You're Not a Writer but You Want to Write a Book
You’re embarking on your book writing journey, which can be very scary. All writers get scared, so you know you’re not alone. I have a few HELPFUL tips to get you through the SCARY process of developing, writing and publishing your book.
I coach non-writers. My clients are mostly coaches and consultants who want to write a book. These books are tools for business growth. While most of them have written papers, blog posts, articles, and e-mails a book is a huge endeavor.
While they may start strong, because they have a goal set to WRITE A BOOK, fear can set in at any moment. Usually at the beginning, but not always.
Here are a few of the FEAR BLOCKERS I've found that are most common.
Fear blockers:
Where do I start?
My idea stinks.
I’m not a writer. I don’t even know what to say.
All valid fears on every lever and for every writer. That little voice in your head is alerting you to danger because you’ve never done this before. It’s years of telling yourself you can’t do something you’ve never tried. Or maybe you got an F in creative writing back in grade 6, and your belief is that you suck.
As promised, here are three EASY things you can do to overcome your FEAR of writing – no matter what you’re writing.
Take a deep breath.
Relax. Yes. Really, relax. Stop saying I CAN’T, I WON’T, and I’LL NEVER. Flip the script and start saying things like I CAN, I WILL, and I AM. Get a journal (see my link below) and write positive thoughts about your writing. Fill out the page. I recommend this for at least 30 days. Writing with a pen in hand is essential. And it can be messy and unreadable. This is just for you to retrain your brain.
Find a coach, mentor or book buddy. You need someone who isn't just going to hold your hand, but can keep you accountable. This person should be someone who is available to you when you need them. They should also be better at your task at hand then you. Have a 15-minute accountability check-in. Bounce ideas off this person. Talk about your biggest fear from the week prior. Talking to someone who's been through or going through the same things as you helps build your confidence and remove the fear.
Read books like the one you’re writing. Even in business writing, you must have the vision and thought process running through your head while writing. Reading books like yours gives your brain the imagery, the words, and the expectations of your readers. I am not saying to take other people’s writing and make it your own. But once you start reading work like you want to write, you’ll become more comfortable with writing. The side benefit is that you’ll have your comparison titles for when it’s time to sell your book.
Write what you want to write. Don’t try to fit into a mold or someone else’s expectations. This sets you up for FEAR because you’re trying to please someone else. Your writing needs to be YOU: your thoughts, ideas, and your passion. Stay in your passion, and you’ll be comfortable on the journey.
I hope these 4 things help you. I know that when I work with my clients, these are some things I encourage and coach on, Numbers 1 and 4 being the biggest help.
Don’t let fear stop you from writing that book. I have faith in you – you can do it!
Not sure where to begin? Have questions and doubts? Or just want to brainstorm your book idea? Book a FREE 30-Minute GET YOUR BOOK DONE session with me.
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