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Abstract

y brain felt like it was going to explode. Then, I’d get some more coffee, do a chore around the house, and strap back in. And, at night, when I wanted to have a cocktail and watch another episode of <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7221388/">Cobra Kai</a>, I strapped in again.It sounds pretty brutal. And it was (I mean, as brutal as sitting on my a$$ and learning about something fascinating while getting paid to write about it could be). But, here’s the thing. It taught me that I have a longer attention span than I thought. I could churn out 2–4 more pages than I ever had done at a clip because, well, I forced myself to.This was pivotal information for my future productivity.<h1 id="7fcb">Turn Off All Notifications</h1>For all intents and purposes, I am a three-year-old when it comes to notifications on my phone and computer. “OOH! Shiny! Ooh! Williams Sonoma is having a sale! Ooh! I got another follower on Medium!” I may have the discipline to not click on these notifications, but they distract me nonetheless. So, I turned them off. All of them. Phone, computer, and all.At first, this was stressful. WHAT IF MY AGENT CALLS?!?!? What if a friend texts, I don’t text back immediately, and then he gets mad at me for not responding? Well, first of all, that’s a crappy friend. Second of all, I’ve learned that I need to train people to not assume that I will be available at the beck and call. I HAVE BOOKS TO WRITE, PEOPLE!After a few days, turning off all of my notifications was relaxing. It was freeing to sit down, tune in, and get to work. I decided that after I got to the “blow chunks” phase of writing, I would quickly check emails and texts while I was getting another cup of coffee. This would not only act as a reward, but it would also make me feel better about the FOMO I was having.By the way, after a few days of checking my texts and emails and CNN on my breaks, I realized that I didn’t need to. At the end of my day, if I have 76 text messages and emails from my mom with parenting advice, I can take care of all of them at once, leisurely scroll the news (oh, the world is still ending?), and even play a game of Candy Crush or two.A half-hour at the end of my day is significantly better than ten-minute breaks throughout my day that cause distraction and emotional responses to my friends and family and the news. And, guess what? My handy dandy phone told me that my screen time was down as well. Go figure.<h1 id="9368">The Treadmill Desk</h1>I took the plunge and spend $59 on Amazon to buy a laptop holder for my treadmill. It was the best thing I’ve done in a long time. Writing is, obviously, a super stagnant activity. As a former dancer, I can feel my muscles beginning to atrophy after a few hours of concentrated work. So, I strap into my laptop holder and keep working.The best time to get on the treadmill while working on a book is when you’re researching a new section or trying to find information with which to formulate ideas or opinions. (Less typing, more reading). However, I did (and still do) get a good amount of work done even if I’m typing-typing.I believe the perfect treadmill speed is at a 2.2 MPH and a 4.0 incline. I get a little bootie workout and I still move my body. And, because my treadmill is in my (slightly disgusting spider-infested) garage, I get a little change of scenery (ever how gross it is).Don’t have a treadmill? I’ve also found that if I put my laptop on the kitchen island and stand up, I can put my feet apart and do squats and heel raises. The long and the short of it is that anything that gets my body moving helps my brain reinvigorate a little bit and can give me a few extra minutes of c

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oncentration or inspiration.<h1 id="6ea3">Google and Explain</h1>You may remember that I mentioned that I didn’t know a lot about real estate investing before starting this book. I don’t necessarily recommend always writing about things you don’t know, but guess what? If you do, you end up forcing yourself to learn a lot of things that you didn’t know before.I do have a master’s degree in business, so I did understand most of the concepts, but when it came to things like home inspections and FHA mortgages, I needed to do a little digging. But that’s what Google is for, isn’t it?First of all, when you search for information on something you’re not very familiar with, you need to make sure you’re reading from a reputable source. The internet is full of BS, so when you enter a question like, “What is the maximum amount allowed for an FHA mortgage?”, you need to make sure you take your information from the Federal Housing Administration website rather than sallyannrealestate.comSecond, unless you’re writing a book about cryptocurrency or the intricacies of computer viruses, you should be able to read a few articles about something and understand it. Once you understand the concept, you’ll need to be able to explain it to your reader. I pretend I’m teaching someone (I mean, essentially, you are, right?)When you’re teaching your concept to your reader, though, you’ll need to temper your voice to who they are. You’d teach a teenager very differently than you would teach an established CEO, right? So, when you’re writing, you should do the same.For any nonfiction book, you’ll also need to cite your sources. Plagiarism is the kiss of death (and who wants to double up information in this world, anyway?). The website <a href="http://citationmachine.net">citationmachine.net</a> is a great place to turn your websites into perfectly cited chunks. You can set it to APA, MLA, or others and then just cut and paste into your book. When in doubt? Cite it out.<h1 id="9326">Add a Little Personality</h1>If you’re writing a book that explains something that is complex or potentially a little dry, make sure you sprinkle in some personality into your writing. Based on what you assume would tickle your reader’s sense of humor, throw in some good examples of what you’re explaining. And don’t be afraid to be a little silly.For instance, if you’re talking about what you could do with the free time that real estate investing allows, come up with some crazy things. Collecting Star Wars lunch boxes, crocheting mermaid tails, searching the Amazon for the world’s largest lemur. And don’t be afraid to include ridiculous anecdotes from your personal life. Again, though, I tend to try to remember my audience when bringing in (hopefully witty) examples.Here’s the thing — not only do fun and silly anecdotes in your writing make your reader happy, they make you happy as well. They act as a palette cleanser for the information you’re relaying. They’re the equivalent of a joke in the middle of a tense meeting. So, joke away (just make sure they’re appropriate).The moral of the story is that you can do practically anything that you want to do if you put your mind to it. And if you dedicate your time and effort to it. Time is not really as finite as we think it is and flow is a real thing. Many of us don’t realize how much we can accomplish in a short period of time.Did I write the next great canonical novel? Nope. Not at all. Did I write 297 pages that will help people understand how to invest in real estate? Yep. I’m a more confident writer for it and my bank account is a little fatter. Who knows. I may just use that dough to invest in real estate.</article></body>

