Reasons you should write your book

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What can we do in those empty pockets of time during the day? 

 

Endlessly scrolling through social media requires no talent, mindless eating makes your pants tight, and working out (though great) = sweating.

 

Talking politics rarely ends well.

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But, there is good news. You can use the margins of your day to write a book.

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Becoming an author is an accomplishment. 

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Let's say you commit to writing just 500 words a day (equivalent to a quick blog post), and do this five days a week. 

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Take weekends off to clear the mind and have fun.

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Repeat this for 50 weeks and you will have written 125,000 words.

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That equates to a:

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        -mega-novel

        -two short-ish novels

        -or multiple novellas or non-fiction books

        -several non-fiction books

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And that allows for two weeks of non-writing vacation.

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You can average two books a year moving forward for as long as you choose, in 30-45 minutes a day.

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And you have the itch, or you wouldn't be on this site.

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But do you have the motivation?

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Let's get to the list of reasons you should write the book(s) you've been thinking about.

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1 - Prove to yourself that you can

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              So many people who want to write books are crippled by “Imposter Syndrome” or lifelong self-doubt. They see other people as authors, not someone like them.

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Set that mentality to the curb with the trash. The most successful authors swat at mosquitos, sit on toilets, and curse at the missing sock after laundry just like everyone else. What they did to separate themselves from the pack was writing a book. Or many books.

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2 - Prove to your naysayers that you can

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Some people live life with a sombrero-sized chip on their shoulder;  There are negatives to that but one thread of gold it provides is the absolute burning desire to succeed. Revel in the satisfaction of putting your skeptics in their place by accomplishing something they thought you were incapable of.

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Send them a signed copy if you wish.

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3 - To leave your mark behind

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In my book Your GPS to Happiness, I delve into leaving more behind than just a tombstone. All of our days are numbered, the sand pours through our personal hourglasses with each tick of the clock.

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Your book will live forever though.

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Edgar Allan Poe, Steven Ambrose, Shakespeare, and countless others are known to us today only because they wrote books

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You need not attain their fame or celebrity to leave your mark behind. Your book does that for you.

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4 - To capture and preserve a story or event 

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Sites like Ancestry.com have proven invaluable in reconstructing family trees. 

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My sister discovered that we had a grandparent many (many)  generations ago who was on the Lewis and Clark expedition. He is anonymous to most of us today but was well-known while alive. He once evaded Native Americans, who planned to kill him, for hundreds of miles.

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While naked. (Imagine the sunburn…)

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Now that’s a story that needs to be preserved and passed on. Somewhere further down the family tree will be a descendant with a shared love of writing and they can build upon yours in a 2nd updated edition. It is up to you to get the ball rolling.

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5 - Become part of the 1% who take the initiative.

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Often the uber-wealthy are referred to as the 1% and that is a tough club to break into. I have never equated wealth with “elitism”; too many people have done nothing substantial yet they inherit enough money to buy Guatemala. 

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That’s called luck. Actions impress me more and by writing your book you will have taken action, learned processes, conquered frustrations, and become part of another 1%. A better one. A club based on what you've DONE.

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Welcome aboard.

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6 - To win at life

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I love the poem titled “The Dash.” It references the years of birth and death that appear on our tombstone and then asks, “How did you live your dash?”-meaning the time you had on earth represented by the dash between those years.

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Though I believe in a “to each their own” outlook on doing what makes you happy, I prefer to LIVE, not exist.

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The thought of spending yet another day sitting at a bar, seeing the same things and people over and over offers no appeal. Especially when the guy next to you is both chatty and in need of mouthwash.

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Ten times out of ten, I choose to accomplish, visit, volunteer, explore, and generally contribute to the greater good.

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When you write your book, you have taken a step beyond the normal routine. The hours spent on the book represent hours of your life, that were hours well spent. 

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7 - Elevate your qualifications

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For many, a book serves as a very impressive business card that encapsulates your ethos, savvy, and value to a company. The book also represents a position of authority in your space.

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When launched properly, the reviews of your book will also serve as “social proof” that you’re a great candidate for the next position in your professional trek.  Fighting for attention on LinkedIn, X, etc may be soul-sappingly necessary but your book will allow you to enter the arena with a competitive advantage.

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That certainly beats being at a competitive DIS advantage.

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8- Create the characters and setting you’ve had in your head forever

            

Certain movies leave an indelible mark because of the characters who make the story intriguing: Harry Potter, Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, and Frodo are just a few and the list seems eternal.

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All of them were given life by someone just like you or me. Those characters were a gift to people all over the world who wear their apparel and look forward to the next film.

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All because the authors wanted their story told. Most authors never sell an impressive amount of books but they don’t have to. Having written the story is impressive on its own.

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Let your story be told.