It’s Not the Monster You Make It Out to Be

If you’re contemplating writing a nonfiction book, this means you possess a knowledge you feel would help others. Chances are, if you’re struggling to get started or bogging down, you are getting frustrated. Over the course of our lives, we assimilate information based on our environment and our interaction with others. We take “messages” and “signals” from our life experiences and apply what we think we’ve learned to various aspects of our lives. Unfortunately, sometimes we apply these “lessons” to the wrong life endeavor. Writing a book is one such example.

The people around us, our environment, and even our own selves too often prevent us from doing something we truly desire to accomplish. Writing a book, and for this post, a nonfiction book, appears to many people as an insurmountable undertaking. There are truly only a few items you need to possess in your book-writing quiver to make this happen.

Desire

Do you own a deep desire to write your book? Do you feel driven to get the information you possess into print for the world to see? Desire comprises a significant part of what’s needed to write your book. Typically, writing a book is not a short-term endeavor, although I wrote one of my books in eleven hours.

That said, writing a book does not need to be the horror story ordeal many writers tout, such as, “Oh, it took me five years to get this book out of me.” I’m here to tell you if it takes five years to write your book, your desire does not override the most mundane aspects of your life. Unless you’re some kind of energizer bunny dynamo, you have an hour a day to devote to writing.

Passion for Topic

Do you feel a deep passion for your book topic? Do you have knowledge to share? We all have life experiences in various fields of living which lends us the opportunity to share the knowledge we’ve accumulated with others. If you own the desire to write a book and you possess a passion for the topic of your book, you lack only one or two components to knock this project out. These last couple components are likely not what you think.

No, you don’t need to know grammar nor the Chicago Manual of Style nor Strunk and White or any of the other technical aspects of writing most often foisted upon unsuspecting novice writers. I’m not saying the knowledge of the mechanics of writing cannot be beneficial but simply unnecessary. You don’t need a degree. Again, could that be helpful? Sure, on the marketing end of things.

One of the critical factors involved in writing a book is this:

Your Unique Perspective and Truth

If you’re simply going to regurgitate a textbook or some other redundancy, your motivation will flag, your passion will be diminished, and your end product will be weak. However, if you own a perspective on your book topic which you feel is unique and people need to know, you’re on the right track. If you know a “truth” about your topic which is overlooked or unnoticed by others, you have something of value. If your experience tells you that people are missing something vital or keep repeating a problem for which you have a solution, then you have something of merit to write about. The age-old axiom, “Write what you know.” falls into this category.

You need an excitement when spilling your words from your heart and brain. You need something to sink your teeth into which will feed your desire to get this book done. Little in life is more motivating than espousing a message others need to hear. And “Others” will read when you successfully complete your book project.

I mention the word “truth” for a reason. Just because something is accepted as “the way to do things” does not mean it is the best or even proper way to do it. Innovation requires building on what’s out there and making it better. Please dispel the internal myth that a book must be some huge tome which takes years to complete. One of my books is 46 pages and it covers its topic well.

Please dispel the internal myth that a book must be some huge tome which takes years to complete. One of my books is 46 pages and it covers its topic well. This brings me to something which should relieve some apprehension you may have.

Keep Your Nonfiction Book Topic Niche

It’s been true for quite some time that people do not want broad, rambling nonfiction books. People desire information. They desire it quick. They desire it effective. They desire remedy. They desire brevity.

Do not fall prey to the perspective that a book must cover everything in your industry. Please allow your reader a modicum of respect. Write your niche-topic book. Your market, the folks who will read your book, will likely already know the issues which lead to your “niche topic.” They will already own a knowledge of what it took to arrive at your niche topic. They do not want to read what they already know. They want to take what they know and advance it.

Writing a book is as simple as devoting an hour a day to writing something for which you have a desire to express, a passion for the subject matter, and a willingness to write from your unique perspective and truth. I maintain that writing a book is fun. Exciting. Passionate. Rewarding. I’ve helped over 100 people get their books written thus far. If you find yourself in need of assistance or coaching, that’s what I do. Check out the Consultation page on this site and contact me.

Writing a nonfiction book is simply plucking what you know from your heart and mind and putting this knowledge into words on a page. Simple. I understand the process is not always easy. The bulk of the reasons writing a book is not always easy has more to do with you and your preconceived notions than the actual writing. Write what you know.

Write what you know. Help others solve a problem. Help others overcome obstacles. Reveal truths about our world. Help reshape misconceptions into something true.

For help in writing your book, Go Write and You Won’t Go Wrong – How to Write Your Book in 30 Days has helped hundreds achieve their goal of beginning and completing their manuscript. Need some one-on-one coaching? Contact me – Author@MichaelRayKing.com (limited number of consulting slots available)