The Secrets to Writing a Book Faster (and Better)

Are you overthinking your book and stuck in perfectionist paralysis? In this solo episode of The Tarryn Reeves Show, publishing strategist and bestselling author Tarryn Reeves breaks down exactly how to write your non-fiction book faster — and better. No fluff. No wasted time. Just a focused, strategic approach to crafting a transformational, authority-building book that grows your business while you sleep.

You’ll discover:

• Why books don’t take years to write (but confusion does)
  
  
• The biggest myth keeping entrepreneurs from getting started
  
  
• Tarryn’s step-by-step framework for outlining chapters that convert
  
  
• How to use dictation to write your book without ever touching your keyboard
  
  
• Why structure (yes, structure!) is the secret to flow and engagement
  
  
• How to turn your book into a client-attracting lead generation machine
  
  
• What to do when you hit a creative wall — and how to bounce back fast

Whether you’re a visionary leader, coach, consultant, or CEO, this episode will give you the permission, plan, and power to finally get your book out of your head and into the hands of your dream clients.

🎙️ Ready to write a business-building bestseller?
 👉 Visit automaticauthority.com to join The Triple-A Experience or slide into Tarryn’s DMs.

Connect with Tarryn:

• Website
• Instagram
• YouTube

Transcript

0:00

Welcome to the Tarryn Reeves Show, the podcast for elite entrepreneurs, visionary leaders, and high impact CEOs who are ready to grow their brand, amplify their message, and build a legacy. I'm your host, Tarryn Reeves, multiple international bestselling author, publishing strategist and founder of Automatic Authority Publishing and Press House. Each week we dive into powerful conversations with trailblazing entrepreneurs and change makers who are using storytelling. To scale their business and impact. So grab your favorite drink, settle in and get ready for a dose of inspiration, strategy, and the truth behind what it really takes to turn your wisdom into wealth. Hey there, beautiful human. Welcome back to the Tarryn Reeves Show, where we say what needs to be said, own the truth of our stories, and eat our businesses like the bold, brilliant authorities that we are. For those of you who do not know me, I'm Taryn Reeves, publisher book coach, business strategist, and fellow Rebel, who believes that storytelling is the most powerful asset in your entire business. Now, let's talk. Today's episode, we are getting into it, the nitty gritty, the real talk. The truth you may not want to hear, but absolutely need to. If you're going to stop overthinking your damn book and finally get it written. We are talking about how to write your book faster and better, not just faster for the sake of speed. I'm not here to get you to write 60,000 words of fluff. Nobody cares about that. I'm here to help you write a book that's focused strategic authority building and transformational, the kind of book that not only grows your brand, but changes lives, including yours. So let's go. Let's do it. I want to talk about the real reason you haven't written it yet. Here's the uncomfortable truth straight out of the gate, as is my style. If you are listening to this episode, there's a good chance that you've been thinking about writing a book for a while. Months, years, a decade, and still no book. Now, I want you to hear that it's not because you're lazy, it's not because you're not smart enough. It's not even because you are too busy. Although I hear this one from my entrepreneurs all the time, it's because you are making the process harder than it needs to be. You are overcomplicating it, second guessing every word, comparing your rough draft to someone else's polished bestseller, and telling yourself that you're just not ready. Let me tell you something that might make you want to throw your phone across the room, but I'm gonna say it anyway. Books don't take years. What does confusion? Confusion takes years. When you're really clear on your message, your audience, and your outcome, the writing becomes. Inevitable if you like. Almost easy. Dare I say it? Fun. It can be fun. So let's squash another myth while we're at it. You do not need to write every day to be a real writer. That's really a romanticized idea. Borrowed from. Tortured artists in Caribbean cafes, sipping espresso, writing poetry, and having emotional breakdowns between paragraphs. Don't get me wrong, I'm not adverse to sipping espresso and writing poetry in Parisian cafes. Sign me up for that. Invite me if you're going. You are not writing the next great American novel. You are writing a business building book, a marketing machine, a positioning powerhouse. That makes all the difference and there is a better approach. Here it is, write in focus bursts sprint. Don't stroll. Lock off three days, lock in some support, and go all in. No multitasking, no client calls, no half-assing it. This is what I teach inside the AAA experience. We don't write every day. We write strategically using frameworks, prompts and timelines that actually work. Yes, they do. And you want to know what makes a book even more irresistible after you have written it? Yes. Structure is sexy. I said it. It's not just the message, it's not even your voice. So yes, we love a good personality. It's the structure. Structure is what keeps readers turning pages. It's what helps your ideas land and it's what helps you write with flow and ease instead of rewriting the same chapter for the 17th time.'cause ain't nobody got time for that. Here's what to do. Step one, start with the end. If you really wanna ask yourself, what do I want the reader to believe, know, or do after reading this book? That right there is your promise. It's your transformation that you are offering. Step two, break it down. Turn that promise into eight to 12 steps, themes, or big ideas. These become your chapters. Keep them tight, and that's one idea per chapter. We don't want any rambling. Step three is to use a chapter framework. Here's my signature format. Feel free to steal it. It's why I'm sharing it. The first part is your hook. Start with a story stat or moment that grabs attention. You wanna follow your hook with a lesson. What's the big idea? What are