Why write a book? We all have a story to tell. Doubts come in. Do I have a story to tell? I will bore people. I am not a writer. So we convince ourselves that we don’t have a story to tell and we push down our creative energy. I realize not everyone is going to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, but I believe everyone has a heartfelt story to tell and that writing it would help the writer feel more alive.
My first book was a very personal story about being a twin. It started as a Master’s Thesis and evolved into a nonfiction book. Almost thirty years later, I self-published the ebook version Born In Relationship. I felt proud of myself for putting the story of what it is like to be a twin in the world. This boosted my confidence.
I also wrote a romance novel. I didn’t publish this one. I didn’t finish it partly, because I got a big dose of constructive criticism from a friend who was a writer I respected. I was filled with self- doubt and just stopped writing it. I wish I hadn’t stopped. I still have the sense the main characters Liz and Ed are still waiting for me to tell their story. I see them on their front porch with a pitcher of lemonade smiling and waving for me to come closer.:-) I want to join them soon and tell their story. Who can relate to this?
I did write and publish another book called I Got This!. This one was about developing self-love and self-empowerment. During a challenging time, I focused on the many faces of love and started writing a blog about Love. Almost every day, I showed up to my word press blog to focus on the positive. I tried to look for gold in my life. At one-hundred and fifty blog posts, I decided to turn my blog posts into a book. I worked with a friend who was a writer and editor. We met over dinner after work to structure the book. I learned how to create a book that I would publish on Amazon in paperback and ebook format. I gave myself some self-compassion and told myself that my book was good enough to publish. I actually liked the process and book. I felt more confident and more myself. I could say I am a writer. Yeah!
What are some of the benefits of writing a book?
- You get to tell your story.
- You may boost your internal creative energy (Great Coping Skill)
- You may change your focus to more positivity.
- You may learn more about yourself.
- You may let go of self-doubt and boost your confidence.
- You will learn the process of writing and publishing.
You can go the route of self-publishing like I did and or take a traditional route-finding an agent and then a publisher. These days, there are many ways to get started and get your book out there. I do recommend starting with a blog, either on blogger.com or wordpress.com If you have doubts just start writing “I have doubts” and see what comes from that. It is a good practice to show up for yourself every day and writing is a creative way to do just that. I say go for it! Tell your story and enjoy the process.
Eve Brownstone is a Licensed Psychotherapist with Symmetry Counseling. You can contact Eve at ebrownstone@symmetrycounseling or call 312- 768-8762 for more info or to schedule a session.