Productivity

How I Wrote a 300-Page Book in Two Weeks

I became a more confident writer and boosted my bank account by ghostwriting an entire book at top speed

I got the message on Upwork around 8 p.m. on a Sunday night. “Congratulations, Michelle! You have a contract with XXX client.” I was both excited and overwhelmed. I would be writing an entire book on real estate investing. Correction — I would be ghostwriting an entire book. And guess what? I’m not even remotely an expert on real estate investing.

To make matters a little more stressful, after my conversation with my new client, I learned that the delivery date for the book would be September 14th. Exactly two weeks away. For. An. Entire. Book. I took a breath. I could do this.

My client provided me with an outline that had a title for each chapter and anywhere between three and ten bullet points below the title. He had written a few paragraphs about how he wanted the book to read and the target audience and he offered to clarify anything I didn’t understand. And then I was off.

Two weeks, 297 pages, a lot of research, and a crick in the neck later, I know a poopload about real estate and I have received a lovely paycheck. Do I want to write a new book every two weeks? Absolutely not. It’s literally like birthing a baby (I would know, I’ve done it). However, it was ridiculously empowering when I was done (so was the baby). Because, if you write a book in two weeks, you can probably do almost anything you put your mind to.

Before I get into the details of exactly how I facilitated this small feat, a note on “writing a book”: It seems like everyone and their brother is “writing a book”. I have friends that have been “writing their books” for literally decades. I have news for you, folks. You’re not actually writing a book unless you are actively putting words on a screen with your little fingers every freaking day.

So, for those of you who either want to learn to write faster or want a little inspiration for your future writing ventures, here are the things I did to make this fantabulous book happen. I truly could not have finished it without doing these four specific things.

Time Chunking

I’m sure there are some of you that use the Pomodoro Technique and some of you that work for a very specific time and then take a break. In order to get as much possible done in as short of a time as possible, I did what I will call “time chunking.” Sounds like a pretty gross phrase, right? That’s because most of the time, it made me feel like I was going to blow chunks.

I basically did the equivalent of driving the car until it started sputtering from a lack of gas and then coasted into the gas station. See, normally, I would write a little bit, check social media, stretch, get some water, write a little more, and then eventually put out a lovely and leisurely-written piece of cohesive writing.

Not for this. Quantity was key. No stopping at the gas station to pee or for a big gulp. I didn’t give myself the luxury of a break every 25 minutes (and yes, I do believe breaks are healthy). I plugged on past when I had that itchy feeling that I wanted to get up and move or I wanted to look away from the screen.

I would wake up at 5 a.m. (I always wake up at 5 a.m., thanks to Robin Sharma), I’d make coffee, and then I would start writing. And didn’t stop until my brain felt like it was going to explode. Then, I’d get some more coffee, do a chore around the house, and strap back in. And, at night, when I wanted to have a cocktail and watch another episode of Cobra Kai, I strapped in again.

It sounds pretty brutal. And it was (I mean, as brutal as sitting on my a$$ and learning about something fascinating while getting paid to write about it could be). But, here’s the thing. It taught me that I have a longer attention span than I thought. I could churn out 2–4 more pages than I ever had done at a clip because, well, I forced myself to.

This was pivotal information for my future productivity.

Turn Off All Notifications

For all intents and purposes, I am a three-year-old when it comes to notifications on my phone and computer. “OOH! Shiny! Ooh! Williams Sonoma is having a sale! Ooh! I got another follower on Medium!” I may have the discipline to not click on these notifications, but they distract me nonetheless. So, I turned them off. All of them. Phone, computer, and all.

