Self-Discipline for Writers: Writing Is Hard, but You Too Can Write and Publish Books Regularly

By: Martin Meadows

Narrated by: John Gagnepain

Length: 2 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

You, too, can become a successful writer - if you’re willing to develop this trait.

Do you know that it’s almost impossible to find a successful writer who has published only one book? Virtually every widely acclaimed author has an extensive catalog of books. To join the elite ranks of those who write consistently, you need to learn how to stay prolific over the long term. And for that, the number one ingredient is self-discipline.

In Self-Discipline for Writers, best-selling author Martin Meadows shares his philosophy and strategies on how to build self-discipline as a writer and how to keep writing over the long term. Here are some of the most important ideas you’ll discover:

• Three foundations of self-discipline for writers (avoid a common mistake that almost always leads to failure)
• Three steps to a strong work ethic as a writer (learn how to develop a strategy for consistently hitting your word counts)
• Five types of self-doubt common among writers and how to overcome them (If you don’t believe in yourself as a writer, how are your readers supposed to believe in you?)
• Seven tips on how to manage your energy as a writer - including not only the most fundamental advice, but also intricacies like discussing your projects with other people, capturing fleeting ideas, and reading your reviews (learn why optimizing your energy is key to consistent results)
• Why control is essential for any writer (and how to claim it)
• Five good business practices for more self-discipline (this includes some surprising thoughts on how to run your writing business to reduce frustration and increase productivity).

Writing doesn’t have to be burdensome. You, too, can write with more ease, and most importantly, write and publish consistently, so that you can enjoy a flourishing writing career. Let’s learn together how to accomplish this exciting goal.

©2019 Meadows Publishing (P)2019 Meadows Publishing

A quick listen for getting 'just the facts'

I've enjoyed this book and was able to plow through it in just a few days. I think it provides the right level of information and just enough of a 'pep talk' to keep aspiring writers on the path. I appreciated that there's always a market for new writers, even when the field seems crowded.
I've been hearing about 'pareto principle' in a few different contexts lately, and everyone seems to put their own spin on it. Martin is no different here, making the case that the vital 20% consists of writing and reading (and I believe in that order).
More importantly, I think he's right. I'm going to start carving out consistent time every day to write, because I now think that simple act is the main thing that will distinguish writers from dreamers.

Focused more on the business of writing

This book focused more on the business of writing than on being a writer in my mind. I am kind of stuck right now in trying to write. I figure I'll learn about the business of writing later. I was hoping there'd be more discussion on discipline and how to acquire it. There was more focus on marketing, publishing etc than I cared for but if that is something you're interested in then this book would be great. Me, I don't want to write with a marketing perspective (ie. research how popular my topic is going to be) I just want to get down and write!
The narrator was irritatingly boring which is too bad because I really had to struggle to get through the book. I only did it because I promised I would review it afterwards.
I am giving it four stars because it has lots of good information and did discuss discipline along with marketing research, publication, etc. if you can get past the unexciting narration.. It just wasn't the best fit for me but it may be for you.

Start writing

This is the book I hoped Martin would write. In other books he has mentioned how he disciplined himself to become a writer. In this work he breaks it down for the reader. Most important point I thought he made was to determine if you actually enjoy writing. If you don’t then is this really what you need to peruse? Highly recommend.

Liked it

A realistic view of writing as hardwork and as a business. It wasn't life-changing, but worked well as a reminder of what it takes to write consistently.

I particularly liked the idea of writing a certain number of words a day to stay consistent - to build from writing 500 words a day to (his) 2000 words in 1.5-2 hours. As a goal it seems concrete to aspire to.

As most book 'quick reads' on writing habits, it focuses broadly on fiction writing, rather than scholarly/academic work. Unfortunately, writing in academia is often derailed by reading and researching, which is a challenge that not many writing books take on and neither does this one. While Meadows acknowledges reading as valuable for writing, it's more as a sidenote. Overall if you have read a book or two on writing habits and in a writing slump need to be reminded of why consistency matters, this book is a good pick-me-up to get back to basics.

Review from a non-writer

I’m a big fan of Martin’s work & bought this when it came out on Kindle. I’m not a writer, but it was only $0.99 for the launch week, so I figured I’d give it a shot. While it will obviously be of more use to people who are looking to write, I found it interesting to read (and now listen to thanks to the author’s offer of a free audio copy in exchange for a review).

I thought the book/ audiobook was full of good advice for anyone trying to accomplish any endeavor outside of their comfort zone. The part that related to me the most was Chapter 3: How to deal with self doubt. I run into that all the time, and I’m sure I’m not alone. Martin gives solid advice on how to face/ overcome self-doubt, that is instantly relatable and actionable. I think that chapter is worth the price of the audiobook/ book.

