Writing Your Book: Just Begin

Posted by in Publishing, Writing

Has everyone always said to you, “You should write that down,” or “That could be a book”? You know you have specific expertise, and perhaps extraordinary experience, in your field…well, why don’t you write it down? There’s no time like the present. Many successful books started just this way (think, Tuesdays with Morrie).

Don’t worry if you’re not a writer. You don’t have to be. You just have to have a good story to tell or a special insight to share. All the rest–structure, grammar, punctuation, decisions about publication–you can get help to do. The one thing a professional writer can’t do is be you. Only you are you, and if this story is inside you, you are the best one to tell it.

If you have been successful in your career, you already know a big secret: showing up is half the battle. Just decide to begin, set aside the time, and be willing to do it even if it seems to you to be a mess at first. All creative projects start out messy. It’s only through the discipline of continuing to show up that the shape of the project is revealed. You can bring in a professional when needed.

The habits you acquired that led to your success in your field can be applied to writing a book. You know you have what it takes to be disciplined, to show up, to see something through. The parts of writing that are unfamiliar to you, that make you feel like a beginner, can actually be helpful in the writing process. Allow yourself to be open and explore.

So, that idea…why not write it down today? Then come back again, tomorrow.