Write Your Book Anyway

We all have that friend who says they want to write a book, right? 

And surely, that’s a good thing, but most don’t do it  for a few fears. I say write it anyway.

And here are a few reasons why it will make a difference for at least one, which is where it all starts.

You may be thinking: There are so many books out there, why write mine?

Okay, while that’s not the mindset to adopt, let’s take a closer look: Although there are so many book out there, there are also so many outdated books out there, there are dead books out there (books that are not worth reading because they add nothing to anyone’s life) books that are hard to read, books that lived out their usefulness, and books that are not on the topic you will be writing about, or from the perspective you will take it. 

This takes out a lot of the mental barrier of thinking there’s too much out there already. Write your book.

Won't sell? You don’t know that. Until you offer your book you will never know, and that can torment you. I recently shared with a friend that the pain of failure is far greater than the regret of not trying. And even if you fail, you will have failed forward, and means you will have moved the chains, made some progress.

Also, the experience of writing a book is also a benefit in and of itself because the exercise will leave you a better writer than before, and surely you will write a better book on your next try, if the first one’s not that great. Nothing is lost in the attempt.

To help you see how the sale could happen, here’s a possible situation that makes people buy books: Let's say, for example, John is struggling with something you know a lot about---say, how to work on an oil rig, how to buy a home, or how to create a successful meetup group, and others like that. 

And he is strapped for time, doesn't want to read a big book, he has very little money or doesn't want to spend a lot to get the knowledge, and he finds himself online searching for a book on the topic you are writing about. If your book is well packaged, an easy read, and is affordable, there's a good chance he will buy it. 

Yet until you offer the book, the chance of this happening is not even there. Create the chance. Write your book, at least for John.

A Key Habit To Help You Write A Book

I know, I know, a lot of people want to write a book, right? And surely it’s a good desire. 

Why I think so? Every living human has a story to tell, because to live is to live out your story. And if every story is unique, and stories have lessons, then everyone has something to say, something to teach, something to give. 

And to give, you need a medium to do it. If you choose to use a book to share what you know, here are a few baby steps.

The writing process comes out of life, out of living, and you know living happens every day and everywhere. And that’s why your content can be found anywhere. 

But how do you capture your content? One of the easiest ways to do so is to keep a notepad with you. A notepad should not be far off wherever you are---the ideas for your book can hit you at any time, and some of the best hit when you least expect them. Some of the finest lines could come to you when you are eating, walking about, in a conversation with someone, and so on. You get it.

And since a short pencil is better than a long memory, capture it before it flies off. There's often too much going on in our lives to commit things to our memory, but a pencil keeps it noted. 

Why wait till you sit down to think up your ideas? Heard of the writers block, right? Yeah, often it hits the very moment you sit to punch the keys.

And this note-taking habit is shown in one of my favorite movies,  Finding Forrester. Ever seen it? Derek Luke, who plays the Jamal, the young man who befriends William Forrester, Sean Connery's character in the movie, always carried a back pack with him. 

In his backpack, he had a little notebook  which he used to write down some of his favorite lines. In the movie, he ends up losing his backpack while he and his friends, out of curiosity, visit William Forrester’s apartment. To them the old man was mysterious and they wanted to find out who he was. 

They get spooked and ran off, and Jamal leaves his bag behind. William ends up looking through his backpack and notices the young man’s writing habit and some of the lines he had penned. These little pieces of sentences are what the renowned author sees and likes, even comments on them in his notations in Jamal's book. This ultimately became the tissue/link to their friendship.

 Great pieces equals a great book, and these pieces could come to you at the beach, the grocery store, in a conversation. So always have a pen at the ready or your own writing software.

Why Deciding Can Be Hard

I saw the headline: 1,142 Decisions For Christ — Hill Country Bible Church sign.

 

Decisions? Decided? To decide?

Break down the word and you see why it can be hard. To decide is to kill.

Surely ‘cide’ means to kill, right? As we see in homicide, pesticide, and germicide. To decide, then, means to kill a choice in favor of another. 

Surely few people ran happily to kill or take something or someone out. This is where the heart tugs leave many of us undecided, indecisive. It can be uneasy. 

Yet, we must decide, for we can’t have it all, and progress depends on deciding, choosing. So kill the less desirable alternative for the better one.