I don’t have time.
I don’t have the money to invest in writing and publishing a book.
My book idea is not good enough.
No one will ever read it.
I don’t feel worthy of authorship.
I don’t know how to start.
Writing a book is too big of a project.
Do any of these thoughts sound familiar? If you’ve had a strong desire to write a book, but have also been afraid to move forward, you’re not alone. Many aspiring authors face fear of putting themselves out there and come up with countless excuses not to give life to what they’ve kept inside so long.
What you may not realize is that writing a book can dramatically change your life like no other tool can.
It’s a goal accomplished by few
Writing a book is hard. It takes perseverance, discipline, and time. As you go through the process, distractions, commitments and unplanned events can slow you down if you don’t have a strategy.
But if you have a plan to outline, write, edit and rewrite, chapter by chapter, you’ll eventually have what most only dare to envision: the tangible manifestation of your thoughts and ideas in your hands.
Think of it as a marathon that you enter, follow through, and finish at a cruising pace. Like any other worthwhile endeavor, the process will kick your butt as you isolate yourself from loved ones to pour onto pages what you hope readers need to know. But you’ll finish feeling stronger and more confident. And if you do it well the first time, you’ll be in a much better position to write your next book.
It may be grueling, but it’s a worthwhile endeavor, an item to cross off the bucket list. The satisfaction of a dream accomplished. And the envy of your peers.
It puts you on a new level
Writing a book can launch a new brand and help build a new persona to give you an edge over your colleagues. Business and self-help authors have launched businesses, become sought-after speakers, and established themselves as experts in their field with just one book.
One of my favourite business authors is financial expert David Chilton. His bestseller The Wealthy Barber set the stage for him to rise from unknown stockbroker, launch a publishing company, and later, act as a judge/investor on Dragons’ Den.
Tim Ferriss wrote The 4-Hour Workweek and expanded it into a 4-Hour book series, adding more innovative content, step-by-step guides, practical tips and case studies so that others could better understand the 4-hour principles, see them in action, and emulate them.
Robert Kiyosaki wrote Rich Dad Poor Dad, which went on to become the number one personal finance book of all time. Today, his company offers workshops, training, and mentorship based on many of the principles in his book and several other books he’s written since then.
If you want to open doors that might otherwise remain shut, write a book. It’s an instant credibility booster that goes far beyond adding the title of author to your bio.
It satisfies your inner need to write things down
Ever felt better after putting down a few paragraphs or pages? All writers have. Writing is cathartic. There’s a sort of therapy that happens as you release your conscience onto screen or paper.
Author Flannery O’Connor once said, “I write because I don’t know what I think until I read what I say.” She couldn’t have said it better. Writing regularly will help unclog your mind and once you do, you’ll see the benefits expand into helping you think more broadly and creatively, expanding your vocabulary, improving your thinking skills, and relieving stress. Some studies have even shown that writing regularly can improve your health and speed up the healing process.
Whether you do it via laptop or by hand, the connection of thought onto a visible medium makes your thoughts real and tangible.
It becomes part of your legacy
Your book will outlive you. Whether it’s a memoir to only be shared with family, a self-help guide, or a business book destined to become required reading across university campuses. No matter how well it sells, it will be the proof that you contributed what no one else can: your unique story, experience, and insights. That’s because it has the power to touch and change many lives.
Your readers are out there looking for answers they could find in your book. But they’ll miss out if you never share it.
What’s holding you back?