So you want to write a book? - Part 4

A deep dive into why you are writing this book

As I alluded to in the last article, often our first draft is just that, a first draft.  Hate to tell you, but likely one of many. The good news is that with each version you are getting closer to the final, finished product.

 But let’s get back to the beginning for a moment.  Early on I asked you why you were writing your book?  Who was your potential reader? And what were your key messages?

Has that changed?  Because sometimes it does as you go deeper into your topic and learn more.  Sometimes the writing process digs up more than you expected in your personal life. Stuff you’d kept under wraps.  Your decision is whether to include these insights or stories in the book, and only you can decide what gets included and what gets left out.  But just a heads up that writing can stir up issues you thought were long gone.

The clearer you can be on what you want to achieve through your book, the better it will be.  By clarity, I mean the key messages, the outcome for the reader, and yes, what you want to get out of it too.  If it is making a fortune through your book, I hate to disappoint you, but unless you are Stephen King, making lots of money as an author is a pipe dream.

What a book does is it gives you is credibility.  We live in a society that admires and respects people who have written a book.  If you are in business, your book can become a platform from which to establish yourself as an expert.  In fact it is often through public speaking that you sell the most books.

There will be times when you feel like giving up.  It is then when you want to remember your why.  Why you are doing this in the first place.  It is that why that will give you the tenacity to carry on.

Taking a break is OK too.  Sometimes coming back a few months later gives you a fresh perspective and a renewed enthusiasm for the project.

Personally I find it hard to write when I am not in the “flow.”   I am far better off to “step away from the computer” take a walk, do something else rather than force myself to write when I am tired and not feeling that creative.

Having said all this, there is something very rewarding when a reader contacts you to say that your words have been helpful, resonated and made a difference.  That’s when you know you are on the right path.

This post is part four of a series on writing books by Anne Day, President of Full Circle Publishing and author/editor of five books on Women and Entrepreneurship.  Her next book, co-authored with Amy Vodarek will be coming out in Spring, 2017

Speaking out about breast cancer

Every year in October I am reminded that it is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  As a survivor of twenty-six years, I still remember that sense of absolute fear when I was told the news of my diagnosis at 39.  Especially as a mother of two young children, worried that I might not see them grow up.

And when I was diagnosed 15 years later it was even more of a shock, because I’d conveniently forgotten that once you are a member of the Cancer Club, your membership never expires.  In 2005 mine was reactivated.

That fear never really leaves you and it bubbles to the surface with every check up.    But at least today, there are more resources to support women (and men) who have been diagnosed.

I know that for sure because through my newly formed publishing company, I have three books on breast cancer coming to fruition.  Each is very different, but in its own way, will  hopefully provide information, inspiration and support to families impacted by this disease.

The first is One Loop at a Time – A story of rug-hooking, healing and creativity by Meryl Cook.  Hailing from Nova Scotia, Meryl used her rug hooking to demonstrate her emotions as she went through her cancer treatments.  Each rug is beautifully photographed in the book, with her poems and descriptions of how she felt every step of the way.  It’s a feel good book.

Next came Debbie Kerr’s book – When Cancer Takes Flight! in which she takes the reader on her cancer journey, providing useful information and resources so that fellow passengers on this trip, can know in some way what to expect and how humour – and Debbie has it in spades – can make all the difference.

Last but no means least, we have Riding Shotgun, written by Don Kerr from the male perspective of what it was like being the caregiver when his wife was diagnosed with and treated for breast cancer, especially with two young sons.  Not much is written or available for men in the caregiver situation and Don’s book eloquently describes his struggles and gratitude that they all survived. 

All three books will be coming out in late November/early December.  I applaud them all for their courage to tell their stories, and the wisdom they are willing to share with others.

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Why do you write?

Welcome.  With the launch of my new publishing company, it seemed appropriate to start a blog that focused on writing.

Although I have four books under my belt, it wasn’t until I wrote the third one that I started to consider myself a writer.  Funny that.  I was also hesitant to introduce myself as a writer as I wasn’t sure I’d won that stripe yet.

Writing is such a personal craft.  Often we start writing just for ourselves. I find writing is my way of sorting out the mixed emotions I feel inside but sharing your innermost thoughts with the world makes you feel vulnerable and I don’t always take that risk. There’s many a blog that I’ve written in anger that will never see the light of day.  Just getting the words out and down on paper was my therapy.

But just sending your words out into the universe can be a brave act.  After all what if no one likes what you have to say. Worse, what if no one even reads your epistles.

I have to say when I started blogging over eleven years ago, I didn’t actually care if I had an audience, I was just enjoying the excuse to write and post what I had to say or my thoughts on a specific topic.

It was later that I began to realize that I maybe had some wisdom to impart and that perhaps my words would bring comfort or understanding to someone else.  As I became more immersed in the world of entrepreneurship, I also started to share my thoughts on running a small business, something I was doing at the time with an element of success.

Why do you write?  I am sure it is different for all of us. And there’s different types of writing too.   When I worked as a consultant I used to write long, long reports that I questioned if anyone read, let alone followed my recommendations.  And when I was in government, it was briefing notes to politicians that would be written and re-written to ensure we had covered the essentials as well as our backs.

Today I like to share people’s stories.  I love interviewing people and helping them articulate their innermost thoughts and share them with the world.   I also love helping other writers weave their books into something that people not only want to read but enjoy.

In the months ahead I will be sharing different ways to entice and hold your readers’ interest and looking at the specific tasks in writing your book. 

Meantime, back to my original question --- why do you write?  Let me know.