the book (such as writing about why it should win a book award) or was the process just to send your book in?

NIEA book award — Hidden Treasure was a National Indie Excellence Awards
winner in the Personal Growth category
(and finalist in the Self-Help category).

Alice: In most cases I had to send in two to four books for each category along with an application sheet placed in each book. Thankfully, I did not have to write anything about why the book should win.

Lisa: How many book award contests did you apply to, in order to win book awards?

Alice: I applied to 7 contests and got awards from 3 of them (5 awards, in total).

Lisa: Wow. That’s an impressive result! What particular websites would you recommend for research?

Alice: Here are the websites that Stephanie recommended, along with a few I found:

[Note to readers, Alice sifted through these and chose 7 of the 10; depending on your budget you may want to do the same.]

[bctt tweet=”How to Win Book Awards—and Write an Award-Winning Book ” username=”LisaTener”]

readers favorite book award — Hidden Treasure was a Reader’s Favorite Bronze Winner
in the motivational category.

Lisa: What are some of the things you think have helped make Hidden Treasure a multi-award winner?

Alice: It’s important to have a great writing coach and you are one of them. I also think a good layout is important. It helps the cursory reader get a quick grasp of the book’s contents. My book contains original cartoon-like drawings that catch the reader’s eye. It also includes a questionnaire on the personality patterns, which encourages the reader to engage with the material. After all, most of us like to discover more about ourselves!

Lisa: I loved the questionnaire and I also found aspects of myself in the different character (and, subsequently, body) types you discuss in the book. It’s not necessarily the kind of thing where you read one chapter because that’s your type. It seemed to me that while one type may dominated our personality (and body), we may experience aspects of all the other character types. So it was helpful to be exposed to all of it. In addition, of course, reading about the other types can help us understand other people in our lives, and support healthier relationships. What else makes Hidden Treasure a treasure, award-worthy, from the feedback you’ve been getting?

The Power of Strong Stories

Alice: People remember good stories more easily than theoretical concepts. I include true stories my students wrote about how these concepts apply to their lives. You suggested I contact Kelly Malone to help make each story come alive by adding those specific details that make each story real for my readers.

Lisa: Yes, learning to tell a good story is a process and can be challenging at first. I knew working with Kelly on the details could help you learn the skill more quickly. I think it really paid off. The book was enlightening from the beginning but the case studies really draw us in as readers. Any other things that readers point out about the book’s power?

Alice: Readers like the take-home dimension.

Lisa: That they come away with something they can use right away?

Alice: Yes. Towards the end of each chapter, I suggested exercises for individuals and groups to help heal or soften unwanted behaviors stemming from the personality patterns.

Lisa: Yes, I found the exercises very empowering and derived immediate benefit from doing them. Anything else you want to add about what contributed to making Hidden Treasure an award-winning book?

Alice: Content is the most important—provided it is well written—because the award reviewers carefully read the entire book. My book was a product of twenty years teaching the personality patterns and eighteen more teaching religious studies. I had extensive references which I believe established my credibility.

Lisa: I agree. Hidden Treasure is not one of those, “I need to write a book; let me crank something out” type of books. As you say, it is the distillation of almost four decades of teaching. And that wisdom gained, and real-life stories to illustrate it, make it a powerful and empowering read. What advice do you have for authors in the process of writing their books?

Alice: I have four bits of advice:

Don’t give up! Have some kind of writing schedule that works in your life and keep to it. Eventually the book will get written.
Have a good writing coach.
Get knowledgeable people to read and comment on your drafts.
Employ several proofreaders. Mistakes are a turn-off and even the best proofreaders can miss a few.

The Rewards of Writing a Powerful Personal Development Book

Lisa: What have you heard back from readers who have read the book (perhaps share one especially inspiring story).

Alice: Readers uniformly tell me how much they like and are helped by the book. One stranger came up to me in the grocery parking lot of all places, gushing about how she loved the book and was so thankful I had written it. It’s great fun to suddenly be surprised by a comment about the book.

I love how readers are giving the book to friends or family members. A woman living on the east coast told me she was having weekly conversations about the book with her sister on the west coast. Some are forming study groups to delve into the book more deeply. It’s wonderful to see how the book is bringing families and friends together in an authentic sharing.

