Who am I to Write a Book?

If you’re a coach, a speaker or an expert who wants to be known as an authority in your field, I’m sure you’ll have thought about writing a book. Having a book can be a real game-changer when your desire is to be known as the go-to person in your niche.

And this is often where the doubts creep in and you start to feel a bit feeble. ‘Who am I to write a book?’ you wail. ‘I’m not special/wise/well-known/clever enough to do that’. This, my friend, is the point at which you need to pull your big girl/boy pants on and give yourself a stern talking to.

Let me help you. I’ll address the top five stories that budding authors sometimes tell themselves, and show you why they’re exactly that – tales that you have made up, but that can have a different ending.

1) I don’t know enough.

OK let’s consider this one for a moment. Do you help people through your work? Do you have happy clients, with the testimonials to prove it? Have you been working in your field for a while (whether in a paid professional capacity or not), and learned a lot along the way?

Take an hour to write down all the things you know. And I mean all of them. It’s so easy to take for granted what we do every day; I would be amazed if you were not able to fill at least two sheets of paper with what you know, believe, have experienced and learned during the course of your work. Does that make you feel more knowledgeable?

2) Nobody would read it (except my mum)

How do you know? Have you asked everyone in the universe?

Seriously though, this is a good time to do some research on your topic, because it’s true – some people do write books that nobody wants to read.That’s not because they haven’t got anything worth reading, it’s because there wasn’t a demand for what they had to say in the first place. So before you go any further, do some Amazon research and see if there are other books on your chosen topic (see below for more details on that). Also, ask your past and present clients if they would value a book about your field, or survey your email list. It’s worth proving to yourself that your book is in a readable niche, both for your own confidence and because it makes business sense.

If you want some guidance on narrowing down your book topic ideas, this will help.

3) There are too many books written about my subject already

How many cookery books have you got? If you’re into a hobby, how many do you own about that? Try going onto Amazon and searching for books in photography, for example – there are thousands. And you’ll see that the top sellers are doing very well.

When people really want to know about a topic, they don’t just buy one book on it. On the contrary, if there is a lot of competition in your field, it shows that it’s a fertile area for publishing a book. You have your own unique take on your subject – your book won’t be a copy of anyone else’s.

If on the other hand you can’t see many books written already in your area, you might want to think about creating a slightly different angle for it so that it appeals to more people. Or just be proud that it’s in a world of its own. Whichever is most important to you.

4) I can’t write

When we were at school we weren’t taught how to write a whole book, were we? So if it’s something you’ve never done before, you’re bound to feel a bit daunted by it. But if you think of it like writing a short story that just happens to get longer, or an essay that stretches into the multiples of page, you’ll realise that you have actually done something like it before.

You don’t have to write full-blown prose, either. It could be a series of interviews or case studies. And don’t forget that you can get help from a book writing coach who will guide you through the process of getting your outline sorted and your words down. That way it’s a lot more enjoyable.

Finally, don’t worry about grammar and spelling. That’s what a copy editor and a proof reader are for (they’re essential for any author, by the way).

5) It will be too hard

Aha, now we’re coming to the nub of it. The old procrastination excuse! Yes, writing a book isn’t easy, but then if it was, having a book wouldn’t be such a badge of pride, would it? It does take sustained effort, but it doesn’t have to be done in one go. Break it down into little chunks. For instance, you could timetable writing 2,000 words a week, so a 40,000 word book will take you 20 weeks to write. Does that sound a bit easier? Nobody said it had to be done in a month.

Now let me ask …

Who are you NOT to write a book?

What would happen if you didn’t write your book? You wouldn’t be able to help as many people and your expertise would go unnoticed by more of your audience. Worst of all, imagine seeing your competitors coming out with their books, when you know full well that you are just as good at what you do as they are.

Please don’t leave it any longer: write!

I’ll leave you with this fabulous quotation from Marianne Williamson, which always gives me goose bumps:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

So think big, get those superhero pants on, and write your book!

Tell me – what’s your greatest challenge with getting started on your book?