you teaching? That is followed by strategy. How do we apply that lesson? And the last kind of bookend on that is action. What should the reader do now? Wash, rinse, repeat, cook, lesson, strategy, action. Consistency is clarity and clarity sell. Now, I wanna share one of my favorite hacks because I think that a lot of people still are under the impression that you have to sit down and type or write your book. That's not true. One of my favorite hacks is, especially for the busy business mamas, the A DHD Brain Brilliance Bombs, and the people who think faster than they type. Talk your book out. Yep. It's the dictation hack. Dictate that thing like you're giving a keynote speech. You could even turn your keynote speech into your book. I wrote one of my bestselling books while balancing a baby on my hip and negotiating with a stubborn 7-year-old over veggie snacks. I didn't sit at a desk in silence. I recorded voice notes, transcribed them, and then edited them into super powerful chapters. And another pro tip. Tools like auto AI or script help you transcribe. You don't have to sit there and play it back and type it all out. No, no, no, no, no. That is for the 1920s. We're not even there. Go back and refine after you have transcribed, but don't start with the polish. Start with the pulse. I'm gonna say that again for us perfectionists out there. Don't start with the polish. Start with the pulse of your story. Another thing I really wanna discuss is writing alone. Writing is often thought of as a solo sport, but it's not. And writing a book can feel really isolating, but it shouldn't have to because here's what happens when you write alone, that little voice in your head. She or he starts questioning you. Do you spiral into perfectionism? Do you spring three hours editing one paragraph while eating stale crackers and wondering if you should just scrap the whole thing and start a podcast instead? Irony not lost on me, trust me. Here's what you do instead, get feedback early. Join a mastermind or coaching program All. A community like mine, um, authority through authorship. You can find us on school. It's free. Come hang out. We have co-writing sessions and live q and as and all of the things. You could also work with an expert, Hey, us over here who knows how to extract your brilliance and shape it into a bestselling asset because here's what I do know, collaboration speeds you up. Accountability keeps you going and support, ensures that you've finished the dang thing. Alright? Now that you understand all of that. And you've got all of these tools in your toolkit now, which you are absolutely going to go away and use to write your bestselling book. I want you to hear that your book is not a diary, it's a sales tool. You're not writing this book to vent or whatever it is that you want to do it for. You are writing it to convert, to build credibility, to grow your list to sell. And that's not dirty, my friend. That is smart. If you want to write a journal for yourself, do it. Honestly, journaling is magical for some people. I suck at it, and a lot of people find that very amusing, seeing as I'm a writer, but I can't journal. I hate it and I won't do it. But if you want to go ahead. But if you do want to write a book for your business, write it with strategy. Here's how tie each chapter to a stage in your customer journey includes subtle calls to action. Offer freebies or next steps at the end, like a lead magnet, checklist, workbook, whatever it is you got going on, and use your story as proof of your process. I'm gonna say that back again. Here is your strategy. Tie each chapter to a stage in your customer journey. Include subtle calls to action, offer freebies, or next steps at the end. Use your story or client stories as proof of your process. This is how we turn books into funnels. Not just pretty words on paper, but a system that brings in leads while you sleep. Nothing better, baby. Now, let's say you are all in on this. You are going along, you are writing like the legend that you are, and then you hit a wall. What do you do when you hit said wall? Because I wanna tell you that you will, and that's okay. Writing isn't always flowy and fabulous. Sometimes you'll want to throw your laptop or phone out of the window. Don't do that. We don't have time to replace it. So here's what I do when I hit a wall. Shift environments. I'm talking go for a walk, ride at a cafe, change your vibe, do a little dance, whatever it is, whatever it is that you need, just take that shift in environment and whether you move to write in a new environment or just change your environments for 10 minutes or something, can make all the difference. You could talk it out. Literally speak your ideas into your phone. It can really help unblock that energy and this is the most important one. Drop the pressure. One bad writing day does not mean your book is trash. It means you are human like the rest of us. And if you're really, really stuck, come back to your reader. Think of that one person that your book is meant to help speak to them directly. Because this book, it's not about you, it's about them. And what a gift to be able to give somebody. You don't need more time, you don't need another course or certification. You don't need to wait until the kids are older or the business is less busy because it never is. You need a decision and then you need a plan, and then a system that turns your voice into words, your message into impact and your knowledge into a legacy. That's exactly what I help you do at Automatic Authority. So if you're done thinking about writing a book and ready to get it done, you know where to find me. Slide into my dms. Join the AAA experience. Let's write your book, build your Authority, and blow your industry's socks off. Until next time, write it, speak it, be it. Thanks for tuning into the Tarryn Reeves Show. If today's episode litter firing you, share it with someone who needs to hear it and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss a story that could transform your business. If you're ready to write the book that positions you as the go-to authority in your industry, visit automatic authority.com to find out how we can help you make it happen. Until next time, keep owning your story, leading with impact and building a legacy.