Lisa: What else has come out of writing Hidden Treasure?

Body Mind Spirit Book Award — Hidden Treasure was a Mind, Body Spirit Awards finalist in two categories: self-help and spiritual psychology.

Alice: I feel more confident in myself as a writer. I’m using it as a text in the 3-year Hidden Treasure program at Light on the Hill Retreat Center. Other Institutes are also using the book in their courses or have put it on their reading list. Barbara Brennan School of Healing; Inner Source Healing, and Full Spectrum Center are examples.

I really enjoy presenting my book in various cities. I love meeting new, enthusiastic people and it helps spreads the word.

Lisa: It must be exciting to see other institutions sharing the book and helping your work reach and help more people. And, I think, one of the greatest gifts of being a writer in the personal development field is to hear from people about how the book has helped them. Congratulations. I am thrilled for you! Do you have any offerings coming up that people may want to explore?

Alice: A new class for the 3-year Hidden Treasure Program will begin in October. Your readers can contact me at alice@alicemcdowellauthor.com if interested in finding out more.

Lisa: Alice, enjoy the journey of being a published author and creating even more impact with your book.

[bctt tweet=”Here are More Book Award Contests ” username=”LisaTener”]

Here are some links to more book awards and writing contests:

Poets and Writers

Nonfiction Writing Contests

Indie Excellence Book Awards

Next Generation Indie Book Awards

American Bookfest Best Books Award

American Business Awards (has categories for best business book and ebook)

Read our most recent post about how to write an award winning nonfiction book and meet our three authors who won 2019 Nautilus Book Awards.

Alice McDowell, Ph.D. is a workshop leader, spiritual counselor, and retreat guide. Alice is founder of the Hidden Treasure Program, Co-founder and Spiritual Director of Light on the Hill Retreat Center. She dedicates herself to helping others to awaken to their true selves, and discover divinity within. She has trained with healers, humanist and transpersonal psychologists, Sufi and Buddhist teachers, and Christian contemplatives. Her book Hidden Treasure, is winner of 5 book awards from three different organizations.

Read more about Alice’s book writing and publishing journey in this author interview on How to Write a Book.

“Which Book Should I Write?”: Writing Advice from a Book Coach

March 27, 2018 by Lisa Tener

“Which book should I write?” I hear this question often and happen to have just received an email asking for advice on the topic.

In today’s post I offer several ways to examine and explore the question of which book to write.

A Markets View of “Which Book Should I Write?”

In the case of the author who wrote me this morning, the three books were for three very different audiences. I advised the aspiring author to think about the future with each book. Imagine yourself connecting with each of those audiences (so answer these questions for each separate audience):

How you would reach these readers?
How well do you imagine enjoying this group of people and the type of work you might do to reach them?
Would you be able to make a living working with this audience on this—or a related—problem, challenge or goal?

For example, I had not fully imagined what it would be like to teach anger workshops when I had the original idea for the book that became The Ultimate Guide to Transforming Anger. Once the book was published, I taught anger workshops with one of my co-authors. I realized, instead, that I wanted to work with people who want to enhance their creative process and their writing, rather than work with their anger. Over time, that led to becoming a book coach!

In my case, it wasn’t a bad thing to have published the anger book, since it resulted in a new career as a book coach. However, it was a long, circuitous path, rather than a quick one. And I don’t use the book in my current line of work at all. The book, however, did provide credibility as a book coach and helped me discover what I loved to do once I realized what I didn’t love!

So, do your best to anticipate but also trust in the process.

A Marketability View of “Which Book Should I Write?”

Another perspective to look at is comparing the marketability of each of the books you are considering.

Who would this book be for (what markets or audiences)?
Are you already reaching this market or do you need to start from scratch to build a following or tribe?
How easy would it be to reach this market?

If you already work with a specific market or audience, then it may be easiest to write a book for them. If you’re starting from scratch you’ll want to think about how you can reach them. As a book coach, I have worked with clients on both ends of the spectrum. It can certainly work if you are new to this audience, but be prepared for some serious work in creating a community and mailing list.

Your answers to these questions (and many that follow) will also help you if you decide to write a book proposal.

A Visionary View of “Which Book Should I Write?”

Next, let’s look at your big picture vision.

