How to write like a consultant

Many published authors say that writing and publishing is really a numbers game. For every published book, an author has submitted 20 or even more manuscripts that have been rejected.

So when I consider that my goal is to get published, but I’ve only submitted a handful of manuscripts, one thing is abundantly clear: I need to increase my output!

The consultant’s way

While I tend to procrastinate and take my time while writing creatively, my approach at my day job is completely different. For those who don’t know, I’m a public affairs consultant, which means I work in a fast-paced corporate environment with a number of clients. It’s an exciting career and you never really know what to expect in a day.

As a consultant you have to juggle competing priorities and billable hours. There is NO time for procrastination and you certainly can’t justify billing your clients for an excessive amount of research or rewrites. The result is that I’m incredibly productive. I thrive in that kind of environment.

Now my goal is to adopt the same approach when I’m writing creatively - so I can increase my output, and subsequently increase the chances of getting a book deal.

Step 1. Understand the brief.

The first step as a consultant is to understand the brief from the client. What is the scope of work, the aim, the key messages, the audience, the channel and its requirements, the word count, and the tone of voice, for example? Know your genre.

Step 2. Research best practice examples.

To deliver high quality work, you must research the latest trends and best practice examples. These things change over time. It’s essential to keep up. The same applies to books.

Step 3. Write the first draft.

It’s time to adopt the right mindset and settle into some deep, focused work. Minimise distractions. Get the words down. Check in with your brief to ensure you stay aligned with the strategy and remain on brand.

Step 4. Coordinate a peer review.

There’s no time to overwork it. Share your work with a peer for a critical review. In the case of creative writing, you should lean on a critique group. Then listen to feedback and process changes. It’s not time to take things personally. This is business.

Step 5. Submit.

So you’ve incorporated feedback. Now do a final edit, proofread and send it. Trust your expertise. Don’t waste time. Your client is waiting for you.

Now, if you’re just beginning your journey as an aspiring author, you should probably slow down. Take time to learn the craft and - importantly - ensure your work is typo-free!

But if you’re an experienced and disciplined writer, and you’ve had positive feedback already, then why not quicken the pace? It’s certainly better than tinkering with several drafts over a number of months. Pick one, finish it and submit it. That’s my new approach.