Making the time to write a book when you’re busy

During Ragan’s Future of Communications Conference, a speaker excitedly told me about finishing her book.

“How did you find the time?” I asked. “You don’t find time,” she said. “You make it.”

Mary Olson-Menzel, founder and CEO of MVP Executive Development and a coach to Ragan’s Communications Leadership Council understands this better than most. As Olson-Menzel began to write “What Lights You Up? Illuminate Your Path and Take the Next Big Step in Your Career”, transforming the book into a story both practical and profoundly personal required her to never more time and energy in it than she realized.

“It was fine, but there wasn’t any of Mary in it,” she explained. “The people I worked with said, ‘Where are the personal stories? Where are the client successes?’ That feedback pushed me to go deeper.”

Olson-Menzel realized that this shift wasn’t just about adding personal stories, but infusing the writing with her personality and experiences. This required a different level of engagement with the process.

“I had to really start getting more diligent about dedicating time to writing and integrating my voice into it,” she said.

Here’s her advice for others on the precipice of writing their own book.

Write the book only you can write.

For Olson-Menzel, finding a reason to write meant thinking of the project as less of a professional milestone and more of a personal mission.

“I didn’t write this book to make money,” she said. “I wrote it to help people—people who don’t have access to a coach or can’t afford one.”

Once you identify the personal mission in the process, you’re off to a strong start.

“Everybody’s got that book in them, that thing that they are better at than anyone else,” she said, explaining that following through is about protecting your time to treat the project with the same importance as your day-to-day work. “Write the book that only you can write.”

Practice the nuts and bolts of self-discipline.

Making the time to write required a disciplined routine that included some trade-offs.

“The hardest part was carving out that time, even on vacations,” Olson-Menzel said. While her family was out skiing, she stayed back to work on the book. “I wrote so much of this book on airplanes and in places that weren’t even my house,” she added.

Self-discipline tips she learned along the way include:

1. Commit to writing at least an hour a day to maintain momentum.
2. Compartmentalize where and how you work. “When we’re working from home, we can get distracted by dogs, dishes, laundry—whatever it may be. You have to create the space for your creativity.”
3. Prioritize consistency over location. “You still have your same brain, your expertise, with you wherever you go,” she said, double-tapping the importance of training your mind to produce high-quality output regardless of the setting.

Repurpose and reframe your expertise.

You’ve likely already got a wealth of practical material that can form the foundation of your first book.

Consider repurposing any writing or content you’ve already produced that explains your strategy and perspective on the communications function — even if it’s only been shared in internal meetings.

Make use of any relevant past speaking opportunities where you’ve represented your organization or clients. Transcripts from any podcast appearances or Zoom calls are fair game, too. You may have documented your expertise more than you realize.

For Olson-Menzel, this meant infusing The 10-Step Pivot Program — a career coaching framework she developed — to become the backbone of her book.

“I’ve spent years refining this program and working with clients,” she explained. “The book is the flagship connective tissue of all that work. It’s about reframing what I’ve already done for new audiences while adding fresh insights.”

Olson-Menzel stressed the importance of considering the reader’s perspective throughout this process. Repurposing your wisdom for a different audience may require reframing it or filling in the gaps to make it truly unique.

“What’s different about this book is that it doesn’t just stop at getting the job,” explained Olson-Menzel. “The last third is about thriving once you’re hired. There are no other career books out there that take you through the full life cycle.”

Prepare for the post-writing grind.

Remember that you’ll need to make time even after the writing is done. After Olson-Menzel finished her manuscript, she still had to navigate multiple rounds of editing, promotion, and media appearances. It became another full-time job.

“You have a deadline to turn in your first draft, and you’re like, ‘Yay, I did it!’” she said. “But then there are three more edits, each with different editors who have their own styles. You have to learn to flex with their styles while staying true to your own.”

On top of editing, prepare for a relentless promotional cycle. An effective campaign will include interviews like this one, launch events and several rounds of media pitches that place additional demands on your time and energy.

Olson-Menzel advises communicators to prepare for an unexpected rollout that may require an additional boost and lean on your support system.
“Lean into your team,” she said. “I relied on my family, friends, colleagues—everyone helped make this happen.”

Read an excerpt from “What Lights You Up? Illuminate Your Path and Take the Next Big Step in Your Career” here, and visit Olson-Menzel’s website to order your copy today.

Olson-Menzel’s executive coaching is available to Ragan Communications Leadership Council members. Learn more about joining here.