Everyone has a story to tell, or something amazing that they just want to share with the world. We all live such unique lives, so why not bring a piece of your story to life by writing and publishing a book?
We’re All a Piece of the Grand Universal Puzzle
We’re all here on planet Earth to learn and grow, and to share our knowledge and experiences with others. We are currently living in an age of information, where answers to almost any question are right at our fingertips. So, why not add to that universal library of shared knowledge? Never before have people been so thirsty for knowledge, and it’s up to each one of us to fill in all of the little missing pieces of information that can in some way help someone somewhere make a little more sense of this thing we call life.
There Are So Many Types of Books That You Can Write
There are no rules or set parameters when it comes to writing a book. You can choose your topic, your genre, your purpose, with endless options and possibilities. Books can be fictional stories, they can be informational and insightful, they can be educational, they can invoke joy, sadness, fear, excitement. There is no limit to what you can create in this literary realm. The sky is the limit!
Writing Can Be Very Cathartic
I personally have been through some extremely traumatic experiences in my life and even though I have never written a fiction book, I know that I would one day love to turn some of my experiences into fiction stories. I think it could be extremely healing to dig deep into an experience, and to share the perception of each character, maybe helping me to better understand the other sides to things that affected me so negatively.
And Perhaps You’re Just an Expert on Some Random Topic
The good thing about sharing knowledge is that you don’t have to be a certified expert to give your two sense about a topic. You just want to be transparent and forthcoming. I wrote a self-help book a few years back (which I’m currently rewriting) and in the introduction I share a little bit about my story and my past, and how I came to gather the information that I share in the book. I’m not a doctor or a certified expert, but my openness about who I am and what my personal journey has been created a level of connection with other people who have experienced similar things. Writing books can be a way to open yourself up and create a connection with readers, on a very personal level. Through the book writing process, I had a lot of my readers reach out to me directly (I included my contact information in the book) and I made some really powerful connections as a result. I’m currently rewriting my book because as I continue to evolve, I think it’s important that my book does as well, since it is essentially my voice to the world.
Book Writing… Where Do You Even Begin?
Writing a book might seem like an unattainable goal, so I will share my advice on how you may want to get started. First, you need an idea, a topic that your book will be about. Think about the message that you ultimately want to convey to the world, including the genre or genres that you may want to be classified under. Once you have decided on a topic, a message, and genre/s, then try creating a Table of Contents. I find that this is a great way to organize my ideas and the journey of the book. In a sense, the Table of Contents becomes an outline for the book, which you will most likely make many changes to over the course of writing the book. You may decide not to even include the Table of Contents in the book, but it's a great way to begin the organization and starting point for your writing. Once I have my first draft of the Table of Contents finished, then I start my writing.
I Am Definitely an Ambiance Kind of Writer
I love to set a mood when I’m writing, even if I’m just sitting in my home office (which most times I am). I currently live in upstate New York, and here at the onset of winter I am looking very forward to writing at my computer with the curtains open so I can overlook the snowy skies and scenery. To top off the mood, I’ll be drinking a delicious hot latte, have candles and incense burning, and of course my adorable cat curled up beside me. I just go into a really creative zone when I have a setting like this, and I take my time writing. I typically only write one chapter a day at the most, and of course this is just a draft because the entire book will require many rounds of editing. But to get started, I like to limit myself to one chapter a day because I feel like that way I go into each chapter with a fresh mind. Sometimes sitting in my apartment day after day can get a little mundane (which dulls my inspiration at times) so then I will head over to a coffee shop or a lake (whether permitting) or somewhere else that I find inspiring and do my writing there. There’s an adorable restaurant near me that has a fireplace and they play really relaxing music all the time, so sometimes I like to go there and get a table by the fire, drink a hot tea, and write.
Writing Shouldn’t Be a Chore
It’s okay to make your writing time a fun and upbeat experience. For me personally, when I look at my completed book, I reflect on the entire journey that led me to that final goal, and I try to always make my time in front of the computer writing as positive and enjoyable as I possibly can. Even if I am writing about a difficult time in my life, by making the moment pleasant I think it adds a therapeutic element for me. For instance, I may be writing about something awful that I experienced, but to be where I am now, writing and sharing, learning and growing, I interpret this as coming full circle and gaining as much positivity as I can from negative experiences.
Take a Deep Breath and Let the Writing Begin!
If you feel called to write a book, then take the leap! Don’t worry about how difficult it might end up being or how long it will take. As the saying goes, the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step (Lao Tzu)!
Happy Writing!
~ Jennifer Rose
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