Signs You Should Write Your Book

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Introduction

Have you been playing with the idea of writing your own book but have no idea if you should do it or not? Well, a lot comes into play when we talk about writing a book. You need resources, especially time and effort, to make it happen. You also need to be aware of what you are signing yourself up for. Lastly, you have to do an honest evaluation of where you are and where you want to go or be.

But before all of this happens, let’s start with the two most basic questions you should be asking yourself. What’s my idea? Why do I want to write a book?

If you have an idea that you believe should be shared, do it. And even if you don’t believe a hundred percent in the idea yet, do it anyway. Just having an idea or the desire to write already proves that you have something to share, that you should give a shot on your voice being heard. Honor your ideas and your thoughts, share them with the world.

Here I am referring to writing specifically because of this blog’s purpose, but this applies to everything. If you have an idea that can’t not come to life anymore, think about turning that idea into something actionable. For example, starting your own business, writing a blog, starting your podcast, among others.

Isn’t There Too Much Competition?

And if you are wondering about competition, don’t worry about it. Even if you are going for a “more popular” or “more common” genre, your writing is yours only. What you write will be different from everything out there precisely because it’s yours.

And what do I mean by that? I mean that even though some stories may appear similar from the outside, they are not. They can have common plot points, for example, but because they were written by two different people, they will automatically have something different.

There is a quote I like a lot, which is “No one else is like you and that’s your superpower.” I try to remind people around me about that when they come to me asking “Isn’t there a lot of people doing this right now?” or “Isn’t there a lot of competition in my niche?”

And the answer may be yes sometimes, but it’s also no. No one has the same ideas, the same opinions, and the same writing style you have. There will always be something that differs you from other people, both positively and negatively.

Should I Write A Book Then?

A great motivator (and a possible indicator) for some writers is to measure if the book they want to write can help someone. And I am not only talking about self-help books. Not everything needs to be “explicit.” Every genre has its own particularities and some of them may help just because readers get lost in the story.

I am an avid reader and one of the biggest reasons why I read is to escape reality, to escape the day-to-day chaos of managing work, studying, personal life, and so many other things. I love getting lost in a book and finding out what happens in a story. So, for me, books are helpful in that way. If an author can create a story where I am transported to an alternate reality or if an author can make me think in a different way, that’s already valid for me.

So, keep this in mind: if your idea helps someone (either by informing, entertaining, motivating, or educating a person), it is probably a sign that you should write a book.

Publish A Book When...

If you feel ready to move from writer to author, that’s also a great sign that you are ready to write a book. And what does that mean specifically? Although we normally use the term interchangeably (I do in my blogs too), writing can be a hobby, responsibility, or a necessity, but being an author is a job and/or career.

Being an author has requirements and expectations because it is a career/profession, but with writing, it does not always happen like that. So if you are already writing on a regular basis and want to get to the next level, writing a book may be the answer you have been looking for.

And What If I Don’t Have an Audience Already?

That’s okay. A lot of people start from zero (or close to zero) and start building their fan base and/or client list. It’s the same for authors. We cannot expect a first-time author to have as many followers and readers as a well-established author who wrote a handful of books.

That doesn’t mean first-time authors cannot have a fan base. Many people are successful in their careers (which is not writing books) and decide to become authors, so they may transfer their fan base from one space to the other. However, no one expects by any means that you will decide to write a book today and will have a huge audience tomorrow.

If you want to build a fanbase or want to attract more readers, you will need to learn how to do some marketing (self-marketing AND book marketing). So, if you want to get started or are just curious to learn more about the basics of promoting your book on social media, check out this blog post.

The Two Golden Tips For Writing A Book

Above all, write a book if you are ready to be vulnerable. That’s golden rule #1.

It can be scary to put your ideas and your work out there. There is a lot of criticism and negativity in this world. You will not always hear what you want, and not everyone will enjoy your work. And that’s fine. That means it may not be made for them, but it will be made for other people. Don’t give up.

Golden rule #2: Write if you are ready to commit. Writing a book is no easy task. It requires resources. You will need to spend a lot of your time and effort to make it happen. Even though it can be exhausting, it’s also rewarding.

If you don’t feel you can commit at the moment, don’t worry. Keep working on the ideas in your head, start writing some things down and keep going. When you have time, focus all your attention (or as much as possible) on turning your notes and thoughts into a full book. Remember: the difference between writing and being an author is that the second one is a profession, and that will require your commitment.