I know WHY you haven’t written your book yet!

As a writer, I know every trick in the book when it comes to excuses because I’ve made them, and I’m here to call you out right NOW! I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I’ve made and it’s frustrating me because I KNOW that now is the right time for so many people, but they’re choosing to ignore it. It’s time to get real, stop the excuses and face the barriers in front of us.

No, I haven’t got a crystal ball and I can’t tell fortunes or read tea-leaves (although my Gran could), but I can tell you why you’re not writing. It’s FEAR!

I know you don’t hide under the covers and worry about the writing bogeyman that’s in your cupboard or under your bed, but no matter where the bogeyman is, he is a representation of fear and he’s holding you back.

You might not even think you’re scared until you read this. But if you really want to write a book and you’re not writing it already, one of the reasons below is gonna resonate with you:

1. People like me don’t write books. What will people say/think? – We get this idea in our head that we’re not worthy of writing a book. Some people we’re acquainted with may say or think ‘Who do they think they are?’ but we shouldn’t let this stop us from writing if we really want to. The funny thing is, it’s sometimes simply in our head. If someone is really our friend, wants us to well, or loves us, then why wouldn’t they wish us well? If anyone has a comment, maybe it’s their problem, not yours!
2. I’m not good enough! – How many times do you think I’ve heard this excuse? That’s all it is, it’s an excuse. Again it’s something we feed our mind because let’s face it, as human beings, we love to nurture our little insecurities. Maybe you’re not a writer because you don’t have the skills or practice. If we want something in life, we HAVE to go and get it. When we learn to walk as a baby, we push ourselves. We practice until we get it right, even if we fall down. So, can you tell me why a baby has this motivation but then as adults, we lose this drive and passion? I really don’t know the answer – imagine if we just gave up as a baby. We wouldn’t walk or talk. When we strive only for what we want. Something that excites us. So get EXCITED! You’re gonna write a bleedin’ book! If you don’t have the skills yet, you can learn. Want it, own it, push for it, fight for it!

3. I don’t wanna be judged! – #TruthBomb we’re judged in everything we do and there’s no escape. We’re judged on the way we look, the clothes we wear, the books we read, the people we hang with, the music we listen to. We can’t control it. So, why are we worrying about things we can’t control. Whether being judged is right or wrong, it’s irrelevant. Accept judgements and accept you can’t escape them. Then, cast them to the back of your mind. Not everyone is going to like your writing and that’s okay – you can be at peace with that. It’s like the marmite argument – nobody can MAKE you like it, and while some people do, others don’t. Does that mean they should stop making marmite? Not at all! We’re not all the same and that’s a beautiful thing. There are billions of people in the world… YOUR people are out there. People who like your writing. You just have to figure out how to reach them.

4. Rejection! – Yeah, yeah, rejection stinks. BUT it’s part of life. We’re upset when our writing is rejected because our writing is part of us, and therefore it plays on our emotions. Rejection is similar to judgements, and it’s something we have to accept. BUT we can use both of these things to grow. Rejection helps us build resilience. If we come back after rejection, come back strong. If we didn’t feel the rejection, we wouldn’t know how to deal with it. If you are resilient, you learn, you grow, and that’s something you can be proud of. Celebrate your resilience following any rejection and never give up!

5. Don’t know where to start! – Not knowing where to start when you first start writing is the norm. If you’ve never done something before then how can you expect to know? Again, please don’t let this stop you, because you can learn this. This is a skill. It’s something you can get advice on. Something you can practice. Trust me, it will all come together, especially if you have a little plan in place.

6. Haven’t got the time – I hear this all of the time. It now amuses me. I challenge this response – it’s a lame excuse. I’ve used it so many times and even persuaded myself it was true. You DO have time to write. I’m not saying you have to get your book written within a month – the timescale is down to you. If you are pressed for time, then spending 10 minutes each day is still progress. If you’re going to say you’ve not got the time, and you can’t even spare 10 minutes, then it’s not that you don’t have time to write. It’s more like you don’t want it ENOUGH! I have a little low-cost mini-series that I sell on my website that challenges this very idea. You listen to a 5-7 minute recording and write for the remainder of the time up to ten minutes per day. You follow the recordings and write for 10 days. It proves that you do have time to write and I’ll be honest, once you get the writing bug, you’ll be dedicating more time to it. We MAKE time for the things we really want. You’ve gotta WANT it and be willing to sacrifice the time. Give it a try and if you’re worried you won’t know how to get started with your writing, try my Creative Writing Mini-Series.

7. Money! – Another common excuse for people not writing. People tell me they don’t have the money. Okay, so if you want to learn writing skills, editing skills, publishing skills, or if you want feedback or coaching when it comes to your writing then you’re probably going to need to spend money. If you don’t have the money, spend the time you would dedicate to writing, researching and learning these things. It will take you longer, but the information is out there if you look hard enough. WARNING – don’t ever pay to publish your book. You need to make a choice – self-publish, or pitch your book to an agent or directly to a publisher. This does not cost money! Remember that every agent and publisher will have guidelines and preferences when it comes to the type of writing they publish. Writing doesn’t always make you a millionaire but you shouldn’t be paying thousands to write a book. Many people believe they are getting a publishing deal, but a publisher will never charge you money to create and print your book – that’s not a publishing deal. You can actually hire an expert if you need help, but only in the areas you’re struggling with – it’s much more cost effective. You may need a power hour with a coach to plan and organise your book, or an editor for feedback, a typesetter to format your book etc… But it should never cost you thousands. If you choose to self-publish, you can even hire a printer you print you some hard copies to sell. So let me break this down for you – writing and publishing a book doesn’t have to cost you a penny if you’re willing to spend the time, you can research and LEARN everything you need to know to publish a book. Someone who wants to charge you thousands of pounds to publish your book that’s not a book deal. You can hire a coach or writing mentor, and learn life-long writing skills, so you can go it alone after the first book. You can only hire experts for specific tasks you are struggling with to keep costs low. When it comes to money and writing, YOU decide.

If you acknowledge your fears and get over them, you’ll find you have no more excuses when it comes to writing.

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine your published book in your hand – how does it make you feel?

Remember that!

Many people believe there’s no money to be made in writing book, but don’t rule this out just yet. It’s time to squash this myth! On Thursday, I’ll share with you the different ways you can make money ONCE you’ve published your book and I think you’ll be surprised as there’s so much you can do. Once your book is published, it doesn’t have to be the end!

You got this!

Much love,