We have this romantic viewpoint about writers being cloistered away working on their books. We hear about people taking sabbaticals and going on writing retreats to work on their books and we immediately dismiss this from the realms of possibility because we cannot afford the time. I completely understand, but this whole ‘taking time away to be more productive thing’ is a complete fallacy—you do not have to spend time away from your business or family to write your book! In fact, I know many writers who have scheduled large chunks of time to write, only to find they feel blocked and unproductive and then guilty for wasting their time and opportunity. Writing a book happens in increments. It fits around your life as you live it. Julia Cameron talks about the myth that we must have time in order to write. ‘Making writing a big deal tends to make writing difficult. Keeping writing casual tends to keep it possible.’

Here's the great thing, you get to decide how long it takes. By using the notion of creative constraints, you'll decide how much time you spend and when you want to finish. Having an effective book plan will help you determine when this is and make sure you finish what you start. I've worked with writers who took 3, 6, 8 or 12 months, it's really up to you and your business and personal goals.

I hear this a lot from solopreneurs. After all, you didn’t get into business to be a writer, right? Let’s face it you probably don’t think of yourself as a writer first and foremost. But you are a business owner who also happens to write. If you’re already writing blogs, social media captions, website content, sale pages, landing pages and other marketing material to promote your business, then guess what? You are a writer! All the things you are worried about, such as spelling, grammar and structure, can be improved by hiring a professional editor. All writers do this. You don't have to do everything all on your own!

I hear from incredibly talented women every day who say, 'But Aimee, I'm not really an expert. I don't have a PhD or 20 years of experience.'. My dear fellow solopreneur, even if you had a PhD, you STILL wouldn't feel like an expert in your field or industry. No PhD walks away feeling like an expert—take it from me! Even some of the most talented women senior professors I've worked with struggle to see themselves as subject experts. But here's what you need to know. All of your experience is valuable. When I first left academia, I thought I'd help people with my specialist knowledge. But it was the things I could do, which I took for granted, that people wanted to pay me to help them learn. For me that was project management—for you, it might be something you don't necessarily emphasise in your business. Please don't underestimate your talents and how much people want and need your take on solving their problems. This is what makes a compelling and marketable nonfiction book!