The Atlantic

How to Write a Book Without Losing Your Mind

Expert advice on ending procrastination and finishing that manuscript, dissertation, or other big project
Source: Vivek Prakash / Reuters

A few months ago, I promised some nice people in New York that I would, sometime very soon, write a book.

Since then, I have:

Called my mom rejoicing.

Called my mom crying.

Considered changing my Twitter bio, then thought better of it.

Considered emailing all my ex-boyfriends and mentors to let them know I’m an impostor, then thought better of it.

Extensively researched three different long-form writing softwares, only to find that I prefer the first one I ever tried.

Researched and bought several different types of special German pens, only to find that I

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