How to Be a Published Author When You Have a Full-Time Job

You’ve dreamed of becoming an editor, went to journalism school, interned every summer, and landed the perfect job. Now, you’re ready to take on the next challenge (the one you’ve kept in the back burner for a few years): writing your first book. The problem is you don’t plan on quitting or switching careers — you want to be an editor and a published author at the same time.

Have no fear! Ed is here to show you that writing more than 1,000 words is possible. He got the dirt from five superstar magazine editors, who managed to fit book deals into their crazy schedules. Follow these seven tips and you’ll be adding “Author” to your resume in no time.

Don’t wait around.
A book deal isn’t going to fall on your lap — you need to go out and try to get one. “So many people I’ve met have said that they would like to write a book, but want someone to approach them first,” says Anna Davies, Senior Copywriter at Victoria’s Secret and ghostwriter of six bestselling young adult novels. “If what you need is motivation, taking a writing class is a great option. There are a lot of classes through Gotham Writers’ Workshop and Mediabistro

Consider a coauthor.
“Not only will you split the workload, but you’ll also have a built-in editor and focus group,” says Andrea Lavinthal, style and beauty director at People and coauthor of Your So-Called Life, Friend or Frenemy, and The Hookup Handbook.

“Having a writing partner was a huge boon. My coauthor is naturally more of a writer and I’m more of an editor, so we complemented one another well,” says Andrea Bartz, deputy editor at Natural Health and Fit Pregnancy and coauthor of Stuff Hipsters Hate: A Field Guide to the Passionate Opinions of the Indifferent. Having a commitment to a coauthor will also motivate you to get the writing done. “We had writing dates, either in-person, usually at coffee shops, or digitally at our respective laptops but with plenty of Gchat conversation,” adds Bartz.

Be upfront with your boss.
Once you start working on the book, it’s time to let your supervisor in on the plan — even if you don’t really need to. “I didn’t have to tell my bosses that I was working on a book, but I thought it would be better to tell them myself than have them hear it or read it elsewhere,” says Lavinthal.

Bartz agrees. “I dug up my employee handbook and read it with a fine-tooth comb. It made it clear that outside projects that were unrelated to the company were okay, so I felt safe, if a bit nervous, to bring it up. My boss was supportive and excited for me,” she adds.

Give yourself a deadline and meet it.
You might be wondering how these hard-working editors found the time to write their books. They all agree that the key is to schedule writing time and deadlines — and stick to them.

“I tried to approach writing in chunks just focusing on finishing a chapter or a section at a time. It helped me not get overwhelmed when it was time to write,” says Tanner Stransky, senior editor at HBO and author of Find Your Inner Ugly Betty: 25 Career Lessons for Young Professionals Inspired by TV Shows.

Be ready to sacrifice your “free” time.
“Many days, I had to come straight home from work and start writing instead of, say, hitting happy hour with my friends,” says Stransky. “Before a big deadline, I would often dedicate my weekend to finishing whatever chunk of the book was due even if it mean not hanging out with friends.”

But that doesn’t mean you can’t give yourself some R&R, it just means you need to be more careful with how you spend your free time (at least until your book is done). “It was important to me to maintain a social life and do a good job at work. So the element that dropped out of my calendar was unscheduled time. I still had the occasional bad-TV-and-bubble-bath night, but it was literally entered into my Google calendar,” says Bartz.

Don’t forget to wear your journalist hat.
“I always create a very detailed outline for the stories I write for magazines, newspapers, and websites. I employed that when writing my book, too,” says Stransky. “It is a different ball game in lots of ways, but putting to use the skills you know well helps a lot.”

Above all, keep your priorities straight.
Your workload basically doubles when you start writing a book, so it’s normal to get a bit overwhelmed. Just remember to stay calm and prioritize. “Sometimes my head overflowed with things I knew I needed to do. But I always told myself, whether it was book-related or day job-related, you can only do one thing at a time and do it well,” says Brendan Vaughan, senior editor at Esquire and coauthor of The New Brooklyn Cookbook. “That’s what I did and eventually everything got crossed off the list.”

So get to work, Edsters! Now that you have the behind-the-scenes info on writing a book, all you need is that million-dollar idea!