Perhaps you’ve heard: “you should write a book!”
That’s advice to take to heart. If someone is so enamored by your story or life event, then trust their judgment.
That’s what happened to Christi when she approached me to write her memoir Bittersweet. Her friends kept telling her that her crazy life story was worthy of a book, and after years of listening to them, she relented. Thankfully, I’d already planted the seed with her some 14 years earlier that I wanted to write a book with her (it was a God-thing), and so when the timing was right, she reached out.
Maybe the timing is right for you, too? Have you finally ‘relented?’
That’s the first step in what becomes beloved books. Taking that first step of making a pact with yourself that you are going to write your story.
I always tell budding writers to “just start writing.” A book does not get written by talking about it, taking notes and crafting an outline; it gets written by putting fingers to keyboard and doing the work.
Are outlines, notes and research not important? Of course they are important! You need a map and plan to get anywhere in life or in writing. But here’s a secret I’m going to share with you: many books are never written because the writer stopped at the planning stage. They never shared their story with the world because they never sat down to write it.
Is it that easy?
No! It’s never ‘easy’ to write a book, otherwise everyone would do it. The unwritten books stay in the would-be author’s head because the time was never carved out for writing.
Look at your calendar and make a series of appointments with yourself to write. It will be frustrating, maddening and full-on hair pulling, but it will be the most rewarding thing you do!
Just start writing.