Pat Hastings’ vision involved exotic travel and speaking! She didn’t know that teaching workshops in Hawaii would lead her to move there–an exciting surprise!

How does writing this book and getting it into the hands of future readers fit with a bigger picture vision of your future lifestyle and career plans?
Can you describe your vision of what each book would create in the world and which vision is the best current fit?
How would you describe the business model?
- What services might the book help you sell, beyond the book?
- What products might the book help you sell, beyond the book?
How sustainable is the business model?
- Would the book writing, publishing and promotion resources needed for the book pay for themselves (by supporting additional business) and then some?

I almost always have my book coaching clients and course participants start by creating a vision statement for their book, so they can consistently make decisions from the perspective of the big picture view and where they see themselves going. Consider creating your own vision statement.

An Ease and Grace View of “Which Book Should I Write?”

There’s something to be said for making it easy on yourself. In fact, an easier book often gets completed over a very hard one to write!

How much work would it be to write this book?
How much do I already know on this subject?
What is my estimate for the number of hours of research it would take and:
- Do I have time for the research?
- Would I enjoy doing the research?

If this is your first book, you may want to start with an easy book to write. I often advise new authors to consider the book that requires less research and is based on what they already know. Consider this view when you ask, “Which book should I write?”

In addition, you may want to return to the question asked earlier about which audience(s) would be easiest for you to reach.

A Passion View of “Which Book Should I Write?”

Let’s not forget the importance of passion! Here are some questions to ask yourself about writing this book from the perspective of excitement, joy and fulfillment:

Victoria Dunckley continues to be passionate about helping parents understand the effects of electronics on children’s brains. She enjoys providing a systematic, supportive, proven approach to addressing it. Good thing, since she is often asked to serve on panels or summits on the subject.

How passionate am I about this topic (and the audience)?
Can I see myself enjoying writing and promoting this book—and staying passionate about it for several years, at least?
Does writing, publishing and promoting this book feel like a calling?

Most of the authors I work with are pretty darn excited to spread their message and share their wisdom when their books come out. They enjoy teaching classes or webinars, appearing on podcasts, TV, radio and in news articles. However, I have met authors who publish a book and are on to the next thing, losing interest in the message of their book before they’ve even launched it. While rare, it’s worth considering whether this topic can hold your interest and passion for several years, so that all the work you put into it can reap rewards and create a fulfilling experience for you and your readers.

Have a question? “Ask the book coach” below. You may also enjoy this post on How to Choose a Book Idea.

Should I Edit as I Write? Plow Ahead? Help!

March 26, 2018 by Lisa Tener

“Should I edit as I write?”

“Should I really write a crummy first draft? It feels so raw and uncomfortable.”

“I keep finding myself wordsmithing and then I get so little writing done. Is that okay?”

There is a difference between writing and editing.

The short answer is that everyone finds what works for them, and you’ll need to experiment and see what works for you.

Generally, I do encourage emerging authors to write a rough first draft and edit later. There’s a freedom and power to getting it all down and then working with the raw material. However, not always. Here are my…

[bctt tweet=”Rules for When to Edit—and Polish—as You Write” username=”LisaTener”]

You’re not sure whether what you’re doing is working. If you have doubts about the book—whether your doubts are about the content, tone, structure or something else, it can be important to get feedback early on. Ask someone in your target audience what they like and what doesn’t work for them. Where do they confused or bored? What do they want more of? Ask an open ended question as well, such as, “What other feedback do you have?”
Should I edit as I write?

You’re writing a book proposal. Write a rough first draft of your sample chapter(s). Then, rather than writing the whole book, focus on polishing those one or two chapters for the proposal. Your agent or publisher may have changes to the book, so it will save you time not to write the whole thing in case there are dramatic changes in the book concept.
Your gut tells you to polish each chapter before moving on. I’m a big believer in each of us having internal processes that work for us. If it really works for you to fine tune as you go, listen to your intuition. However, check in and see if it’s really your intuition speaking and reassess to make sure your strategy is working.

If none of the three above apply, try writing rough drafts and keep moving. It will give you such momentum and freedom to get it down in draft form and later go back to perfect.

If you are editing, you may enjoy this post with 7 Quick Writing Tips, and this post with additional editing tips for tightening your writing.