There's a tremendous amount of excitement that comes with writing and publishing a book. It's an example of one of those "lofty life achievements" everyone shoots for – an item on the old bucket list – and I genuinely believe everyone should check this off their list!
So why doesn't everyone do it?
I can certainly speak from experience. As I've mentioned numerous times over the past few weeks, my book, Write Like You Mean It: Mastering Your Passion For The Written Word, is coming out in September! It's my first book – and I'm in my 40s.
Why didn't I write it sooner? I've written all sorts of stuff and been published in newspapers, magazines, etc. What was the hold up with writing and publishing a book?
For me, it was a matter of finding something I wanted to write about and then building up the confidence to start writing and FINISH. For others, it may be something different.
I don’t know how accurate this statistic still is, but as recently as 2019, several online sources stated that 97 percent of people who start a book don’t finish it. There are perhaps just as many who say, "I've got a book idea in my head," but they haven't started it yet.
There are several reasons for this:
They're afraid to write a book.
They're overwhelmed by such a big project.
Procrastination.
They are trying to be too perfect.
They underestimate how long it takes.
They don't know where to start or how to finish.
Maybe you're thinking the same thing. And that's OK. I felt the same things you're experiencing right now, and yes, even a few irrational thoughts that I simply had to get over.
My message: Take the plunge!
The worst thing that can happen is that your first draft isn't what you hoped it would be. And guess what? That's OK! The first draft is never perfect!
That's why they call it a FIRST DRAFT!
Here's even more good news ... I literally talk about this very topic and so many more in my book, Write Like You Mean It. Even if you didn't go to school to be a writer like I did, this book will help you be a better writer in your own space – and who knows, maybe that will lead to writing and publishing a book.
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