Okay, so you’ve already found a coach and assessed your status. Now what? It’s time to pull the trigger, make a commitment, and follow through!
Step Three: Pulling the Trigger on the Starting Pistol
I’m nothing if not consistent on following through on an analogy. Marathons have a few moments that are like pulling a trigger. There’s the moment when you decide, “Okay, I am going to officially register for this race and pay for it.” It would be reckless to sign up for a race without considering your finances. The most popular races tend to have a big price tag, and that hefty price tag usually translates into a loud, packed, party-like experience. I’ve only run three marathons. Each of them has been massive: The Marine Corps Marathon (which I ran exactly 8 years ago today), The Chicago Marathon, and The New York City Marathon. Tons of swag, lots of crowd support, and unbelievable sights made each of these races extra fun. I’d argue the expense was worth it. It also didn’t hurt knowing that I’d already paid for the race when I stared down my training schedule each week leading up to it. By paying for it up front, I was committing to it, to my training plan, to my coach, and to myself. This upcoming year, I’m leaning toward a smaller, more personal race. I had been considering another big one (The Los Angeles Marathon), but I have to be honest with myself about what I and my family can afford. Also? If something happens during my training that would cause me to cancel, I’m not losing as much money. So Wichita is looking mighty appealing. In any case, it’s time to pull the trigger and get to it. Because I really want to make it to that moment after the National Anthem is sung, all the runners are geared up and ready to go, and the starting pistol fires. Because the feeling of setting off on something you’ve spent months preparing for, having it come to fruition… well, it’s unrivaled.
Once you’ve assessed your writing situation, reviewed your plan, and chosen a coach, it’s decision time. Are you ready to commit to the work it will take to make your book come together? For fiction, that means writing the entire manuscript. You read that right. You have to write THE WHOLE THING before you can think about submitting it to agents or publishers. For nonfiction, that means writing a book proposal. Maybe you already have a ton of rough writing, but you need to now focus on shaping it into a presentable plan, outline it, and write a sample chapter. A good coach will review your plan of attack, make sense of what you’ve got, and get you on your way. Heavy lifting is involved for all parties. What you put into it, you get out of it. This is why it’s not only a commitment to your coach and your project, but also a commitment to yourself. Make sure you sign a contract for the work ahead, make sure it’s fair, and don’t be afraid to ask questions and weigh the value of the experience and expertise against the fees.
Step Four: The Training Miles
This is the work. My coach will send me my plan and check in weekly. In fact, he’s usually created the full schedule, but only sends it to me week-by-week so I don’t get overwhelmed at the whole thing. Doing it this way also gives us the flexibility to make adjustments as needed. I might get injured and need some rest days or more cross-training. An unexpected business trip might have me adjusting mileage goals. Generally, he’ll have me work on building up my base, doing speed work, mixing in easy runs, long runs, and tempo runs — but it’s not the same every time. I’ve been known to grumble and complain, but I always know my coach has my best interests in mind. I’ll peak in mileage a few weeks before race day, then taper to make sure my legs are fresh. My first goal is always to make it to marathon day healthy and able to run.
Tackling a book takes similar planning. Depending on where you are in your assessment, you may need to do a lot more base-building. Maybe you don’t know what to do with what you’ve got. Your coach may have to take a lot of your rough material and throw it out, just so you have the simplest, cleanest content to work with. Outline, outline, outline. Without a plan, things get too unwieldy. Go back and forth and work with each other. Let your coach direct you and make suggestions. Your coach will ask you for deliverables and input. Ask for feedback. Make your own suggestions. The goal here is to get your project into the best shape possible for submission. As Coach Casey would say, “Trust the process.”
Coming Next Week: Steps Five and Six to take you through the finish line!