Your first book set you apart in so many ways.
Because so few people who set out to write a book actually accomplish the task. And you did that.
You wowed readers and used your book to build your business. Kudos!
But you also increased their expectations of you.
Sadly, when it comes to your second book, you won’t get plaudits just because you did it.
You raised the bar with the first one and now you have to jump over it.
It can be harder to reach out for help with the second book because you feel like you “should” know how by now.
Here are three ways to ensure your second book is better than the first:
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Join (or set up) a writers’ group. Too few people realise writing is a team sport. The best writers find buddies to keep them accountable to a deadline.
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Set a deadline and stick to it. Break it down into stages. First draft, second draft, feedback from readers, the due date for the editor. Work fast. Writing is 99% momentum, and the more and the faster you write, the better you write.
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Choose a structure for your whole book and for every chapter and stick to it. Retrofitting structure is so painful that most authors just don’t do it. Many books die that way. (My first manuscript did.)
PS: To become part of my second-time authors writers’ group, the Sequel Accountability Club, email me here and I’ll be in touch.