At first, this was stressful. WHAT IF MY AGENT CALLS?!?!? What if a friend texts, I don’t text back immediately, and then he gets mad at me for not responding? Well, first of all, that’s a crappy friend. Second of all, I’ve learned that I need to train people to not assume that I will be available at the beck and call. I HAVE BOOKS TO WRITE, PEOPLE!

After a few days, turning off all of my notifications was relaxing. It was freeing to sit down, tune in, and get to work. I decided that after I got to the “blow chunks” phase of writing, I would quickly check emails and texts while I was getting another cup of coffee. This would not only act as a reward, but it would also make me feel better about the FOMO I was having.

By the way, after a few days of checking my texts and emails and CNN on my breaks, I realized that I didn’t need to. At the end of my day, if I have 76 text messages and emails from my mom with parenting advice, I can take care of all of them at once, leisurely scroll the news (oh, the world is still ending?), and even play a game of Candy Crush or two.

A half-hour at the end of my day is significantly better than ten-minute breaks throughout my day that cause distraction and emotional responses to my friends and family and the news. And, guess what? My handy dandy phone told me that my screen time was down as well. Go figure.

The Treadmill Desk

I took the plunge and spend $59 on Amazon to buy a laptop holder for my treadmill. It was the best thing I’ve done in a long time. Writing is, obviously, a super stagnant activity. As a former dancer, I can feel my muscles beginning to atrophy after a few hours of concentrated work. So, I strap into my laptop holder and keep working.

The best time to get on the treadmill while working on a book is when you’re researching a new section or trying to find information with which to formulate ideas or opinions. (Less typing, more reading). However, I did (and still do) get a good amount of work done even if I’m typing-typing.

I believe the perfect treadmill speed is at a 2.2 MPH and a 4.0 incline. I get a little bootie workout and I still move my body. And, because my treadmill is in my (slightly disgusting spider-infested) garage, I get a little change of scenery (ever how gross it is).

Don’t have a treadmill? I’ve also found that if I put my laptop on the kitchen island and stand up, I can put my feet apart and do squats and heel raises. The long and the short of it is that anything that gets my body moving helps my brain reinvigorate a little bit and can give me a few extra minutes of concentration or inspiration.

Google and Explain

You may remember that I mentioned that I didn’t know a lot about real estate investing before starting this book. I don’t necessarily recommend always writing about things you don’t know, but guess what? If you do, you end up forcing yourself to learn a lot of things that you didn’t know before.

I do have a master’s degree in business, so I did understand most of the concepts, but when it came to things like home inspections and FHA mortgages, I needed to do a little digging. But that’s what Google is for, isn’t it?

First of all, when you search for information on something you’re not very familiar with, you need to make sure you’re reading from a reputable source. The internet is full of BS, so when you enter a question like, “What is the maximum amount allowed for an FHA mortgage?”, you need to make sure you take your information from the Federal Housing Administration website rather than sallyannrealestate.com

Second, unless you’re writing a book about cryptocurrency or the intricacies of computer viruses, you should be able to read a few articles about something and understand it. Once you understand the concept, you’ll need to be able to explain it to your reader. I pretend I’m teaching someone (I mean, essentially, you are, right?)

When you’re teaching your concept to your reader, though, you’ll need to temper your voice to who they are. You’d teach a teenager very differently than you would teach an established CEO, right? So, when you’re writing, you should do the same.

For any nonfiction book, you’ll also need to cite your sources. Plagiarism is the kiss of death (and who wants to double up information in this world, anyway?). The website citationmachine.net is a great place to turn your websites into perfectly cited chunks. You can set it to APA, MLA, or others and then just cut and paste into your book. When in doubt? Cite it out.

Add a Little Personality

If you’re writing a book that explains something that is complex or potentially a little dry, make sure you sprinkle in some personality into your writing. Based on what you assume would tickle your reader’s sense of humor, throw in some good examples of what you’re explaining. And don’t be afraid to be a little silly.

For instance, if you’re talking about what you could do with the free time that real estate investing allows, come up with some crazy things. Collecting Star Wars lunch boxes, crocheting mermaid tails, searching the Amazon for the world’s largest lemur. And don’t be afraid to include ridiculous anecdotes from your personal life. Again, though, I tend to try to remember my audience when bringing in (hopefully witty) examples.

Here’s the thing — not only do fun and silly anecdotes in your writing make your reader happy, they make you happy as well. They act as a palette cleanser for the information you’re relaying. They’re the equivalent of a joke in the middle of a tense meeting. So, joke away (just make sure they’re appropriate).

The moral of the story is that you can do practically anything that you want to do if you put your mind to it. And if you dedicate your time and effort to it. Time is not really as finite as we think it is and flow is a real thing. Many of us don’t realize how much we can accomplish in a short period of time.

Did I write the next great canonical novel? Nope. Not at all. Did I write 297 pages that will help people understand how to invest in real estate? Yep. I’m a more confident writer for it and my bank account is a little fatter. Who knows. I may just use that dough to invest in real estate.