How to Go from "I Want to Write a Book" to "I'm a Published Author"

The journey from dreaming of writing a book to holding a published copy in your hands can feel like a monumental leap. Many aspiring authors get stuck in the first stage, with the vague, unspecific goal of "I want to write a book." Without a concrete plan, that desire often remains just a dream.

At bestsellingpublisher.com, we know that the path to becoming a published author is not a single, giant leap, but a series of small, realistic, and achievable goals. It's about transforming a grand aspiration into a strategic, step-by-step roadmap. By leveraging the power of modern kindle publishing services and a professional mindset, this journey is more accessible than ever before.

Part 1: The Mindset Shift: From Dreamer to Goal-Setter

Before you can set a single goal, you must first change your mindset. Writing a book is not a hobby; it is a professional pursuit that requires the discipline and strategic thinking of an entrepreneur.

Define Your "Why"

The first, and most important, step in setting realistic goals is to define your "why." Why do you want to write this book? Is it to build a career? To share a personal story? To solve a problem for a specific audience? Your "why" will serve as the guiding light for every decision you make, from the genre you choose to the marketing you undertake. A vague goal like "I want to be an author" lacks the emotional fuel needed to sustain a long, challenging project. A specific "why" gives you purpose and clarity.

Embrace the Entrepreneurial Mindset

A published author, especially one who uses modern amazon publishing services, is a business owner. They are the CEO of their own publishing company, responsible for production, marketing, and sales. Embracing this mindset means:

Viewing your book as a product: A product must meet the needs and expectations of its target customer.

Viewing your writing as a professional practice: This requires a consistent schedule and a commitment to continuous learning.

Viewing your career as a long-term business: This means making strategic investments in editing, cover design, and marketing.

The Power of the SMART Goal

A SMART goal is a powerful tool for turning a vague desire into a concrete plan. SMART stands for:

Specific: What exactly do you want to achieve?

Measurable: How will you track your progress?

Achievable: Is this goal realistic given your time and resources?

Relevant: Does this goal align with your overall "why"?

Time-bound: When will you achieve this goal?

This framework will be the foundation for every goal we set.

Part 2: Breaking Down the Journey into SMART Goals

The journey from a blank page to a published book is a multi-phase project. We'll break it down into five key goals, each with a clear, realistic plan.

Goal 1: The Writing Phase

The first hurdle for any aspiring author is completing the manuscript. This is often where the dream dies, as the scale of the task feels overwhelming. The goal is not to write a perfect book, but to write the first draft.

Specific: "I will write the first draft of my 70,000-word novel."

Measurable: "I will write 500 words per day, five days a week." This is a realistic goal for most people. A simple calculation shows that at this pace, an author will have a full manuscript in just under 28 weeks.

Achievable: 500 words a day is a small, manageable task. It is the perfect antidote to the intimidation of a 70,000-word manuscript. The key is consistency, not volume.

Relevant: Without a first draft, there can be no book. This is the foundational goal.

Time-bound: "I will complete my first draft by [Date six months from now]."

Goal 2: The Editing Phase

Once the first draft is complete, the next logical goal is to turn it into a professional product. This is a multi-step process that requires an author to wear both the writer's and the editor's hat.

Specific: "I will edit and revise my manuscript to a professional standard."

Measurable: "I will perform a self-edit pass in one month, then hire a professional editor for a developmental and line edit." The measurable part is not about the word count, but about the completion of these specific tasks.

Achievable: This goal is entirely achievable by breaking it down into a series of smaller tasks. An author should start saving for the cost of a professional editor while they are writing, making this a planned, not a reactive, expense.

Relevant: Professional editing is a non-negotiable step in creating a book that readers will want to buy and review positively.

Time-bound: "I will complete the editing phase of my book by [Date three months from now]."

Goal 3: The Production Phase

This phase is where the book truly comes to life, moving from a text file to a finished product. It involves professional cover design and interior formatting.

Specific: "I will have a professional cover designed and my manuscript formatted for both eBook and print."

Measurable: "I will hire a professional cover designer, get the final cover files for both eBook and print, and have my manuscript formatted into a `.epub` file and a print-ready PDF." This is a crucial step for preparing the book for the technical requirements of the amazon book service platform.

Achievable: This goal is entirely achievable by hiring the right professionals. An author's job is to manage the project, not necessarily to perform the tasks themselves.

Relevant: A professional cover and clean formatting are essential for a book to be competitive in the marketplace.

Time-bound: "I will complete the production phase by [Date one month from now]."

Part 3: The Publishing & Launch Phase (Executing the Plan)

With the book now a professional, polished product, the final steps are to publish it and begin the marketing process.

Goal 4: The Publishing Step

This is the moment the author officially becomes published. All the previous goals have led to this single, momentous step.

Specific: "I will publish my book on Amazon KDP."

Measurable: "I will upload my formatted manuscript, cover files, and metadata (keywords, categories, description) to the KDP platform, review the final version, and hit the 'Publish' button." This is where the author leverages the power of kindle publishing services to bring their book to market.

Achievable: This goal is now a simple, technical process. All the hard, creative, and strategic work has already been done. The author is no longer facing a mountain, but a simple, final step.

Relevant: This is the ultimate goal of the entire process—to be a published author.

Time-bound: "I will publish my book on [Specific launch date]."

Goal 5: The Marketing and Launch Step

A book is not a bestseller without marketing. The author's final goal for the first book is to successfully launch it and begin the marketing process.

Specific: "I will execute a successful launch, driving initial sales and visibility."

Measurable: "I will launch the book with an email to my email list, promote on social media, and run a limited-time price promotion. My goal is to get at least 15 reviews in the first week." This is a realistic, measurable goal for a first-time author.

Achievable: This goal is entirely achievable if the author has followed the previous steps, especially building an email list and having a professional product. The marketing tools available through amazon publishing services make this process even more accessible.

Relevant: Without a launch plan, a book will not find its audience and will likely disappear into the vast marketplace.

Time-bound: "I will execute my launch marketing plan during the week of [Launch week]."

Part 4: Sustaining the Journey (The Long-Term Goal)

Once the first book is published, the dream of being an author becomes a reality. But a career is not built on a single book; it is built on a series of them. The final goal is to create a sustainable, long-term career.

Specific: "I will build a sustainable author business."

Measurable: "I will write and publish my second book within the next 12 months. I will also grow my email list to 1,000 subscribers and consistently run a small Amazon Ads campaign to drive evergreen sales."

Achievable: This goal is entirely achievable by applying the same SMART goal framework to the next project. The author now has the experience and the tools to make it happen again.

Relevant: This is how an author turns a single book into a career. A backlist is the most powerful asset an author can build.

Time-bound: "I will have my second book published by [Date 12 months from now]."

Conclusion

The journey from "I want to write a book" to "I'm a published author" is not a single, unachievable dream. It is a roadmap of small, realistic, and highly intentional goals. By embracing an entrepreneurial mindset, using the SMART goal framework, and leveraging the powerful kindle publishing services available today, an author can transform a vague aspiration into a concrete, achievable plan. The most successful authors don't wait for inspiration; they set goals, they make a plan, and they execute it, one step at a time. The dream is within reach—all that's left is to start.