Author’s Note: This article was originally published on June 16th, 2022. No AI was used in the writing of this book (or this article, for that matter).

“I wouldn’t have any idea how to do that.”

“I wouldn’t know where to start.”

“I could never do what you’re doing.”

These are the types of responses I sometimes hear when I talk about my job as a full-time freelance writer who has written nearly three books in the past one hundred days, a total of more than 180-thousand words (I say “nearly” because one book is on hold, but only a few chapters remain to be written).

I understand what they mean. I felt that way all the time when I would stop by my dad’s art studio and see him transforming smears of paint into a beautiful piece of art. Creative work is often mysterious by nature because so much of it takes place within the mind of the creator.

While I can’t actually invite anyone else into the conscious process of writing a book, I can share notes on the journey, like those stacks of rocks on the path indicating a well-worn trail.

You don’t have to follow the trail yourself, but it sure is valuable to know where it is.

Whether you’re a writer yourself or just someone interested in learning about the process, I want to show what writing a book really looks like. I’m not talking about a one-month sprint such as NaNoWriMo (though I do owe them a lot for encouraging me to write my first full novel many years ago). I’m talking about a process that’s sustainable month after month, book after book.

Three Caveats

Before I go any further, three caveats:

(1) This is not a how-to or an authoritative narrative on book writing. Writing methods are idiosyncratic, and I don’t presume to speak for anyone except myself.

(2) I already have an outline provided by the client I work for. So this process won’t involve brainstorming or developing story ideas.

(3) The book I will be blogging about is a ghostwriting project, because of which I will not be able to give specific details about the story or show examples from the text. I may do this with the next non-ghostwriting project I complete, but for this one I’ll have to respect the terms of the NDA I signed.

Which leads me to the next natural question…

What is Ghostwriting?

Ghostwriting is turning someone else’s ideas into a story so they can sell it. That’s it. Usually this also means the writer does not get any public credit for the work or have the right to identify himself as the creator, since he has forfeited those rights. Hence the “ghost” part.

The upside is that ghostwriting tends to pay better because the ghostwriter is not receiving credit. The downside is that, because the ghostwriter does not receive credit, it is more difficult to build a body of work. Also, the ghostwriter forfeits all creative say over the future of the book.

Ghostwriting is not for everyone, and that’s okay. I didn’t go looking for it — it found me. The process went a little like this…

The Road Here

Step 1: Spent several years honing the craft with personal writing, producing about 2,000 words per day while writing first drafts. Also did numerous edits and revisions. (This resulted in more than four novels, eight novellas, and a number of short stories — and, most importantly, a greater understanding of how to write.)

Step 2: Created an Upwork account and began using my creative skill for clients. My first contracts involved book editing, book formatting, and outline development, and I was paid far too little to consider my efforts anything more than a side hustle. My goal was to gather positive reviews, demonstrate a track record of excellent work and high customer satisfaction, and eventually land contracts that would pay enough to allow me to leave my day job.

Step 3: After working part-time on these projects for about a year, landed two significant contracts that allowed me to freelance full-time. Both clients saw my profile and invited me to apply to their job postings. Without having several successful contracts under my belt, as well as several self-published books to demonstrate the quality of my work, I doubt either one would have given me a second glance.

So that’s where I am now. I write full-time, six days a week. Here’s how it typically goes…

Routine Basics

1. Wake up, remember what’s it like to be alive, kiss my wife, crawl out of bed. Thus it begins.

2. Pour a large mug of coffee. Should last me the day, unless I have a particularly demanding deadline. I prefer to avoid the jitters — the crash is real.

3. Read Scripture, pray, mentally prepare for day. Gear up.

4. Turn on music. Sometimes this is Pandora, but usually it’s a Youtube soundtrack without ads (thanks, AdBlocker!): an epic, orchestral, ambient composition to get me in the flow.

5. Dive into first writing shift, typically for 1.5–2.00 hours.
(Note: I try to write standing for at least part of the day, but since I don’t have a standing desk, I use a bookshelf. My laptop sits on the top shelf, my keyboard and mouse sit one tier below. You make do with what you got.)

6. Take a break. Do push-ups, lift weights, walk around. Anything to get the blood flowing. Zombies are regular people who stared at a screen too long.
(PS: Bathroom breaks are on an “as needed” basis. Choosing productivity over bowel movements is a Pyrrhic victory at best.)

7. Grab a snack — the acidity of coffee doesn’t feel great on an empty stomach. There’s a constant battle between food and inspiration: the less I eat, the longer I feel inspired. Though inspiration wins the battle, survival wins the war. (Granola bars are great. So is oatmeal.)

8. Get back to work for second shift, typically for another few hours. If I am writing a rough draft and haven’t already hit my word count quota for the day, I try to finish it here. Once I have finished it, I can pivot to editing, research, and other writing-related matters that are a bit less creative.

9. Another break. Maybe a long walk followed (or preceded by) a long lunch, or domestic chores while I listen to an audiobook or podcast. Have to find ways to fill the well.

What’s Next

Thus far I have an outline, a deadline, and a minimum word count. The deadline for this current project is the end of August*, and the word count minimum is 60,000. The outline is…well…a work-in-progress. There are gaps to fill, inconsistencies to straighten out, and plenty of characters and locations to develop — all before I sit down to start drafting.

If all goes according to schedule, this project will take about 6–8 weeks and wrap up well ahead of the August deadline. I plan to take notes daily on my writing process, then post them weekly.

So stayed tuned.

* Again, this article was written during the summer of 2022