Overall I recommend the book if you are interested in the topic. I think that both the book & the audiobook are equally good here, so be preference on my part for one format over the other. I would recommend listening to the audio sample first if you haven’t listened to one of Martin’s books yet. I’m not a huge fan of the narrator, but that’s personal preference and it doesn’t really take away from the book at all.

So helpful!

I’ve struggled on where to start and how to stay motivated when writing. The topics discussed helped me understand how to set better goals, how not to put myself in a box, and much more! I will definitely re-read this book!

Overall helpful and motivational

I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review. I've played around with the idea of self-publishing some ebooks for a while. I can honestly say that the information in this book is presented in an easily consumable way that is both helpful and motivational. The ideas weren't groundbreaking, but often good, solid advice isn't. It is straight forward and plain spoken. I would recommend this book to others.

The narrator did a fine job. Sometimes his voice felt a little too monotone and spoken at a robotic pace; however, the chapters were short enough that it wasn't overbearing.

Overall I am glad that I was given the opportunity to read this book, and I would read/listen to this author again.

Writing Is Difficult But Rewarding!

Here are my gamechanging takeaways:

+Build your writing foundation on these 3 principles:
1. Write what you like but make sure there's an audience. Write to market. Choose between fiction and nonfiction. Nonfiction topics: Health, wealth, happiness, relationships. Market research on Amazon.
2. Read what you write and don't write. To energize. To inspire. To learn.
3. Let the rules help you but don't let them enslave you. Build on what works. Fiction: Conflict to resolution and so forth.
+Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration. Professional writers just get up and work. +Commit to a daily word quota. Pace your writing in a healthy and sustainable way.
+A strong routine is a writer's best friend. Write at the same time every day. Write early or late.
+Have prewriting cues. Stop in the middle of a sentence. Leave easy parts for hard days. Write in time blocks.
+Force yourself to write or do nothing, allow nothing else. If you're in the flow don't require yourself to take breaks. Inject humor into your writing. Compete against yourself for words written in a given amount of time. It's critical not to edit during writing. Set aside dedicated time for only editing. You might not always hit your daily word quota.
+How to deal with self-doubt. Why write when there's too much competition? Your unique voice and perspective could find a niche. Give a new take. Thrive in the midst of competition. Inject personality, quirkiness, and style. My book won't be very good. People might overlook this for a great story. I only have one chance to write a good book. Not true. Perfectionism keeps books from ever getting published.
+Dedication to the process trumps age. Avoid topics that require specialized qualifications.
+If you disapprove of my work, I shrug my shoulders. It's what I have. Thoughts of Stephen King.
+7 tips for managing your energy as a writer
1. Prioritize health. Diet, hydration, physical activity (relaxing endorphins released), sleep, habits (no smoking, etc.).
2. Know your why. Will help you overcome adversity. Know your whom, those you support by your writing.
3. Don't talk to much about your book. Saps creative energy. Leads to writing to please.
4. Work on one project at a time in most cases unless it truly helps to have more than one project.
5. Capture fleeting ideas. Capture moments of genius. Incorporate times of frequent inspiration in your routine.
6. Don't read the reviews. Recruit beta readers.
7. Be kind to yourself. Consider taking an extended break if necessary.
+Self-publishing gives autonomy and control. +You go straight to the real gatekeepers, the readers. Thoughts of Hugh Howie.
+5 good business practices:
1. Don't be entitled. Solid book cover. Solid editor. Solid marketing.
2. Expand your reach. Consider avoiding the exclusivity of Amazon. Consider publishing your book in multiple languages and multiple formats, such as audiobook, book, and eBook.
3. Have a direct communication channel with your readers, like a newsletter.
4. Reinvent yourself as necessary. Experiment with various aspects of writing, such as genre.
5. Double-down on what works best, the 20% that produces 80% of your output.
+Don't quit your job. Try to restructure your job for at least some work from home.
+Build multiple streams of income. Use analytics. Constantly evolve as a writer.

Note: I received a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Better Titled How to Be a Writer

The author provides a lot of good advice to writers. My biggest complaint is he did not stay on the topic of how to build self-discipline. That message alone could be summed up in three sentences. The rest is filler.

Truth bombs

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

The beginning of this book is largely for beginners and maybe people who have been winging it for a while. I’ve read a lot of books on writing, personal development, etc, so I’d heard much of the information before. But even as an introduction to the concepts, it was a good recap.

After the first two chapters, though, the author started dropping some truth bombs.

Gems:
• The self-doubt chapter was the best part!
• Yes, there are millions of books out there, but you’re not competing against every book ever written. Most people buy recently published books, so you’re competing against books published in the last months/year.
• Readers are always looking for an interesting new voice, and that voice could be yours.
• Most people don’t care if you’re not as good a writer as your idol. As long as they get what they’re looking for, they’ll be happy.
• Your lack of formal education in the field doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Just be clear with your readers about your experience level.
• Pretend you’re editing someone else’s manuscript when you revise.

And more!